Anthony Verity

Anthony Courtenay Froude Verity (born 25 February 1939) is an English educationalist and classical scholar. He was Master of Dulwich College from 1986 to 1995. Quotes Translations The Iliad (2011) Oxford World's Classics Sing, goddess, the anger of Achilles, Peleus’ son,the accursed anger which brought the Achaeans countlessagonies and hurled many mighty shades of heroes into Hades,causing them to become the prey of dogs andall kinds of birds; and the plan of Zeus was fulfilled.Sing from the time the two men were first divided in strife—Atreus' son, lord of men, and glorious Achilles. Book 1, line 1 And Athena, the daughter of Zeus who wears the aegis,let fall on to her father’s threshold the soft embroideredrobe which she herself had laboured over with her own hands,and put on the tunic of Zeus who gathers the clouds,and clothed herself in armour for war, the bringer of tears. Book 5, line 733 So speaking illustrious Hector stretched out his arms to his son;but the boy shrank back crying into the bosom of hisfinely girdled nurse, terrified at the sight of his dear fatherand frightened by the bronze and the horsehair crest,seeing how it nodded on top of his helmet, a terrifying thing.His dear father and his revered mother laughed out loud,and at once illustrious Hector took the helmet from his headand laid it, gleaming brightly, on the ground.He kissed his dear son and dandled him in his arms,and spoke in prayer to Zeus and all the other gods: Book 6, line 466 So he spoke, and let fly another arrow from his bowstring,straight at Hector, and his heart longed to shoot him down.But he missed Hector, and with his arrow struckblameless Gorgythion, Priam’s brave son, in the chest;his mother had come in marriage from Aesyme,beautiful Castianeira, who was in stature like a goddess.As when in a garden a poppy droops its head to one side,heavy with the weight of its seed and with spring showers,so his head, weighed down by his helmet, slumped to one side. Book 8, line 300 The rock crushed both his brows together, and the bonecould not hold, and his eyes fell to the ground in the dustthere before his feet; he dropped like a diver fromthe well-made chariot, and the life left his bones.Then, charioteer Patroclus, you addressed him jeeringly:‘Well, this is a very nimble fellow, and an agile diver!Doubtless if he were on the fish-rich sea this mancould leap from a ship and satisfy the hunger of manyby looking for oysters, even in very stormy weather—so agilely does he now dive from his chariot on to the plain.So, it seems, there are acrobats even among the Trojans!’ Book 16, line 740 The Odyssey (2018) Oxford University Press This translation . . . does not claim to be ‘poetic’; my aim has been to use a straightforward English register and to keep closely to the Greek, allowing Homeric directness and power to speak for itself. Note on the Translation Tell me, Muse, of the man of many turns, who was drivenfar and wide after he had sacked the sacred city of Troy.Many were the men whose cities he saw, and learnt their minds,many the sufferings on the open sea he endured in his heart,struggling for his own life and his companions' homecoming.Even so he could not protect them, though he desired it,since they perished by reason of their own recklessness,the fools, because they ate the cattle of the Sun, Hyperion,and he took away the day of their homecoming. Tell us, too,goddess daughter of Zeus, starting from where you will. Book 1, line 1 So let your heart and spirit be strong to listen; Odysseusis not the only man at Troy to lose the day of his returnhome, since many other men perished there as well.Go back to your rooms and take charge of your own tasks,the loom and the distaff, and order your women servantsto go about their work. Talk must be men's concern, all ofthem, and mine especially, for the power in the house is mine. Book 1, line 353 (Telemachus) But Nestor the Gerenian horseman offered Telemachus, thedear son of godlike Odysseus, a place to sleep in the palace,on a fretted couch under a far-echoing colonnade; and nextto him slept Peisistratus of the fine ash spear, captain of men,who alone of Nestor's sons in his halls was not married. Book 3, line 397 So he spoke, and Calypso, bright among goddesses,shuddered and addressed him in winged words:‘You are hard, you gods, and envious beyond all others,bearing a grudge against any goddess who takes a manopenly to her bed, if she desires to make him her husband.It was so when Dawn with the rosy fingers chose Orion;the gods who live an easy life bore a grudge against heruntil finally chaste Artemis of the golden throne pursuedhim in Ortygia and killed him with her gentle shafts.It