Monsieur Bossu's treatise of the epick poem containing many curious reflexions, very useful and necessary for the right understanding and judging of the excellencies of Homer and Virgil / done into English from the French, with a new original preface upon the same subject, by W.J. ; to which are added, An essay upon satyr, by Monsieur D'Acier ; and A treatise upon pastorals, by Monsieur Fontanelle.

CHAP. XVII. Of the Conclusion of the Action.

THAT which we call here the Conclusion of the Epick Action is the very last passage from Agitation and Trouble, to Quiet and Repose: So that there is a great deal of difference between the Ʋnravelling and the Conclusion of an Action. This last is nothing else but a kind of moment without Extent and Duration: But the first is of some length, since it Comprehends all that happens after the Plot. Besides, there are a great many Ʋnravellings in a Poem, because there are a great many Intrigues: All that are be∣fore the last make no kind of Cessation, but start up new Difficul∣ties, which is quite contrary to the Conclusion. The Conclusion then is the End of the last Ʋnravelling, so that there can be no more than One.

This Doctrine is a Consequence of that which we laid down con∣cerning Episodes. None of them, as we urg'd, should be Entire; and only the last can be regularly finish'd. A great many Conclusions then is no where to be found but in Episodical Poems, as in the Thebaid of Statius, where he has finish'd the Story of Hypsi∣pyle.

But now for some better Instances in the practice of our two Poets.

The first part of Virgil's Poem is the Voyage of Aeneas from Troy to Italy. The Plot is the Difficulty of getting thither, and the opposition of Juno who raises Storms, and other obstaoles a∣gainst him. The Ʋnravelling begins at the last Voyage of the Hero from Sicily (which he leaves in the fifth Book) to Italy and the Mouth of Tyber, where he arrives in the sixth and Seventh Book. This Ʋnravelling puts an End to the Labours and hazards of the Voyage. But

does it put an End to all the Troubles and Dangers of Aeneas? No: † On the con∣trary it casts him upon greater. It leaves him not in Repose, but puts him upon more Action and more business than ever he had before. And therefore 'tis not the Conclusion.

The Conclusion is not always joyn'd to the Solution of that In∣trigue which seems to be most general, as was the Design of Juno in the Aeneid. This Goddess gives over acting, but Aeneas does not. He has still Turnus to deal withal. In a word, since the Poet does not sing the Action of Juno, but of Aeneas, the Poem and the Action remain still unfinish'd, even when this Divine Enemy has given over. All the Conclusion then is included in the Death of Turnus, because that puts an End to the Action of Aeneas.

'Tis true that even then Aeneas had not quite executed his designs, he had not built his City, nor established his Religion, nor Married Lavinia. But it must be observ'd that these things are not necessary. 'Tis enough that all Obstacles were remov'd, and that the Reader be no longer in doubt of what follows. And this is the Case of the Aeneid. In this particular it is very compleat, and needs no supple∣ment. If one Instance is not enough to justifie this Doctrine, we can have recourse to the Theatre. Marriage is very commonly the very End of Dramatick Poems: And yet that is not always per∣form'd before the Spectators. The Actors step in to perform this Ceremony within doors: No body expects they should come out again upon the Stage; or that they should tell the Audience of it, as † Plautus has done in one of his Plays, more to make People laugh, than because he was forc'd to it.

Homer has concluded his Odysseis by the league which Pallas makes between Ʋlysses and his Neighbours. And yet he does not make it appear by the Continuation of the Poem, whether the Ar∣ticles were faithfully kept or no.

He has not us'd the same Method in the Iliad. The observation of the Truce depended upon Achilles. The Poet had good reason to presume that all his Readers were not persuaded of the Moderation of so passionate a Man. It was a business of the highest Importance for the Conclusion of this Action to convince them that his Anger was appeas'd. This Hero in the whole series of the Poem had ap∣peared so testy, unreasonable and unjust, that thô the Poet's pre∣caution was very great and exact, yet one might distrust this ex∣travagant humour, as long as the Body of his Enemy was in a con∣dition of being insulted over. They were then ready to bestow such Honours upon this Corps, as one might fear would put our

Hero into a Passion. So that the Poet thought himself oblig'd to carry on the Funeral and the Observation of the Truce to the very End of his Poem: That so he might absolutely convince us of his tranquillity and repose, whose Action and Anger he had undertook to Sing.

