From 1797, A Burlesque Translation of Homer. Two volumes, 360 and 432 pages respectively, of bawdy humor. No more dactylic hexameter, this one is in the far friendlier iambic tetrameter. It’s like I have a twin.
It’s beautiful, it’s hilarious, and what wonderful illustrations!
Cuttlecap tip to Jennifer Ouellette on twitter.
7 comments
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Pierce R. Butler
April 21, 2012 at 6:19 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
This must be your evil twin – when have you ever been so desperate as to (attempt to) rhyme “uncivil” and “the devil”?
Cuttlefish
April 21, 2012 at 9:24 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
In 1797, I’d have rhymed those in a heartbeat. Check the full thing out for some even more amusing stunt rhymes.
Pierce R. Butler
April 21, 2012 at 9:37 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
“Stunt rhymes” for the language-bending fun of it, or by vowel-drift?
I hadn’t realized they issued poets 00_ licenses to kill so soon after the Revolution.
Cuttlefish
April 21, 2012 at 9:46 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Both, I suspect–some of the rhymes are very clearly the author having a grand old time. Others may be that, or may be an accident of time.
davem
April 22, 2012 at 5:14 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Revolution? Whose? It was published in London…
echidna
April 22, 2012 at 8:38 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
What’s wrong with rhyming “uncivil” and “the devil”? Sound a bit New Zealanderish, but it works for me.
Jeremy
April 24, 2012 at 4:33 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Hah. There’s a burlesque of Paradise Lost. Must have!