"Vain Dreams of Conquest" may swell the haughty Mind
— Pope, Alexander (1688-1744)
Author
Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed by W. Bowyer, for Bernard Lintott
Date
1715-1720
Metaphor
"Vain Dreams of Conquest" may swell the haughty Mind
Metaphor in Context
Behold! Pisander, urg'd by Fate's Decree,
Springs thro' the Ranks to fall, and fall by thee,
Great Menelaus! to enhance thy Fame,
High-tow'ring in the Front, the Warrior came.
First the sharp Lance was by Atrides thrown;
The Lance far distant by the Winds was blown.
Nor pierc'd Pisander thro' Atrides' Shield;
Pisander's Spear fell shiver'd on the Field.
Not so discourag'd, to the Future blind,
Vain Dreams of Conquest swell his haughty Mind;
Dauntless he rushes where the Spartan Lord
Like Light'ning brandish'd his far-beaming Sword.
His left Arm high oppos'd the shining Shield;
[1]His right, beneath, the cover'd Pole-Axe held;
(An Olive's cloudy Grain the Handle made,
Distinct with Studs; and brazen was the Blade)
This on the Helm discharg'd a noble Blow;
The Plume dropp'd nodding to the Plain below,
Shorn from the Crest. Atrides wav'd his Steel:
Deep thro' his Front the weighty Faulchion fell.
The crashing Bones before its Force gave way;
In Dust and Blood the groaning Hero lay;
Forc'd from their ghastly Orbs, and spouting Gore,
The clotted Eye-balls tumble on the Shore.
The fierce Atrides spurn'd him as he bled,
Tore off his Arms, and loud-exulting said.
Springs thro' the Ranks to fall, and fall by thee,
Great Menelaus! to enhance thy Fame,
High-tow'ring in the Front, the Warrior came.
First the sharp Lance was by Atrides thrown;
The Lance far distant by the Winds was blown.
Nor pierc'd Pisander thro' Atrides' Shield;
Pisander's Spear fell shiver'd on the Field.
Not so discourag'd, to the Future blind,
Vain Dreams of Conquest swell his haughty Mind;
Dauntless he rushes where the Spartan Lord
Like Light'ning brandish'd his far-beaming Sword.
His left Arm high oppos'd the shining Shield;
[1]His right, beneath, the cover'd Pole-Axe held;
(An Olive's cloudy Grain the Handle made,
Distinct with Studs; and brazen was the Blade)
This on the Helm discharg'd a noble Blow;
The Plume dropp'd nodding to the Plain below,
Shorn from the Crest. Atrides wav'd his Steel:
Deep thro' his Front the weighty Faulchion fell.
The crashing Bones before its Force gave way;
In Dust and Blood the groaning Hero lay;
Forc'd from their ghastly Orbs, and spouting Gore,
The clotted Eye-balls tumble on the Shore.
The fierce Atrides spurn'd him as he bled,
Tore off his Arms, and loud-exulting said.
Categories
Provenance
Searching "conque" and "mind" in HDIS (Poetry)
Citation
17 entries in ESTC (1715, 1718, 1720, 1721, 1729, 1732, 1736, 1738, 1754, 1767, 1770, 1790, 1791, 1796). Vol. 2 is dated 1716; vol. 3, 1717; vol. 4, 1718; vols. 5 and 6, 1720.
See The Iliad of Homer, Translated by Mr. Pope, 6 vols. (London: Printed by W. Bowyer, for Bernard Lintott, 1715-1720). <Link to ESTC><Link to Vol. I in ECCO-TCP><Vol. II><Vol. III><Vol. IV><Vol. V><Vol. VI>
See The Iliad of Homer, Translated by Mr. Pope, 6 vols. (London: Printed by W. Bowyer, for Bernard Lintott, 1715-1720). <Link to ESTC><Link to Vol. I in ECCO-TCP><Vol. II><Vol. III><Vol. IV><Vol. V><Vol. VI>
Date of Entry
02/06/2005
