It must be owned, that this speech is far beneath the dignity of the Thunderer; that the braggart vaunting in the beginning of it is nauseous; and that a mean and ludicrous picture is presented, by the whole group of gods and goddesses pulling at one end of a chain, and Jupiter at the other. To veil these defects in a translation was difficult;[21] but to give any degree of dignity to this speech required certainly most uncommon powers. Yet I am much mistaken, if Mr. Pope has not done so. I shall take the passage from the beginning:
Aurora now, fair daughter of the dawn,
Sprinkled with rosy light the dewy lawn,
When Jove conven’d the senate of the skies,
Where high Olympus’ cloudy tops arise.
The fire of Gods his awful silence broke,
The heavens attentive, trembled as he spoke.
Celestial states, immortal gods! give ear;
Hear our decree, and reverence what ye hear;
The fix’d decree, which not all heaven can move;