Where first their loues initiated me In skill of their unworldly Harmony. But no more practise have my trauailes [312]swet, In many-a-naile-composed ships; and yet Ile sing what _Ioue’s_ Minde will suggest in mine Whose daughters taught my verse the rage diuine. FOOTNOTES [279] Granger, in his biographical history of England, speaks slightingly of Chapman’s Homer on Pope’s authority. Pope singularly explains what he considers as the defects of this translation, by saying that “the nature of the man may account for his whole performance: as he appears to have been of an arrogant turn, and _an enthusiast in poetry_.” A strange disqualification! He confesses, also, that “what very much contributed to cover his defects, is a daring fiery spirit that animates his translation: which is something like what one might imagine Homer himself would have written before he arrived at years of discretion.” PREFACE TO HOMER. Mr. Godwin, in his “Lives of Edward and John Philips, nephews of Milton,” has illustrated the natural energy of style in Chapman’s Homer with critical taste and just feeling. Chap. x. p. 243. [280] Feed _upon_ or emaciate the features by dissipated excess. [281] Vulcan. [282] Persuasion. [283] Necklaces; from Carquan, Fr. or Carcan. _Dict. de l’Ac. Fr._ Threading a _carkanet_ of pure round pearl. Sir W. Davenant. The Wits, a comedy. [284] _To rack_ here means to _give what is exacted_; yeelds is _yieldings_, produce. [285] Hinder. [286] Hesitate. [287] Beyond that which was sown first. [288] Exertions. [289] So much as. [290] The Man of Thrift. Thie in the old Saxon is thrift. [291] Animated with whose hardihood in braving the season for the sake of wealth. [292] Slothful averseness to meet the rigour of the season, of which the consequence is poverty. [293] Avoided through love of delicacy; or slothful indulgence. [294] Remain unemployed; sit starving in idleness as long as the frost and snow endure. [295] Thick, swollen. [296] Clusters. [297] The whole deluge of air being let loose in him, the (north-wind) on the surface of earth. [298] In the original, _many-nourishing_. Chapman has elsewhere more faithfully the same epithet “_many-a-creature-nourishing_ earth.” [299] Being sheared. [300] Skins. [301] They keep out the whole force of the winter, which is concentrated in his (the winter’s) wind. [302] She was of too tender an age to sustain the bridal embrace. [303] A Grecism: swimming _in beauty_: in the Greek, _many-golden_ Venus: abounding with charms. [304] The care of seeking shelter. [305] Being in need of shelter. [306] To _dress_, or prepare by thrashing. [307] Well-smooth’d or levell’d. [308] Stow in. [309] A Grecism: _Dear_ in Greek being synonymous with _his_, _hers_, _their_: and in this instance an expletive. [310] Humid. [311] With the wish or desire. [312] Sweated _through_; toiled through. THE END.