THE POETICAL WORKS OF WILLIAM WORDSWORTH, VOL. 8 (Completed)

TRANSLATION OF PART OF THE FIRST BOOK OF THE AENEID

Composed 1823 (?).--Published 1836

This translation was included in the Philological Museum, edited by Julius Charles Hare, and published at Cambridge in 1832 (vol. i.p. 382, etc.). Three Books were translated by Wordsworth, but thegreater portion is still in MS., unpublished. What is now reproduced appeared in the Museum. As it was never included by Wordsworth himself in any edition of his Works, his own estimate of its literary value was slight. It was published by Professor Henry Reed in his American reprint of 1851. Writing to Lord Lonsdale on 9th Nov. 1823, Wordsworth says, "I have just finished a Translation into English rhyme of the First Æneid. Would you allow me to send it to you? I wouldbe much gratified if you would take the trouble of comparing some passages with the original. I have endeavoured to be much more literal than Dryden, or Pitt--who keeps more close to the original than his predecessor."--ED.

TO THE EDITORS OF THE "PHILOLOGICAL MUSEUM

" Your letter, reminding me of an expectation I some time since held out to you of allowing some specimens of my translation from the Æneid to be printed in the Philological Museum was not very acceptable; for I had abandoned the thought of ever sending into the world any part of that experiment,--for it was nothing more,--an experiment begun for amusement, and I now think a less fortunate one than when I first named it to you. Having been displeased in modern translations with the additions of incongruous matter, I began to translate with a resolve to keep clear of that fault, by adding nothing; but I became convinced that a spirited translation can scarcely be accomplished in the English language without admitting a principle of compensation. On this point, however, I do not wish to insist, and merely send the following passage, taken at random, from a wish to comply with your request.--W.W.

But Cytherea, studious to invent

Arts yet untried, upon new counsels bent,

Resolves that Cupid, chang'd in form and face

To young Ascanius, should assume his place;

Present the maddening gifts, and kindle heat

Of passion at the bosom's inmost seat.

She dreads the treacherous house, the double tongue;

She burns, she frets--by Juno's rancour stung;

The calm of night is powerless to remove

These cares, and thus she speaks to wingèd Love:

        "O son, my strength, my power! who dost despise

(What, save thyself, none dares through earth and skies)

The giant-quelling bolts of Jove, I flee,

O son, a suppliant to thy deity!

What perils meet Æneas in his course,

How Juno's hate with unrelenting force

Pursues thy brother--this to thee is known;

And oft-times hast thou made my griefs thine own.

Him now the generous Dido by soft chains

Of bland entreaty at her court detains;

Junonian hospitalities prepare

Such apt occasion that I dread a snare.

Hence, ere some hostile God can intervene,

Would I, by previous wiles, inflame the queen