The Fall of Troy | Page 4

such natural phenomena, and in blending them with the turmoil of battle, that Quintus is in his element; yet for such a scene he substitutes what is, by?comparison, a lame and impotent conclusion. Of that awful cry that rang over the sea heralding the coming of Thetis and the Nymphs to the death-rites of her son, and the panic with which it filled the host, Quintus is silent. Again, Homer ("Odyssey" iv. 274-89) describes how Helen came in the night with Deiphobus, and stood by the Wooden Horse, and called to each of the hidden warriors with the voice of his own wife. This thrilling scene Quintus omits, and substitutes nothing of his own. Later on, he makes Menelaus slay Deiphobus unresisting, "heavy with wine," whereas Homer ("Odyssey" viii. 517-20) makes him offer such a magnificent resistance, that Odysseus and Menelaus together could not kill him without the help of Athena. In fact, we may say that, though there are echoes of the "Iliad" all through the poem, yet, wherever Homer has, in the "Odyssey", given the?outline-sketch of an effective scene, Quintus has uniformly neglected to develop it, has sometimes substituted something much weaker -- as though he had not the "Odyssey" before him!
For this we have no satisfactory explanation to offer. He may have set his own judgment above Homer -- a most unlikely?hypothesis: he may have been consistently following, in the framework of his story, some original now lost to us: there may be more, and longer, lacunae in the text than any editors have ventured to indicate: but, whatever theory we adopt, it must be based on mere conjecture.
The Greek text here given is that of Koechly (1850) with many of Zimmermann's emendations, which are acknowledged in the notes. Passages enclosed in square brackets are suggestions of Koechly for supplying the general sense of lacunae. Where he has made no such suggestion, or none that seemed to the editors to be?adequate, the lacuna has been indicated by asterisks, though here too a few words have been added in the translation, sufficient to connect the sense.
? A.S. Way
BOOK I:
How died for Troy the Queen of the Amazons, Penthesileia.
When godlike Hector by Peleides slain?Passed, and the pyre had ravined up his flesh,?And earth had veiled his bones, the Trojans then?Tarried in Priam's city, sore afraid?Before the might of stout-heart Aeacus' son:?As kine they were, that midst the copses shrink?From faring forth to meet a lion grim,?But in dense thickets terror-huddled cower;?So in their fortress shivered these to see?That mighty man. Of those already dead?They thought of all whose lives he reft away?As by Scamander's outfall on he rushed,?And all that in mid-flight to that high wall?He slew, how he quelled Hector, how he haled?His corse round Troy; -- yea, and of all beside?Laid low by him since that first day whereon?O'er restless seas he brought the Trojans doom.?Ay, all these they remembered, while they stayed?Thus in their town, and o'er them anguished grief?Hovered dark-winged, as though that very day?All Troy with shrieks were crumbling down in fire.
Then from Thermodon, from broad-sweeping streams,?Came, clothed upon with beauty of Goddesses,?Penthesileia -- came athirst indeed?For groan-resounding battle, but yet more?Fleeing abhorred reproach and evil fame,?Lest they of her own folk should rail on her?Because of her own sister's death, for whom?Ever her sorrows waxed, Hippolyte,?Whom she had struck dead with her mighty spear,?Not of her will -- 'twas at a stag she hurled.?So came she to the far-famed land of Troy.?Yea, and her warrior spirit pricked her on,?Of murder's dread pollution thus to cleanse?Her soul, and with such sacrifice to appease?The Awful Ones, the Erinnyes, who in wrath?For her slain sister straightway haunted her?Unseen: for ever round the sinner's steps?They hover; none may 'scape those Goddesses.?And with her followed twelve beside, each one?A princess, hot for war and battle grim,?Far-famous each, yet handmaids unto her:?Penthesileia far outshone them all.?As when in the broad sky amidst the stars?The moon rides over all pre-eminent,?When through the thunderclouds the cleaving heavens?Open, when sleep the fury-breathing winds;?So peerless was she mid that charging host.?Clonie was there, Polemusa, Derinoe,?Evandre, and Antandre, and Bremusa,?Hippothoe, dark-eyed Harmothoe,?Alcibie, Derimacheia, Antibrote,?And Thermodosa glorying with the spear.?All these to battle fared with warrior-souled?Penthesileia: even as when descends?Dawn from Olympus' crest of adamant,?Dawn, heart-exultant in her radiant steeds?Amidst the bright-haired Hours; and o'er them all,?How flawless-fair soever these may be,?Her splendour of beauty glows pre-eminent;?So peerless amid all the Amazons Unto?Troy-town Penthesileia came.?To right, to left, from all sides hurrying thronged?The Trojans, greatly marvelling, when they saw?The tireless War-god's child, the mailed maid,?Like to the Blessed Gods; for in her face?Glowed beauty glorious and terrible.?Her smile was ravishing: beneath her brows?Her love-enkindling eyes shone like to stars,?And with the crimson rose of shamefastness?Bright were her cheeks, and mantled over them?Unearthly grace with battle-prowess clad.
Then