On the translation of Plato’s Protagoras by María Luisa Acuña

Abstract

In 1974, Prof. María Luisa Acuña (1931-2020) carried out the first Spanish version of Plato’s Protagoras made by an Argentinian woman. It was published by the Facultad de Humanidades of the Universidad Nacional del Nordeste (UNNE). Prof. Acuña is the author not only of the translation but also of the notes to the Spanish as well as to the Greek texts. Her work is a valuable contribution to Classical Studies in Argentina and, more widely, to all Spanish-speaking countries, because it truly has many virtues. This can be seen, for example, in the agile rhythm of the first scenes in the prologue (which has a noticeable colloquial style, almost funny at times), in lexical choices, in the translator’s deep knowledge of Plato’s technical vocabulary and thought and in the erudition that the notes show. The aim of this essay is to highlight some of these virtues and, in general, to share my own reading experience of this remarkable version of Protagoras.