'rlu' ()d~'SSC)7

llon wr

1(!1' Uule
.mth<'l1ffr' i,!{orm,1rio11 abc~ut the /i/c.' and career of
He •n:· \' .~wii/aNt'. Tl1t' peri< >d dr~rmp. ll'l11c/J he lil'ed is n~r
.•:r;Ji' ,,, ··•c ,FSlll rt' ir tt> be ,111ytm1t·. b(:111·ec11 1200 B. c. and
a
, , 0 ~"' l - ' : , , ,· •,; : •. ,·~-l· .iTt'r,1111rc.• 1s mcomplet<! without
t ..
rrt:-r c1;:: h> ,til' (H\) --~ t't:. Grt'c.'A c!jllCS, The Iliad
1 and The
a°d,-ssev. T\· formc .~ ,? w,,r t.pic (about Trojan Wa,) while
ti.·,·1au:1r. .• st·: ueJ ~ ;i1t? description of a warrior's voyage
/;om,' a.lier ;,h· 1.·ar c?nco1,11Tt?ring vanous tests of both physical
,md mora l e11du ra•1c2 Based 011 evidences, scholars ascribe
the .mthorship o; !hese rwo epks to Homer. Besides these
works, se\·eral 01her poems have also been attributed to him:
1he so-called Homeric Hymns, a satirical poem called Margites,
a11d a collecrion of epigrams.
Spanmng more than twelve thousand lines in twenty-four books,
The Odyssey tells the story of one of the greatest heroes of
the Troian War, Odysseus (Ulysses in Latin). The legendary
Greek warrior spends ten years fighting, at the battle of Troy
and another ten years to reach his kingdom, Ithaca. The
journey and his arrival home and other predicaments that he
has to face and solve, are the themes of The Odyssey. During
Odysseus ' absence from Ithaca, unruly suitors approach his
wife Penelope for her hand and they even plot to kill his SOIL
Telemachus. Penelope, still beautiful and clever, hopes that
Odysseus will come back and does not y ield to the suitors.
The uninvited suitors start draining the wealth by remaining
in the palace of Odysseus. Shortly before Odysseus reaches
1thaca, Telemachus visits Sparta and hears from Menelaus
(fhe husband of Helen) that Odysseus is alive and will return
soon. After Odysseus' arrival, Telemachus reaches Ithaca.
gdysseus reveals his identity to his son. Disguised as a beggar,
dysseus enters his palace and meets the suitors and converses
 The Odyssey 1I
with Penelope. Later, his dog Argos, and the housekeeper,
Bury_cleia recognize him. Toward\· the end, all suitors are
:\•lmightered hy the father and the son, and Odysseus discloses
his identity to Penelope.
111 Book Sixteen of The Odyssey, following Athena '.r
; 11 str11ction, Telemachus reaches the hut of the swineherd
Hmnaeus. A man of nohle birth who was hrought to Ithaca hy
[,aeries, Od sseus :\· a/her, Humaeu.~ is a loyal and devoted
J.rie!7_d_ lo Odysseus and family. In the hut, Telem_ach~s fl_nd'i
the swineherd la/king with a heggar (Odysseus m dngut~e).
Eumaeus narrates Odysseus'.\· '>Lory and requests Telemachus
to take the beggar with him to the palace. But the prince shares
his helplessness and fear about confronting the suiton (who
wish to kill him). The beggar urges Telemachus to fight like a
brave man against the suitors. But Telemachus describes the
pathetic situation of his kingdom which is plundered by the
mighty suitors and says that he does not have an army or any
strong brother with him to defeat them. Telemachus gives
instruction to Eumaeus to go to the palace and convey the
news of his safe return only to Penelope. He says that this
I
news can be revealed to Odysseus ailing father too, through
Eurycleia. In the absence of Eumaeus, Athena appears to
Odysseus and calls him outside the hut. Odysseus is
transformed to his former self leaving Telemachus in wonder
as he mistakes the heroic figure for a god. But Odysseus reveals
the truth that he is not a god but the father of Telemachus.
Before Eumaeus can meet Penelope in secret, a messenger
from the ship reaches the palace well in advance and discloses
to all that Telemachus is back. Hearing this, the suitors make
another plot to kill Telemachus leaving Penelope worried
about the safety of her son.
The following lines (J 13-189) of Book Sixteen are exceptional
for the literary features like dramatic irony and anagnorisis
~nd prominent for depicting the inevitable necessity of gods'
mt~rvention in the lives of men and the reverence shown by a
prz_nce for his elders. This scene of reunion of a king and a
przn~~ zn a swineherd's hut reaffirms these mens humane
qualztzes depicting them as sensitive individuals with inner
lives.
12 Rcvhitin~ Ou· Clusic~

