THE AENELD OF VIRGIL, I.-VI.
The Aeneid of Virgil, I.-VI. Translated into Blank Verse by H. S. Wright, B.A. (Kegan Paul, Trench, and Co. 6s.)—We cannot honestly say that Mr. Wright's translation is a success. That blank verse may well represent the elaborate Virgilian hexameter we believe; but it must be itself elaborate, with all the variety of pause, the melody, the dignity, which the great masters of metre have known how to give it. . Here is a sample of Mr. Wright's work. It is from II. 101-104, where Sinon breaks off his story,—" Sed quid ego haze autem nequiquam ingrate revolvo ? " &c.
" Why do I
Then all in vain this hateful tale unfold?
Or why delay if in one light ye view
All who are Greeks, and it suffice to know That Greek am I? Go to—your vengeance take Too long delayed. Yea thus ye best would please The man of Ithaca and Atreus' sons Would buy such service at a goodly price."
The last line in the Latin, "Hoc Ithacus velit et magno mercentur Atridae," is very hard to give adequately; the others are not out of the common. Here is an attempt :— " But why retell the hateful tale, or balk The undiscerning wrath that finds a doom
In the bare name of Greek ? Slay, slay ; and give • Ulysses his desire, and Atreus' sons Their costliest wish."
Previous page
