Homer and its allusive character can serve to illuminate
general characteristics of Pope’s poetry. In the relation to
Dryden, an interaction of some complexity is broached. In the
Aeneid, Virgil translated, adapted, and embellished many
particular passages from his Homeric originals. Pope often
incorporates through Dryden’s Virgil many of these
embellishments into his own Homer. For example, to express
the failing powers of Turnus in his final combat with Aeneas,
Virgil had adapted a simile used by Homer in the final chase
between Hector and Achilles. When Pope came to Homer’s
simile, he recalled Dryden’s version of Virgil and embellished
his own translation accordingly (words common to Dryden
and Pope and not in Homer are given in italics):
As in a dream a man is not able to follow one who runs
from him, nor can the runner escape, nor the other pursue
him,
so he could not run him down in his speed, nor the other
get clear.
Homer, Iliad, XXII, 199–201 (Lattimore)
And as, when heavy sleep has closed the sight,
The sickly fancy labours in the night;
We seem to run; and, destitute of force
Our sinking limbs forsake us in the course:
In vain we heave for breath; in vain we cry;
The nerves, unbraced, their usual strength deny.
Dryden, Aeneis, XII, 1312–17
So oft Achilles turns him to the plain:
He eyes the city, but he eyes in vain.
As men in slumbers seem with speedy pace,
One to pursue, and one to lead the chase,
Their sinking limbs the fancied course forsake,
Nor this can fly, nor that can overtake.
Pope, Iliad, XXII, 257–62Here a whole passage has been re-seen through Virgil
mediated by Dryden. But in the translation at large the
process is also less particular. Virgil’s language, generally
speaking, is more ornate than Homer’s, and Pope, in creating
an English poem, drew upon Dryden’s heroic diction because