APPENDIX, &c. WE WHEN it is confidered, how frequently the life of MILTON has been written, and how numerous the annotations have been, on different parts of his works, it seems strange, that his Greek verfes, which, indeed, are but few, fhould have paffed almost wholly without notice. They have neither been mentioned, as proofs of learning, by his admirers, nor expofed to the ordeal of criticism, by his enemies. Both parties feem to have fhrunk from the fubject. To inveftigate the motives for this filence is not neceffary, and the fearch might poffibly prove fruitlefs. The present obfervations attempt to fupply the deficiency of former Commentators, whofe ftores of critical knowledge have been lavished, a Juλaxı, merely on the English poetry of Milton. It will, perhaps, be afferted, that the following remarks are frequently too minute. Yet it feems the duty of a commentator, az the Greek productions of a modern, to point out, in general, the fources from which each expreffion flowed, and to defend by collected authorities, what to fome readers may appear incontrovertibly right, as well as to animadvert on paffages, of which the errors will be discovered by those only, who have devoted a large portion of their time and attention to the study of the Ancients. Critical strictures on fuch works should be written to direct the judgement of the less learned, and not merely to confirm the opinions of profound fcholars. In thefe Remarks, the reader will find fome objections started, which are to be confidered as relating rather to points of tafte, than of authority.-In paffages of which the propriety or impropriety could be decided by appeals to the Ancients, reference has generally been made to Euripides, in preference to all other Writers. It is well known, that he was much ftudied by Milton, and he is properly termed his favourite poet by Mr. Warton, in his Notes on COMU's, ver. 297. Thofe, who have long and juftly entertained an high idea of Milton's Greek erudition, on perufing thefe notes, will probably feel disappointed; and may afcribe to fpleen and temerity, what, it is VOL. I. 4 F hoped, hoped, merits at least a milder title.-To Milton's claim of extenfive, and, indeed, wonderful learning, who fhall refuse their fuffrage! It requires not our commendation, and may defy our cenfure.—If Dr. Johnson, however, observes of some Latin Verse of Milton, that it is not fecure against a stern grammarian,2 what would he have faid, if he had bestowed his time, in examining part of this Greek poetry, with the fame exactness of taste, and with equal accuracy of criticism. If Milton had lived in the prefent age, the neceffity of these remarks would, in all probability, have been fuperfeded. His native powers of mind, and his ftudious researches, would have been affifted by the learned labours of Bentley, Hemfterhufius, Valcke-naer, Toup, and Ruhnkenius, under whofe aufpices Greek criticifm has flourished, in this century, with a degree of vigour wholly unknown in any period, fince the revival of letters. I. PSALM CXIV. This Greek verfion, as Dr. Jofeph Warton has juftly observed, is fuperior to that of Duport. It has more vigour, but is not wholly free from inaccuracies. EY In verfe 4. the prepofition might have been omitted, as in Homer, Od. H. 59.-Γιγαντεσσιν βασιλευεν. V. 5. Eppanos, and v. 12. eppwnoas, should have been in the mid dle voice. V. 5. and v. 13. λμm should have the antepenult long, as it is used by Homer. V. 7. and v. 14. Iopdamn has the penultimate short in Nonnus's verfion of St. John's Gospel, i. 23. and in x. 40. where it appears long, Topdanolo Juperfcriptum eft, fays Sylburgius.-The syllable ▲A is ufed long by Apolinarius, in his tranflation of this pfalm. Τι V. 9. and 16. sürpa Pep. This word is fupported by no authority. V. 12. awa darasoa. Awa Doricè for Am has the A long. V. 17. Baidepar Ti d'ap-A or A'fhould have followed Barospas. V. 19. μeyaλ exlumo, does not appear intelligible. Should it be μεγαλα κτυπεία ? In the following verfe Τρεισ' had better have been τρομεσ', as τρέυσα precedes. II. Philofophus ad Regem quendam, qui eum ignotum et infontem, inter reos forte captum, infcius damnaverat, την επι θανάτῳ πορευόμενος, κατ Jubito mifit. Ω ανα, ει άλεσης με τον εννομον, εδε τιν ανδρων a Life of Milton. Works. Vol. II. p. 92. Δεινο Δεινον ὅλως δράσαντα, σοφωταίον ίσθι κάρηνον Τοιον δ' εκ πολιος περιώνυμον αλκαρ ολεσσας. In this fhort compofition, the style of the Epic Poets is imitated very inaccurately, and is ftrangely blended with that of the Tragic Writers. Verfe 1. ΕΙ ΟΛΕΣΗΣ] Milton ought to have written ει κ' άλεσης. -The fubjunctive oλsons, as in Il. A. 559.-and xe must neceffarily be added to , when it is followed by this mood. EI, in the Dramatic Poets, is ufed with the Indicative, and the Optative, but never with the Subjunctive mood; though it is joined to all the three moods, in Homer. Yet this is not allowed indifferently, nor without diftinction. EI, in the Iliad and Odyssey, when it is joined to an Indicative, ftands fingly, and independent of any other particle, as in Od, ¥. 220. El non, & μ autis-and in a great variety of paffages. as EI, with an Optative, is fometimes accompanied by xɛ, or xev, Π. Α. 60. ΕΙ ΚΕΝ θανατον γε ΦΥΓΟΙΜΕΝ. Θ. 196. ΕΙ ΚΕ ΛΑΒΟΙΜΕΝ. 205. ΕΙ περ γαρ Κ' ΕΘΕΛΟΙΜΕΝ—and it is allo ufed without this adjunct in II. A. 257. EI oQwix rade Tana ПYQOLATO. B. 98. -EI xor' aürns ΣXOIAT.—and in a multitude of other places, by the infertion of which it is not neceffary, that these remarks should be extended. EI, with a Subjunctive mood, is never used by Homer, without the addition of ze or xev, or its equivalent av. It may not be useless to enumerate and correct the paffages, which, in the prefent copies of the Iliad and Odyffey, feem to militate against these Canons. EI KE, instead of EI, with an INDICATIVE MOOD. Iliad Ψ. 526. ΕΙ δε Κ' ετι προτερῳ ΓΕΝΕΤΟ δρόμος αμφοτεροισι-Read ΕΙ δε Γ ̓ ετι προτερῳ. Odyf. Ζ. 282.—ΕΙ Κ' αυτή περ εποιχομενη ποσιν ΕΥΡΕΝ. Read EI r'an, or rather sign. Odyff. M. 140. EIKEN AAYEEIZ.- -Read aλuns, which Clarke gives as a various reading, and which he should have admitted into, the text. In Odyff. A. 112. he has rightly published: Exer εν αλύξης. Odyf. P. 79. ΕΙ ΚΕΝ εμε μνηστήρες αγήνορες εκ μεγάροισι Λαθρη κλείναντες, πατρωΐα παντα ΔΑΣΟΝΤΑΙ. Aaola is mentioned by Clark, in his note, as a various reading. This alteration would remove the error; but EI MEN E is the true reading, as EI AE xey follows in ver. 82.-To these must not be added Odyff, A. 109. Τας ΕΙ μεν K' ασινέας ΕΑΑΣ, κατε τε μέδηαι, which verfe is repeated in Odyff. M. 137, for EAAZ may be Subjunctive, as well as Indicative. The A is only doubled.-This ErF 2 4 nefti |