SOTHEBY'S HOMER. CRITIQUE V. ACHILES. PART II.

A LETTER TO THE LORD CHANCELLOR ON THE PRESENT STATE of the

GEOGRAPHY OF AFRICA-QUARTERLY REVIEW. LETTER FROM JAMES
M'QUEEN, Esq.

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216

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THE FLOWER OF THE DESERT. BY THE SAME,

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THE PAINTER'S LAST WORK, A SCENE. BY THE SAME,

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FRENCH MEMOIRS. No. II. REVELATIONS D'une Femme de QUALITE,

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WILLIAM BLACKWOOD, NO. 45, george street, Edinburgh; AND T. CADELL, STRAND, LONDON.

To whom Communications (post paid) may be addressed.

SOLD ALSO BY ALL THE BOOKSELLERS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM.

PRINTED BY BALLANTYNE AND CO. EDINBURGH.

ALSO, JUST PUBLISHED,

No. CXCI.

OF

BLACKWOOD'S EDINBURGH MAGAZINE, FOR FEBRUARY, 1832. PART II.

CONTENTS:

New Project of Education in Ireland.-The Executioner. Chap IHomer's Hymns. No. IV. The Humours of Hermes.-The Dance of Death. From the German.-The Philosophy of London.-The House of Orange.-Irish Scenery; and Other Things Irish.-A Creation of Peers.Letter from Professor Dunbar and Mr E. H. Barker.-The West India Question. Introduction-L'Envoy.

NORTH.

Thus saying, (Achilles,) with haughty thoughts, went towards the city,
Rushing like a prize-winning horse along with the chariot,

Which (the horse) outstretched runs swiftly over the plain :

So nimbly did Achilles move his feet and his knees.

Him the aged Priam with his eyes first perceived,

Rushing over the plain,—all resplendent, like the star

Which comes forth between the rising of the daystar and Arcturus, i. e. (at the departure of summer :) but most brilliant do its beams

Shine amid the multitudinons stars at the milking-time of night,

* åμoλyã, milking-time, morning and evening.

Thus with elated spirits,

Steed-like, that at Olympus' games wears garlands for his merits,

And rattles home his chariot, extending all his pride,

Achilles so parts with the God. When aged Priam spied

The great Greek come, sphered round with beams, and showing as if the star,
Surnamed Orion's Hound, that springs in autumn, and sends far

His radiance through a world of stars, of all whose beams his own
Cast greatest splendour, the midnight, that renders them most shown,
Then being their foil, and in their points cure-passing fevers then
Come shaking down into the joints of miserable men:

As this were fallen to earth, and shot along the field his rays,
Now towards Priam, when he saw in great Eacides,
Out-flew his tender voice in shrieks, &c.

POPE.

Then to the city, terrible and strong,

With high and haughty steps he tower'd along.
So the proud courser, victor of the prize,
To the near goal with double ardour flies.
Him, as he blazing shot across the field,
The careful eyes of Priam first beheld.
Not half so dreadful rises to the sight,

Through the thick gloom of some tempestuous night,
Orion's Dog, (the year when Autumn weighs,)
And o'er the feebler stars exerts his rays;
Terrific glory! for his burning breath

Taints the red air with fevers, plagues, and death.
So glow'd his fiery mail.

COWPER.

So saying, incensed he turn'd towards the town
His rapid course, like some victorious steed,
That whirls, at stretch, a chariot to the goal.
So flew Achilles lightly o'er the field.

Him first the ancient King of Troy perceived,
Scouring the plain, resplendent as the star
Autumnal, of all stars at dead of night
Conspicuous most, and named Orion's Dog.
Brightest it shines, but ominous, and dire
Disease portends to miserable man ;

So beam'd Achilles' armour as he flew.
SOTHEBY.

Then rush'd to Troy, in fury of his speed:
Thus rushes with his car a conquering steed,
Who, at full stretch, as conscious of his prize,
To the near goal along the level flies;
Thus flew Pelides-him the king perceived,
Him flashing on, first saw, and sorely grieved-
Saw him resplendent, like Orion's star,
Whose beams at autumn, radiant from afar,

Mid heaven's innumerous host, at dead of night,
Pales all their lustre with surpassing light:

Terrific sign whose unremitted blaze
Pours in the fever'd blood its fiery rays:
Thus as th' Avenger rush'd, a dazzling light
Flash'd from Pelides' arms on Priam's sight.

All good. But no time this for criticism. See! hark! loud wailing on the battlements the hoary king. What heart-and-soul-rending beseechings and supplications on his Hector to shun death! Hecuba, too, bares before her son, in sight of all the people, the bosom that gave him

nourishment, and implores her hero to cope not with that dreadful adversary!

"So they with prayers importuned and

with tears

Their son, but him sway'd not; unmoved

he stood, Expecting vast Achilles, now at hand.”

For Achilles had seen him, as soon as Apollo disappeared, the Trojan's guardian-god-and on the instant, like car-whirling steed victorious

near the goal, had shot to the slaugh ter. Achilles was like the star Orion. How looked Hector?

NORTH.

Nor prevailed they over the spirit of Hector,

But he awaited the vast (g) Achilles approaching nearer,

As when a mountainous* (i. e. savage) serpent at its haunt a man awaits,
Fed on baneful poisons, and dread fury enters it,

And hideously it looks, coiling itself around its haunt;

In like manner, Hector, having confidence unquenchable, withdrew not,
But, placing his bright shield against a projecting turret,
His own mighty spirit he addressed.

CHAPMAN.

And now drew deadly near

Mighty Achilles; yet he still kept deadly station there.
Look how a dragon, when she sees a traveller bent upon
Her breeding den, her bosom fed with fell contagion,
Gathers her forces, sits him firm, and at his nearest pace
Wraps all her cavern in her folds, and thrusts a horrid face
Out at his entry; Hector so, with unextinguish'd spirit,

Stood great Achilles, stirr'd no foot, but at the prominent turret
Bent to his bright shield, and resolved to bear fall'n heaven upon it.