Dear
Jansy,
изнеженный , “iznezhennyj”, derived
from “nezhnyi” (soft, tender, delicate, gentle), generally means pampered,
sybaritic, softened; it also could (when directed to a male) mean effete,
effeminate, emasculate, girly. (“Nezhnoe ditya”, “a gentle child”, is a cliché).
An
archaic noun of the same root, “nega” (which VN translated as “mollitude”)
is Pushkin’s landmark.
We
do not use “nega” in modern Russian, but “iznezhennyj” and “nezhnyi” (and also
related verbs “nezhit’” and “nezhit’sya”, to mollify/pamper somebody or yourself)
are standard vocabulary. There is also a mildly derogatory “nezhenka” (for
which the dictionary gives: molly, sissy, coddle, mollycoddle).
In
Eugene Onegin, Pushkin uses , “iznezhennyj” twice : for Tatyana’s fingers that “never
knew a needle” ; and when he calls Onegin’s perfume a “delight of pampered
feelings” (chuvstv iznezhennykh otrada). It is hard here to draw the line
between “pampered”, “softened”, and ‘”soft”.
In
this context Tatyana’s fingers are rather just soft, “not hardened” since she
did not have to sew, than actively “softened”.
In
Pushkin’s “Vol’nost”, as in a larger Russian poetical context, “iznezhennyj” has
clearly a Greek, Roman, or Byzanthine connection, taking on modern age being
too sybaritic and decadent.
Very
famous are Lermontov’s lines in his passionate “The Poet”, where he clearly
echoes Pushkin’s ode; see below, with “iznezhennyj” translated as “tame”:
“V
nash vek iznezhennyi ne tak li ty, poet…” etc
(In our tame age, ah poet, think how you
Have lost significance...
Exchanged
for gold that power which hitherto
Commanded reverence!)
Hope
this helps,
Victor
From: Vladimir Nabokov
Forum [mailto:NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU] On Behalf Of jansymello
Sent: Tuesday, December 09, 2008 10:08 AM
To: NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU
Subject: [NABOKV-L] Post Script to [NABOKOV-L] cithereal mollitude
(Verses and Versions)
Inspite of all
the clues, technological help and explanations, I'm still at a loss.
I'm trying to
find out what, in Russian, from Pushkin's Vol'nost' (in
the lines translated as "break the lyre of mollitude")
corresponds to "mollitude" and learn a little more about its
employ in this poem.
From Brian
Boyd's www.nabokovversesandversions.ac.nz
ВОЛЬНОСТЬ
VÓL’NOST’
Ода 
Óda
1 ......................................... ......................................
4 Свободы гордая певица? — 
Svobódï górdaya Pevítsa? —
Приди, сорви с меня венок, Pridí, sorví s menyá venók,
Разбей изнеженную лиру, Razbéy iznézhennuyu líru —
Хочу воспеть Свободу миру, 
Hochú vospét’ Svobódu míru
8 На тронах поразить порок.
Na trónah porazít’ porók.
All
private editorial communications, without exception, are read by both
co-editors.