After having observed what the Conclusion of the Action is, and when it ought to be made, there remains still a third question be∣hind. And that is to know whether the Conclusion ought to leave the Hero in a happy State, or whether 'tis allowable to leave him in a miserable Condition.

Our Poets have not given us any Examples of a Hero, that is left in a Miserable and forlorn Condition. Sad Conclusions are pro∣per for Tragedy: But in that they were more in Vogue formerly. than they are now a days: Because in the Popular States of Greece, where Monarchy was Odious, nothing was heard with greater plea∣sure and Ardency than the Misfortunes of Kings. Aristotle has still another reason for preferring this kind of Catastrophe to a more happy one. The Tragical Scene is the Throne of the Passions, where Terror and Compassion ought to rule over all the rest. Now these two Passions arise naturally from sad Events: And the Spectators going from the Theatre with their minds full of the misfortunes they were Eye-witnesses of, do doubtlesly preserve their tenderness a great deal longer, and resent more such forcible Effects, than if their tears were dryed up, and their sighs abated by the satisfaction of a more prosperous Catastrophe.

But these Reasons will not serve for the Epopéa, since 'tis not so much for refining the Passions, as for making Men put off ill habits, and put on good ones. 'Tis likewise as true, that this does not exclude sad Events. Besides the Nature of the Fable is as capable of Good as Bad persons for its chief Actors. The sad Adventure of the Lamb unjustly butcher'd by the Wolf is as just, as in∣structive, and as regular a Subject, as the Generosity of the Elephant, who quitted his Anger upon the Innocence of the same Lamb.

'Tis true if the Poets in the person of their Hero proposed an Example of Perfection for Imitation, the misfortunes into which this Hero falls, and his unsuccessful Enterprizes, would suit very ill with the designs of these Authors. But the Practice of Homer in his Iliad, and the Approbation given him by Aristotle and Horace for the same, will not permit us to think that the design of the Epopéa should be to give us these fine Ideas of a perfect Hero. These three great men did certainly never pretend that Achilles, the Hero of the Fable, was a Model of Vertue.

We cannot then from any of these Principles determine any thing concerning the fortunate or unfortunate End of an Epick Action.

But if any heed be to be given to Authority, I do not know any one Instance of a Poet, who finishes his piece with the mis∣fortune

of his Hero. Our three Poems afford us quite con∣trary Instances; and Statius himself has quite spoil'd the Ʋnity of his Action, because he would not leave upon the minds of his Readers that miserable Fratricide, which was the true Conclusi∣on of it. So that all the Poets seem to conspire for a happy Catastrophe.

In a word, since the Epick Poem's Action is of a larger extent than that of the Theatre; it would perhaps be less satisfactory to the Readers, if, after so much pains and so long Troubles with which this kind of Poem is always fill'd, it should at last bring them to a doleful and unhappy end. Achilles as unjust and Vio∣lent as he was, yet in his Valour shew'd such an Air of Greatness, which dazles our sight, and will not let us see his faults so, as to wish him any greater punishment than what he suffer'd by the Death of his friend. In speaking of the Fable, I hinted upon what account the Iliad should end thus, because it redounded more to the happiness and the Glory of the Grecians.

Virgil had the same reason to please his Audience. The Romans would have been disgusted and offended, if he had ill used their Founder and Ancestors: And besides in the Odysseïs and the Aeneid the Poets would have been unjust, and the Readers dissatisfied, if such brave Princes and such noble Souls as Ʋlysses and Aeneas had been suffer'd to sink under any misfortune. Achilles, who fell far short of their Vertue, was likewise but little less for∣tunate.

Let the Case be how it will, yet I fansie there needs a great deal of skill to give the Hero of the Epopéa a sad and mournfull End, which might be received with a general Ap∣plause.

This is what we had to say concerning the Integrity of the Epick Action. There remain still two of its Qualifications behind, its Duration, and it's Importance: Of each of which briefly.

Notes

• Ea vox audits laborum Prima tulit finem. Aen. 7.
• †

  O tandem magnis pelagi defuncte periclis, Sed terra graviora manent. Aen. 6.
• †

  Ne expectetis, specta∣tores, dum illi hue ad vos excunt. Nemo exibit, omnes intus conficiunt Negotium. Ubi id erit factum, ornamenta ponent. Posti∣dea loci, Qui deliquit vapulabit, Qui non deliquit biber. Plaut. Cistell.