Homepage
Login
Profile
BookClubs
dmBox
Read Ebook: The Preface to the Aeneis of Virgil (1718) by Trapp Joseph Kelsall M M Malcolm Miles Author Of Introduction Etc
Font size:
Background color:
Text color:
Add to tbrJar First Page Next Page
Ebook has 56 lines and 29274 words, and 2 pages
Editor: Malcolm Kelsall
THE AUGUSTAN REPRINT SOCIETY
JOSEPH TRAPP
THE
PREFACE
T H E AE N E I S
VIRGIL
MALCOLM KELSALL
WILLIAM ANDREWS CLARK MEMORIAL LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES
GENERAL EDITOR
EDITORS
ADVISORY EDITORS
CORRESPONDING SECRETARY
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
INTRODUCTION
Trapp does not play the trite old game of setting the texts of Homer and Virgil in comparison, but what comes to his mind at once in his note, and rightly, given the language of his translation, is Milton describing Satan:
Similarly, when Aeneas hastens to meet Turnus in the twelfth book, Miltonic translation and Miltonic original are brought together to show the similarity between Virgilian and Christian sublime:
In the light of such illustration, it is not surprising that Trapp, in the Preface, when he wishes to give the feel of the Virgilian sublime, quotes Milton's description of the creation:
Let there be Light, said God; and forthwith Light Ethereal, first of Things, Quintessence pure, Sprang from the Deep.
University of Reading.
NOTES TO THE INTRODUCTION
The Miltonic passage was added to the second edition . The poem originally appeared the previous year.
Ed. Carolus Ruaeus, i.e. Charles de la Rue .
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
THE AENEIS OF VIRGIL, TRANSLATED INTO BLANK VERSE:
Virg.
THE
PREFACE
It is true, he here only tells us of his Inclination to Natural Philosophy; but then he tells it us in Poetry: As few Things are more nearly related.
Invention, Fire, and Judgment, will, I think, include all the Requisites of an Epic Poem. The Action, the Fable, the Manners, the Compass, and Variety of Matter, seem to be properly comprehended under the First of these; yet not so as to exclude the Two last. For the particular Disposition of them all is an Act of the Judgment, as the first Creating of them is an Act of Invention; and Fire, tho' distinct from Invention, and Judgment, has a near Relation to them Both, as it assists the one, and is to be regulated by the other.
Heroic Virtues, no doubt! An admirable Character of a Demi-god!
But afterwards;
Afterwards:
is a nobler Conclusion of an Heroic Poem, than
?? ?? ?' ???????? ????? ??????? ??????????.
It is to That renowned Seat of Learning and Virtue,
taken singly, look low, and mean; but pray read them in Conjunction with others; and then see what a different Face will be set upon them.
Thus again in the VIth Book.
These Verses disjointed from their Fellows make but an indifferent Figure: But read the following Passage and I believe you will acknowledge there is not one bad Verse in it:
I do not say, Rhime is, all things considered, more easy than the other: That Point cannot be well determined; because it relates to the particular Genius's of particular Persons. For my own part, if I never made one good Verse, I have made many good Rhimes: But supposing Both to be equally easy, I should chuse Blank Verse, for the Reasons already alledged.
How is This translated in the following Verses? Or rather is it translated at all?
Our Language, I think, will admit of few things more truly Poetical, than those four Lines. But the two first are set to render
FOOTNOTES TO THE PREFACE:
Transcriber's Notes
Spelling: English spelling in the 18th century had many differences from present-day spelling, and most of the spelling has therefore been retained without alteration.
The following may also be correct, and have been retained: "Excrescencies" , "it self" , "w'on't" , "encountring" , "forreign" , "litteral" , "Scotish" , "grosly" .
The spelling "Aeneid" is standard in the Introduction, and the spelling "AEneid" is standard in the Preface.
The following more obvious typos have been amended: "parishoners" to "parishioners" "mnch" to "much" "Transprosers" to "Transposers"
Add to tbrJar First Page Next Page