Complete Works of Plutarch Part 50

instead of "welled up." And the future for the present (O. i. 24):--

Abiding some, where Hyperion will sink; and some, where he rises.

Or in place of the past (O. v. 300):--

I fear that indeed the G.o.ddess may spake all things truly.

And the voices are often changed. Instead of the active, the pa.s.sive and middle are often used, as (I. i. 194):--

A great sword is drawn from its sheath,--

instead of "he drew." And (I. xiii. 4):--

His keen glance turning to view,--instead of "seeing."

And, on the other hand, the active instead of the pa.s.sive:--

I shall give a tripod with a golden handle,--instead of "shall be given."

It can be seen how he changes numbers, putting the plural for the singular as often happens in common speech when one speaks of himself as if of several, as in the following (O. i. 10):--

Of these things, G.o.ddess daughter of Zeus, from whatsoever source thou wilt declare even to us,--

instead of "to me."

We find with him a change of persons of one sort, as (I. v. 877):--

The other G.o.ds, who in Olympus dwell, Are to thee obedient and we are submissive.

For since there are many G.o.ds, among whom is the person speaking, both cla.s.ses are well indicated by saying, "they are obedient" and "we are submissive." In another way leaving the person who is spoken of, he changes from one to another. This is called specifically Apostrophe, and affects us by its emotional character and stimulates the hearer, as in the following stanza (I. xv. 346):--

While loudly Hector to the Trojans called To a.s.sail the s.h.i.+ps and leave the b.l.o.o.d.y spoils Whom I elsewhere and from the s.h.i.+ps aloof Shall find,--

changing from the narrative to direct discourse. In the narration itself he often uses Apostrophe (I. xx. 2.):

Round thee eager for the fray stood the sons of Greece.

But he makes use of direct narrative and change of persons, as in the following pa.s.sage (I. ii. 337):--

Like children, Grecian warriors, ye debate Like babes to whom unknown are feats of arms.

Atrides thou, as is thy wont, maintain Unchang'd thy counsel; for the stubborn fight Array the Greeks.

There is another kind of this Apostrophe (I. ii. 344):--

Thou wouldst not know to whom Tydides may join himself,--

instead of "no one can know."

And again (O. ix. 210):--

And a marvellous sweet smell went up from the mixing bowl: then truly it was no pleasure to refrain.

58. He uses participles in the place of verbs, as in these words (I.

viii. 306):--

Weighed down in a garden by this fruit,--

instead of "it is weighed," and (O. xiii. 113):--

Thither they as having knowledge of that place drive their s.h.i.+ps,--

instead of "before they knew."

And articles he often changes, setting demonstrative instead of relatives (I. xvi. 150):--

Whom Podarge, swift of foot, to Zephyr bore,--and the contrary (I. xvii. 460):--

And breastplate: for his own his faithful friend hath lost.

So he was wont to change prepositions (I. i. 424):--

Yesterday he went through the banquet,--instead of "to the banquet."

And (I. i. 10):--

And he stirred up an evil plague through the army.

Likewise he joins with a preposition a noun improperly, as in the verse (I. x. 101):--

Lest perchance they wish to decide the contest in the night,--

where the preposition is followed by, the accusative, not the genitive. And as to other prepositions, some he changes, some he omits (I. ii. 696):--

Of whom he lies lamenting,--instead of "concerning whom."

And (O. xxiii. 91):--

Expecting whether he would bespeak him,--instead of "speak to him."

And other prepositions he in the same fas.h.i.+on changes or leaves out. And adverbs he changes, using indifferently motion towards, rest in, and motion from a place (I. xx. 151):--

His grandchildren were setting down from elsewhere,--instead of "elsewhere" (I. vii. 219):--

And Ajax came from near,--instead of "near."

Finally he has changes of conjunctions, as (O. i. 433):--

He never lay with her and he shunned the wrath of his lady,-- instead of "for he shunned," etc. And these are the figures of speech which not only all poets but the writers of prose have employed.