was so when Demeter of the lovely hair yielded topassion and coupled in love with Iasion, in a thrice-ploughed field. It was not long before Zeus found outand killed him with a cast of his flashing thunderbolt.And now it is my turn; you gods begrudge me that I have amortal here, a man I rescued as he bestrode his ship’s keel,alone, after Zeus had hurled a flashing thunderbolt at hisswift ship and shattered it far out on the wine-dark sea. Book 5, line 116 Like Artemis, shooter of arrows, when she moves downthe mountains, striding along lofty Taygetus or Erymanthus,taking delight in the chase of boars or swift deer; andcountry-haunting nymphs, daughters of aegis-wielding Zeus,sport with her as she goes—and Leto's heart is gladdenedbecause Artemis holds her head and brow higher than themall, and she is easily marked out, though all are beautiful—just so the unwed girl stood out among her maidservants. Book 6, line 102 . . . may the gods grant you all that you desire in your heart,and may they bestow on you a husband, a house, and goodharmony of minds; there is nothing better or more powerfulthan this, when a man and his wife keep house in sympathyof mind — a great grief to their enemies, but a joy to those whowish them well; and they themselves are highly esteemed. Book 6, line 180 (Odysseys to Nausicaa) Then Nausicaa addressed her lovely-haired maidservants:"Listen to me, white-armed servants, to what I shall say:it is not without the will of all the gods who dwell on Olympusthat this man has come among the godlike Phaeacians;before this he looked to me like a man of mean appearance,but now he resembles the gods who live in the broad high sky." Book 6, line 238 I heard from my father Nausithous the tale I shall now tell you.He always said that Poseidon would hold a grudge against us,because we, remaining unharmed, give safe-conduct to all men.He said that one day he will smash a fine ship of the Phaeaciansas it returns from an escort mission on the mist-shrouded sea,and will then hide our city behind a huge encircling mountain.This was what the old man said; and the god will eithermake it happen or leave it undone, as his spirit pleases him. Book 8, line 564 (Alcinous to Odysseus) They came at dawn, as many as leaves or flowers that appearin season; and then an evil fate from Zeus stood close to us,ill-fated as we were, and caused us to suffer many torments. Book 9, line 51 thumb|a man clothed in huge strength,a savage with no understanding of either justice or laws.    a man clothed in huge strength,a savage with no understanding of either justice or laws. Book 9, line 213 In a wooded valley they came upon the palace of Circe,built of polished stone, set in a sheltered position; andaround it were prowling mountain wolves and lions, mento whom Circe had fed noxious drugs and so bewitched.These did not charge at my men, but actually reared up ontheir hind legs and fawned on them, wagging their long tails.As when dogs fawn on their master when he comes froma feast, because he always brings scraps to please them,so these wolves and strong-clawed lions fawned about mymen; but when they saw these grim beasts they were afraid. Book 10, line 210 thumb|Circe, skilled in many drugs. But when on my way through the sacred valleys I had nearlyreached the great house of Circe, skilled in many drugs,Hermes of the golden rod fell in with me as I was walkingtowards the house, in the likeness of a young man whose beardis just coming, which is the most charming time of youth. Book 10, line 275 She led them inside and seated them on chairs and seats—though Eurylochus alone hung back, suspecting some trickery—and prepared a mixture of cheese, barley, and yellow honey,blended with Pramnian wine. Into this she stirred somenoxious drugs, to make them lose all thought of their homeland.When she had given them this and they had drunk it down, shetapped them with her stick and drove them into her pigsties,for now they had the heads and bodies and bristles of pigs, andgrunted like pigs, though their minds were unchanged from before. Book 10, line 232    Crumpled round the sword in death, I lifted my handsand beat them on the ground; but the brazen bitch turned her back,and though I was on my way to Hades' realm she could not bringherself to shut my eyes with her hand or close my mouth. . . .For this reason you too should never be indulgent to your wife,nor give her a full account of everything that is in your mind;you should tell her some of it and keep the rest concealed.Still, Odysseus, your wife is certainly not likely to murder you;she is utterly loyal, circumspect Penelope, Icarius’ daughter,and the thoughts in her heart are always right and