Literature Network » John Dryden

Dryden's Aeneis 2.718-41.(John Dryden)(Critical Essay)

Content courtesy of

From: The Explicator
Date: 20050922
Author:Dewar-Watson, Sarah

In Aeneid book 2, Pyrrhus brutally kills Priam's son, Polites, before his father's eyes. The episode sharply contrasts the barbarous instincts of the young aggressor with the noble dignity of the aged king. In his translation of this passage, Dryden describes the old man's reaction thus: "The Fear of death gave place to Nature's Law" (2.727). (1) The reference to the concept of natural law appears again a few lines later: "The Gods he fear'd, / The Laws of Nature and of Nations heard" (2.736-37). These references have no clear equivalent in the Latin text. Here, Virgil has: "hic ...

Read the rest of this article with a Free Trial at HighBeam Research.

Other Articles on John Dryden

About Our Articles: We've partnered with Highbeam Research to provide these article excerpts for your research needs. However, due to copyright laws, we cannot publish the whole article. To view these articles in full length you'll need to use the link above to access the free trial at Highbeam.