"The thinking mind, my soul to vengeance fires."
— Pope, Alexander (1688-1744), Broome, W. and Fenton, E.
Place of Publication
London
Date
1725-6
Metaphor
"The thinking mind, my soul to vengeance fires."
Metaphor in Context
Such aids expect, he cries, when strong in might [1]
We rise terrific to the task of fight.
But thou, when morn salutes th' aerial plain,
The court revisit and the lawless train:
Me thither in disguise Eumæus leads,
An aged mendicant in tatter'd weeds.
There, if base scorn insult my rev'rend age,
Bear it my son! repress thy rising rage:
If outrag'd, cease that outrage to repel, [2]
Bear it my son! howe'er thy heart rebel.
Yet strive by pray'r and counsel to restrain
Their lawless insults, tho' thou strive in vain:
For wicked ears are deaf to wisdom's call,
And vengeance strikes whom heav'n has doom'd to fall.
Once more attend: When [3] she whose pow'r inspires
The thinking mind, my soul to vengeance fires;
I give the sign: that instant, from beneath, [4]
Aloft convey the instruments of death,
Armour and arms; and if mistrust arise,
Thus veil the truth in plausible disguise.
(Bk. XVI)
We rise terrific to the task of fight.
But thou, when morn salutes th' aerial plain,
The court revisit and the lawless train:
Me thither in disguise Eumæus leads,
An aged mendicant in tatter'd weeds.
There, if base scorn insult my rev'rend age,
Bear it my son! repress thy rising rage:
If outrag'd, cease that outrage to repel, [2]
Bear it my son! howe'er thy heart rebel.
Yet strive by pray'r and counsel to restrain
Their lawless insults, tho' thou strive in vain:
For wicked ears are deaf to wisdom's call,
And vengeance strikes whom heav'n has doom'd to fall.
Once more attend: When [3] she whose pow'r inspires
The thinking mind, my soul to vengeance fires;
I give the sign: that instant, from beneath, [4]
Aloft convey the instruments of death,
Armour and arms; and if mistrust arise,
Thus veil the truth in plausible disguise.
(Bk. XVI)
Categories
Provenance
HDIS
Citation
Over 30 entries in ESTC (1725, 1726, 1745, 1752, 1753, 1758, 1760, 1761, 1763, 1766, 1767, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1773, 1778, 1790, 1792, 1795, 1796).
The Odyssey of Homer. Translated from the Greek, 5 vols. (London: Printed for Bernard Lintot, 1725-26).
The Odyssey of Homer. Translated from the Greek, 5 vols. (London: Printed for Bernard Lintot, 1725-26).
Date of Entry
10/26/2003