..Now let me tell you the whole story. first to last.

h's not that all our people have turned against me,
Keen lbr a showdown Nor have I any brothers at fau lt,
brothers a mnn can trust to fight beside him, true,
no maller what deadly blood-fcud rages on ...
~us 'ma dc our line a line of only sons.
r
~1c csiu s ha<l only one son, l aertcs,
and Lacrtcs ha<l only one son, Odysseus,
nn<l I am Odysseus' only so~ llc fathered 1~e,
he lcfl me behind at home, and from me he got no joy.
So no\, our house is plagued by swanns of enemies.
·\ll the nobles who rule the islands round about,
Dulichion, and Same, and wooded Zacynthus too,
and all who lord it in rocky Ithaca as well -
down to the last man they court my mother,
they lay waste my house! And mother ...
she neither rejects a marriage she despises
nor can she bear to bring the courting to an end -
while they continue to bleed my household whit e.
Soon - you wait - they ' ll grind me down as well!
But all lies in the lap of the great gods.

Eumaeus,
goo d old friend, go, quickly, to wise Penelope.
Tell her I'm home from Pylos safe and sound.
I'll stay on right here. But you come back
as soon as you 've told the news to her alone.
No othe r Achaean must hear -
all too many plot to take my life."
 Tbe Odygsey 13

''f know,"
you assured your prince, Eurnaeu.s, loyal swineherd.
"I <;ee your point - there's sense in this old ht"d.d.
One thing more, and make your orders clear.
On the same trip do J go and give the ne,;,s
to King Lacrtes too? Pormany y~ s, poor rr~
heartsick for his son, he'd always keep an eye
on the farm and take his meal) with the hired hands
whenever he felt the urge to. Now; from the &y
you sailed away to Pylos, not a sip or a bite
he's touched, they say, not as he did before,
and his eyes are shut to all the farmyar.d labors.
Huddled over, groaning in grief and tears=
be wastes aw ay- the man's all skin and bones.'1

"So much the worse,,. Telemachus answered firmly.

"Leave him alone: though 1t hurts us now. we must.
If men could have all they want, free for the taking.
rd take first my father's journey home. So,
you go and give the message, then come back.
no roaming over the fields to find Laertes.
Tell my mother to send her housekeeper,
fast as she can, in secret -
she can give the poor old man the news.''

als,
That roused Eumaeus. The swineherd grasped his sand
strapped them onto his feet and made for town.
His exit did not escape Athena's notice ... jo~ ~us
Approaching, closer, now she appeared a \Voman,
beautiful, tall and skilled at weaving lovely things.
14 Re,·isiting the Classics
Just at the shelter's door she stopped. visible to
Odysseus
but Telemachus could not see her, sense her the
re -
the gods don't show themselves to every man
alive.
Od) sseus saw her. so did the dogs; no barking
now,
they whimpered. cringing a,vay in terror through
the yard.
She gave a sign with her brows, Odysseus cau
ght it,
out of the lodge he went and past the high stocka
de
and stood before the goddess. Athena urged him
on:
··Royal son ofLaertes, Odysseus, old campaigne
r,
now is the time, now tell your son the truth.
Hold nothing back, so the two of you can plot
the suitors' doom and then set out for town.
I myself won't lag behind you long -
I'm blazing for a battle!"

Athena stroked him with her golden wand.

