Simile #1
"The goddess plucked one of the serpents
Lodged in her sea-dark hair, then directed its course, introduced it
Into Amata's breast, where the heart meets the lungs, first to madden
Her and, by this display, cause chaos throughout her whole household.
Slipping between her gown and her smooth bosom, rippling, but never
Touching, it fills her with viperous breath, injects fury unnoticed.
Now the huge snake is the golden torc on her neck, now her bonnet
Trailing with ribbons. It twines through her hair, slithers free on her body.
While the first flow of the transfused poison's assault on her senses
Seeps, while it's threading her bones with its fire, while her spirit has not yet
Felt the effects of the flame in the whole of her heart and her reason,
She has that gentler tone in her speech you'd expect of a mother:
Tears upon tears for her daughter, distress at her Phrygian marriage:
'Exiles, Teucrians, are given Lavinia to take as their wedded
Wife? Don't you feel sorry for her or yourself- you're her father!- and sorry
Too for her mother? He'll scoop up our girl on the first breath of north wind,
Leave me and head for his high sea's lair, this perfidious pirate!
Isn't this just how that Phrygian sheep-boy poken into Sparta,
Carrying away Leda's Helen away to the cities of Troy's land?
What about your solemn word? And your old-time love for your family?
Didn't you pledge her to Turnus, our own blood, with many a handshake?
Granted: it's settled that what's sought for Latins is some kind of foreign
Son-in-law. Granted: you're pressured by orders from Faunus, your parent.
"Foreign", I think, includes every land that is separately settled,
Free of our scepter's control. I think that's what the gods are declaring" (346-370)
Tenor: Rage filling Amata
Vehicle: Snake sent by Allecto to wrap itself around Amata and be bound to her bones
Event: Allecto, encouraged by Juno, sends hate into Amata to fuel her hatred for Aeneas and favor Turnus instead
Theme: Takes a turn for clothing and art (jewelry), nature (fire).
Simile #2
"whirling about like a whip-lashed top such as children,
Rapt in their play, will propel in a great circle all round empty
Courtyards. When lashed into motion, it travels in segments of curving
Arcs; and the uncomprehending young throng stands in a stupor
Over it, gazing in awe at the fast-spinning figure of boxwood
Energized by their blows." (378-383)
Tenor: Hatred exhibited by Amata
Vehicle: Tops played with by children
Event: Amata is lashing out across town, just as a top spins, spewing anger against Aeneas at every breath
Theme: Child-play, play on normal associations (Hatred vs childhood innocence)
Simile #3
"Top it with anger and it's like the roaring of firewood kindled
Under the ribs of a bubbling cauldron of copper. The surface
Dances with joy as it heats. Underneath it, the upsurge of water
Seethe and it steams and it spurts spray high with exuberant splashing.
Water's not water, but vapor that flits and that blurs into breezes.
Therefore he ordered." (462-466)
Tenor: Anger of Turnus
Vehicle: Kindle-wood under a boiling cauldron
Event: Turnus is filled with anger by Amata and, like a a cauldron boiling over a kindling fire spews hot water, so does Turnus become spewing with hatred towards Aeneas and calls for war.
Theme: Nature (fire)
No comments:
Post a Comment