CHORUS.

I. I.

What power unseen, whose piercing eye Sees through the hidden depths of fate, "Twixt Helen's name* and destiny

Such wondrous semblance could create?

The Greeks superstitiously believed that a mysterious destiny frequently controlled the selection of the names of individuals, so as to render them ominous of their future fortunes.-Vide Elmsly, ad Eurip. Bacch. 508, et Soph. Aj. 425, and Eurip. Phoeniss. 645, as quoted by Bishop Blomfield. The verification of this doctrine in the case of Helen is illustrated by the etymology of that word, which the poet derives from Aw, to destroy; by compounding which with vaūç, a word somewhat similar in sound to Helen is produced, elenaus, signifying destroyer of ships. This is very far-fetched, and is in fact no better than absurd punning; but not satisfied with confining it to one word, he coins in the same way λavepoç, destroyer of men; METOM, destroyer of cities. There is no possibility

War-stirring name! fleets, armies, states

Destruction sealed, when, through the latticed gates Her light form gliding, swift the zephyrs bore* Their beauteous charge the billows o'er.

Then rung the din of arms; borne o'er the main, Athwart the furrowy track of twinkling oars, Like hunters after prey,† a shield-armed train Sought silver Simois and his woodland shores:

of translating into English verse this mass of Greek compounds. Superstition as to names could alone have rendered all this tolerable even in Greek. It forms, however, the introduction to an ode which, though obscure in parts, is fraught with striking beauties, both poetical and moral.

* Swift the zephyrs bore. The Greek calls it the giant zephyr, an epithet which Casaubon and Schutz refer to the poetical generation of Zephyr from Oceanus and Terra, but G. Wakefield, as quoted by Butler, explains γίγαντος as another word for μεγάλου, ισχυρου. This appears more natural and probable.

As the hunter

+ Like hunters after prey—кvvayoɩ. diligently tracks the steps of wild animals in the chase, so the Greeks are poetically represented as pursuing the furrowy traces of the vessel of Paris over the waves.

Dire was their object, urged by vengeful flame
For bloody strife, for furious war they came.

I. II.

Burst on Troy the storm of woe;

Dismay and terror marked its course,
And Jove, of faithless guests the foe,
Winged with new ire its fatal force.
Then cowering sunk the guilty throng
Whose lips profaned the hymeneal song:
No more thy ancient streets, imperial Troy,
Rung with notes of festive joy:

To scorn and bitter hate, by suffering stung,

Paris, revenge on thee her sons besought; The fatal marriage dwelt on every tongue,

And the long train of woes thy crimes had

wrought;

The senseless shepherd thus a lion rears,*

Dear to his house at first, its pest in future years.

This

*The senseless shepherd thus a lion rears. beautiful allegory has been strangely referred by some critics to Helen; by Heath for example, and even

I. III.

Gentle while young and bland

The milky dugs it prest,

'Twas tossed and fondled like an infant boy;

By old and young carest,

It licked th' extended hand,

Whilst sparkling in its ardent eye flashed joy.
But soon the rabid rage boils o'er,

Schutz leans to the opinion; but to say nothing of the absurdity of comparing a lovely and delicate female to a savage animal, the context clearly refers it to Paris. The allegory is preceded by an animated contrast between the notes of festal joy with which Troy rung on the first arrival of Paris and Helen, and the execrations heaped upon them by the populace, after an experience of the miseries brought upon Troy by their crime. Paris in particular is thus singled out in the line

κικλήσκουσα Πάριν τὸν αἰνόλεκτρον, &c.

Then follows the allegory, which forms a striking illustration of the folly of the Trojans in having pampered and cherished a beautiful but perfidious youth to their own destruction.