Laudator Temporis Acti

Homer, Odyssey 8.111-119 (tr. Daniel Mendelsohn):

Up went Akróneôs Top-Ship, Okýalos Quick-Sea, the Paddler,
Sea-Man Nauteús and Aft-Deck, Beach-Man, Eretmeús the Rower,
Deep-Sea Ponteús and Fore-Deck, Full-Speed and All-Aboard,
And Amphíalos Sea-Girt, the son of Many-Ships, child of Sea-Wright;
Up stood Eurýalos Broad-Sea, the equal of Ares, that plague on mortals—
The son of Naúbolos the Sounder, who in looks and physique surpassed
All of the other Phaiêkians after handsome Laodámas.
There arose as well three children of handsome Alkínoös:
Laodámas and Hálios Sea-Lad, and godlike Klytónêos Ship-Fame.

ὦρτο μὲν Ἀκρόνεώς τε καὶ Ὠκύαλος καὶ Ἐλατρεύς,
Ναυτεύς τε Πρυμνεύς τε καὶ Ἀγχίαλος καὶ Ἐρετμεύς,
Ποντεύς τε Πρωρεύς τε, Θόων Ἀναβησίνεώς τε
Ἀμφίαλός θ᾽, υἱὸς Πολυνήου Τεκτονίδαο·
ἂν δὲ καὶ Εὐρύαλος, βροτολοιγῷ ἶσος Ἄρηϊ,        115
Ναυβολίδης, ὃς ἄριστος ἔην εἶδός τε δέμας τε
πάντων Φαιήκων μετ᾽ ἀμύμονα Λαοδάμαντα.
ἂν δ᾽ ἔσταν τρεῖς παῖδες ἀμύμονος Ἀλκινόοιο,
Λαοδάμας θ᾽ Ἅλιός τε καὶ ἀντίθεος Κλυτόνηος.

Yes, the Phaeacians were a seafaring folk, and yes, most of the names in this passage are redende Namen, significant names. But I cannot help regarding Mendelsohn's translation here as grotesque, freakish, and extremely distracting. To my mind, the proper way to indicate the meaning of the names would be in the Introduction, or the Notes and Commentary, or the Glossary of Proper Nouns, not in this outlandish manner.

In addition, the treatment of some names is inconsistent — Εὐρύαλος, for example, appears as both "Eurýalos Broad-Sea" here and in line 140, but simply as "Eurýalos" in line 158.

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