See his paper on _Suicide, etc._, Masson's
ed., VIII, 398 [Riverside, IX, 209]. But not even Donne's precedent
justifies the word formation. The only acknowledged compounds are
_biaio-thanasia_, 'violent death,' and _biaio-thanatos_, 'dying
a violent death.' Even _bia thanatos_, 'death by violence,' is not
classical."--HART. But the form _biathanatos_ is older than Donne
and is said to be common in MSS. It should be further remarked that
neither of the two compounds cited is classical. As to De Quincey's
interpretation of Caesar's meaning here, cf. Merivale's _History of
the Romans under the Empire_, Chap. XXI, where he translates Caesar's
famous reply: "That which is least expected." Cf. also Shakespeare,
_Julius Caesar_, Act II, sc. ii, 1. 33.
37 25 "NATURE, FROM HER SEAT," ETC.: Cf. Milton's _Paradise Lost_,
Book IX, 11. 780-784:
So saying, her rash hand in evil hour
Forth reaching to the fruit, she pluck'd, she eat:
Earth felt the wound, and Nature from her seat
Sighing through all her works gave signs of woe,
That all was lost.
38 2 SO SCENICAL, ETC.: De Quincey's love for effects of this sort
appears everywhere. Cf. the opening paragraphs of the _Revolt of the
Tartars_, Masson's ed., Vol. VII; Riverside ed., Vol. XII.
39 4 JUS DOMINII: "the law of ownership," a legal term.
39 14 JUS GENTIUM: "the law of nations," a legal term.
Pages:
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173