Hero and Leander (Greene)/Notes
NOTES on the foregoing POEM.
Orig.—Νηχόμενου τὲ Λέανδρον δμου καὶ λύχνον ἀκόυω V. 5.
Henry Stephens has exhibited the word ἀκόυω in all its meanings, and particularly introduces the above line.—See his Thesaur. Ling. Græc. He observes, that the construction would be harsh (dura conftructio) if turn'd otherwise than 'I hear the Sound of Leander swimming,' which would be a wretched version, particularly when we reflect that Sound cannot be applied to λύχνον the Torch; for that must necessarily be an object to the Eye. To obviate this great impropriety, I would construe ἀκόυω 'fando accipio'—I hear by report—I relate the received tale of Leander and the Torch. This last interpretation is illustrated by Henry Stephens from a verse in Homer Il. ω.
Καί σε γέρων τὸ πρὶν μὲν ἀκόυομεν ὂλζιον ἕιναι.
If any severer Critic is dissatisfy'd with the above, let him substitute ὀράω; and the passage will be clear, and unforc'd—Indeed the spirit of the phrase will be augmented by this Prosopopeïa, which consequently enforces the history related, by bringing it immediately to the Sight.
Orig.—Ἠροῡς νυκτιγάμοιο γαμόστολου άγγελιώτην V. 7.
This verse is superfluous—the second and third words have a barbarous jingle, and a tautology of expression; and άγγελιώτην has too near a vicinity to ἀπαγγέλλοντα in the line preceding. The whole is a meer repetition of γάμος ἒννυχος Ἡροῦς in the fourth line, and for the worse; add to this, that it breaks the force of λυχνον in the ensuing line, which seems to require an union with the sixth:
Λύχνον ἒρωτος ἂγαλμα———
Orig.—πελε ξυνέριθος V. 11.
Perhaps the reading πελη σθνέριθος may be esteem'd preferable. Henry Stephens, or his printer for him, has clos'd the verse with a full stop, which should be only a comma.
Άγγελίην τἐφύλαξεν in the succeeding line has somewhat of a stiff appearance, if it is sense. May not Άγγελίη τἐσέλασε, 'nuncia fulsit,' be substituted?
Orig.—Λεανδρος, V. 20, 25; and Λείανδρος, V.28.
A Friend is displeas'd with the occasional alteration in the foregoing words, which he esteems not classical. I think, that the liberty may be justify'd from the practice of Grecian writers, who exercis'd the 'poetica licentia' to a degree that banish'd nicety. It must indeed be acknowledg'd, that Ovid uses the word, Leander, in one uniform quantity;
Corpus Leandri, spes mea, pendet aquis.
Ἢν Κυθέρης ἲερεια. V. 30.
A Friend, for whose Knowledge of the Greek language I have great veneration, has produced an argument derogatory of the Antiquity of this Poem from the expression ἃιμα λαχοθσα. "Homer," says he, "would have written "διοτρεφες ἃιμα, and omitted the subsequent verb." There is no doubt, but that it would be more elegantly so written. This objection may be obviated by throwing the word λάχουσα into the next line, λαχουσα ἱέρεια, Indeed λάχουσα would be very aukwardly placed in the first phrase; it would want a classical meaning; add to this, that Priests and Priestesses in Ancient Greece were as usually chosen by Lot, as by any other method.—Homer Il. ζ. V. 300.
Τὴν μὲν Τρωὲς ἓθηκαν Ἂθηνάιης ἱέπειαν.
It is observable (if it be permitted to enforce the above Pagan by a Christian usage) that the casting lots for the choice of Apostles evinces the general prevalence of this venerable institution, I am oblig'd for the above quotation to Dr. Potter's Antiquities, Vol. i, p.203. Oct. Edit. 1751, who acquaints us with the opinion of Eustathius, the famous, and in general authentic interpreter of the customs in Homer's time, that it was an institution of later ages, that the Priestesses should be Virgins—a voucher which however may be questioned from the consideration, that the ancients (as Servius tells us) us'd to exclude those, who had been twice marry'd, from the Priesthood—'Antiqui a Sacerdotiis repellebant bis nuptas'—Now if the ancients excluded those, who had been twice marry'd, and even the Daughters of such women, from this sacred office, it may be reasonably concluded, that those who were marry'd for the first time, would not be esteemed by them so eligible, as those who never had been marry'd. I speak as to the female sex; for Priests were frequently appointed, who were fathers of children, and indeed the name of Father was particularly honorable both in Greece and Rome. Minutius Felix, in his account of the profligate character, which recommended Priests and Priestesses, certainly alludes either to local degeneracy in Ancient Greece, or to later ages of Paganism; which deviated greatly from the original solemnity of their religion. The Romans in the days of Minutius were equally corrupted with the Greeks he mentions.
Orig.—Χρόιην γάπ μελέων ἐρυθάινετο νισσομένης δὲ. V. 61.
