238 THEORY of the 



Think of thy father, god-like Achilles, old like me, and on the 

 brink of the grave. Poflibly there is a force and propriety in the 

 ufe of the aoriftic imperative pvrirou, inftead of the prefent im- 

 perative, which would be more intelligible to Homer's coun- 

 trymen than it can be to us. Perhaps to them the difference 

 between thofe two forms of the imperative mood might be as 

 great as it is to us between think of and be thinking of the im- 

 perative of the aorift being a more vehement, fudden and 

 urgent requeft or command than the imperative prefent pmov, 

 but yet not difrefpectful, like the imperative perfect ^g/^co, 

 which, I believe, might be addreflfed to a Have, but could not, 

 with propriety, be employed by a fupplicant to an equal or to 

 a fuperior. 



Some nicety and delicacy of this kind feems to be expreffed 

 in the conclufion of Priatn's fpeech, by the ufe of the impe- 

 rative prefent of one verb, and the imperative of the aorift of 

 another, in the fame line. 



AXh Mttao hag A%i\ev, uvrov r eXerirov, 

 M.vqtra,yjZi>og <ra vcirgog' 



Aideto, ai^ov, cufoov, is the imperative prefent of c&ifoopoii ; eXitjirov 

 is the imperative of the aorift of eXsa>. The former feems a 

 more tranquil and cool requeft, or rather advice or fuggeftion, 

 and refers to a continued, or frequently repeated, action, ftate, 

 or habit, to wit reverence to the Gods. The latter is a more 

 urgent fupplication for immediate pity and favour ; as if he 

 had faid, Be ever mindful of your duty to the Gods, and injlantly (or 

 at this time, moment, Itfc.J have pity on me. 



Whatever may be thought of thefe fpeculations and re- 

 finements, it can never be doubted, that if, inftead of the 

 imperative mood, we were to ufe a circumlocution, to exprefs 

 the warm and vehement fentiments of Priam, it would be in- 

 fupportable ; Xnrtroftai tri pvyfrcKrOou «rs noirgog — a<^e«r#a< rag &zag — 

 mvtov iXiria-oci. Such a flow and languid expreflion would have 



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