First she made the cloak and shirt on his body
fresh and clean, then made him taller, supple, you
ng,
his ruddy tan came back, the cut of his jawline
firmed
and the dark beard clustered black around his
chin.
Her work complete, she went her way once mo
re
and Odysseus returned to the lodge. His own
son
gazed at him, wonderstruck, terrified too, turning
his eyes away, suddenly -
this must be some god -
and he let fly with a burst of exclamations:
"Friend, you're a new ma n- not what I saw bef
ore!
Your clothes, they've changed, ev~~ your skin
has changed -
surely you are some god who rules the vaultin
g skies!
Oh be kind, and we will give you offerings,
 The Odyssey 15

gifts of hammered gold to wann your heart -

spare us, please, I beg you!"
"No, lam not a god,"
the long-enduring, great Odysseus returned.

"Why confuse me with one who never dies?

No, I am your fathe r-
the Odysseus you wept for all your days,
you bore a world of pain, the cruel abuse of men.,,

Translated by Robert Fagles

lossary
thoughtful
showdown the final battle between two enemies
at fault guilty
swarm a mass of people
Dulichion island near Ithaca, off the western coast of Greece
Same island off the western coast of Greece (later called
Cephalonia), near Ithaca in the kingdom of Odysseus
Zacynthus island offthe western coast of Greece, south oflthaca,
in the kingdom of Odysseus
all who lord it all who exercise lordship
they... house the suitors arc bringing down the palace to a
depleted_state
they continue... white: they are draining the family wealth
grind me...well kill him
Pylos Nestor's capital city on the south west coast of Greece;
Nestor is an old warrior who fought on the Greek side
Achaean collective name for all Greek people, including the
people of Ithaca
 R 'I ittnc ur ( lau,u

h \ lfl • I!\ I 1tnrrtl d I~ kk"'fn. fiu

r d rd1e\ci ind h,,pJ,yw,1h h1 ,L
'K:lt
Od) CU' C\ 1h1.11mp ihc l<~cllt
\I,, JlfiC'llt inkr"Clll1on }'

,rf\ n,._
he 1\ ,, nhcrmc mny hkc a flqwcrt as he U; wc:ikcnc()
~, p m. nd gnr.f
thon~mg
I ur)dcrn
•
CJ) ,, 1th n 1ow. whinmg, broken voice

, a po:-ture of shrinking or recoiling

e a \J,all of\J,oodcn posts
,cteran
~tay behind
• v, a1ting eagerly for
· flexibJe
rudd) tan healthy complexion
-e-tnngmes high heaven
t Miitied gold well wrought gold
cadlllmg suffering

PatA(Alllwer in two or three sentences)

I. Why ti Telemachus not willing to confront his enemies?
2, What is the situation of Telemachus' mother at home?
3. What does Telemachus ask Eumaeus to do?
4. How can Laertes be informed ofleJemachus' 1etum?
 \

r r~, 1

S WIHl appeared c, t· ,,f dt

6 Wh,,t doc A thcna "' k OfJ

(
, Wh,it w~) the rc:u:wm of ft! err,;:'
7
R. Wh~t truth doc' Ody' ·.a1 re1 ca

Par1 R (Ans-wcrin 100 wordjJ

I . , /,~us made our I ir:t ~ lmt of ,
2. Why docs 'f ck-m~chu~ remdi: ~.,;il ,
of enemies?
3, How does Eurn.aeus cf.efjcrjbe tr.e c~rl ,- ue-;
4. How did Athena help Od}~>fUS l t 'L~"

s. Describe the scene of;eunion oetvt een f.a:-z d ~

Part C (Answer in 300 ~ ord.s)

1. Discuss in detail the inform.a.ion ~ .:, . 06
- • J

family and kingdom from Te ema ..h:.:.::, 2......rl [ ~.. ~

2. How is Telemachus reum1.xi ,nth ID.:> fat..h..
3. The meeting bem een Od)~~us and Te :;:"Ill;:... ~ ho: oe•=-e
after the inter. ention of Atht"na LS an DSIB:'Ce of d::-~ ..
Elucidate.

