Arising silent, wrappd in holy fear. Before the majesty of heaven appear. Trembling they stand, while Jove assumes the throne. All, but the god’s imperious queen alone: Late had she view’d the silver-footed dame. And all her passions kindled into flame. “Say. artful manager of heaven (she cries), Who now partakes the secrets of the skies?
Thy Juno knows not the decrees of fate, In vain the partner of imperial state. What favourite goddess then those cares divides. Which Jove in pmdence from his consort hides?” To this the thunderer: “Seek not thou to find The sacred counsels of almighty mind: Involved in darkness likes the great decree, Nor can the depths of fate be pierced by thee. What tits thy knowledge, thou the first shalt know;
The first of gods above, and men below; But thou, nor they, shall search the thoughts that roll Deep in the close messes of my soul.” Full on the site the goddess of the skies Roll’d the large orbs of her majestic eyes, And thus retum’d.—”Austere Satumius, say, From whence this wrath, or who controls thy sway? Thy boundless will, for me. remains in force, And all thy counsels take the destined course. But ’tis for Greece I fear: for late was seen, In close consult, the silver-footcd queen. Jove to his
Thetis nothing could deny. Nor was the signal vain that shook the sky. What fatal favour has the goddess won, To grace her fierce. inexorable son? Perhaps in Grecian blood to drench the plain, And glut his vengeance with my people slain.” Then thus the god: “0 restless fate of pride. That strives to learn what heaven resolves to hide: Vain is the search.
presumptuous and abhorfd. Anxious to thee, and odious to thy lord. Let this suffice: the immutable decree No force can shake: what is, that ought to be. Goddess, submit; nor dare our will withstand. But dread the power of this avenging hand: The united strength of all the gods above In vain resists the omnipotence of Jove.”
VULCAN.
The thunderer spoke. nor dont the queen reply; A reverent horror silenced all the sky. The feast disturb’d. with sorrow Vulcan saw His mother menaced, and the gods in awe: Peace at his heart, and pleasure his design, Thus interposed the architect divine:
“The wretched quarrels of the mortal state Are far unworthy. gods! of your debate: Let men their days in senseless strife employ. We. in eternal peace and constant joy. Thou, goddess-mother, with our sire comply. Nor break the sacred union of the sky: Lest, roused to rage, he shake the bless’d abodes.
Launch the red lightning, and dethrone the gods. Irt sr/ If you submit, the thunderer stands appeased; The gracious power is willing to be pleased.” Thus Vulcan spoke: and rising with a bound, The double bowl with sparkling nectar crowed,22 Which held to Juno in a cheerful way. “Goddess (he cried), be patient and obey_
Dear as you are, if Jove his arm emend, I can but grieve, unable to defend What god to daring in your aid to move, Or lift his hand against the force of Jove? Once in your cause) felt his matchless might. Hurl’d headlong down from the ethereal height.=
Toss’d all the day in rapid circles round, Nor till the sun descended touch’d the ground. Breathless I fell. in giddy motto The Sinthians raised me on the II
Consider the point of view of the narrator in The Iliad and how the point of view influences the story. How does the narrator come about the information in the story? How do we learn about the characters? How does this differ from modern (twenty-first century) storytelling?
