Gustav Aschenbach was the writer who spoke for all those who work on the brink of exhaustion, who labor and are heavy-laden, who are worn out already but still stand upright, all those moralists of achievement who are slight of stature and scanty of resources, but who yet, by some ecstasy of the will and by wise husbandry, manage at least for a time to force their work into a semblance of greatness.
Gustav Aschenbach unatzeko zoriraino lan egiten duten guztien poeta zen, gehiegizko zama baten azpian makurturik, baina tente hala ere, ahaleginaren moralista guzti horiena, zeinek, gorpuzkeraz mazkar eta eskuarte urriko, lortu egiten baitute, denbora batean gutxienez, halako handitasun-kutsu bat lortzea beren buruak zuhurki administratzeari eta beren borondatea estasi moduko bati azpiratuz.