282 COMMENT CANTO V. either cum clamore, or cum stridore: for the former sense is the usual one, but this latter is the one conveyed by the lai of Dante. That lai here means 'sorrowing lays' is certain from the context: whatever etymology we give the word (1). It vindicates Homer for it contrasts his two similes as much as the Trojans and Greeks by making xλayyǹ mean querulous murmurs (cum stridore), while xλayynor may retain its common acceptation of exulting cries. What could be more correctly applied to an unmilitary advance than those, or to the joyous disembarking of a fine army than these? Mr. Pope recognized no such distinction, and so translated noise in both places: Now light with noise . . . With noise and order .... His interpolation of order, in the second passage, to make the opposition between the two similes consist in the disorder of the birds on one occasion, and their order on the other; as if the similitudes were otherwise defective, from the total absence of contrast: but it were enough to have accompanied noise with specifiying epithets (as joyful, and querulous) without introducing an idea not perceptible in the Greek. Moreover disorder is thus attributed to the Greeks, and order to the Trojans; for at "Cayster's springs" the cranes fly about (1) Boccaccio interprets it versi di lamentazione. Comento, Vol. 1. p. 290. and Dante himself uses it in the same siguification in his Creed, pianti, stridi, ed infiniti lai. Credo, p. 141. CANTO V. disorderly, and it is in their passage that they assume order. Homer scarcely intended that these similes should have more than one strict applica tion that of the cries made. Like cranes cried both Greeks and Trojans; but those exulting in their native marshes, and these flying from dreary winter which ominous screaming is in strong opposition to the manly silence of his favourites when marching to battle mean Οἱ δ ̓ ἄρ ̓ ἴσαν σιγῇ, μενέα πνείοντες Αχαιοί. But Dante could not have made a sorrowing lays', had he (instead of borrowing from the original hellenic) had recourse to Virgil's copies; for in these there is nothing sorrowful, and the cries of the cranes are described as happy and canorous on both occasions. The first is canoros Dant per colla modos: sonat amnis, et Asia longè the second Strymoniæ dant signa grues, atque æthera tranant Cum sonitu, fugiuntque notos clamore secundo (2). Twice already have I spoken of Dante's knowledge of Greek (3) (a knowledge probably confined to a very few books certainly he had no greek Aristotle); and cited out of his Monarchia greek writ ten in greek characters; to which may be added (1) Aeneid. Lib. vn. v. 700-Macrobius, Saturnalia, Lib. v. Cap. vi. (2) Id. Lib. x. v. 265. Id. Id. Id. Cap. x. (3) Hell, Comment, Canto 11. p. 199. — Canto IV. p. 251. man letters; a mode of writing lately proposed for general adoption in the study of all the oriental tongues, without its being known that he had already realized the project with respect to Greek; and (as we shall see ) to Hebrew and Arabic. I at the same time noticed his familiarity with the Iliad and Odyssey, and quoted his own affirmation to prove he had never seen a Latin translation of those poems: so, be it asked again, in what language could he have read them? The manner in which the darkness of this circle is inculcated by the gloom,' the muteness of light, 'etc. is to prevent our being surprised at Dante's dubious mode of apostrophizing Francesca and Paul, or at her thinking it necessary to state who she was. It is to prepare us for her ap pearance that the eminent characters, now about to be seen, are introduced. The first of them is Semiramis, the mightiest of female sovereigns, foundress of the Assyrian monarchy, who conquered the Medes and Persians, and India, and all the east, who led into the field an army of three millions of foot, fifty thousand horse, and a hundred thousand chariots, and was, in fine, buildress (after Nim. rod) of the renowned Babylon ---"the golden cup (1) Epistola Dantis D. K. G. de Scala . p. 3. ANTO V. that made nations drunk, that dwelt upon many waters and abounded in treasures, and at whose fall the very earth was moved (1); "of the city to which ancient Rome and modern London were but pigmies. Yet these were the works of centuries; whereas Babylon is represented as having been, for the most part, founded and finished by the self-same Semiramis. 'As a proof of her marvellous activity' says Boccaccio (2).)' we have the story, that, being engaged at her mirror when the tidings of a rebellion reached her, she started up with one half of her hair platted, and, hurrying to arms, finished the Campaign successfully before platting the remainder; which the returned to her mirror to do, as soon as the war was ended: in which posture, of platting her hair, the was represented in a statue that for ages remained in Babylon.' Dante commemorates her anew in his Monarchia(3), citing a verse from Ovid in her honor. Yet, in spite of such elevated merits, history accuses her of having possessed a large share of frailty; and of even having made a law to authorize many of her amatory practises. Dante, in his account of Dido, follows his master, Virgil; to whom she would surely express her (1) Jeremiah, Chap. 51. (2) Comento, vol. 1. p. 293. (3) ... muris cinxis Semicramis Urbem. Monarchia, Lib. n. p. 49. 286 COMMENT CANTOV. gratitude for the sweet imbalming of her name, if she be supposed to bear human feelings in the other world, or could she come back to this: for she would not, I think, relinquish that immortality of pity, for the best reputation given her by accurate chronologists. These prove she could not possibly have committed any breach of decorum with Aeneas, since she was not his cotemporary: still is it her supposed adventure with him that endears her to posterity; and painters, actors, and statuaries agree in transmitting the story of her interesting error; though, Macrobius remarks, they have been always well aware of its falshood; such influence has a poet's eloquence! valuit pulchritudo narrandi (1), Her real catastrophe is however far from being void of interest: and it engaged Petrarch to give her a conspicuous place in one of his Triumphs, as a victim, not of lawless love, but of exemplary chastity (2). ‘The widow Dido,' according to this account, committed her suicide for, not a living, but a dead Lord: and such was her fidelity to the manes of Sicchæus, that, when compelled by her subjects to yield her hand to the king of Mauritania, she required a few days delay before the consummation of her marriage, (1) Saturnalia, Lib. v. Cap. 19. (2) Taccia il volgo ignorante : io dico Dido Cui studio d'onestate a morte spinse Non vano amor . . . . Trionfo della Castità, p. 1-4. - tantum |