-
Articles/Ads
Article MR. TASKER'S LETTERS ← Page 2 of 3 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Mr. Tasker's Letters
According to Homer , Sarpedon , that amiable champion in the Trojan cause ( almost the only hero whose morals were ^ perfect , . and who really deserved the epithet " apvpmj blameless , " often promiscuously bestowed upon some others ) was mortally wounded by Patroclus . " s » Q' aoa TE ? == . = ; sWalsii au . < p' ahsw xx = ' II . B . xvi .
• ' "Where the prtEcordia surround the dense heart : " I think the nerve of the diaphragm is called the phrenic—a proof that the diaphraghm was considered as a part of -the . prsecordia , or fyzv'c : tpfnV ( a primitive noun ) in the singular -number signifies mind—whereas ( Pfsasj , in the plural , is a little ambiguous ; sometimes retaining its primitive sense , and sometimes ( as it most undoubtedly
does in this place ) signifying the parts about the heart . Attend to the translation . Patroclus' never-erring dart , Aim'd at his breast , itpierc'd a mortal part ; Where the strong fibres bind the solid heart . By these strong fibres can be meant nothing but the component parts of
the heart ; for the pericardium that surrounds it is by much too slender a membrane to admit , of such a description ; so that here you perceive the spear ( according to Pope ) is infixed in the heart itself . Much has been said and written concerning the powers of that noble muscle , but its physiology is not even yet perfectly known , nor its powers perfectly ascertained . I have heard a story , apparently
well authenticated , of some anatomist dissecting an old soldier , on the surface of whose heart there was a visible cicatrix , or scar , and consequently there must have been a previous wound . —Shakespeare says , " when the brains were out the man would die ; " and I am taught to believe , that when the heart is pierced through the man cannot live even a minute ; whereas Sarpedonafter receiving his
, death-wound , makes a speech , short , indeed , but as collected as any in the whole Iliad , and every way worthy his celestial parent . Homer adds further , that when Patroclus extracted the spear , the prascordia followed or were extracted together with it ; and that immediate death ensued .
Proceed we next to the death-wound of Hector ( he and Sarpedon were ever two of my favourite heroes . 1 admire the terrible Achilles , but do not like him ) . You shall be troubled with no more Greek quotations in this letter , but are referred to the passage itself . This death-wound , in my opinion , is very naturally and anatomically described , both in the ori ginal and in the translation . I have now no leisure to be particular . —According to Homer , the Pelian spear penetrated the throat ( where there is the quickest * passage
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Mr. Tasker's Letters
According to Homer , Sarpedon , that amiable champion in the Trojan cause ( almost the only hero whose morals were ^ perfect , . and who really deserved the epithet " apvpmj blameless , " often promiscuously bestowed upon some others ) was mortally wounded by Patroclus . " s » Q' aoa TE ? == . = ; sWalsii au . < p' ahsw xx = ' II . B . xvi .
• ' "Where the prtEcordia surround the dense heart : " I think the nerve of the diaphragm is called the phrenic—a proof that the diaphraghm was considered as a part of -the . prsecordia , or fyzv'c : tpfnV ( a primitive noun ) in the singular -number signifies mind—whereas ( Pfsasj , in the plural , is a little ambiguous ; sometimes retaining its primitive sense , and sometimes ( as it most undoubtedly
does in this place ) signifying the parts about the heart . Attend to the translation . Patroclus' never-erring dart , Aim'd at his breast , itpierc'd a mortal part ; Where the strong fibres bind the solid heart . By these strong fibres can be meant nothing but the component parts of
the heart ; for the pericardium that surrounds it is by much too slender a membrane to admit , of such a description ; so that here you perceive the spear ( according to Pope ) is infixed in the heart itself . Much has been said and written concerning the powers of that noble muscle , but its physiology is not even yet perfectly known , nor its powers perfectly ascertained . I have heard a story , apparently
well authenticated , of some anatomist dissecting an old soldier , on the surface of whose heart there was a visible cicatrix , or scar , and consequently there must have been a previous wound . —Shakespeare says , " when the brains were out the man would die ; " and I am taught to believe , that when the heart is pierced through the man cannot live even a minute ; whereas Sarpedonafter receiving his
, death-wound , makes a speech , short , indeed , but as collected as any in the whole Iliad , and every way worthy his celestial parent . Homer adds further , that when Patroclus extracted the spear , the prascordia followed or were extracted together with it ; and that immediate death ensued .
Proceed we next to the death-wound of Hector ( he and Sarpedon were ever two of my favourite heroes . 1 admire the terrible Achilles , but do not like him ) . You shall be troubled with no more Greek quotations in this letter , but are referred to the passage itself . This death-wound , in my opinion , is very naturally and anatomically described , both in the ori ginal and in the translation . I have now no leisure to be particular . —According to Homer , the Pelian spear penetrated the throat ( where there is the quickest * passage