trefs, with her birchen rod, than a Grecian hero * menacing with the fceptre of command. Next his God Each man invoked: of the immortals him Whom be preferr'd' Il. ii. 480. It would feem by this that the Greeks thought that each man had his peculiar tutelar divinity, as every one is fuppofed to have his particular faint, in fome Roman catholic countries, to whom he applies in cafes of great emergency. It is a pity the original does not more strongly countenance the idea, as it would tend to illuftrate, in a striking manner, the fimilitude that has been pointed out between popery and paganifm. Αλλος δ' αλλω ερηξε θεών αιειγενετάων, Ευχομενος θάνατον γε φύγειν και μαλον Αρηος. Thefe inftances which we have given, of Mr. Cowper's inventing or adding to the original, do not probably much affect his merit as a tranflator. He fhould not, however, have affirmed fo pofitively that he had abstained from every thing of the kind. The following ones of omiffion ftand nearly in the fame predicament. Then bore Pontonous to every guest The brimming cup; they, where they fat, perform'd Pontonous, in Homer, (xiii. 54.) mingles, as well as carries the wine, which is offered in libation to all the heavenly deities. Stand forth + O gueft, thou alfo prove thy skill If any fuch thou boaft in games like ours.' Odyf. viii. 177. The endearing title of father with which Laodamas, confonant to character, addreffes Ulyfles, is omitted here, and retained by Pope. The answer which the hero makes almost immediately after to another youth, who had infulted him, may serve to show that when Homer rifes, Mr. Cowper fometimes not only vies with his great original in ftrength and energy, but, even in eloquence and fpirit, though strictly faithful, with Pope's highly-finished and animated paraphrafe ‡. To whom Ulyffes, frowning dark, replied, • Pope, without deviating from the original, improves the meaning, and concludes the fpeech in a manner remarkably spirited and fublime. ii. 320. + Vid. Hom. Odys. viii. 144. Odyf. viii. 183. Regardless whom he wrongs. Therefore the Gods Thou much haft moved me; thy unhandfome phrafe When Ulyffes draws his bow, it is faid that, Thro' all the rings From first to last the * feel charg'd weapon flew, πελεπέων δ' εκ ημέρατε πάντων Πρώτης σειλείης, δια δ' αμπρες ήλθε θύραζε We prefer the original epithet, which fignifies weighty with brafs. The image of its almoft piercing through the door, fhould certainly have been retained; as it exemplifies the ftrength of Ulyffes, and, confequently, tends to encourage him, and terrify the fuitors. Pope has amplified, but not injudicioufly: The whizzing arrow vanish'd from the ftring, Sung on direa, and thredded every ring. The folid gate its fury fcarcely bounds; Pierc'd thro' and thro' the folid gate refounds.' xxi. 461. Mr. Cowper mentions it as his chief boaft that he has ad This appears rather too finical, as does the well-known expreffion of exis •Terw› being rendered the ivory guard.' hered hered closely to the original.' Many exceptions, might here, likewife, be made. Agamemnon thus rebukes his foldiers. Oh Greeks! the frame of Argos! arroiv-doom'd! I. iv. 283. The original rather fignifies; Oh Greeks! brave archers (or fhooters of fatal arrows), now deferving reproach, have you no reverence for yourfelves? Why thus motionlefs and ftupiied, like hinds, who after they are tired with running over the wide plain, ftand ftill, and have no ftrength remaining.' Αργείοι, σμαρα, ελέγχεις, ε νυ σεβεσθε; Ερας, εδ' αρα τις σφι μετα φρερά γίγνεται αλκη. Ηom. iv. 242. No man in all Phæacia hall by force" Detain thee. Jupiter himself, forbid ! Odys. vii. 393. So Alcinous tells Ulyffes in the tranflation; but the reafon he affigns in Homer is, becaufe fuch an action would be difpleafing to Jupiter.' -μη τετο φίλον διι πατεί γενοιτο the blue-eyed Goddefs as upborne On eagle's wings vanifhed.' Odyf. iii. 469. The original is in the form of an eagle.. Pallas tells Ulyffes : . But I, who keep Thee in all difficulties am divine. Odyf. xx. '52. This would induce us to understand the reverfe of what is meant. She does not keep' but preserve or guard (punaoow) him in all