NOTE II., ON v. 554. The Latins, not having the same variety of participles as the Greeks, used those they had with the greater freedom. 1. The pres. part. active expressed an active past, as,— "Inde Rubos fessi pervenimus, utpote longum Carpentes iter." Hor. Sat. i. 5, 94. 2. The past part. of neuter verbs (for such it must be) was used as a pres. part., as fluxus, flowing, fleeting. 3. The past part. of deponents expressed the pres., or perhaps more properly habit, quality. Interea, longum cantu solata labor m, Arguto conjux percurrit pectine telas." Virg. Geor. i. 293. 4. The passive part. was used as an adj. in -bilis, or as the future in -dus. "Tum validos flexos incurvant viribus arcus." Virg. Æn. v. 500. "Sed rex nihil jam i fectum Metello credens." Sall. Jug. lxxvi. It is remarkable that all of these, except No. 2, are to be found in the English language; ex. gr. :— 1. "So saying, a noble stroke he lifted high." Par. Lost, vi. 189. "Rising in clouded majesty, at length Apparent queen unveiled her peerless light." Ib. iv. 607. 3. As the English has no deponent it uses the past part. "And mutually participate, did minister." Coriol. i. 1. It sometimes expresses the past part. active, as,— "Was the first man that leaped, cried Hell is empty." Temp. i. 2. So when we say a well-read and well-spoken man, we express the habit or quality. It is the same in the French, Italian, and Spanish languages, as, 'un homme réfléchi.' 4. "Joying together in unblamed delight." F. Q. vi. 2, 43. "And unavoided is the danger now." Rich. II. ii, 1. "In most admired disorder." Macb. iii. 4. "Should seek a plaster by contemned revolt." K. John, v. 2. We find 3 and 4 combined in the following passage : "The quality of mercy is not strained (4) ; It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed (3): It blesseth him that gives and him that takes." Merch. of Ven. iv. 1. It is merely a peculiarity of the English language to use the pres. as a past: "In courtesy gives undeserving praise." Love's Lab. Lost, v. 2. "Your discontenting father strive to qualify." Winter's Tale, iv. 3. The French however used to employ their déplaisant in a similar manner; otherwise we might suspect a printer's error in those lines. The English language often cuts off the final n of its participles. Thus we have ago for agone, ope for open, got for gotten, broke and spoke for broken and spoken, etc. In Chaucer and our elder poets, these elided participles are very numerous. The same practice appears in the kindred Netherlandish or Dutch language. In a similar manner it elided the participles in -ed. Thus we have wet for wetted; quit for quitted; and we meet bloat, heat, graft, lift, etc. There is also a large class, as satiate, elate, compact, belonging to verbs derived from the Latin; but as these might be said to be formed direct from the Latin we will not dwell on them. From the connection between the perfect tense and the participle, we find the former used at times for the latter. Thus we meet took, shook, rode, drove, ran, smote, forsook, rose, wrote, drank, etc., used as participles. We still use as such, struck, sat, held, and some others. Wordsworth has even bade. In like manner the participle is used for the perfect, as sunk, sung, hung, rung, etc. 251 BOOK II. THE ARGUMENT. The consultation begun, Satan debates whether another battle be to be hazarded for the recovery of Heaven; some advise it, others dissuade: a third proposal is preferred, mentioned before by Satan, to search the truth of that prophecy or tradition in Heaven concerning another world, and another kind of creature, equal or not much inferior to themselves, about this time to be created; their doubt who shall be sent on this difficult search; Satan their chief undertakes alone the voyage, is honoured and applauded. The council thus ended, the rest betake them several ways, and to several employments, as their inclinations lead them, to entertain the time till Satan return. He passes on his journey to Hellgates, finds them shut, and who sat there to guard them, by whom at length they are opened, and discover to him the great gulf between Hell and Heaven; with what difficulty he passes through, directed by Chaos, the Power of that place, to the sight of this new World which he sought. HIGH on a throne of royal state-which far 1. High, etc. Milton may here have had in his mind the opening of the second book of Ovid's Metamorphoses. 2. the wealth, etc. Ormuz, an island in the Persian Gulf, was famous for its pearl-fishery; and it was well known from the narratives of the conquest of it by the Portuguese. By the wealth of Ind (i.e. India) may be principally meant the diamond-mines of Golconda; but the narratives of Sir Thomas Roe, Sir Thomas Herbert, and others, had given the most exalted notions of the wealth and magnificence of the Mogul sovereigns of India. 3. Or where, etc. He probably, as we shall see, means Tartary, the realm of Zinghis Khan and of Timûr or Tamerlane, including perhaps Persia. See Note at end of this Book. 4. barbaric, i.e. Asiatic. In the Latin sense. So Barbaria (Hor. Ep. i. 2,7) is i.q. Asia. To that bad eminence; and, from despair Vain war with Heaven, and, by success untaught, "Powers and Dominions, deities of Heaven- More glorious and more dread than from no fall, Hath been achieved of merit, yet this loss The happier state 6. from despair, i.e. from a state of despair. 10 20 8. to pursue. He uses the inf. here in an unusual manner for the gerund, in pursuing. 9. success. In the classic sense of event, either good or ill. 12. For, etc., sc. I call you thus. As Monboddo justly observed, vv. 12-17 are parenthetic, and we have therefore so printed them.—hold, i.e. retain. 15. virtues, i.e. powers: see on i. 320. 24. happier, i.e. more fortunate, more exalted, felicior. 1. "High above all a cloth of state was spread, And a rich throne, as bright as sunny day, 3. 4. 21. On which there sat, most brave embelished With royal robes and gorgeous array, A maiden Queen, that shone as Titan's ray." F. Q. i. 4, 8.—Th. "It did pass The wealth of the East and pomp of Persian kings." Ib. iii. 4, 23.-N. "Like a rude and savage man of Inde At the first opening of the gorgeous East." Love's Lab. Lost, iv. 3.-C. "Barbarico postes auro spoliisque superbi." En. ii. 504.—N. In abito regal splender si vede." Tasso, Ger. Lib. xvii. 10.— Th. In Heaven, which follows dignity, might draw Could have assured us; and by what best way, He ceased, and next him Moloch, sceptred king, 33. none, i.e. there is none. 30 40 50 43. next him, i.e. beside him, close by him; or immediately after him.—king. This is the translation of Moloch.' 46. was, i.e. had been. 48. care. This subst. is, by a figure common in the classic writers, included in the preceding verb.-lost. This part. belongs to fear in the next line. 50. recked, i.e. cared. Reck and reckon are akin. Reckless (ruchlos, G.) is abandoned, profligate.-thereafter, i.e. in accordance with these sentiments. 40. 43. "It now behoves us to advise Which way is best to drive her to retire, Whether by open force or counsel wise, Areed, ye sons of God! as best ye can devise." F. Q. vii. 6, 21.-T. |