cu{r:)l«I)
Pvn dt>pt
1u{me\.tW
f l.t"( ~ t((; 0\
 l

Lovely is Youth
Kalidasa

Sanskrit, the lingua Jranca of ancient India is blessed with

many great literary figures including Mahakavi Kalidasa
(probably lived in the 3rd century AD). He holds a great
position among the world literary masters. Ka!;dasa has
mastered the science of grammar and the works on rhetoric
and dramatic theo,y. He is said to have occupied a
distinguished place at King Vikramaditya s court in Ujjain.
He wrote three plays in prose with a mingling of lyric and
descriptive stanzas: Abhijnanasakuntalam, Malavikagni-
mitram and Vikramorvasiyam. Kalidasa is also the author
of two epic poems, Raghuvamsa and Kumara-sambhava.
Other notable works include his lyric poems, Meghaduta and
Ritusamhara. Rarely has a poet walked our earth who
observed the phenomena of nature as accurately as Kalidasa.
His poetic greatness is marked by the harmony of ideas that
elevates the reader into a sublime position.
Abhijnanasakuntalam is a celebrated Sanskrit drama. It tells
the story of King Dushyanta s love for the maiden Sakuntala
whom he sees while on a ~unting expedition. He marries her
by a ceremony of mutual consent but obliged by affairs of
state, Dushyanta returns to his palace, leaving her a royal
~ing as a pledge. Soon a series of mishaps follow leaving
Sakuntala in grief but eventually Dushyanta and Sakuntala
are reunited. Various translations qnd works based on this
drama are available and J. G Jennings ' version of Sakuntala
includes the following poem (a song sung by a page of King
 Dushyanta) which stands apart as a unique work of art. The
three stanzas written in eloquent style mark poetic beauty and
describe !]ze transience of youth and the swiftness of tff.§
passage of time. Just like daylight comes and paves way for
-darkness, the grandeur ofyouth shines and throbs with beauty,
hope and joy in our lives, but fades soon. King Dushyanta s
mind is not at ease as he experiences a tumult of emotions
thinking about the beauty, Sakuntala. The courtiers feel pity
for the young man who looks unwell and remark on his busy
life as a king. They consider him a splendid king who leads a
life of toil. So it is necessary to keep apart some time for
ourselves and enjoy each moment of the most beautiful phase
of our life (youth) for, it appears and fades like a meteor in
the sky. It is an aesthetic and stirring poem that celebrates
the serene beauty of life and nature, motivating the young
minds to introspect their lives.

Lovely is youth, but quickly is it flown,

As some sweet air that comes, but whence unknown.
Fair is the noon, but swift the sun doth fade,
And peering shadows steal, and fill the glade.

Yet after eve there dawneth fairer night,

When from the heavens is drawn its veil of light.
Lo, after day are wider visions shown;
And from the stars God's closer love is known!

Lovely is youth, but quickly is it gone,

A meteor in the sky, that falling shone.
Nor all our worlds suffice to fill one night;
The sum oflives is but a meteor-flight.
 \

Rerisiting the Classics

20
Glossary
whence from where
(present participle of 'peer')
. to look with difficulty 0 r
peenng
as if searching for something
an open passage through a wood
glade
lo behold
a fast moving streak of light in the sky caused
meteor
by the entry of extra-terrestrial matter into the
earth's atmosphere: a shooting star
suffice enough or sufficient

Questions
Part A (Answer in two or three sentences)
1. How is youth described?
2. What happens to the fair noon?
3. Why is night described as fairer?
4. How 1s God's love experienced at night?
5. \Vhy is youth compared to a meteor?

Part B (Answer in 100 words)

I. "Lovely is youth, but quickly is it flown". Explain the line with
reference to the context of the poem.
2. Comment on the transient nature of youth and time.
3. Discuss the figures of speech used in the poem.

Part C (Answer in 300 words)

/ Discuss in detail the key aspects of nature, beauty and life with
reference to the poem.
 Rubaiyat
Omar Khayyam

