"Mox sciemus lampadum luciferarum 498 Signorumque per faces et ignis vices, An vere sint, an somniorum instar, Gratum veniens illud lumen eluserit animum nostrum. Praeconem hunc a littore video obumbratum Ramis olivae: testatur autem haec mihi frater Luti socius aridus pulvis, Quod neque mutus, neque accendens facem Materiae montanae signa dabit per fumum ignis."
"Apollo, Apollo! 1095 Agyieu Apollo mi! Ah! quo me tandem duxisti? ad qualem domum? * * * * * "Heu, heu, ecce, ecce, cohibe a vacca 1134 Taurum: vestibus involens Nigricornem machina Percutit; cadit vero in aquali vase. Insidiosi lebetis casum ut intelligas velim. * * * * * Heu, heu, argutae lusciniae fatum _mihi tribuis_: * * * * * "Heu nuptiae, nuptiae Paridis exitiales 1165 Amicis! eheu Scamandri patria unda!"
All this howling of Kassandra comes at one from the page, and the grimness also of the Iambics:
"Ohime! lethali intus percussus sum vulnere." 1352 "Tace: quis clamat vulnus lethaliter vulneratus?" "Ohime! iterum secundo ictu sauciatus." "Patrari facinus mihi videtur regis ex ejulatu. 1355 "At tuta communicemus consilia." "Ego quidem vobis meam dico sententiam," etc.
Here or in the opening of the play, or where you like in this Latin, we are at once in contact with the action, something real is going on, we are keen and curious on the instant, but I cannot get any such impact from any part of the Browning.
"In bellum nuptam, Auctricem que contentionum, Helenam: 695 Quippe quae congruenter Perditrix navium, perditrix virorum, perditrix urbium, E delicatis Thalami ornamentis navigavit Zephyri terrigenae aura. Et numerosi scutiferi, Venatores secundum vestigia, Remorum inapparentia Appulerunt ad Simoentis ripas Foliis abundantes Ob jurgium cruentum."
"War-wed, author of strife, Fitly Helen, destroyer of ships, of men, Destroyer of cities, From delicate-curtained room Sped by land breezes.
"Swift the shields on your track, Oars on the unseen traces, And leafy Simois Gone red with blood."[6]
"War-wed, contested, (Fitly) Helen, destroyer of ships; of men; Destroyer of cities,
"From the delicate-curtained room Sped by land breezes.
"Swift on the shields on your track, Oars on the unseen traces.
"Quippe leonem educavit.... 726 Mansuetum, pueris amabilem.... ... divinitus sacerdos Ates (i.e. Paris) In aedibus enutritus est.