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the plea that such only could live in the water: his woodnymphs with faces of knotted oak; his angels without breath and song, because no lungs could exist between the earth's atmosphere and the empyrean. The Grecian tendency in this respect is safer than the Gothic; nay, more imaginative; for it enables us to imagine beyond imagination, and to bring all things healthily round to their only present final ground of sympathy -the human. When we go to heaven, we may idealize in a superhuman mode, and have altogether different notions of the beautiful; but till then, we must be content with the loveliest capabilities of earth. The sea-nymphs of Greece were still beautiful women, though they lived in the water. The gills and fins of the ocean's natural inhabitants were confined to their lowest semi-human attendants; or if Triton himself was not quite human, it was because he represented the fiercer part of the vitality of the seas, as they did the fairer.

To conclude this part of my subject, I will quote from the greatest of all narrative writers two passages ;- —one exemplifying the imagination which brings supernatural things to bear on earthly, without confounding them; the other, that which paints events and circumstances after real life. The first is where Achilles, who has long absented himself from the conflict between his countrymen and the Trojans, has had a message from heaven, bidding him re-appear in the enemy's sight, standing outside the camp-wall upon the trench, but doing nothing more; that is to say, taking no part in the fight. He is simply to be The two armies down by the sea-side are contending which shall possess the body of Patroclus; and the mere sight of the dreadful Grecian chief-supernaturally indeed impressed upon them, in order that nothing may be wanting to the full effect of his courage and conduct upon courageous men—is to determine the question. We are to imagine a slope of ground towards the sea, in order to elevate the trench; the camp is solitary; the battle ("a dreadful roar of men," as Homer calls it) is raging on the sea-shore; and the goddess Iris has just delivered her message, and disappeared.

seen.

Αυταρ Αχιλλευς ωρτο Δει φιλος αμφι δ' Αθήνη
Ώμοις ιφθιμοισι βαλ' αιγιδα θυσσανοεσσαν

But up

Αμφι δε δι κεφαλη νεφος εστεφε δια θεάων
Χρύσεον, εκ δ' αυτου δαιε φλογα παμφανόωσαν.
Ως δ' ότε καπνος των εξ άστεος αιθερ' ίκηται
Τηλόθεν εκ νήσου, την δηιοι αμφιμάχονται,
Οιτε πανημέριοι στυγερω κρινονται Άρη
Αστεος εκ σφετερου ἅμα δ' ηελίω καταδυντι
Πυρσοι τε φλεγεθουσιν επήτριμοι, ύψοσε δ' αυγη
Γίγνεται αισσουσα, περικτιονεσσιν ιδέσθαι,
Αι κεν πως συν νηυσιν αρης αλκτηρες ἱκωνται
Ως απ' Αχιλληος κεφαλης σελας αιθερ' ἱκανεν.

Στη δ' επι ταφρον ιων απο τείχεος" ουδ' ες Αχαιους
Μισγετο μητρος γαρ πυκινην ωπιζετ' εφετμην.
Ενθα στας ηυσ' απατερθε δε Παλλας Αθηνη
Φθεγξατ' αταρ Τρωεσσιν εν ασπετον ώρσε κυδοιμον
Ως δ' ότ αρίζηλη φωνη, ότε τ' ιαχε σαλπιγξ
Αστυ περιπλομένων δηιων ὑπο θυμοραιστεων
Ως τοτ' αρίζηλη φωνη γενετ' Αιακίδαο.
Οι δ' ὡς ουν αιον οπα χαλκεον Αιακίδαο,
Πασιν ορίνθη θυμος" αταρ καλλιτριχες ίπποι
Αψ οχέα τροπεον οσσοντο γαρ αλγεα θυμώ.
Ηνιοχοι δ' εκπληγεν, επει ίδον ακαματον πυρ
Δεινον ὑπερ κεφαλης μεγαθύμου Πηλείωνος
Δαιομενον" το δε δαιε θεα γλαυκωπις Αθήνη.
Τρις μεν ύπερ ταφρου μεγαλ' ιαχε διος Αχιλλευς,
Τρις δε κυκηθησαν Τρωες, κλείτοι τ' επικουροι.
Ενθα δε και τοτ' ολοντο δυωδεκα φωτες αριστοι
Αμφι σφοις οχεεσσα και εγχεσιν.