Ornar Khayyam (1048-1131) was born in Naishapur, in nonh-

eastern Iran. The political eients of the eleventh century
played a major role in the course ofKhayyam s life. The Seljuq
Turks invaded north-eastern Iran between 1038 and 1040
and their ruler Toghril Beg proclaimed himself Sultan at
Naishapur in 1038. It was in this complex unstable mililary
empire that, Khayyam grew up. He studied philosophy and
worked on cubic equations and contributed to calendar reform.
The empire did not promote learning and the teamed Kl1QJyan1
described his difficulties in the introduction to his Treatise
on Demonstration of Problems of Algebra. He ,..·as an
outstanding mathematician and an astronomer. Despite the
troubles, he wrote Problems of Arithmetic. a book on music,
and one on algebra.
Khayyam wrote poems in the form of quatrains or rubai) at
(originated from Arabic term 'rubatJ. His poe1ry became
famous in the West ow1ng to the English translation by Edward
Fitzgerald (Rubaiyat of Omar KhayJamJ in 1859. Rubai)'at
is remarkable as a work possessing numerous allusions. Lines
and phrases from the poem have been used as titles for many
litera,y pieces. In his Preface to the poem, Fir=gerald describes
Khayyam s philosophy as Epicurean. The poet tells us not 10
worn-! about the unborn tomorrow and the dead resterdo,·
-;vhen today is sweet. Since death is an end from which there is
no return, he asks us to enjoy the world/\• pleasures of the
fleeting moment, before we too settle into dust without wine or
song.
In quatrains 25-28, the poet speaks of the deceased samts
and wise men who have discussed this world and t'1ereafte1:
22 Revisiting the Classics
the ir wo rds are
The y now lie sile nce d by du.\t and hen ce
t rem_ind~ us of
scattered to the wind with con tem pt( fhe poe
our Journe y on
the invincible truth that life is transient and
is cer tain and
earrh can be ~·topped anv mo me nj) De ath
ains like a cloud
eve1)1fhing el.w surrounding life and death rem
er which
<~l enigma I le compares our Ii e lo a blossomed flow he used
young,
will certa111/y wither away. When the poe t was
death and what
to speak to phrlomphen an holy men about
with _emP_tY handvJ
comes thereafter but he always left the_ roo'!"
rn his life ~
Ile tried hard to sow the seeds of their wrsdom
of his life was
[l,e har ves t tha t he rea ped zn the cou rse
ts philosophical
practical/J meless. The development of the poe
1

har vest), and

studies n· likened to a crop j• (se ed gro wth T
er transience of
yet the end result ,s the realization of the she t
one day, j ust as
earthly life. A II he knows for certain is that
like the win d he
1a i11d flows away. even he will vanish, and t
s is the greatest
will fly far away to an unknown place. Thi
rt. No ma tter
knowledge eve1yman mu st treasure in his hea
l ulti mately turn
how great or famous or wise a man is, he wil
mto mere dust oj no value.

25
Why, all the Saints and Sages who discuss ' d
Of the Two Worlds so learnedly, are thru st
Like foolish Prophets forth; their Words to Scorn
Are scatter'd and their Mouth s are stopt with
Dust.

26
e
Oh, come with old Khayyam, and leave the Wis
To talk; one thing is certain, that Life flie s·
One thing is certain, and the Rest is Lies.' '
The Flower that once has blown for ever dies.
27

My sel f when young did eagerly frequent

Doctor and Saint, and heard great Argument
 Rubaiyat 23
About it and about: but evermore
Came out by the same Door as in I went.
28

With them the Seed of Wisdom did l sow,

And with my own hand labour'd it to grow;
And this was all the Harvest that I reap'd-
'I came like Water, and like Wind I go'.

aossary
wo Worlds this world (earth) and the unknown world after death
1rust...forth after death, the wise men will be pushed aside as foolish
prophets
1eir Words to Scorn : people will feel contempt for the thoughts of deceased
wisemen
'he Flower...dies One of the most famous lines of The Rubaiyat; here
flower is used as a symbol of the transience of human
life. it can also mean that beauty is short-lived.
~reatArgument...
about an unresolved debate about the nature of things
Came out...! went came out not really knowing any more than when I
went in
reap'd gathered
Icame ...l go The movement of "Wind" is referred in the previous
poem "Lovely is Youth": "As some sweet air that
comes, but whence unknown." An interesting
reference to "Water" can be found in the epitaph on
the tomb of the poet John Keats: "Herc lies one whose
name was writ mwater." The elements of water and
wind represent infinity as, water flows from an infinite
and unknown source and the wind flies away to an
unknown place. So is our life. We come from an
unknown place (before birth), arc born into this world
and leave this earth for an unkno,m world.
 \

24 Revisiting the Classics

Questions
PartA(Answer in two or three sentences)
1. What were the topics of discussion for the sages?
2. How will the wisdom of wise men be judged after their death?
3. What is the only certain thing in life?
4. Whom did the poet frequently visit when he was young?
5. How does the poet describe his journey on earth?

