Ancient Epic Poem, 136 



and affecting description to the poet. But J 

 mention not this as the most objectionable intro- 

 duction of heathen deities into the ancient 

 epic. The passage, as it has issued from the 

 pen of Virgil, is full of beauties. More truly 

 ridiculous and disgusting interferences of the 

 celestial machinery abound. 



Sometimes, indeed, the representation of. the 

 persons of the deities summons all the genius 

 of Homer and Virgil, of each in their respective 

 line of excellence. The miijesty of Jove by 

 the former, and the grace of Venus by the 

 latter, are animated descriptions of the grand 

 and the beautiful in the human form. The 

 one gave existence to the statue of Phidias, 

 while it is not improbable, that the Medicean 

 Venus suggested to Virgil his conception of 

 the Paphian queen. There is a correspondence 

 of form and elegance in both, and the vera 

 incessii patuit Dea is presented in the per- 

 ceptible and almost inchoate movement from 

 the pedestal, which is so happily expressed in 

 the statue. 



Homer and Virgil were poets of the first 

 order. The question is not with them, but 

 with the foolish and contemptible deities, 

 whom the faith of their day imposed upon 

 them. 



"^riiere are two ways, in which the superna- 



