Benny Bunter
Well-known member
Chapman. I'm about a quarter of the way through already, it's great. Longer lines than the Pope version so you don't notice the jangly rhyming couplets so much.
what are you reading now?
mixed_biscuits
_________________________
Homer, you philistine.
Benny Bunter
Well-known member
But, ere stern conflict mix’d both strengths, fair Paris stept before
The Trojan host; athwart his back a panther’s hide he wore,
A crookéd bow, and sword, and shook two brazen-headed darts;
With which well-arm’d, his tongue provok’d the best of Grecian hearts
To stand with him in single fight. Whom when the man, wrong’d most
Of all the Greeks, so gloriously saw stalk before the host;
As when a lion is rejoic’d, (with hunger half forlorn,)
That finds some sweet prey, as a hart, whose grace lies in his horn,
Or sylvan goat, which he devours, though never so pursu’d
With dogs and men; so Sparta’s king exulted, when he viewed
The fair-fac’d Paris so expos’d to his so thirsted wreak,
Whereof his good cause made him sure. The Grecian front did break,
And forth he rush’d, at all parts arm’d, leapt from his chariot,
And royally prepar’d for charge. Which seen, cold terror shot
The heart of Paris, who retir’d as headlong from the king
As in him he had shunn’d his death. And as a hilly spring
Presents a serpent to a man, full underneath his feet,
Her blue neck, swoln with poison, rais’d, and her sting out, to greet
His heedless entry, suddenly his walk he altereth,
Starts back amaz’d, is shook with fear, and looks as pale as death;
So Menelaus Paris scar’d; so that divine-fac’d foe
Shrunk in his beauties.
The Trojan host; athwart his back a panther’s hide he wore,
A crookéd bow, and sword, and shook two brazen-headed darts;
With which well-arm’d, his tongue provok’d the best of Grecian hearts
To stand with him in single fight. Whom when the man, wrong’d most
Of all the Greeks, so gloriously saw stalk before the host;
As when a lion is rejoic’d, (with hunger half forlorn,)
That finds some sweet prey, as a hart, whose grace lies in his horn,
Or sylvan goat, which he devours, though never so pursu’d
With dogs and men; so Sparta’s king exulted, when he viewed
The fair-fac’d Paris so expos’d to his so thirsted wreak,
Whereof his good cause made him sure. The Grecian front did break,
And forth he rush’d, at all parts arm’d, leapt from his chariot,
And royally prepar’d for charge. Which seen, cold terror shot
The heart of Paris, who retir’d as headlong from the king
As in him he had shunn’d his death. And as a hilly spring
Presents a serpent to a man, full underneath his feet,
Her blue neck, swoln with poison, rais’d, and her sting out, to greet
His heedless entry, suddenly his walk he altereth,
Starts back amaz’d, is shook with fear, and looks as pale as death;
So Menelaus Paris scar’d; so that divine-fac’d foe
Shrunk in his beauties.
Benny Bunter
Well-known member
Benny Bunter
Well-known member
I picked up a copy of Emma the other day coincidentally. might give it a bash when I'm finished with the Iliad.
I thought P&P was brilliant when I read it years ago, but like Corpsey I can't remember much now. Didn't think it would be your cup of tea Luka!
I thought P&P was brilliant when I read it years ago, but like Corpsey I can't remember much now. Didn't think it would be your cup of tea Luka!
0bleak
Well-known member
That isn't one of those books that's part of the standard school curriculum over there?
Benny Bunter
Well-known member
I think I read p&p at school or maybe just after, don't remember now. For A levels we did wuthering heights mayor of casterbridge and great expectations
Benny Bunter
Well-known member
You could actually get away with just reading a few chapters though to pass the exam, same with the shakespeare we 'read' - bit of a joke really. I got an A*
entertainment
Well-known member
Giving Ulysses a crack. Got stuck on the Shakespeare library dialogue a week ago and haven't picked it up since.
Corpsey
bandz ahoy
We did wuthering heights and the return of the native, both of which I cordially thought were big piles of shit
I reread Wuthering Heights as an adult and thought it was brilliant so
We did Hamlet at A Level and it was a game changer, although mainly we underlined stuff that seemed funny cos it sounded a bit rude
I reread Wuthering Heights as an adult and thought it was brilliant so
We did Hamlet at A Level and it was a game changer, although mainly we underlined stuff that seemed funny cos it sounded a bit rude
Benny Bunter
Well-known member
I quite liked the Thomas Hardys I read especially Tess, but pretty depressing. His poetry's really where it's at though.
luka
Well-known member
my dad always advised me not to read the books cos it would only confuse me. just learn what you are supposed to think about them.
william_kent
Well-known member
I did Return of the Native and at first I was bored then when I realised that the "pizzle" that the rustics were tossing at each other was actually a pig's penis I had a change of heart and came to the realisation that it is a masterpiece of dark and twisted humour ( like the rest of his work )