The Golden Verses of Pythagoras — with commentary (1917)

It is very easy to see, in reading these two strophes, that there exists in the exposition no sort of resemblance either with that of Homer, or with that of Vergil. It is a third style, wholly foreign to the other two. Homer mingling the exposition and the invocation, commands his Muse to sing what she inspires in him; Vergil distinguishing one from the other, prays his Muse to acquaint him with what he is about to sing; whereas Ariosto, announcing simply the subject of his songs, makes no invocation. It is evident that he relies upon himself, and that in the style that he adopts he understands very well that he has no other Muse, no other guide than his imagination. His subject is in accord with his manner of treating it. If one wishes to reflect upon this decisive point, one will feel and realize, for the first time perhaps, why in the opinion of all the world concerning two works from the same hand. La Pucelle and La Henriade, the one is a poem, whereas the other, composed with a far greater pretension, is not. Voltaire, in imitating Ariosto in a subject that he has rendered romanesque and frivolous, has received the second inspiration; but in imitating Lucan in an historic subject he received nothing.

The Essence and Form of Poetry 95 for Lucan, creator of a mixed style, had no inspiration that he could communicate.

I have said what I thought of. Camoens: it is useless to quote the exposition of his poem that has nothing remarkable, particularly since Tasso has so far surpassed him.

Tasso was worthy of receiving a veritable inspiration. His lofty genius, his pure and brilliant imagination brought him nearer to Vergil than to Ariosto; and if he had been inspired even through the Latin poet, he would have shown Europe what the magnetic power of Homer was, although acting only in its third degree. But the prejudices of education working in him even without his knowledge, and the influence that chivalresque poetry had attained in Italy, did not permit him either to forsake entirely the chronicles of Archbishop Turpin, or above all, to make any changes in the consecrated form. All that he could do in a most grave and serious historical subject was to mix a little allegorical genius with a great deal of romanesque fiction; so that, becoming inspired at the same time with Ariosto, Lucan, and Vergil, he made a mixed work, which, under the form of a lengthy song, contained the essence of epopoeia, of history, and of romance. This work is one of the most entertaining poems that one can read ; the only one perhaps which a translation in prose can harm but little. The inequality of its texture takes away nothing from the interest that it inspires. It pleases, but it does not instruct. If the eumolpique lines were applied to it throughout, it would not sustain them; for it is in substance only a very beautiful ballad; nevertheless, here and there are found parts which could become sublime. His exposition, imitating Vergil, reveals them very well. They are as follows:

Je chante las combats pieux, et le Guerrier Qui d^livra du Christ la tombe renomm^e. Combien il d^ploya de g^tiie et d'ardeur! Combien il supporta de maux dans cette guerre!

96 The Golden Verses of Pythagoras

Vainement les enfers s'arm6rent ; vainement Les peuples de I'Asie aux Africains s'unirent : Favoris^ du Ciel, sous ses drapeaux sacr^s, Vainqueur, il ramena ses compagnons fiddles.

Divine Muse ! 6 toi dont le front radieux Ne ceint point sur le Pinde un laurier p6rissable, Mais qui, parmi les choeurs des habitants du Ciel, Chantes, le front orn6 d'^toiles immortelles, Viens, inspire k mon sein tes celestes ardeurs ; Fais briller dans mes vers tes clartfe, et pardonne Si, parant quelquefois I'aust^re v^rit^, Je m61e k tes at traits des graces dtrangferes.

I sing the pious arms and Chief, who freed The Sepulchre of Christ from thrall profane: Much did he toil in thought, and much in deed; Much in the glorious enterprise sustaiti; And Hell in vain opposed him; and in vain Afric and Asia to the rescue pour'd Their mingled tribes; — Heaven recompensed his pain, And from all fruitless sallies of the sword. True to the Red-Cross flag his wandering friends restored.

O thou, the Muse, that not with fading palms Circlest thy brows on Pindus, but among The Angels warbling their celestial psalms, Hast for the coronal a golden throng Of everlasting stars ! make thou my song Lucid and pure ; breathe thou the flame divine Into my bosom ; and forgive the wrong, If with grave truth light fiction I combine. And sometimes grace my page with other flowers than thine t

WiFFEN.

Canto I'armi pietose, e'l Capitano Che'l gran sepolcro liber6 di Christo : Molto egli opr6 col senno e con la mano ; Molto soff ri nel glorioso acquisto : E invano I'lnferno a lui s'oppose, e invano S'armd d'Asia, e di Libia il popol misto; Cht il Ciel di^ favore, e sotto ai santi Segni ridusse i suoi compagni erranti.

The Essence and Form of Poetry 97