Ancient Epic Poem. 123 



Pater Deorum is, such are all the subordinate 

 gods, who act their parts in the epic scene. 



Qui«queD u , .\ .i>, BacchiM, Apollo, Venuiquc, 

 Vcs.lma sunt exempla lubidinisirrequietae. 



Equally immoral is the lesson, which "the 

 providential government of this unprincipled 

 god must convey. Here no great and un- 

 changeable laws of justice present themselves 

 to our view, but all the fluctuations of capri- 

 cious favoritism and prostituted powef, with- 

 out regard to the distinctions of right and 

 wrong. A wife, a daughter, a son, a brother 

 or a mistress, wheedles by turns this repository 

 of supreme power, and points his thunder 

 against the objects of their partial resent- 

 ment, though in opposition tq t^e prior deter- 

 minations of his own mind. Take a slight 

 view of his conduct through the Iliad alone. — 

 Thetis, fi-om the worst of motives, to gratify 

 the pride and passion of her son and avenge 

 a private affront on his whole country, solicits 

 the interposition of Jupiter to befriend the 

 Trojan arms, and bring disgrace and defeat on 

 the Grecian host. The easy god yields to her 

 malicious request, and influences Agamemnon 

 to lead forth his army to battle, as a designed 

 sacrifice. By the temperate counsel of 1 Ipctor, 

 the bloody conflict is suspended, and Jupiter, 

 q2 



