HOMER A SPORTSMAN. 211 



not more fearful than a lion or panther, " or the boar 

 of the forest so fierce, which above all other animals, 

 with great rage in his bosom, coines snorting omuard 

 with threatening strength." Again, the rush of Ajax 

 dispersing those striving to retain the corpse of 

 Patroclus, is compared to that of " a defiant boar 

 breaking through the underivood, that on the mountain 

 easily routs the hounds and the vigorous hunters." 



At the end of the same book, also, when the dead 

 body is being borne away to the fleet, the Trojans make 

 a charge to recover it, but flee back again on the 

 Achaians turning and making a stand, there is this 

 admirable simile : " They ran straight on, as hounds 

 rush in iqoon a boar that has been ivounded, in ad- 

 vance of the youthful hunters : at first they hasten 

 forwards, animated solely by the longing to annihilate 

 him. But as soon as he turns round upon them with 

 his sturdy (defiant) strength, all fall back, and disperse 

 hither and thither." 



Every feature here is characteristic, every designa- 

 tion exactly applicable, every little circumstance a study 

 made on the spot. "WTiat a picture that is of the boar, 

 ^' with great rage in his bosom, coming snorting on- 

 wards with threatening strength ! " And how admi- 

 rably true, not only as regards the physical appearance 

 of the animal, but as to the impression also which his 

 air, and gait, and carriage leave on the spectator ! For 



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