Part B (Answer in 100 words)

1. Who become foolish prophets after death? Why are they called so?
2. How does the poet evaluate life?
'
3. What did the poet accomplish from the discussions with the learned
men?

Part C (Answer in 300 words)

l. "I came like Water, and like Wind I go". Explain with reference to
the context of the poem.
 ' \

The Divine Comedy-Inferno

Dante Alighieri

Dante Alighieri (1265-1321), born in Florence, Italy, is one

of the prominent figures within the realm of lite:a~ure du~i~g
the Middle ages. Dante lived in an age of conjlzctmg polztzcs
between the Papacy and the Holy Roman Empire, which
overshadowed all other power structures. It was in his time
that, the conflict between the two parties, Guelphs (who
supported papacy) and Ghibellines (who supported imperial
power) became fierce. In 1293, he published La Vita Nuova
(The New Life), which deals with his unfulfilled love for
Beatrice. A distinguished poet, writer, political thinker and
philosopher, Dante '.s classical touch is evident in his
masterpiece, The Divine Comedy. It has made an ineffaceable
mark on literature as well as theology. Virgil, (70-19 BC) the
author of The Aeneid, is regarded as being the major source
of inspiration for Dante.
Dantes writing ofThe Divine Comedy was greatly influenced
by the politics of late thirteenth century Florence. This work
focuses on the Christian concept of "afterlife". It comprises
the Inferno (a description of Hell, conceived as a graduated
conical funnel, to the successive circles of which the various
categories of sinners are assigned), the Purgatorio (a
description of PurgatOIJ', a mountain rising in circular ledges,
on which are the various groups of repentant sinners) and
'iea-v~
the..Paradiso (at the top ofthe mountain is the Paradise). Dante
has poet Virgil as his guide ·when he visits Hell and Purgato,y
where he meets many of his friends and foes. Dantes beloved,
Beatrice is his guide in Heaven. On a literal level, The Divine
Comedy portrays Dantes adventures in the fantastic realms
26 Revisiting the Classics
of Hell, Purgatory, and ~eaven, but these adventu
res
allegorically represent the trials of the human soul to atta
in
salvation and be one with God. Dante casts himself in
the
role of Everyman, a symbol of humanity lost in the wilderne
ss
of sin. Dante's Inferno consists of 34 cantos and begins
with
a narration of Dante's Good Friday walk through the
dark
forest which is a metaphor for sm. Dante sees a mountai
n on
which the sun shines and tries to climb up the hill but
he
encounters a leopard and a hungry lion there, and soon
a
she-woli comes and drives him back to the dark valley.
The
three bemts allegorically represent three carnal sins-
lust,
pride and avarice respectively. Later, with the help of Virg
il,
•he continues his journey towards salvation.
In the fallowing section of the Inferno (Canto I, lines
49-
102), we see Dante seeking a way out of the forest but mee
ts
the she-wolf who forces him back into the dark forest. Hav
ing
lost his true path, Dante meets Virgil as he approaches a hum
an
farm in the dark valley. Virgil proves a wise, resourceful,
and
commanding presence, but he often seems helpless to prot
ect
Dante from the true dangers of Hell. Critics generally cons
ider
Virgil, an allegorical representation of human reas
on-both
in its immense power and in its inferiority to faith in
God.
Dante informs Virgil of the beasts who blocked his path.
Virgil
advises Dante to take another way, for the she-Wol
f kills
whoever comes her way. He then prophesies that som
eday a
hound which stands for love, wisdom and courage will chas
e
down the she-wolf back to hell.

