The Contemporary Review, Volume 36, October 1879Various
History
The Contemporary Review, Volume 36, October 1879
Various
Arts -- Periodicals; Literature -- Periodicals; Political science -- Periodicals
of India. Six chapters of the eighth Book bring the reader through the
country west of the Indus to the bank of that river, its passage, and
the ensuing battle on the eastern bank, with the defeat of the army of
Porus; whilst the ninth Book embraces Alexander's advance through the
Punjab, his operations in descending the Jhelam and Chenab, his descent
of the Indus, and exploration of its mouth, with an account also of the
homeward march; and the least that can be said of Messrs. Heitland and
Raven's editorial work, whether critical or explanatory, is, that no
difficulty of text is overlooked or imperfectly handled, no discrepancy,
as comparing Curtius with parallel authorities, ignored. A test-passage,
wherein to prove this statement, may be taken in the fourteenth chapter
of the eighth Book, the battle between Alexander and Porus, which is
described with unflagging care and zeal from first to last, the
situations and details being compared, and, where possible, reconciled
with Arrian, the poetical phrases characteristic of Curtius pointed out
and illustrated, and the unusual words, _e.g., copidas_ ("choppers" like
a Goorka knife, the κοπὶς from the same root as κόπτω), clearly though
succinctly explained. On Alexander's order to Cœnus in §§ 15 of the
battle chapter, "ipse dextrum move et turbatis signa infer" (advance the
right wing, &c.), an excellent note, for which Mr. Heitland undertakes
the sole responsibility, accredits him, in our judgment, as a most sound
historical commentator, by the exhaustiveness wherewith he reconciles
Arrian and Curtius's view of Alexander's position and movements, and
those of Cœnus. The former with the main body took the Indian horse in
flank, before they could change their front, and enabled Cœnus to fall
on what had been their front but was now their disordered flank: and as
to the difficulty in the way of this explanation, that according to
Arrian the war-chariots were in front of the Indian horse, it is justly
deemed easier to conceive Cœnus eluding these clumsy adversaries, than
Alexander expecting him to see from the Macedonian left the right moment
for his own charge, and then wheel round the whole Indian army, and
execute his orders opportunely. With the same lucidity is the whole
narrative commented on: and every geographical, historical, or military
difficulty investigated, with a commendable eye both to ancient and
modern references and authorities. Equally interesting, too, will be
found the elucidations of questions of style, such as in viii. §§ 10,
where "igni _alita_ sepulchra" reveals a certainly post-Augustan but
doubtfully Ciceronian form; or as in viii. 14 §§ 41 the use of "malum"
(plague take you) borrowed interjectionally from the comic poets and, as
is shown in the notes ad loc., from Cicero De Off. ii. §§ 53. Students,
however, must search this volume minutely to understand aright the helps
it affords to their just estimate of Quintus Curtius Rufus as a
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account