400 He faid: the fhores with loud applaufes found, Where . 402. Then Neftor thus.] Nothing is more obfervable than Homer's conduct of this whole incident; by what judicious and well-imagin'd degrees the army is reftrain'd, and wrought up to the defires of the General. We have given the detail of all the methods Vlyffes proceeded in: The activity of his character is now to be contrafted with the gravity of Nellor's, who covers and ftrengthens the other's arguments, and conftantly appears through the poem a weighty Clofer of debates. The Greeks had already feen their General give way to his authority, in the difpute with Achilles in the former book, and, could expect no less than that their stay should be concluded on by Agamemnon as foon as Neftor undertook that caufe. For this was all they imagin'd his difcourfe aim'd at; but we, fhall find it had a farther defign, from Dionyfius of Halicarna fus. "There are two things (fays that excellent critick) "worthy of admiration in the speeches of Vlyfes and Neto, "which are the different defigns they fpeak with, and the different applaufes they receive. Vlyffes has the acclamations of the army, and Neftor the praife of Agamemnor. One. may enquire the reafon, why he extols the latter preferably to the former, when all that Neftor alledges feems only. a repetition of the fame arguments which Ulyffes had given "before him? It might be done in encouragement to the "old man, in whom it might raise a concern to find his Speech not follow'd with fo general an applaufe as the o"ther's. But we are to refer the fpeech of Neftor to that part of oratory which feems only to confirm what another "has faid, and yet fuperinduces and carries a farther point.. "Vlyffes and Nestor both compare the Greeks to children, for "their unmanly defire to return home; they both reproach "them with the engagements and vows they had past, and, were now about to break; they both alledge the profperous figns and omens receiv'd from heaven. Notwithstand ing this, the end of their orations is very different, Uly I 6 "Jes's Where now are all your high refolves at last? 405 Your leagues concluded, your engagements past! Vow'd with libations and with victims then, Now vanifh'd like their fmoke: the faith of men! fes's bufinefs was to detain the Grecians when they were upon the point of flying; Neftor finding that work done to "his hands, defign'd to draw them inftantly to battel. This 66 was the utmoft Agamemnon had aim'd at, which Neftor's ar "tifice brings to pafs; for while they imagine by all he fays "that he is only perfuading them to ftay, they find them"felves unawares put into order of battel, and led under "their Princes to fight. Dion. Hal. wei iqnualior, Part I and 2. We may next take notice of fome particulars of this fpeech: Where he fays they lose their time in empty words, he hints at the difpute between Agamemnon and Achilles: Where he speaks of those who deferted the Grecian caufe, he glances at Achilles in particular. When he reprefents Helen in affliction and tears, he removes the odium from the perfon in whofe caufe they were to fight; and when he moves Agamemnon to advise with his council, artfully prepares for a reception of his own advice by that modeft way of propofing it. As for the advice itself, to divide the army into bodies, each of which should be compos'd entirely of men of the fame countrey;. nothing could be better judg'd both in regard to the prefent circumstance, and with an eye to the future carrying on of the war. For the Arft, its immediate effect was to take the whole army out of its tumult, break whatever cabals they might have form'd together by feparating them into a new divifion, and caufe every fingle mutineer to come inftantly under the view of his own proper officer for correction. For the fecond, it was to be thought the army would be much, ftrengthen'd by this union: Thoie of different nations who had different aims, interefts and friendships, could not affist each other with so much zeal, or fo well concur to the fame end, as when friends aided friends, kinfmen their kinfmen, &. when each comman der had the glory of his own nation in view, and a greater emulation was excited between body and body; as not only warring for the honour of Greece in general, but for that of every diftin& State in particular, While useless words confume th' unactive hours, No wonder Troy fo long refifts our pow'rs. 10 Rife, great Atrides! and with courage fway; We march to war if thou direct the way. But leave the few that dare refift thy laws, The mean deferters of the Grecian caufe, To grudge the conquefts mighty Jove prepares, 415 And view, with envy, our fuccessful wars. On that great day when firft the martial train Big with the fate of Ilion, plow'd the main; Jove, on the right, a profp'rous fignal fent, And thunder rolling fhook the firmament. 420 Encourag'd hence, maintain the glorious ftrife, 'Till ev'ry foldier grafp a Phrygian wife, 'Till Helen's woes at full reveng'd appear, And Troy's proud matrons render tear for tear. 425 His countrey's troops to base, inglorious flight, Stand forth that Greek! and hoift his fail to fly; And dye the daftard firft, who dreads to dye. But now, O Monarch! all thy chiefs advise: Nor what they offer, thou thy felf defpife. 430 Among thofe counfels, let not mine be vain; In tribes and nations to divide thy train : His fep'rate troops let ev'ry leader call, Each strengthen each, and all encourage all. ́ 435 Or bravely fights or ill obeys command, When thus distinct they war, fhall foon be known, If fate refifts, or if our arms are flow, If Gods above prevent, or men below. 440 To him the King: How much thy years excell In arts of council, and in speaking well! Oh .440. How much thy years excel.] Every one has obferv'd how glorious an elogium of wifdom Homer has here given, where Agamemnon fo far prefers it to valour, as to wish not for ten Ajax's or Achilles's, but only for ten Neftors. For the rest of this fpeech, Dionyfius has fumm'd it up as follows. "Agamemnon being now convinc'd the Greeks were offended "at him, on account of the departure of Achilles, pacifies "them by a generous confeffion of his fault; but then afferts "the character of a fupreme Ruler, and with the air of com"mand threatens the difobedient." I cannot conclude this part of the speeches without remarking how beautifully they rife above one another, and how they more and more awaken the fpirit of war in the Grecians. In this laft there is a wonderful fire and vivacity, when he prepares them for the glorious toils they were to undergo by a warm and lively defcription of them. The repetition of the words in that part has a beauty, which (as well as many others of the fame kind) has been loft by moft tranflators. Εν μαζί τις δόρυ θηξάθω, εὖ δ' ἀπίδα θέπω, В сад Oh would the Gods, in love to Greece, decree Let all excite the fiery fteeds of war, I cannot but believe Milton had this paffage in his eye in that of his fixth book, Let each His adamantine coat gird well; and each Eit well his helm, gripe fast his orbed shield, &c. |