Nor vehement desire these delicacies I mean of taste, sight, smell, herbs, fruits, and flowers, 1 When I approach Greatness of mind and nobleness their seat 5 ΙΟ 15 20 25 These sentiments of love in our first parent gave the angel such an insight into human nature, that he seems 30 apprehensive of the evils which might befall the species in general as well as Adam in particular, from the excess of this passion. He therefore fortifies him against it by timely admonitions; which very artfully prepare the mind of the reader for the occurrences of the next book, 35 where the weakness, of which Adam here gives such distant discoveries, brings about that fatal event which is 1 8. 546-559. 5 ΙΟ 15 the subject of the poem. His discourse, which follows the gentle rebuke he received from the angel, shows that his love, however violent it might appear, was still founded in reason, and consequently not improper for Paradise : 1 'Neither her outside formed so fair, nor aught Harmony to behold in wedded pair.' Adam's speech at parting with the angel has in it a deference and gratitude agreeable to an inferior nature, and at the same time a certain dignity and greatness suitable to the father of mankind in his state of innocence. 18. 596-605. IF 15.1 BOOK IX. In te omnis domus inclinata recumbit. VIRG. Æn. 12. 59. On thee the fortunes of our house depend. poems which have F we look into the three great heroic appeared in the world, we may observe that they are built upon very slight foundations. Homer lived near three hundred years after the Trojan war; and, as the writing of history was not then in use among the Greeks, 5 we may very well suppose that the tradition of Achilles and Ulysses had brought down but very few particulars to his knowledge; though there is no question but he has wrought into his two poems such of their remarkable adventures as were still talked of among his contemporaries. 10 The story of Æneas, on which Virgil founded his poem, was likewise very bare of circumstances, and by that means afforded him an opportunity of embellishing it with fiction, and giving a full range to his own invention. We find, however, that he has interwoven in the course of his 15 fable the principal particulars, which were generally believed among the Romans, of Æneas's voyage and settlement in Italy. The reader may find an abridgment of the whole story, as collected out of the ancient historians, and as it was 20 received among the Romans, in Dionysius Halicarnas Since none of the critics have considered Virgil's fable with relation to this history of Æneas, it may not, perhaps, be amiss to examine it in this light, so far as regards my present purpose. Whoever looks into the abridgment 5 above mentioned will find that the character of Æneas is filled with piety to the gods and a superstitious observation of prodigies, oracles, and predictions. Virgil has not only preserved this character in the person of Æneas, but has given a place in his poem to those particular prophe10 cies which he found recorded of him in history and tradition. The poet took the matters of fact as they came down to him, and circumstanced them after his own manner, to make them appear the more natural, agreeable, or surprising. I believe very many readers have been 15 shocked at that ludicrous prophecy which one of the harpies pronounces to the Trojans in the Third Book: namely, that before they had built their intended city they should be reduced by hunger to eat their very tables. But, when they hear that this was one of the circumstances 20 that had been transmitted to the Romans in the history of Æneas, they will think the poet did very well in taking notice of it. The historian above mentioned acquaints us a prophetess had foretold Æneas that he should take his voyage westward, till his companions should eat their 25 tables; and that accordingly, upon his landing in Italy, as they were eating their flesh upon cakes of bread for want of other conveniences, they afterwards fed on the cakes themselves; upon which one of the company said merrily, 'We are eating our tables.' They immediately 30 took the hint, says the historian, and concluded the prophecy to be fulfilled. As Virgil did not think it proper to omit so material a particular in the history of Æneas, it may be worth while to consider with how much judgment he has qualified it, and taken off everything that might 35 have appeared improper for a passage in an heroic poem. The prophetess who foretells it is an hungry harpy, as the person who discovers it is young Ascanius. Heus! etiam mensas consumimus! inquit Iulus. 5 Such an observation, which is beautiful in the mouth of a boy, would have been ridiculous from any other of the company. I am apt to think that the changing of the Trojan fleet into water-nymphs, which is the most violent machine in the whole Æneid, and has given offence to several critics, may be accounted for the same way. Virgil himself, before he begins that relation, premises to that what he was going to tell appeared incredible, but that it was justified by tradition. What further confirms me that this change of the fleet was a celebrated circumstance in the history of Æneas is that Ovid has given a place to the same metamorphosis in his account of the heathen mythology. None of the critics I have met with have considered the fable of the Æneid in this light, and taken notice how the tradition on which it was founded authorizes those parts in it which appear the most exceptionable. I hope the length of this reflection will not make it unacceptable to the curious part of my readers. ΙΟ 15 20 The history which was the basis of Milton's poem is still shorter than either that of the Iliad or Æneid. The poet has likewise taken care to insert every circumstance 25 of it in the body of his fable. The Ninth Book, which we are here to consider, is raised upon that brief account in Scripture wherein we are told that the serpent was more subtle than any beast in the field; that he tempted the woman to eat of the forbidden fruit; that she was overcome by this temptation; and that Adam followed her example. From these few particulars Milton has formed one of the most entertaining fables that invention ever produced. He has disposed of these several cir 30 |