"[W]hat a Crowd of terrible Ideas in this one Simile!"

Verse 37. Not half so dreadful rises, &c.]

With how much dreadful Pomp is Achilles here introduced! How noble, and in what bold Colours hath he drawn the blazing of his Arms, the Rapidity of his Advance, the Terror of his Appearance, the Desolation around him; but above all, the certain Death attending all his Motions and his very Looks; what a Crowd of terrible Ideas in this one Simile!

But immediately after this, follows the moving Image of the two aged Parents, trembling, weeping, and imploring their Son: That is succeeded again by the dreadful gloomy Picture of Hector, all on fire, obstinately bent on Death, and expecting Achilles; admirably painted in the Simile of the Snake roll'd up in his Den and collecting his Poisons: And indeed thro' the whole Book this wonderful Contrast and Opposition of the Moving and of the Terrible, is perpetually kept up, each heightening the other: I can't find Words to express how so great Beauties affect me.

Searching "idea" and "crowd" in HDIS (Poetry)

2006-03-08