All 6 Uses of
forage
in
The Iliad by Homer - (translated by: Edward)
- Each sharpen well his spear, his shield prepare,
Each to his fiery steeds their forage give,
Each look his chariot o'er, that through the day
We may unwearied stem the tide of war;
For respite none, how short soe'er, shall be
Till night shall bid the storm of battle cease.†Chpt 1.2forage = search for and gather -- often food and provisions
-
I hearken'd not—'twere better if I had—Yet fear'd I lest my horses, wont to feed
In plenty unstinted, by the soldiers' wants
Might of their custom'd forage be depriv'd;†Chpt 1.5
- He lent the steeds, with golden frontlets crown'd;
In deep distress she mounted on the car:
Beside her Iris stood, and took the reins,
And urg'd the coursers; nothing loth they flew,
And soon to high Olympus, seat of Gods,
They came: swift Iris there the coursers stay'd,
Loos'd from the chariot, and before them plac'd
Ambrosial forage: on her mother's lap,
Dione, Venus fell; she in her arms
Embrac'd, and sooth'd her with her hand, and said:
"Which of the heav'nly pow'rs hath wrong'd thee thus,
My child, as guilty of some open shame?"†Chpt 1.5
- For them, at bidding of the river-God,
Ambrosial forage grew: the Goddesses,
Swift as the wild wood-pigeon's rapid flight,
Sped to the battle-field to aid the Greeks.†Chpt 1.5 *
-
Unyoke your horses, and before them place
Their needful forage;†Chpt 2.8
- As near a field of corn, a stubborn ass,
Upon whose sides had many a club been broke,
O'erpow'rs his boyish guides, and ent'ring in,
On the rich forage grazes; while the boys
Their cudgels ply, but vain their puny strength,
Yet drive him out, when fully fed, with ease:
Ev'n so great Ajax, son of Telamon,
The valiant Trojans and their fam'd Allies,
Still thrusting at his shield, before them drove:
Yet would he sometimes, rallying, hold in check
The Trojan host; then turn again to flight,
Yet barring still the passage to the ships.†Chpt 2.11
Definitions:
-
(1)
(forage) to search for and gather -- often food and provisions
-
(2)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) meaning too rare to warrant focus:
More rarely: Forage can imply taking other's food or supplies as when soldiers forage on nearby farms. As a noun, it can reference the items found. Finally, at times (especially in classic literature) it is used in reference plant material eaten by animals.