Anthony Verity

Anthony Courtenay Froude Verity (born 25 February 1939) is an English educationalist and classical scholar. He was Master of Dulwich College from 1986 to 1995.

Quotes

Translations

The Iliad (2011)

Oxford World's Classics

Sing, goddess, the anger of Achilles, Peleus’ son,
the accursed anger which brought the Achaeans countless
agonies and hurled many mighty shades of heroes into Hades,
causing them to become the prey of dogs and
all kinds of birds; and the plan of Zeus was fulfilled.
Sing from the time the two men were first divided in strife—
Atreus' son, lord of men, and glorious Achilles.
- Book 1, line 1

The Odyssey (2018)

Oxford University Press

Tell me, Muse, of the man of many turns, who was driven
far and wide after he had sacked the sacred city of Troy.
Many were the men whose cities he saw, and learnt their minds,
many the sufferings on the open sea he endured in his heart,
struggling for his own life and his companions' homecoming.
Even so he could not protect them, though he desired it,
since they perished by reason of their own recklessness,
the fools, because they ate the cattle of the Sun, Hyperion,
and he took away the day of their homecoming. Tell us, too,
goddess daughter of Zeus, starting from where you will.
- Book 1, line 1

So let your heart and spirit be strong to listen; Odysseus
is not the only man at Troy to lose the day of his return
home, since many other men perished there as well.
Go back to your rooms and take charge of your own tasks,
the loom and the distaff, and order your women servants
to go about their work. Talk must be men's concern, all of
them, and mine especially, for the power in the house is mine.
- Book 1, line 353 (Telemachus)

But Nestor the Gerenian horseman offered Telemachus, the
dear son of godlike Odysseus, a place to sleep in the palace,
on a fretted couch under a far-echoing colonnade; and next
to him slept Peisistratus of the fine ash spear, captain of men,
who alone of Nestor's sons in his halls was not married.
- Book 3, line 397

Demeter of the lovely hair.
- Book 5, line 125

Like Artemis, shooter of arrows, when she moves down
the mountains, striding along lofty Taygetus or Erymanthus,
taking delight in the chase of boars or swift deer; and
country-haunting nymphs, daughters of aegis-wielding Zeus,
sport with her as she goes—and Leto's heart is gladdened
because Artemis holds her head and brow higher than them
all, and she is easily marked out, though all are beautiful—
just so the unwed girl stood out among her maidservants.
- Book 6, line 102

... may the gods grant you all that you desire in your heart,
and may they bestow on you a husband, a house, and good
harmony of minds; there is nothing better or more powerful
than this, when a man and his wife keep house in sympathy
of mind — a great grief to their enemies, but a joy to those who
wish them well; and they themselves are highly esteemed.
- Book 6, line 180 (Odysseys to Nausicaa)

Then Nausicaa addressed her lovely-haired maidservants:
"Listen to me, white-armed servants, to what I shall say:
it is not without the will of all the gods who dwell on Olympus
that this man has come among the godlike Phaeacians;
before this he looked to me like a man of mean appearance,
but now he resembles the gods who live in the broad high sky."
- Book 6, line 238

I heard from my father Nausithous the tale I shall now tell you.
He always said that Poseidon would hold a grudge against us,
because we, remaining unharmed, give safe-conduct to all men.
He said that one day he will smash a fine ship of the Phaeacians
as it returns from an escort mission on the mist-shrouded sea,
and will then hide our city behind a huge encircling mountain.
This was what the old man said; and the god will either
make it happen or leave it undone, as his spirit pleases him.
- Book 8, line 564 (Alcinous to Odysseus)

They came at dawn, as many as leaves or flowers that appear
in season; and then an evil fate from Zeus stood close to us,
ill-fated as we were, and caused us to suffer many torments.
- Book 9, line 51

a man clothed in huge strength,
a savage with no understanding of either justice or laws.
- Book 9, line 213

In a wooded valley they came upon the palace of Circe,
built of polished stone, set in a sheltered position; and
around it were prowling mountain wolves and lions, men
to whom Circe had fed noxious drugs and so bewitched.
These did not charge at my men, but actually reared up on
their hind legs and fawned on them, wagging their long tails.
As when dogs fawn on their master when he comes from
a feast, because he always brings scraps to please them,
so these wolves and strong-clawed lions fawned about my
men; but when they saw these grim beasts they were afraid.
- Book 10, line 210

But when on my way through the sacred valleys I had nearly
reached the great house of Circe, skilled in many drugs,
Hermes of the golden rod fell in with me as I was walking
towards the house, in the likeness of a young man whose beard
is just coming, which is the most charming time of youth.
- Book 10, line 275

