Epic

Heroes, battles, collective destinies: epic poetry, from ancient epics to great tales in verse. On Loëly.

John Greenleaf Whittier

Joseph Addison

Publius Virgile

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Epic

Storm on Lake Asquam

A Poem To His Majesty, Presented To The Lord Keeper. To The Right Hon. Sir John Somers, Lord Keeper

Book I

Book I - Forbear! the progeny of Jove replies

Book I - O parent goddess

Book I - O tyrant, armed with insolence and pride

Book I - Tell me, oh Muse, of that ingenious hero

Book I - The trembling priest along the shore

Book I - Who rolls the thunder o'er the vaulted skies

Book II - As on some mountain, through the lofty grove

Book II - Fly hence, deluding Dream

Book II - Now when the child of morning and rosy-fingered Dawn appeared

Book II - Say, Virgins, seated round the throne divine

Book II - The phantom said; then vanished from his sight

Book II - With this Telemachus dashed his staff to the ground

Book III - Ajax the great, the beauteous queen replied

Book III - Approach, my child, and grace thy father's side

Book III - Atrides then his massy lance prepares

Book IV - All that you have been saying, my dear wife, is true

Book IV - Seized with affright the boldest foes appear

Book IV - Your discretion, my friend, is beyond your years

Book IX - But the Cyclops, groaning and in an agony of pain

Book IX - I was driven thence by foul winds for a space of nine days

Book IX - When the child of morning rosy-fingered dawn appeared, he again lit his fire

Book IX - When we got to the land, which was not far

Book V - But Pallas now Tydides' soul inspires

Book V - On this he took his leave, and Calypso went out to look for Ulysses

Book V - Thereon he gathered his clouds together, grasped his trident

Book V - While he was thus in two minds a wave caught him

Book VI - When they reached the water side they went to the washing cisterns

Book X - I divided them into two companies and set a captain over each

Book X - Thence we went on to the Æolian island

Book XI - And I saw Tityus son of Gaia stretched upon the plain

Book XI - On this the ghost of Teiresias went back to the house of Hades

Book XI - The ghost of Achilles came up to us

Book XI - The ghosts of other dead men stood near me

Book XI - Then came also the ghost of Theban Teiresias

Book XI - We got into the deep waters of the river Oceanus

Book XI - When Proserpine had dismissed the female ghosts

Book XII - For six days my men kept driving in the best cows

Book XII - Here she ended, and dawn enthroned in gold began to show in heaven

Book XII - Immediately after we had got past the island I saw a great wave

Book XII - We reached the noble island of the sun-god

Book XIII - When they got to the water side the crew took these things

Book XIV - Ulysses now left the haven, and took the rough track

Book XIX - Bring a seat with a fleece upon it, for the stranger

Book XIX - Listen, then, to a dream that I have had

Book XIX - Madam, I have foresworn rugs and blankets

Book XIX - Soon as Aurora heaved her orient head

Book XIX - Then the old woman took the cauldron

Book XV - First of the field, great Ajax strikes their eyes

Book XVI - Lie there, Patroclus

Book XVII - A dog that had been lying asleep raised his head

Book XVII - Immediately afterwards Ulysses came inside

Book XVII - They reached the fountain from which the citizens drew their water

Book XVIII - A flood of tears, at this, the goddess shed

Book XVIII - Stood Nestor's son, the messenger of woe

Book XX - When Hector viewed the unhappy Polydore

Book XXI - He strung it as easily as a skilled bard strings a new peg of his lyre

Book XXII - Then Ulysses tore off his rags

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