"The Similies are likewise generally longer in the Iliad than the Odyssey, and less resemblance between the thing illustrated, and the illustration; the reason is, in the Iliad the similitudes are introduced to illustrate some great and noble object, and therefore the Poet proceeds till he has rais'd some noble image to inflame the mind of the Reader."
— Pope, Alexander (1688-1744), Broome, W. and Fenton, E.
Place of Publication
London
Date
1725-6
Metaphor
"The Similies are likewise generally longer in the Iliad than the Odyssey, and less resemblance between the thing illustrated, and the illustration; the reason is, in the Iliad the similitudes are introduced to illustrate some great and noble object, and therefore the Poet proceeds till he has rais'd some noble image to inflame the mind of the Reader."
Metaphor in Context
As the bold eagle with fierce sorrow stung]
This is a beautiful comparison; but to take its full force, it is necessary to observe the nature of thisfhnh or vultur :Homer does not compare Ulysses to that bird merely for its dignity, it being of the Aquiline kind, and therefore the King of birds; but from the knowledge of the nature of it, which doubles the beauty of the allusion: This bird is remarkable for the love it bears towards its young: Tearing open her own thigh, she feeds her young with her own blood : Thus also another Author;
Ton mhron ektemnonteV, hmatwmenoiV
GalaktoV olkoiV xwpurousi ta brefh.
Femore exsecto, sanguineo lactis defluxu, suos foetus refocillant . And the Egyptians made the vultur their hieroglyphic, to represent a compassionate nature. This gives a reason why this bird is introduc'd with peculiar propriety to represent the fondness of Ulysses for Telemachus . But where is the point of the similitude? Ulysses embraces his son, but the vultur is said to mourn the loss of her young: Eustathius answers, that the sorrow alone, and vehemence of it, is intended to be illustrated by the comparison; I think he should have added the affection Ulysses bears to Telemachus .
It is observable, that Homer inserts very few similitudes in his Odyssey , tho' they occur frequently almost in every book of the Iliad . The Odyssey is wrote with more simplicity, and consequently there is less room for allusions. If we observe the similies themselves inserted in each Poem, we shall find the same difference: In the Iliad they are drawn from lions, storms, torrents, conflagrations; thunder, &c. In the Odyssey , from lower objects, from an heap of thorns, from a shipwright plying the wimble, an armourer tempering iron, a matron weeping over her dying husband, &c. The Similies are likewise generally longer in the Iliad than the Odyssey, and less resemblance between the thing illustrated, and the illustration; the reason is, in the Iliad the similitudes are introduced to illustrate some great and noble object, and therefore the Poet proceeds till he has rais'd some noble image to inflame the mind of the Reader; whereas in these calmer scenes the Poet keeps closer to the point of allusion, and needs only to represent the object, to render it entertaining: By the former conduct he raises our admiration above the subject, by adding foreign embellishments; in the latter he brings the copy as close as possible to the original, to possess us with a true and equal image of it.
It has been objected by a French Critic, that Homer is blameable for too great a length in his similitudes; that in the heat of an action he stops short, and turns to some illusion, which calls off our attention from the main subject. 'Tis true, comparisons ought not to be too long, and are not to be plac'd in the heat of an action, as Mr. Dryden observes, but when it begins to decline: Thus in the first Æneis , when the storm is in its fury, the Poet introduces no comparison, because nothing can be more impetuous than the storm it self; but when the heat of the description abates, then lest we should cool too soon, he renews it by some proper similitude, which still keeps up our attention and fixes the whole upon our minds. The similitude before us is thus placed at the conclusion of the Heroe's lamentation, and the Poet by this method leaves the whole deeply fix'd upon the memory. Virgil has imitated this comparison in his fourth Georgic , but very judiciously substituted the nightingale in the place of the vultur, that bird being introduc'd to represent the mournful music of Orpheus .
Qualis populeâ mærens Philomela sub umbrâ
Amissos queritur foetus quos durus arator
Observans nido implumes detraxit; at illa
Flet noctem , &c.
Nothing can be sweeter than this comparison of Virgil , but the learned Huetius thinks he has found a notorious blunder in it: This nightingale (says he) in the first line sits in the shade of a poplar, and yet in the fourth she mourns by night, flet noctem . It is evident that Monsieur Huet mistakes the word umbra for the shade of the tree, which it casts while the sun shines upon it; whereas it only means that the bird sings sub foliis , or conceal'd in the leaves of it, which may be done by night as well as by day: But if it be thought that this is not a sufficient answer, the passage may be thus understood: The nightingale mourning under the shade of a poplar, &c. ceases not all night, or flet noctem ; that is, she begins her song in the evening by day, but mourns all night. Either of these answers are sufficient for Virgil 's vindication.