And then a she-wolft Though she was so lean,

She looked about to burst, being crammed with cravings,
She who'd made many draw their breath in pain .
... The pain she caused me was so terrible,
And such the terror coming from her sight,
I lost all hope of climbing up the hill.
And like that miser, happy while he's gaining,
 The Divine Comedy-Inferno 27

Who when ]uck changes and he starts to lose,

Gives himself up to misery and moaning-
That's how I was, faced by that restless brute,
Which always coming nearer, step by step
Drove me back down to where the sun is mute.
Then suddenly, as I went slipping down,
Someone appeared before my very eyes,
Seemingly through long silence hoarse and wan.
When I caught sight of him in that wide waste,
''Take pity on me," I shouted out to him,
"Whatever you are, a real man or a ghost!"
He answered: "Not a man, though I was once.
Both of my parents came from Lombardy,
And both of them were native Mantuans.
I came to birth sub Julio, rather late,
And lived in Rome under the good Augustus.
I was a poet, and I sang the good
Son of Anchises who came out of Troy
When Ilium was burned in all its pride.
But you, why d'you go back to misery?
Why don't you climb up the delightful mountain,
The origin and cause of perfect joy?"
"Then are you Virgil, you, that spring, that stream
Of eloquence, that ever-widening river?"
I answered, red with reverence and shame.
"Oh every poet's glory and guiding light!
May I be aided by the love and zeal
That made me turn your pages day and night.
You are my only master and my author,
You only are the one from whom I took
That style which has bestowed on me such honour.
You see the beast that made me turn in flight.
Save me from her, 0 famous fount of wisdom!
" She makes the blood run from my veins in fright."
Now you must travel by a different road"
'
 Revisiting the Classics
28
He answered When he ·sa" that 1 was weeping,
"If you wish to escape from this wild wood. Dit
This beast, the reason that you cry out loud, av
Will not let people pass along this way, sla
But hinders them, and even has their blood. Ar
She is by nature such an evildoer
Her aYid appetite is never slaked,
And after food she's hungrier than before.
And many are the beasts she's mating with,
And there·11 be many more, until the hound
p
AmYes. to bring her to a painful death.
1.
Translated by J.G. Nichols

Glossary 2.
~

3.
she-wolf Dante uses the wolf to represent the sins that humans
4.
find irresistible
crammed filled to excess 5.
She who·d ...pain the she-wolf embodies the sin of avarice, generally 6
associated with old age 7.
moaning the utterance of a low, mournful cry of pain and sorrow
brute a senseless beast p
Drove me ... mute here the sun or light is silent as Dante is driven back
l.
to the dark forest where sin dominates over
righteousness. The absence of light (darkness) can be 2,
related to the absence of God. 3,
wan pale; this 1s the shade of someone who has been dead 4,
a long time
wide waste the dark forest or lowland filled with vices p
Lombardy a region situated in northern Italy
Mantuan someone from Mantua, prov111cc of Lon1bnr<ly
I came.. .late during the reign of' Julius Cacsa1, hut too late lo be
acquainted with him 2
Augustus the Roman emperor, also ealled ( iu1us Julius ( 'acsar
Octavianus (63-14); hci, to Julius ( 'atsHt
Anchises a mythical 'I roja11 cider 111 the 1/wd and the AC'11e1d;
father of'I rojan hero Acnca:-
 The Divine Comedy-Inferno 29
Troy
greedy
satisfied
d many ... mating rice
with many people will indulge in the sin of ava
gious saviour
variously interpreted as a political or reli
or as a prophecy left deliberately vague

restions
)
•rtA(Answer in two or three sentences
to that of a miser. How did it
Dante's state of mjnd was similar
become so?
What made Dante descend the hill?
s?
What did Dante see in the wildernes
What was Dante's request to Virgil?
Why is Dante happy and surprised'?
?
What advice does Virgil offer Dante
?
How does Virgil describe the she-wolf

rrt B (Answer in I 00 words)

on Dante?
Whal was the effect of the she-wolf
1tsd f.>
rlow docs the shade of \ 1rgtl mtro<lucc
II ow docs Dante glor It) \ 1rgil'?
nto I l)flnferno.
Discuss the an11nal S) mbolrsm in Cn

trt C (Answer in 300 words)

and 11wt,1phM~ employed by
Discuss !he allci•o1 il·al l't'prescntations
) )ante Ill ( ,lllto f ur the /11/cmo.
D,mtc nnd \ irgil.
I)cscrihe rn dctntl lhl ' lllUl'ling bt'I \\ t'<.'n
 On His Blindness
John Milton