Iliad, Lib. xviii., v. 203.

Achilles rose, the lov'd of heaven;

And Pallas on his mighty shoulders cast

The shield of Jove; and round about his head

She put the glory of a golden mist,

From which there burnt a fiery-flaming light.

And as, when smoke goes heaven-ward from a town,

In some far island which its foes besiege,

Who all day long with dreadful martialness

Have pour'd from their own town; soon as the sun
Has set, thick lifted fires are visible,

Which, rushing upward, make a light in the sky,
And let the neighbors know, who may perhaps
Bring help across the sea; so from the head
Of great Achilles went up an effulgence.

Upon the trench he stood, without the wall,
But mix'd not with the Greeks, for he rever'd

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And when they heard the brazen cry, their hearts
All leap'd within them; and the proud-maned horses
Ran with the chariots round, for they foresaw
Calamity; and the charioteers were smitten,
When they beheld the ever-active fire

Upon the dreadful head of the great-minded one
Burning; for bright-eyed Pallas made it burn.
Thrice o'er the trench divine Achilles shouted;
And thrice the Trojans and their great allies
Roil'd back; and twelve of all their noblest men
Then perished, crush'd by their own arms and chariots.

Of course there is no further question about the body of Patroclus. It is drawn out of the press, and received by the awful hero with tears.

The other passage is where Priam, kneeling before Achilles, and imploring him to give up the dead body of Hector, reminds him of his own father; who, whatever (says the poor old king) may be his troubles with his enemies, has the blessing of knowing that his son is still alive, and may daily hope to see him return. Achilles, in accordance with the strength and noble honesty of the passions in those times, weeps aloud himself at this appeal, feeling, says Homer, "desire" for his father in his very "limbs." He joins in grief with the venerable sufferer, and can no longer withstand the look of "his great head and his grey chin." Observe the exquisite introduction of this last word. It paints the touching fact of the chin's being imploringly thrown upward by the kneeling old man, and the very motion of his beard as he speaks.

Ως άρα φωνήσας απέβη προς μακρον Ολυμπον
Ερμειας Πριαμος δ' εξ ίππων αλτο χαμάζε,
Ιδαίον δε κατ' αυθι λιπεν ὁ δε μιμνεν ερύκων
Ίππους ἡμιονους τε γερων δ' ιθυς κιεν οικού,
Τη ῥ' Αχιλευς ἱζεσκε, Διι φίλος εν δε μιν αυτον
Ευρ' έταροι δ' απάνευθε καθειατο" τω δε δυ' οιω,

Ήρως Αυτομέδων τε και Αλκιμος, οζος Αρηος,
Ποιπνυον παρεοντε νέον

απεληγεν εδώδης

αρα στας

Εσθων και πινων, ετι και παρέκειτο τραπεζα.
'Τους δ' ελαθ' εισελθων Πριαμος μεγας, αγχι
Χερσιν Αχιλληος λαβε γούνατα, και κυσε χειρας
Δεινας, ανδροφόνους, αἱ οἱ πολεας κτανον υιας.
Ως δ' όταν ανδρ' ατη πυκινη λαβη, όστ' ενι πατρη
Φωτα κατακτείνας, αλλων εξικετο δημον,
Ανδρος ες αφνειου, θαμβος δ' εχει εισορόωντας,
Ως Αχιλευς θαμβησεν, ιδων Πρίαμον θεοειδεα
Θαμβησαν δε και αλλοι, ες αλλήλους δε ίδοντο.
Τον και λισσομενος Πριαμος προς μυθον εειπεν