(Bk. XVI)
This is a beautiful comparison; but to take its full force, it is necessary to observe the nature of this
Femore exsecto, sanguineo lactis defluxu, suos foetus refocillant . And the Egyptians made the vultur their hieroglyphic, to represent a compassionate nature. This gives a reason why this bird is introduc'd with peculiar propriety to represent the fondness of Ulysses for Telemachus . But where is the point of the similitude? Ulysses embraces his son, but the vultur is said to mourn the loss of her young: Eustathius answers, that the sorrow alone, and vehemence of it, is intended to be illustrated by the comparison; I think he should have added the affection Ulysses bears to Telemachus .
It is observable, that Homer inserts very few similitudes in his Odyssey , tho' they occur frequently almost in every book of the Iliad . The Odyssey is wrote with more simplicity, and consequently there is less room for allusions. If we observe the similies themselves inserted in each Poem, we shall find the same difference: In the Iliad they are drawn from lions, storms, torrents, conflagrations; thunder, &c. In the Odyssey , from lower objects, from an heap of thorns, from a shipwright plying the wimble, an armourer tempering iron, a matron weeping over her dying husband, &c. The Similies are likewise generally longer in the Iliad than the Odyssey, and less resemblance between the thing illustrated, and the illustration; the reason is, in the Iliad the similitudes are introduced to illustrate some great and noble object, and therefore the Poet proceeds till he has rais'd some noble image to inflame the mind of the Reader; whereas in these calmer scenes the Poet keeps closer to the point of allusion, and needs only to represent the object, to render it entertaining: By the former conduct he raises our admiration above the subject, by adding foreign embellishments; in the latter he brings the copy as close as possible to the original, to possess us with a true and equal image of it.
It has been objected by a French Critic, that Homer is blameable for too great a length in his similitudes; that in the heat of an action he stops short, and turns to some illusion, which calls off our attention from the main subject. 'Tis true, comparisons ought not to be too long, and are not to be plac'd in the heat of an action, as Mr. Dryden observes, but when it begins to decline: Thus in the first Æneis , when the storm is in its fury, the Poet introduces no comparison, because nothing can be more impetuous than the storm it self; but when the heat of the description abates, then lest we should cool too soon, he renews it by some proper similitude, which still keeps up our attention and fixes the whole upon our minds. The similitude before us is thus placed at the conclusion of the Heroe's lamentation, and the Poet by this method leaves the whole deeply fix'd upon the memory. Virgil has imitated this comparison in his fourth Georgic , but very judiciously substituted the nightingale in the place of the vultur, that bird being introduc'd to represent the mournful music of Orpheus .
Qualis populeâ mærens Philomela sub umbrâ
Amissos queritur foetus quos durus arator
Observans nido implumes detraxit; at illa
Flet noctem , &c.
Nothing can be sweeter than this comparison of Virgil , but the learned Huetius thinks he has found a notorious blunder in it: This nightingale (says he) in the first line sits in the shade of a poplar, and yet in the fourth she mourns by night, flet noctem . It is evident that Monsieur Huet mistakes the word umbra for the shade of the tree, which it casts while the sun shines upon it; whereas it only means that the bird sings sub foliis , or conceal'd in the leaves of it, which may be done by night as well as by day: But if it be thought that this is not a sufficient answer, the passage may be thus understood: The nightingale mourning under the shade of a poplar, &c. ceases not all night, or flet noctem ; that is, she begins her song in the evening by day, but mourns all night. Either of these answers are sufficient for Virgil 's vindication.
(Bk. XVI)
Categories
Provenance
HDIS
Citation
Over 30 entries in ESTC (1725, 1726, 1745, 1752, 1753, 1758, 1760, 1761, 1763, 1766, 1767, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1773, 1778, 1790, 1792, 1795, 1796).
The Odyssey of Homer. Translated from the Greek, 5 vols. (London: Printed for Bernard Lintot, 1725-26).
The Odyssey of Homer. Translated from the Greek, 5 vols. (London: Printed for Bernard Lintot, 1725-26).
Theme
Metametaphorical
Date of Entry
10/26/2003
