The Golden Verses of Pythagoras — with commentary (1917)

His comrades to their homes. He saved them not,

Though earnestly he strove; they perished all,

Through their own folly; for they banqueted,

Madmen ! upon the oxen of the Sun, —

The all-o'erlooking Sun, who cut them ofE

From their return. O Goddess, virgin-child

Of Jove, relate some part of this to me.

Bryant.

92 The Golden Verses of Pythagoras

"AvSpa (Jioi 'ivvsTS, ^ouaa, zoXiTpoxov, 8? (idXa icoXli zXiyx^"'). ^'te^ Tpofiqg ispbv xToXJeSpov ?icepffev, xoXXuv S'(iv0p(ixuv 'iSev afftea xal vdov Hyvw* xoXXi S' y' Iv xdvTC}) X(i9sv aXyea Sv xaTiS: Oun^v, ipviiJievos TJv Ts <l'ux'']v xal vdaiov ii;«(pa)y. aXX' oiiS' is ^TOpouq IppiJtraTO llttsvi? xspauTuv Yâp (jfETlpiofftv iktaaQaXljiaiv SXovto, viqxtot, o" xorra ^oO? 'Txspfovos 'HeXEoto TJcfOcoV aiT^ip 6 toTaiv (JyefXeTO vdatti^ov "Oltap. Twv (5:ii.(56ev ys, 0so! OuyocTsp Atd?, eixg xotl i^fJiTv.

The talent of Homer shows itself completely in the Odyssey; it dominates the genius there, so to speak, as much as the genius had dominated it in the Iliad. The fire which animates the Iliad has been, with reason, compared to that of the sun arrived at the height of its course, and the splendour which shines in the Odyssey to that with which the Occident is coloured on the evening of a fine day. Perhaps if we had his Thebaid, we would see those brilliant lights which accompany the aurora, developed there, and then we would possess in all its shades this immortal genius who depicted all nature.

There are people who, feeling by a sort of intuition that Homer had been created the poetic incentive of Europe, even as I have said, and judging on the other hand that Ariosto had made an epic poem, are convinced that the Italian poet had copied the Greek; but this is not so. Ariosto, who has made only a romanesque poem, has not received the inspiration of Homer ; he has simply followed the fictions attributed to Archbishop Turpin and clothing them with forms borrowed from the Arabs by the troubadours makes himself creator in this 'secondary style. The rhyme is as essential to it as it is harmful to veritable epopoeia ; this is why the eumolpique verses never conform to it in the slightest degree. To apply them to it, is to make serious what is by nature gay, it is to give a character of force and of truth to what is only light, airy, and fantastic. I am

The Essence and Form of Poetry 93 about, however, to translate the beginning of his poem, in order to furnish, by the shocking disparity which exists between the romantic essence of his poetry and the epic form that I here adapt, a new proof of what I have said.

Je veux chanter las Dames, les Guerriers, L' amour, rhonneur, et les jeux et les armes, Durant ces temps oti les fiers Sarrasins, Des mers d'Afrique, abord^rent en France, Pour seconder les fureurs d'Agramant, Le jeune roi, dont rorgueilleuse audace Pensait venger la mort du vieux Trojan, Sur I'empereur des Remains, Charlemagne.

Je veux aussi raconter de Roland, Chose inbuie, autant en vers qu'en prose ; Dire Tamour qui rendit furieux Ce paladin, auparavant si sage ; Si toutefois celle qui m'a charm6, Qui va minant ma raison d'heure en heure, M'en laisse assez pour remplir dignement Men entreprise et tenir ma promesse.

Of Loves and Ladies, Knights and Arms, I sing. Of Courtesies, and many a Daring Feat; And from those ancient days my story bring. When Moors from Afric passed in hostile fleet. And ravaged France, with Agramant their King, Flushed with his youthful rage and furious heat ; Who on King Charles', the Roman emperor's head Had vowed due vengeance for Troyano dead.

In the same strain of Roland will I tell Things unattempted yet in prose or rhjmie. On whom strange madness and rank fury fell, A man esteemed so wise in former time ; If she, who to like cruel pass has well Nigh iDrought my feeble wit which fain would climb And hourly wastes my sense, concede me skill And strength my daring promise to fulfil.

W. R. Rose.

94 The Golden Verses of Pythagoras

Le donne, i cavalier, I'arme, gl'ainori Le cortesie, I'audaci imprese io canto, Che furo al tempo che passaro i Mori D'Africa il mare, e in Francia nocquer tanto, Seguendo I'ire e i giovenil furori D'Agramante lor re, che si di6 vanto Di vendicar la morte di Troiano Sopra re Carlo imperator romano.

Dir6 d'Orlando in un medesmo tratto Cosa non detta in prosa mai, n^ in rima; Che per amor venne in furore e matte, D'uom che si saggio era stimato prima: Se da colei che tal quasi m'ha fatto Che'l poco ingegno ad or ad or mi lima, Me ne sari perd tanto concesso, Che mi basti a finir quanto ho promesso.