elucubrare:bee similes all around Vergil’s bees are gentle and good, entirely to be e
elucubrare:bee similes all around Vergil’s bees are gentle and good, entirely to be emulated – if they compete, it’s a friendly competition that impels them forward for the betterment of the hive. Milton’s are pleasant as well, in the main part of the simile. There’s a hint of menace in “populous,” maybe, implying too populous, but on the whole they’re – just bees.Vergil’s are the Carthaginians, of course, Dido’s people, who will become the foes of Rome, but who are hospitable to Aeneas and his crew, and Milton’s are the host of fallen angels rallying behind Satan. The last lines describing the mustering of the infernal host, directly before the bee simile, cast the work of the bees in a different light: the fallen angels "swarmed" and their wings “hiss.” The light spring colors of the bees are darkened by the preceding description of the infernal host. The innocence of Milton’s bees itself underscores the menace of the Host of Hell: they appear industrious and pleasant, but, especially with their ability to change their shape, demonstrated in the next lines, this industry allows them to insinuate themselves into the world of humanity. -- source link
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