This verse has a suspicious aspect. In the line immediately preceding, Hero's limbs are call'd a Meadow of Roses; a poetical expression, which requir'd no illustration, and ought not to be enfeebled by this subsequent reason—'for her skin was red.' Add, that νισσομένης apply'd to λευκοχίτωνος is a spiritless epithet; not to omit, that the intrusion of the verse now criticiz'd spoils a beautiful connection between ῥόδων λείμωα and ῥόδa λευκοχίτωνος; a connection, which takes from the aukwardness of the repetitions ῥόδa, ῥόδων, and ῥόδον, otherwise glaring within the space of so few lines.
Τρεῖς Χάριτας ψέυσαντο πεφύκεναι. V. 64.
These words may be esteemed conclusive against the earlier Antiquity of the Poem. An author, who had not existed long after the venerable Musæus, would scarcely have us'd παλάιοι in this passage.
Orig.—Αιδοῦς ὑγρὸν ἔρευθος ἀποστάζουσα προσώπου. V. 173.
The three first words of this line possess that characteristic elegance of expression, which cannot be successfully adopted by the English tongue, Mr. David Whitford, whose Latin translation of this Poem was publish'd 1655, thus turns the verse,
'Et roseum humectat prorupto flumine vultum.'
The 'proruptum flumen' is too strong; ὺγρὸν is in the true genius of Anacreon's Ξλεμμα ὐγρὸν—See the 28th Ode. Mr. Whitford seems to have been misled by ἀποστάζοθσα, stillans; which (perhaps too boldly) describes the violence of Hero's agitation. The original expression alludes to that genial moisture, diffusing itself in blushes over the countenance, while the heart vainly struggles to conceal affection. The first version,
'Marks o'er her blushing cheek its channel'd way,'
has been vary'd to the more genuine meaning.
Orig.—Έυνῆς τὲ κρυφίης τηλέσκοπον ἀγγελιώτην. V. 237.
The sense of this line is more significantly express'd in the two preceding; it may be set down therefore as redundant. The very close repetition of ἀγγελίην and ἀγγελίωτην, raises here a similar objection to that already offer'd against V. 7.
Indeed this tautology of description is unnatural, when the mind, as in the present instance, is anxious to be acquainted with an interesting event.
Ἕστιν ὕδωρ, το δΈρωτος έμὲ φλέγει ενὀόμυχον πῦρ. V. 246.
Though I am well convinc'd, that Homer, the standard of Grecian Poesy, is a frequent dealer in puns, and other species of false wit, yet I am equally convinc'd that his most sanguine admirers would with those blemishes remov'd; and it only flows from the false delicacy of his commentators, that such bars against perfection are suffer'd to stand. If this Poem of Musæus contains verses that are classical, and sentiments that engage, it is far from an unreasonable desire, to shew the piece in its most advantageous light. The play upon the fire of Love, and the water of the Ocean in the above verses is only less inexcusable, than the trifling manner, in which they are express'd. The reduction of the two verses into one will redeem the reputation of the Poem, which otherwise greatly totters; it makes Leander serious, as he should be, at so critical a season.
Λάζεο πῦρ κραδίη
Or better
Λαζεται πῡρ κραδίην
Then the address turns to himself, μὴ δέιδιθι νήχυτον ὕδωρ.
Orig.—Ατθίδός οῡ Βορέην ἀμνήμονα κάλλιπε νόμφης. V. 322.
This line was first turn'd in the version,
'Borcas, whose anguish wept the ravish'd prize,
'Wept Atthis, Nymph belov'd:'
A construction, which I afterwards found to be authoriz'd by the Latin translation of Mr. David Whitford.
'Atthidos ereptæ, Borca, tibi gaudia Nymphæ.'
The opinion however of a Friend readily induc'd me to a change. Indeed an additional force, and a more characteristic elegance are convey'd in the idea, that Boreas was so much busy'd in this tempest, as to forget his favorite Atthis. I have presum'd to lengthen the original thought by the phrase
'Unmindful of Leander,'
that the object of Love, and that of Pity might be join'd together; Pity and Love are confederate passions. Had the first version stood, it would have been necessary to substitute κάλλεγε for κάλλιπε ——— κάλλεγε Βορέην (illegible text) ἀμνήμοις.
Orig.—Πολλὴ δἁυτόματος χύσις ὕδατος ἔῤῤεε λἀιμῶ, V. 327.
This unmeaning line possesses a languor well adapted to the trifling reflection it contains; it moreover spoils the elegant simplicity of the gradation which describes the increasing distress of Leander.
Καὶ στένος ῆν ἀδονητον ἀκοιμήτων παλαμἁων
Καὶ ποτον ἁχρήιστον ἁμαιμακετου πίεν ἅλμης
Καὶ δὴ λύχνον ἄπιτον ἀπέσξεσε πικρὸς ἀήτης,
Καὶ ψύχην, καὶ ἔπωτκ πολυπλήτοιο Λεάνδρου
I would read ὁργὴ instead of ὁρμὴ at the close of the verse, which immediately precedes the above, to avoid a heavy repetition.
Πάντοθε δἀγρομενοιο δυσαντεἲ κύματος ὁργὴ.
THE END.