Μνησαι πατρος σειο, θεοις επιεικελ' Αχιλλευ,
Τηλικου, ώσπερ εγων, ολοω επι γηραος ουδω.
Και
μεν που κεινον περιναιεται αμφις εόντες
Τειρουσ', ουδε τις εστιν αρην και λοιγον αμυναι
Αλλ' ήτοι κεινος γε, σεθεν ζωοντος ακούων,
Χαιρει τ' εν θυμώ, επι τ' ελπεται ηματα παντα
Οψεσθαι φιλον ύιον απο Τροιηθεν ιοντα
Αυταρ εγω παναποτμος, επει τεκον διας αριστους
Τροιη εν ευρείη, των δ' ουτινα φημι λελειφθαι.
Πεντηκοντα μοι ησαν, ὅτ' ηλυθον υιες Αχαιων
Εννεακαιδεκα μεν μοι της εκ νηδύος ησαν,

Τους δ' αλλους μοι ετικτον ενι μεγαροισι γυναικες.
Των
μεν πολλων θουρος Αρης ύπο γουνατ' έλυσεν
Ως δε μοι οιος εην, είρυτο δε αστυ και αυτους,
Τον συ πρωην κτεινας, αμυνομένον περί πάτρης,
Έκτορα του νυν εινεχ' ἱκανω νηας Αχαιών,
Λυσομενος παρα σειο, φέρω δ' απερεισι' άποινα.
Αλλ' αιδειο θεους, Αχιλευ, αυτον τ' ελεησον,
Μνησαμενος σου πατρος εγω δ' ελεεινοτέρος περ,
Ετλην δ', οι ουπω τις επιχθονιος βροτος αλλος,
Ανδρος παιδοφόνοιο ποτι στομα χειρ' ορέγεσθαι.

Ως φατο τω δ' αρα πατρος ὑφ ̓ ἱμερον ώρσε γοοιο.
Αψαμενος δ' αρα χειρος, απώσατο ηκα γέροντα.
Τω δε μνησαμένω, ὁ μεν Έκτορος ανδροφόνοιο,
Κλαι' αδινα, προπαροιθε ποδων Αχιληος ελυσθεις
Αυταρ Αχιλλευς κλαιεν ἑον πατέρ', αλλοτε δ' αυτε
Πατροκλον των δε στοναχη κατα δωματ' ορώρει.
Αυταρ έπει ῥα γοοιο τεταρπετο διος Αχιλλευς,
Και δι απο πραπιδων ηλθ ̓ ἱμερος ηδ' απο γυιων,
Αυτικ' απο θρονου ωρτο, γεροντα δε χειρος ανιστη,
Οικτείρων πολιον τε καρη, πολιον τε γενειον.

Iliad, Lib. xxiv., v. 468.

So saying, Mercury vanished up to heaven:
And Priam then alighted from his chariot,
Leaving Idous with it, who remain'd

Holding the mules and horses; and the old man
Went straight in-doors, where the belov'd of Jove
Achilles sat, and found him. In the room
Were others, but apart; and two alone,

The hero Automedon, and Alcimus,

A branch of Mars, stood by him. They had been
At meals, and had not yet removed the board.
Great Priam came, without their seeing him,
And kneeling down, he clasp'd Achilles' knees,
And kiss'd those terrible, homicidal hands,
Which had deprived him of so many sons.
And as a man who is press'd heavily
For having slain another, flies away

To foreign lands, and comes into the house
Of some great man, and is beheld with wonder,
So did Achilles wonder to see Priam ;

And the rest wonder'd, looking at each other.
But Priam, praying to him, spoke these words :—
"God-like Achilles, think of thine own father!
To the same age have we both come, the same

Weak pass; and though the neighboring chiefs may ver
Him also, and his borders find no help,

Yet when he hears that thou art still alive,
He gladdens inwardly, and daily hopes
To see his dear son coming back from Troy.
But I, bereav'd old Priam! I had once
Brave sons in Troy, and now I cannot say
That one is left me. Fifty children had I,

When the Greeks came; nineteen were of one womb;
The rest my women bore me in my house.

The knees of many of these fierce Mars has loosen'd;
And he who had no peer, Troy's prop and theirs,
Him hast thou kill'd now, fighting for his country,
Hector; and for his sake am I come here
To ransom him, bringing a countless ransom.
But thou, Achilles, fear the gods, and think
Of thine own father, and have mercy on me;
For I am much more wretched, and have borne
What never mortal bore, I think, on earth,
To lift unto my lips the hand of him
Who slew my boys."

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