NATIONAL STYLE 177 



richly developed accidence and syntax of the language its 

 three genders the singular, dual, and plural numbers of its 

 declined nouns the complicated conjugation of its verbs, and 

 the copiousness of their forms all these qualities of a still 

 youthful and prolific organ of speech endow Greek eloquence 

 with unique pliability, rendering it no less fit for the sim- 

 plicity of Simonidean epigraphy than for the rolling thunders 

 of Demosthenic oratory. 



We do not know how the Greek poets declaimed their 

 verses. Having no clue to the antique pronunciation of the 

 language and no correct sense of its accentual values, we 

 feel their music with the eye rather than the ear, and lay an 

 exaggerated stress on quantity. Yet such is the indestructi- 

 bility of form and rhythm in verbal harmonies fashioned 

 for the utterance of noble thoughts, that even while labour- 

 ing under these disadvantages, we are able to appreciate the 

 grand manner of Greek style. 



8) Tt^ujSos, 3) vvfjupftov, 3) KaraffKa<p})s 

 olKT\ffis aetypovpos, of TropevofJiai 

 irpbs TOVS eyuouTTjy 5)V apiQ/nbv ey 



utv \oiffOia 'yia Kal KaKurra 877 



rpiv (j.oi p.o1pav e^Kfiv fttov. 



In reading this passage we need not summon imagination 

 to our aid, nor bring before our mental eye the scene of 

 Antigone advancing to her bridal bed in Hades. It is enough 

 to feel the music of those opening lines, deep-toned and 

 mellow as the chords of viols. Then take the declamatory 

 swiftness of a wrathful adjuration : 



TI SYJTO 5o7js, j) TI K\7)86vos Ka\jjs 

 (jt-drriv ftfovcrrfs w$eA7/fia ytyverai, 

 t rds 7' 'A07jj/as <pa<rl 0eo(rej8ecTTOTas 

 elj/cu, fj.6vas 5e rbv Ka.Kovp.fvov \tvov 

 fftafciv o"as re Kal /j.6vas a.pKtiv f^eti// 

 K&/n.oiye TTOV ravr' ^ffrlv, o'lrutes fiddpuv 

 e/c rwj/Se /j.' e|apavTes elr' eAou^ere, 

 6vofj.a fi6vov Sficravres ; ov yap Sr? r6 ye 

 <ru/jC ouSe rapya rap. 7 ' rel TC y Hpya pov 

 1 cVrl paXXov t) SeSpaKora, 



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