Section 73 Peter the Great and the Monk
Peter the Great ordered1 many foreign books to be translated into the Russian language, and among others2 “Puffendorf’s3 Introduction to the Knowledge of the States of Europe.” A monk, to whom the translation of this book was committed4, presented5 it some time after6 to the Emperor. The monarch examined7 the translation; at8 a certain chapter, however, he suddenly changed9 countenance, turned indignantly to the monk, and said: “Fool, what did I order10 thee to do? Is this a translation?” He11 then referred to the original and showed the poor monk a paragraph in which the author had spoken with great asperity12 of the Russians, but which had not been translated. “Go,” resumed the monarch, “and instantly carry out13 what I have bidden thee to do. It is not to (S. 19, N. 7) flatter my subjects that I14 have ordered this book to be translated, but (S. 6, N. 10) to instruct15 and reform16 them!”—Anonymous.
Notes
1 Use the auxiliary verb of mood ‘lassen’ as a translation of ‘to order’, ‘to command’, and ‘to cause’, when these verbs are connected with the auxiliary ‘to be’ and the Past Participle of another verb; as—
The emperor ordered the ringleaders to be shot. Der Kaiser ließ die Anführer erschießen.
The admiral commanded the ships to be drawn up in order of battle. Der Admiral ließ die Schiffe in Schlachtordnung aufstellen.
He caused the money to be paid to me. Er ließ mir das Geld auszahlen.
2 Supply here the adverb auch.
3 Puffendorfs Beiträge zur europäischen Staatenkunde.
4 an´vertrauen.
5 überrei´chen; it = the same, which must agree with its antecedent ‘translation’.
6 after, darauf.
7 prüfen.
8 bei.
9 to change countenance, die Farbe wechseln.
10 ‘to order’, here befehlen. See S. 48, N. 2.
11 Say ‘Hereupon he opened (auf´schlagen) the original’.
12 Schärfe, f.; had spoken... of = had expressed himself (sich aus´sprechen)... about.
13 verrichten.
14 Inverted construction.
15 belehren.
16 reformieren; the prep. zu must be repeated before this verb.