Correspondence

443.  EBB to Hugh Stuart Boyd

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 3, 10.

[Hope End]

[29 March 1832] [1]

Nonnus [2] appears to have few instances of hiatus. I have observed— αυτοθι εμπεδα — ὁ εν — χαρμα οπως — γλυκυ ὑμετερον–

In the Iliad, δε ανηρ!! δε ἑ — μεγα ιαχουσα απο ἑο — Ουλυμποιο απο — τα ἁ — φοιτα ανα — δε ἑκας — τε ενθα — ενθα ἁλις — συ εσσι — τι ετι — φωτα εκαστον — μηδε εα — δε ιδων — τε ετας — μετα εθνος — ενι οικω — δωκα εκων — διακρι[ν]θεντε ὁ — ανδρι ικελη — εγχεϊ οξυοεντι — αορι ιφι — ουλε ονειρε — ηϋτε εθνεα — τα εκηλοι — αζετο ἱετο — προτι αστυ — δαιμονι ισος — Ζεφυροιο εχευατο — αποθυμια ερδοι — σειετο ὑλη — ωκυ ετωσιον — μαλιστα Αλεξανδρω — ποτνια ῾Ηρη — ωκεα Ιρις– [3]

I have tried in vain to find εγω in hiatus, and another instance of ανηρ being so.

EBB.

Publication: Diary, pp. 303–304.

Manuscript: Wellesley College.

1. Although this letter was not dated by EBB, it matches the Diary entry of 29 March 1832. She had mentioned on 21 March that Boyd had lent her his copy of Nonnus for the purpose of finding examples of hiatus.

2. Nonnus Panopolitanus, a 5th-century Greek writer, paraphrased St. John’s Gospel, from which the following quotations are taken.

3. As these examples have little meaning out of context, we feel it is unnecessary to offer a translation.

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