difficulties. Alcinous fpeaks of Demodocus, the Bard, as one, whom the Gods have bleft With powers of fong delectable, unmatch'd By any when his genius once is fired? Odyf. viii. 52. This circumftance is neither mentioned by Homer * nor Pope. When Ajax in the fhades ftalks away in fullen filence, Ulyffes fays, angry as he was I had prevailed even on him to speak : Or had at least accofted him again.' Odyf. xi. 691. The fentiment in the last line is very different from the boast in that which precedes it; and, in fact, is not countenanced by the original. That merely says, Ενθα χ' ομως προσεφην κεχολομενος η κεν εγω τον Penelope thus excufes herself to Ulyffes for having fufpected his identity. For borror hath not ceased to overwhelm This is a very lax translation, particularly of the last line, Αιει γας μοι θυμος εν: ςήθεσσι φίλοισιν Ερριγεί, μη τις με βροτων απαφατ' επεεσσιν Amphiareus is called (Odys. xv. 295.) a Demagogue renown'd.' This word is ufually applied to those who incite the people to mutiny: and it would have been more appropriate to Amphiareus, and true to the original, had xaoggɑ been rendered the Leader or Defender of his people.' Jupiter grants to fome people Wisdom which profits many, and which faves Whole cities oft, tho' reverenc'd but by few.' Il. xiii. 886. The original is not perfectly clear; but no way resembles this interpretation. It might rather be conftrued, ‹ who posfeffes it beft knows its ufe." · μάλιςα δε κ' αυτος ανέγνω When Jupiter mentions that Juno clashes with his counfels, sunλav, taken metaphorically, as Mr. Cowper fays, from the breaking of a spear against a thield,' we have no objection to the word; but we cannot approve of it when used as fynqnimous, which is often the cafe, for fight or engage, υτερον αυτε μαχησόμεθα· Then will we clash again.' The following pallage is defcriptive of fome young horfes whofe mothers had an intrigue with Boreas, and all fo light of foot, That when they wanton'd in the fruitful field Αι δ' ότε μεν σκιρτώεν επί ζείδωρον αρωματ 11. xx. 283. Αλλοτε δη σκιρτώεν επ' ευρέα νώτα θαλασσης, Lines intended to give an idea of velocity fhould not have been clogged and stiffened by inverfions. They are translated very differently by Virgil (Æn. vii. 808.), and by Pope (II. xx. 270.) Hom. Il. iii. 223. Ουκ αν επειτ' Οδυσαι γ' ερίσεις βροτος άλλος" 269. We should fufpect this tranflation of being 'the reverse to what was meant. Antenor describes the very aukward appearance of Ulyffes when he began to fpeak: you would at firft, fays he, have taken him for a fool or madman, but fo foon as you had heard his graceful elocution, then you would have thought no one equal to Ulyffes: you would not have expressed any furprize at his ftrange appearance.' • Menelaus with a lance His throat tranfpiercing while ere he rode.' Il. v. 685. The original feems perfectly the reverse-esαot' eyxeι vužɛ; he wounded him while ftanding,' i. e. in his chariot preparing to attack Menelaus. The charioteer is immediately afterwards killed by Antilochus, ás Mr. Cowper renders it, dafhed by a ftone. In another place Ulyffes kills a warrior; from his courfers' backs Alighting fwift,' I. xi. 515. The phrafe feems to imply that he was difmounting, but we are not to fuppofe that the art of riding on horseback was known, at leaft practifed by any of the heroes, during the fiege of Troy. The phrafe in Homer is, xa0' ITπr aitarra, and might be rendered, rufhing on with or from his horfes. A particular paffage, both in the Iliad and Odyssey, may seem, at firft view, to countenance the idea that fome did ride on horseback at this time. Hector is defcribed, as feats wonderful of spear And horfemanship atchieving.' Il. xi. 609. The expreffion probably favors a little too much of Aftley's equeftrian exhibitions, but we believe it thoroughly confonant to the original fenfe. Feats of horfemanfhip,' were held in admiration, whether they rode or not, during the fiege. A man is celebrated (Il. xv. 825.) for his expertnefs in fpringing from horfe to horfe, when driving rapidly a chariot and four-could a pupil of Aftley's do more? In the Odyffey, likewife, the Trojans are defcribed as Cc4 nimble |