u. secare fluctus, aëra, &c.: Virg. Æn. v. 2. 218. x. v. secare viam (réμvεiv ódóv): Virg. En. vi. 900. $65. The accumulation of epithets forms one grand distinction between poetry and prose; and upon the proper and judicious introduction of them depends a great deal of poetical beauty. Epithets are of two kinds: necessary epithets, which cannot be removed without injury to the sense; and those which are merely ornamental. For instance, in Virg. En. ii. 68. we have "Phrygia agmina circumspexit." The epithet Phrygia is here requisite to the sense, and a prose writer describing the circumstance would have used it, or its less poetical synonyme Trojana. But in "Carmina tantùm Nostra valent tela inter Martia, quantùm Chaonias dicunt, aquilâ veniente, columbas," Ecl. ix. 11. The epithets Martia and Chaonias may be omitted without detriment to the meaning. So also: "Jam nova progenies cœlo demittitur alto." Ecl. iv. 6. Here the epithet alto is ornamental; in prose it would be cold and ridiculous. Necessary epithets, then, are not those which require observation; but ornamental ones may be discussed with advantage. § 66. The first point to be attended to is, that the epithet should have either force or beauty; that it should either assist or adorn the sense. An idle epithet is an encumbrance and an eye-sore. A few examples of their judicious introduction will show clearly how this is effected. In Ovid, Met. ii. 151. Phaëthon having seated himself in the chariot of the 66 sun, patri gratias agit." How many common-place epithets might have been applied to father! Ovid rejects all such, and writes "invito grates agit ille parenti ;" a word more appropriate to the situation and circumstances of the parties could not have been selected. Virgil (En. ii. 509.) would tell us that the aged Priam takes up arms. Ornamental epithets are to be joined to arma, humeri, and ferrum. Let us observe what epithets he chooses: Arma diu senior desueta trementibus ævo Circumdat nequidquam humeris, et inutile ferrum What a different colour do these additions lend to the picture from the mere chance epithets taken at random from the Gradus! We see the poor old man, feebly buckling the unwonted armour on limbs that tremble beneath its weight; his fingers quivering in the strange employment; and girding on a weapon which he is too decrepid to wield. How picturesque and vivid! every thing is real — every thing is before our eyes. Take a third instance. The sentiment of Horace, "Nequidquam deus abscidit oceano terras, si tamen rates transiliunt vada," Od. i. 3. 21. He gives an epithet to every substantive here, except terras. Turn to the epithets in the Gradus ad Parnassum, or elsewhere; you may find for 'Deus,' omnipotens, æternus, immortalis, clemens, immensus, &c. For Oceanus,' rapidus, tumidus, procellosus, profundus, cæruleus, &c. and so on for the rest. Let us, however, mark the choice of Horace: Nequidquam deus abscidit Non tangenda rates transiliunt vada. 6 Od. i. 3. 21. There is not a common-place or vague quality assigned to any one of these appellatives. Prudens,' 'forseeing in his wisdom the advantages that would arise from such a division.' The depth, the extent, the fury, or the hue of the ocean have nothing to do with the point in question; that could only be illustrated by such a word as dissociabilis,' expressing its separative power. Impic rates,' how strong and expressive! acting in defiance of the will of Heaven who had formed the seas non tangenda,' that is, not to be rashly crossed by man. § 67. It is true that some epithets are constantly joined to certain substantives by a sort of usage, when they are not particularly appropriate; but which from long custom not only do not appear trivial or cumbrous, but even please from the venerable air of antiquity which they have about them. Such a one is alma connected with tellus, Sol, Ceres, &c. So, magna terra, orbis magnus, mundus magnus. And, rapax Orcus, læta Venus, læta rura, tristia bella, tristis Erinnys, sound together as if we never heard them asunder. These may be used at will, without fear of becoming tame; they are consecrated by use and age, and are never feeble or prosaic.1 § 68. Epithets are most beautiful which contain a trope. Two ideas are then presented at once to the mind, in the most pleasing form; distinct, and yet united. We shall first notice those in which a metaphor is involved. a. Those epithets are metaphorical by which the properties and actions of animated beings are assigned to inanimate: as, Læta segetes. Cinis dolosus. Fluvii minaces. Aurite quercus (which followed Orpheus). Vigiles lucernæ, &c. So, too, are those which give the qualities of material things to abstract ideas: Cruda viridisque senectus. Rosea juventa. Florens ætas. Hyperbolical epithets of this kind occasionally are suitable: Ferrea vox. Pectus aheneum. b. Epithets applied by metonymy or by synecdoche, often have great beauty. By these figures the epithet is transferred from the person to something with which it is connected. Thus epithets are transferred: 1. From the persons to their dwelling-place: Crudeles terræ. Littus avarum. Sceleratum limen. 