O Goddess! sing the wrath of Peleus’ son, Achilles; sing the deadly wrath that brought Woes numberless upon the Greeks, and swept To Hades many a valiant soul, and gave Their limbs a prey to dogs and birds of air,―― For so had Jove appointed,――from the time When the two chiefs, Atrides, King of men, And great Achilles, parted first as foes. Which of the gods put strife between the chiefs, That they should thus contend? Latona’s son And Jove’s. Incensed against the king, he bade A deadly pestilence appear among The army, and the men were perishing. BRYANT. Μῆνιν ἄειδε, θεὰ, Πηληϊάδεω Ἀχιλῆος, οὐλομένην, ἣ μυρί’ Ἀχαιοῖς ἄλγε’ ἔθηκεν, πολλὰς δ’ ἰφθίμους ψυχὰς Ἄϊδι προΐαψεν ἡρώων, αὐτοὺς δὲ ἑλώρια τεῦχε κύνεσσιν οἰωνοῖσί τε πᾶσι (Διὸς δ’ ἐτελείετο βουλή), ἐξ οὗ δὴ τὰ πρῶτα διαστήτην ἐρίσαντε Ἀτρείδης τε, ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν, καὶ δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς. Τίς τ’ ἄρ σφωε θεῶν ἔριδι ξυνέηκε μάχεσθαι; Λητοῦς καὶ Διὸς υἱός. Ὁ γὰρ βασιλῆϊ χολωθεὶς νοῦσον ἀνὰ στρατὸν ὦρσε κακὴν, ὀλέκοντο δὲ λαοὶ. I dispense with making any reflection upon the charm of the original verses and upon the admirable sentiment which terminates them. It would be a very strange thing not to be impressed by the beauties of this poetry. Let us pass on to Vergil. Even though I should not say it, it would suffice now to compare the Greek poet with the Latin poet, in order to perceive that the latter received only a second inspiration, transmitted by the inspiring power of the former. Vergil, less ardent, more tender, more correct, admits at once the luminous distinction; far from blending the exposition and invocation, he separates them, affects a tone more simple, promises little, exposes with timidity the subject of his poem, summons his Muse, and seems to persuade it, even less than the reader, to be favourable to him. He employs these lines: Je chante les combats, et ce Héros troyen, Qui, fuyant Ilion aborda l’Italie Le premier: sur la terre errant, et sur les mers, En butte aux traits cruels de Junon irritée, Il souffrit mille maux; avant qu’il établît Ses Dieux chez les Latins, et fondât une ville, Berceau d’Albe, de Rome et de ses hauts remparts. Muse! rappelle-moi quels motifs de vengeance Excitaient la Déesse, et pourquoi son courroux S’obstinait à poursuive un Héros magnanime? Tant de haine entre-t-elle au cœur des Immortels!