Page:Virgil's Pastorals, Georgics and Aeneis - Dryden (1709) - volume 3.djvu/372

846 Æneid the 9th. Lines 853, 854.At the full stretch of both his Hands, he drew;
 * And almost join'd the Horns of the tough Eugh.

The first of these Lines, is all of Monosyllables; and both Verses are very rough: But of choice; for it had been easie for me to have smooth'd them. But either my Ear deceives me, or they express the thing which I intended in their Sound: For the stress of a Bow which is drawn to the full extent, is express'd in the harshness of the first Verse, clogg'd not only with Monosyllables, but with Consonants; and these words, the tough Eugh, which conclude the second line, seem as forceful, as they are Unharmonious. Homer and Virgil are both frequent in their adapt­ing Sounds to the thing they signifie. One Example will serve for both; because Virgil borrow'd the following Verses from Homer's Odysses.

Unà Eurusque Notusque ruunt creberque procellis Africus, & vastos volvunt ad litora fluctus. .

Our Language is not often capable of these Beauties: though some­times I have copied them, of which these Verses are an instance.

Line 1095.His ample Shield
 * Is falsify'd; and round with Jav'lins fill'd.