2. From the persons to the place where the event occurs. Timidæ naves. Impiæ rates. Insanum forum. Minantia castra. Castellum ferox. Nidi loquaces (swallows). Sylvæ canora (birds singing in the woods). Infamis campus. Stagna loquacia. 3. From the persons to the weapons they use: Scelerata hasta, Virg. En. ii. 231. Tela inimica. Arma victricia. Remis audacibus tentare undas. Ferrum audax, implacabile. Iracunda fulmina. Tacita acerra, Pers. ii. 5. "Achilles is the swift This is particularly the case in Homer. footed, when he is sitting still. Ulysses is the much-enduring, when he has nothing to endure. Every spear casts a long shadow, every ox has crooked horns, every woman has a high bosom, though these particulars may be quite beside the purpose. In our own ballads a similar practice prevails. The gold is always red, and the ladies are always gay, though nothing whatever may depend upon the hue of the gold, or the temper of the ladies. But these adjectives are mere customary additions. They merge in the substantive to which they are attached. If they at all colour the idea, it is with a tinge so slight as in no respsct to alter the general effect." Edinb. Review, No. XC. p. 22. 4. From persons to parts of their bodies: Adulteros crines pulvere collines, Hor. Od. i. 15. 19. Viduas manus lassat tela, Ov. Her. i. 10. Manus avide hæredis, Hor. Od. iv. 7. 19. Luminibus tacitis, Virg. Æn. iv. 364. 5. From the person to his passion or feeling: Odium crudele tyranni. Memorem Junonis ob iram. Vigiles curæ. Mutum premit ille dolorem. 6. From the person to his condition: Importuna pauperies. Proba pauperies. Opes superbæ, feroces. Superba victoria. Læta juventus. Tristis senectus. 7. From the person to the emblem: Victrices hederæ. Aquila victrices. 8. From the effect to the cause: Massicum obliviosum. Venti nigri, (making the sky_dark). Monstrum infelix, (applied to the Trojan horse). Libera vina. Alvaeria dulcia. § 69. Patronymics, and adjectives formed from proper names, are generally forcible: Dædalēus Icarus. Æneas Anchisiades. Neptunia Troja. Romuleus sanguis. Laomedontius heros. So, too, things are called from their patrons or inventors: Tela Martia. Arma Herculea. Arva CeMyrtus Dionæa. Laurus Phobea. Laurea Apollinaris. Čereale papaver. realia. Carmen Mæonium. Palladia. Oliva (Obs.) The patronymic may stand as a substantive: as, Anchisiades, Trojugenæ; and occasionally it stands for the simple substantive, as Scipiades for Scipio. § 70. Again, epithets are applied which are derived from the nations where the subject was invented or much cultivated, or produced in great abundance or excellence. This is an elegant ornament: as, Getica arma. Gnossia spicula. Noricus ensis. Scythicus arcus. Calena falx. Prælum Calenum. Sabelli ligones. Vinum Falernum. Vitis Falerna. Unguenta Persica. Thura Sabæa. Lens Pelusiaca. Mella Hymettia. Marmor Phrygium. Apes Cecropiæ, Hyblææ. Rosa Pastana. Columbæ Chaoniæ, Dodonææ. Musæ Pierides, Libethrides. Venus Paphia, Cytherea. Delius et Patareus Apollo. Epithets such as these may be applied when the sense does not demand that the subject should be thus particularised; and they have often great beauty. § 71. It may here be again observed, that gentile adjectives are often put simply for substantives, as was mentioned under the head of synecdoche: thus Delius, is put for Apollo; Delia for Diana; Pierides for Musa; Cytherea for Venus; Falernum for vinum. Again, it is very elegant to express an individual or species by a general substantive with an epithet that makes it specific: as, Volucres Cecropiæ (nightingales). Caucase volucres (vultures). Flos Pæstanus. Lapis Phrygius. Arbor Phœbea. Dea Paphia. Proles Semeleïa (Bacchus). Sometimes these epithets involve a double synecdoche: thus, Lesbium carmen is put for lyric poetry from Sappho, who was a Lesbian. Columbæ Paphiæ, because sacred to Venus, surnamed from the place of her worship, Paphia. Carmen Castalium, because the Muses, the patronesses of song, haunted the Castalian spring. § 72. As almost every verb expresses some change that happens to its object, the epithet chosen to qualify such object may refer to it in its former or successive condition. e. g. Suppose that we are speaking of a person weeping, and want to express that she dries her eyes,' it is clear that we can say either 'Jam flentes siccat ocellos' (=she dries her eyes from weeping any more), or Ridentia lumina siccat (=ore yeλav). In the former case the epithet expresses the previous condition of the 'eyes'; in the latter, their present state. (1.) Longâque fessum militiâ latus (2.) Hor. Od. ii. 7. 18. Ut notus obscuro deterget nubila cœlo. Non ego te meis Hor Od. i. 7. 15. Chartis inornatum silebo (=ita ut inornatus sis). § 73. A participle with its case is often used for an epithet: Amans flumina cycnus. Ov. Met. ii. 539. Humanas motura tonitrua mentes. Met. i. 55. Amantes frigora myrti. Virg. G. iv. 124. Obs. Sometimes one or more words in apposition are used instead; or else a periphrasis may be employed: as, Ira subit, deforme malum. Ov. A. A. iii. 373. |