Racine, the author of Athalie (Athaliah), flourished in the latter half
of the 17th century. At his appearance, Corneille, the great French
Dramatist, was in the full splendour of his fame, whose rival he was
afterwards recognised to be. Athalie is a Tragedy in rhyme, consisting
of six Iambic feet, similar to the Alexandrine verse found occasionally
in our English poets at the termination of a sentence or paragraph.
Dryden, and a few others of less note, in the reign of Charles IL,
introduced the rhyming drama to the English public; but the clank of its
fetters was unpleasant to the British ear, which had become attuned to
the freedom and majesty of blank verse. Blank verse, therefore, being
our recognised vehicle of dramatic productions, has been employed in
this translation. I did, however, intend in the first place to render
the chorus into rhyme; but after maturer consideration it appeared to me
that irregular blank verse would be more capable of tragic expression;
and that it would also be more in harmony with the Hebrew rhythm as
represented by the scriptures, from which the plot was appropriated.
In carrying out my conception of what the translation ought to be, I
have endeavoured to preserve the dignity of the subject, without
sacrificing the freedom of dramatic force. It has, therefore, not been
my aim to produce smooth monotonous numbers, but to harmonize the whole
versification with the spirit and conditions of the theme.
I have retained several of the French names, on account of their measure
and euphony. Joas and Joad I have, I believe, invariably versified as
one syllable, and Baal also, with one exception, which occurs in the
first page; these words, to my judgment, being scarcely of greater
quantity than thought, wrought, brought, &c.
Should the reader realize the same amount of interest in the perusal of
this translation that I have had in its production, I shall be amply
rewarded for the genial labour bestowed upon it.