proper. Book 11, line 423 (Agamemnon's ghost to Odysseus) Odysseus of many tales, great glory of the Achaeans, draw near;bring your ship into land, and listen to our twofold song!No man has ever sailed past this place in his black ship withouthearing the honey-toned voice that issues from our lips, andthen, full of delight, going on his way a much wiser man.You see, we know everything that both Trojans and Argivesendured on Troy's wide plain, by the will of the gods; and weknow too all that happens on the earth that nourishes many. Book 12, line 184 (The Sirens' Song) Sun-god, of course you must continue to shine on the immortals,and on mortal men who live on the grain-giving ploughland.As for these men, I shall at once hurl a shining thunderbolt attheir swift ship, and smash it in pieces out on the wine-dark sea. Book 12, line 385 (Zeus to Helios) Come now, let us not talk like this any longer, since we are bothwell versed in deception: among mortals you surpass all men inplotting and tale-spinning, while among all the gods I am wellknown for cleverness and cunning. But you did not recognizePallas Athena, daughter of Zeus, I who have always stoodby you in all your trials and have watched over you; it wasI who made sure you were welcomed by all the Phaeacians. Book 13, line 296 (Athena to Odysseus)        I would indeeddisapprove of any host who is either over-hospitable ortoo lacking in civility; moderation in all things is best. It is,I think, an equal failing to speed a guest's departure when he isreluctant to leave and to detain him when eager to go. One mustcare for the guest in one's house, but send him on when he wishes. Book 15, line 69 (Menelaus to Telemachus) But now circumspect Penelope had another idea: to appearbefore the suitors, men of violent insolence, since she hadlearned that they were plotting death for her son in the halls.Medon the herald had heard their scheming and had told her this. Book 16, line 409 Athena came and stood next to Odysseus, Laertes' son,and urged him to go round the suitors and collect crusts, tofind out which were right-minded and which lawless;even so, she did not intend that any should escape ruin. Book 17, line 360 never yet among mortal mankind have there been menwho plot such arrogant and reckless violence as these do. Book 17, line 587 (Penelope) Antinous flung a rebuke at him, hailing him in these words:‘Now, you great ox, you will wish you were dead, and had neverbeen born, if you are going to tremble at this fellow in desperate fear,an old man, broken down by the suffering that has come his way.I tell you this plainly, and it will certainly be fulfilled:if this man defeats you and proves himself to be the stronger,I shall throw you into a black ship and send you off to themainland, to Echetus the king, bane of all mortal men, who willchop off your nose and ears with the cruel bronze, and rip awayyour genitals and give them raw to his dogs, for them to eat.’So he spoke, and a creeping tremor spread through Irus’ limbs. Book 18, line 78 Amphinomus . . . went back through the house, troubled in spiritand shaking his head, because in his heart he could foresee evil.Even so he did not escape death; he too was bound fast by Athena,to be overcome by Telemachus' hands and the force of his spear. Book 18, line 153 She climbed a tall staircase in the house, takingin her sturdy hand a cunningly forged key, finelymade of bronze; and the handle on it was of ivory. Book 21, line 5 The first to rise to his feet was Leodes, son of Oenops,who interpreted their sacrifices, and always sat furthest away,next to the fine mixing-bowl; he was the only one who hatedthe suitors' reckless deeds, and was indignant with them all. Book 21, line 144      Odysseus, man of many wiles,lifted up the great bow, examining it from every side,and then, just as a man skilled in lyre-playing and songwithout difficulty stretches a string around a new peg,tying the well-twisted gut of a sheep at both its ends,so, without any effort, did Odysseus string the great bow.Taking it up in his right hand he tested the string,and it sang out sweetly, like the song of a swallow.At this great distress fell upon the suitors, and the colourleft their faces. Book 21, line 404 "There now; I have revealed the token to you. I do not know,lady, if this bed of mine is still firmly planted or if some manhas now cut through the tree's base and moved it elsewhere."  So he spoke, and her heart and knees at once went slack,as she recognized the sure token Odysseus had revealed to her. Book 23, line 202 External links Category:1939 births Category:Living people Category:Classical scholars Category:Translators from England Category:Translators of Homer