Book XII

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[The word is of scripture use; see Gen. ch. xxx. where it describes the cattle of Jacob.]—Tr.

[Alluding to the message delivered to him from Jupiter by Iris.]—Tr.

The morality of the Iliad deserves particular attention. It is not _perfect_, upon Christian principles. How should it be under the circumstances of the composition of the poem? Yet, compared with that of all the rest of the classical poetry, it is of a transcendently noble and generous character. The answer of Hector to Polydamas, who would have dissuaded a further prosecution of the Trojan success, has been repeated by many of the most devoted patriots the world ever saw. _We_, who defy augury in these matters, can yet add nothing to the nobleness of the sentiment.—H.N. Coleridge.

[πλεονων δε τοι εργον αμεινον.—This is evidently proverbial, for which reason I have given it that air in the translation.]—Tr.

There is something touching in this simile. Our attention is fixed, not so much on the battle, as on the struggles of the laboring, true-hearted woman, who toils for a hard-earned pittance for her children. The description is not so much illustrated by the simile, as the simile by the description.—Felton.

The description of this exploit of Hector is wonderfully imposing. It seems to be the poet’s wish to magnify his deeds during the short period that he has yet to live, both to do justice to the hero of Troy, and to give the greater glory to Achilles his conquerer.—Felton.

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