John Mi !ton (1608- 1674) is one of the greatest scholar poets

of English literature. He was 20 when he wrote his firs t
masterpiece, "Ode on the Morning of Christs Nativity. "His
prima1y works are Sonnets written during 1630-58, the elegy
Lycidas and a series of pamphlets, of which the most famous
is Areopagitica (1644) in which he argued for the freedom of
the press and the free exchange of views. He was deep ly
involved in the political struggles of his time. He was a Puritan
who supported the Parliament in its struggle against King
Charles I. The Puritan government ruled for a while and Milton
was given a position of honour by this government. During
this period, he had been losing his sight and was left completely
blind at the age of 43. Some of his celebrated works are
Paradise Lost (I 667), Paradise Regained (1671) and Samson
Agonistes (1671). Milton s blindness, the loss of his first and
second wives, the death of his son and daughter, his solitude
and poverty all combined to make his last years full of gloom.
"On his Blindness " is an autobiographical sonnet in which
English poetic art attains a sublime level. The poem relates
the inner voice of a man who has resigned himself completely
to God's will. When Milton became blind, his ability to write
was threatened and as a result his bonding with God became
complicated. He feels that he has been robbed of his eyesight
too early as he had run only half the race of his life. He feels
God will scold him as he can't carry out his life s mission which
is "to write ", as God graciously bestowed on him a rare gift
of poetic talent. He asks if God wants him to keep working, in
spite of the fact that his job caused him to lose his sight. Soon
he corrects his doubts. A personified Patience tells him that
God rewards even those who stand patiently and wait for His
 \

On His Blindness 31
. structions. The poem throws light on Milton s philosophy of
~ife: those who resign themselves obediently to the will and
1
ishes of God are His best servants. So, Milton endures his
:isery with fortitude and bears the loss of his sight with
bravery.

When I consider how my light is spent

Ere half my days, in this dark world and wide,
And that one talent which is death to hide
Lodged with me useless, though my soul more bent
To serve therewith my Maker, and present
My true account, lest He returning chide,-
Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?
I fondly ask: - But Patience, to prevent
That murmur, soon replies; God doth not need
Either man's work, or His own gifts: Who best
Bear His mild yoke, they serve Him best: His state
Is kingly; thousands at His bidding speed
And post o'er land and ocean without rest: -
They also serve who only stand and wait.

Glossary
light is spent It can mean either how Milton spent his life or how his
sight was used up working for the Puritan government
which required him to stay up late reading and writing.
this dark...wide this world of darkness as a blind man
talent talent of writing; also referring to the "Parable of the
Talents" in St. Mathew 25: 14-30.
lodged buried
therewith with that talent
account value, worth
doth does
exact ask for
fondly foolishly
 \

1 1ll \\om. ro1mo the necks of fann anirna1s

.,. ,~ , ... , 1the, can he d1rcc1cd, burckn, workloa4
~ • ..... of im:gcls nrc read) to c~rry out God's orders

, "~ angel, \\ho ,cn,c Hm, JllSt by stan<llllg and

,._ · gp trnntly before God. hkc Milton. God considers
en 1.00 equall).

Questions
Pan I\ An,,, erBn n, o or three sentences)
tho,,.mean b} die phra,c 'this dark world and wide'?
t;: e ~ve.:.J(er°s u}ent'?
e ta cnt become useless?
~ '- e poet ,. ic;:h lo piesent to his Maker?
~ e poet from die dilemma?
(

Part B ( An~ er in 100 "'ords)

~ oo; Cler o ;, mr 1 ghtrs spent, ere half my days, in this dark
orld ~ e' E'1.p am
Wb e poct confused? \i/hy can·t he serve God?
Wntea e tntJe of the poem

PlrtC(Almter in 300 v.·ordsJ

I Why dte poet de1->paJr? Uow doe'; 1e ovc1 mne h1 guef aod
dit Pllq)\"8•n.ertl 1n fe