The Fourth Book of Virgils Aeneid and the Ninth Book of Voltaires Henriad | Page 4

excuse of the violence of
passion, in Æneas of that coldness which we find it so difficult to
forgive, but which in this point of view we shall be inclined to pity.
While these sheets were in the press MONSIEUR DELILLE has given
the world another proof of the powers of his mind, and displayed the
French language to vast advantage, in a more arduous strain of poetry
that it had yet attempted. The perspicuity for which it has always been
remarked, and to which it owes its charms in conversation as perhaps
also the dificulty with which it is adapted to works of poetical
imagination, is strongly exemplified in his translation of Paradise Lost.
If he has not always been able to make the french idiom bear him
through the ætherial regions in which the daring wing of Milton's muse
soars with so sublime a flight, he has descended not without dignity to
the sphere of human understanding. And I believe it may be safely
advanced, that it will be easier for ordinary capacities, even among
English readers, to understand the work of Milton, in this translation
than in the original.

ARGUMENT.
Æneas, after escaping from the destruction of Troy and a long series of
adventures by sea and land, is driven by a storm raised by the hatred of
Juno on the coast of Affrica, where he is received by Dido, in the new
town of Carthage, which she was building, after her flight from the
cruelty of her brother in law Pigmalion, who had murdered her husband
Sicheus.--Venus dreading for her son Æneas, the influence of Juno
upon the mind of Dido, makes Cupid assume the forme of his child

Julus or Ascanius, and raise in the bosom of the Queen the most
ungovernable passion for Æneas. The fourth book begins by Dido's
confessing her weakness to her sister Anna, who gives her many
plausible reasons for indulging it, and advices her to make her peace
with heaven and marry her lover. Juno, finding herself outwitted by
Venus and her favourite Dido irrecoverably in love, accosts Venus first
in a sarcastic tone but afterwards in very persuasive language,
endeavours in her turn to deceive her, by obtaining her content to the
marriage, by which means to frustrate the fates which promised the
empire of the world to the descendants of Æneas in Italy. Venus, aware
of the deceit, appears in a very complimentary style to give into it, and
consents to her projects. While the Tyrian princess and the Trojan are
hunting in a forest Juno sends down a violent storm, and the Queen and
Æneas take shelter alone in a dark cavern.--There Juno performed the
nuptial rite and the passion of Dido was reconciled to her
conscience.--Fame soon spreads the report of this alliance.--Iarba, one
of Dido's suitors, hears of it and addresses an angry prayer to Jupiter
Ammon from whom he was descended. Jove sends down Mercury to
order Æneas to leave Carthage. Dido endeavours to make him alter this
terrible resolution, falls into the most violent paroxism of rage at his
cold refusal, again melts into tenderness, employs her sister to prevail
upon Æneas, at least, to wait till the wintry storms were past. All is in
vain, and Dido resolved to die, deceives her sister with an idea of magic
rites to get rid of her passion--and persuades her to raise a funeral pyle
in her palace, Æneas a second time admonished by Mercury sets sail;
when Dido, at the break of day, beholds his vessels out of reach she
again bursts into a violent fit of passion, but soon sinks into
despair.--Accuses her sister's fatal kindness, upbraids herself with her
infidelity to the memory of Sicheus, vents the most dreadful
imprecations against Æneas and the Romans, who were to be his
ascendants, bequeaths all her hatred to her subjects, than relaxes into a
momentary tenderness at the sight of the nuptial bed, the cloaths and
pictures of Æneas which she had placed on the funeral pyre, and at last
puts an end to her life with the sword of her faithless lover.
THE FOURTH BOOK
O F
VIRGIL'S ÆNEID,

TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH VERSE.
While Dido, now with rising cares opprest,
Indulg'd the pain;