She led them inside and seated them on chairs and seats—
though Eurylochus alone hung back, suspecting some trickery—
and prepared a mixture of cheese, barley, and yellow honey,
blended with Pramnian wine. Into this she stirred some
noxious drugs, to make them lose all thought of their homeland.
When she had given them this and they had drunk it down, she
tapped them with her stick and drove them into her pigsties,
for now they had the heads and bodies and bristles of pigs, and
grunted like pigs, though their minds were unchanged from before.
- Book 10, line 232

Crumpled round the sword in death, I lifted my hands
and beat them on the ground; but the brazen bitch turned her back,
and though I was on my way to Hades' realm she could not bring
herself to shut my eyes with her hand or close my mouth.
* * *
For this reason you too should never be indulgent to your wife,
nor give her a full account of everything that is in your mind;
you should tell her some of it and keep the rest concealed.
Still, Odysseus, your wife is certainly not likely to murder you;
she is utterly loyal, circumspect Penelope, Icarius’ daughter,
and the thoughts in her heart are always right and proper.
- Book 11, line 423 (Agamemnon's ghost to Odysseus)

Odysseus of many tales, great glory of the Achaeans, draw near;
bring your ship into land, and listen to our twofold song!
No man has ever sailed past this place in his black ship without
hearing the honey-toned voice that issues from our lips, and
then, full of delight, going on his way a much wiser man.
You see, we know everything that both Trojans and Argives
endured on Troy's wide plain, by the will of the gods; and we
know too all that happens on the earth that nourishes many.
- Book 12, line 184 (The Sirens' Song)

Sun-god, of course you must continue to shine on the immortals,
and on mortal men who live on the grain-giving ploughland.
As for these men, I shall at once hurl a shining thunderbolt at
their swift ship, and smash it in pieces out on the wine-dark sea.
- Book 12, line 385 (Zeus to Helios)

Come now, let us not talk like this any longer, since we are both
well versed in deception: among mortals you surpass all men in
plotting and tale-spinning, while among all the gods I am well
known for cleverness and cunning. But you did not recognize
Pallas Athena, daughter of Zeus, I who have always stood
by you in all your trials and have watched over you; it was
I who made sure you were welcomed by all the Phaeacians.
- Book 13, line 296 (Athena to Odysseus)

I would indeed
disapprove of any host who is either over-hospitable or
too lacking in civility; moderation in all things is best. It is,
I think, an equal failing to speed a guest's departure when he is
reluctant to leave and to detain him when eager to go. One must
care for the guest in one's house, but send him on when he wishes.
- Book 15, line 69 (Menelaus to Telemachus)

But now circumspect Penelope had another idea: to appear
before the suitors, men of violent insolence, since she had
learned that they were plotting death for her son in the halls.
Medon the herald had heard their scheming and had told her this.
- Book 16, line 409

Athena came and stood next to Odysseus, Laertes' son,
and urged him to go round the suitors and collect crusts, to
find out which were right-minded and which lawless;
even so, she did not intend that any should escape ruin.
- Book 17, line 360

never yet among mortal mankind have there been men
who plot such arrogant and reckless violence as these do.
- Book 17, line 587 (Penelope)

Amphinomus...went back through the house, troubled in spirit
and shaking his head, because in his heart he could foresee evil.
Even so he did not escape death; he too was bound fast by Athena,
to be overcome by Telemachus' hands and the force of his spear.
- Book 18, line 153

She climbed a tall staircase in the house, taking
in her sturdy hand a cunningly forged key, finely
made of bronze; and the handle on it was of ivory.
- Book 21, line 5

The first to rise to his feet was Leodes, son of Oenops,
who interpreted their sacrifices, and always sat furthest away,
next to the fine mixing-bowl; he was the only one who hated
the suitors' reckless deeds, and was indignant with them all.
- Book 21, line 144

Odysseus, man of many wiles,
lifted up the great bow, examining it from every side,
and then, just as a man skilled in lyre-playing and song
without difficulty stretches a string around a new peg,
tying the well-twisted gut of a sheep at both its ends,
so, without any effort, did Odysseus string the great bow.
Taking it up in his right hand he tested the string,
and it sang out sweetly, like the song of a swallow.
At this great distress fell upon the suitors, and the colour
left their faces.
- Book 21, line 404

"There now; I have revealed the token to you. I do not know,
lady, if this bed of mine is still firmly planted or if some man
has now cut through the tree's base and moved it elsewhere."
So he spoke, and her heart and knees at once went slack,
as she recognized the sure token Odysseus had revealed to her.
- Book 23, line 202

External links

Encyclopedic article on Anthony Verity on Wikipedia