1pFFjZK

LONGINUS 155
gold and silver plate richly wrought, goblets and bowls, some
of which might be seen studded with gems, and others besides
worked in relief with great skill and at vast expense.
Besides these there were suits of armor in number past computation,
partly Greek, partly foreign, endless trains of baggage
animals and fat cattle for slaughter, many bushels of spices,
many panniers and sacks and sheets of writing-paper; and
And there was
all other necessaries in the same proportion.
salt meat of all kinds of beasts in immense quantity, heaped
I her to such a height as to show at a distance like mounds
and hills thrown up one against another." He runs oil from
the grander parts of his subject to the meaner, and sinks where
he ought to rise. Still worse, by his mixing up panniers and
spices and bags with his wonderful recital of that vast and busy
scene one would imagine that he was describing a kitchen.
Let us suppose that in that show of magnificence someone
had taken a set of wretched baskets and bags and placed them
in the midst, among vessels of gold, jewelled bowls, silver plate,
how incongruous would have
and tents and goblets of gold;
ned the effect ! Now just in the same way these petty
words, introduced out of season, stand out like deformities
and blots on the diction. These details might have been
given in one or two broad strokes, as when he speaks of
mounds being heaped together. So in dealing with the other
preparations he might have told us of " wagons and camels
and a long train of animals loaded with all kinds of
1
:>lies
for the luxury and enjoyment of the table," or have
mentioned " piles of grain of every and of all the
choicest delitarirs required by the art of the cook or the
taste of the epicure," or (if he mu^t needs beso very preci
he might have spoken of "whatever dainties are supplied
by those who lay or tho^e who dress the banquet." In our
suhlimer efforts^we should never Moop to what is sordid and