All 50 Uses of
approach
in
The Iliad by Homer - (translated by: Pope)
- To him, ambitious of so great an aid, The bold Deiphobus approach'd, and said: "Now, Trojan prince, employ thy pious arms, If e'er thy bosom felt fair honour's charms.†
Book 13approach = get near
- Thus while he spoke, the Trojan pale with fears Approach'd, and sought his knees with suppliant tears Loth as he was to yield his youthful breath, And his soul shivering at the approach of death.†
Book 21 *approach = coming
- Then Hector, fainting at the approach of death: "By thy own soul!†
Book 22
- Cease to consult, the time for action calls; War, horrid war, approaches to your walls!†
Book 2
- Thus fond of vengeance, with a furious bound, In clanging arms he leaps upon the ground From his high chariot: him, approaching near, The beauteous champion views with marks of fear, Smit with a conscious sense, retires behind, And shuns the fate he well deserved to find.†
Book 3
- In former days, in all thy gallant pride, When thy tall ships triumphant stemm'd the tide, When Greece beheld thy painted canvas flow, And crowds stood wondering at the passing show, Say, was it thus, with such a baffled mien, You met the approaches of the Spartan queen, Thus from her realm convey'd the beauteous prize, And both her warlike lords outshined in Helen's eyes?†
Book 3
- To whom the goddess of the painted bow: "Approach, and view the wondrous scene below!†
Book 3
- These, when the Spartan queen approach'd the tower, In secret own'd resistless beauty's power: They cried, "No wonder such celestial charms(113) For nine long years have set the world in arms; What winning graces!†
Book 3
- The good old Priam welcomed her, and cried, "Approach, my child, and grace thy father's side.†
Book 3
- Now with full force the yielding horn he bends, Drawn to an arch, and joins the doubling ends; Close to his breast he strains the nerve below, Till the barb'd points approach the circling bow; The impatient weapon whizzes on the wing; Sounds the tough horn, and twangs the quivering string.†
Book 4
- (136) Next, sent by Greece from where Asopus flows, A fearless envoy, he approach'd the foes; Thebes' hostile walls unguarded and alone, Dauntless he enters, and demands the throne†
Book 4
- His lance bold Thoas at the conqueror sent, Deep in his breast above the pap it went, Amid the lungs was fix'd the winged wood, And quivering in his heaving bosom stood: Till from the dying chief, approaching near, The AEtolian warrior tugg'd his weighty spear: Then sudden waved his flaming falchion round, And gash'd his belly with a ghastly wound; The corpse now breathless on the bloody plain, To spoil his arms the victor strove in vain; The Thracian bands against the victor press'd, A grove of lances glitter'd at his breast.†
Book 4
- And now both heroes mount the glittering car; The bounding coursers rush amidst the war; Their fierce approach bold Sthenelus espied, Who thus, alarm'd, to great Tydides cried: "O friend!†
Book 5
- (159) She said, and to the steeds approaching near, Drew from his seat the martial charioteer†
Book 5
- I brave not heaven: but if the fruits of earth Sustain thy life, and human be thy birth, Bold as thou art, too prodigal of breath, Approach, and enter the dark gates of death.†
Book 6
- approach my arm, and singly know What strength thou hast, and what the Grecian foe.†
Book 7
- See what a blaze from hostile tents aspires, How near our fleet approach the Trojan fires!†
Book 9
- and our answer bear, The glorious combat is no more my care; Not till, amidst yon sinking navy slain, The blood of Greeks shall dye the sable main; Not till the flames, by Hector's fury thrown, Consume your vessels, and approach my own; Just there, the impetuous homicide shall stand, There cease his battle, and there feel our hand.†
Book 9
- Stand off, approach not, but thy purpose tell.†
Book 10
- And now the chiefs approach the nightly guard; A wakeful squadron, each in arms prepared: The unwearied watch their listening leaders keep, And, couching close, repel invading sleep.†
Book 10
- Or favour'd by the night approach so near, Their speech, their counsels, and designs to hear?†
Book 10
- Scarce had he pass'd the steeds and Trojan throng, (Still bending forward as he coursed along,) When, on the hollow way, the approaching tread Ulysses mark'd, and thus to Diomed; "O friend!†
Book 10
- So distant they, and such the space between, As when two teams of mules divide the green, (To whom the hind like shares of land allows,) When now new furrows part the approaching ploughs.†
Book 10
- now thy courage try, Approach the chariot, and the steeds untie; Or if thy soul aspire to fiercer deeds, Urge thou the slaughter, while I seize the steeds.†
Book 10
- Old Nestor first perceived the approaching sound, Bespeaking thus the Grecian peers around: "Methinks the noise of trampling steeds I hear, Thickening this way, and gathering on my ear; Perhaps some horses of the Trojan breed (So may, ye gods!†
Book 10
- Meantime Patroclus, by Achilles sent, Unheard approached, and stood before the tent.†
Book 11
- The slaves their master's slow approach survey'd, And hides of oxen on the floor display'd: There stretch'd at length the wounded hero lay; Patroclus cut the forky steel away: Then in his hands a bitter root he bruised; The wound he wash'd, the styptic juice infused.†
Book 11
- Smote by the arm of Jove with dire dismay, Close by their hollow ships the Grecians lay: Hector's approach in every wind they hear, And Hector's fury every moment fear.†
Book 12
- Menestheus from on high the storm beheld Threatening the fort, and blackening in the field: Around the walls he gazed, to view from far What aid appear'd to avert the approaching war, And saw where Teucer with the Ajaces stood, Of fight insatiate, prodigal of blood.†
Book 12
- Inglorious here, my soul abhors to stay, And glows with prospects of th' approaching day.†
Book 13
- Approaching now thy boasted might approve, And try the prowess of the seed of Jove.†
Book 13
- Nestor's approach alarm'd each Grecian breast, Whom thus the general of the host address'd: "O grace and glory of the Achaian name; What drives thee, Nestor, from the field of fame?†
Book 14
- O'er high Pieria thence her course she bore, O'er fair Emathia's ever-pleasing shore, O'er Hemus' hills with snows eternal crown'd; Nor once her flying foot approach'd the ground.†
Book 14
- Each Ajax, Teucer, Merion gave command, The valiant leader of the Cretan band; And Mars-like Meges: these the chiefs excite, Approach the foe, and meet the coming fight.†
Book 15
- The son of Clytius in his daring hand, The deck approaching, shakes a flaming brand; But, pierced by Telamon's huge lance, expires: Thundering he falls, and drops the extinguish'd fires.†
Book 15
- Make how the flames approach, how near they fall, How Hector calls, and Troy obeys his call!†
Book 15
- Yet, where the oars are placed, he stands to wait What chief approaching dares attempt his fate: Even to the last his naval charge defends, Now shakes his spear, now lifts, and now protends; Even yet, the Greeks with piercing shouts inspires, Amidst attacks, and deaths, and darts, and fires.†
Book 15
- the god in dusky clouds enshrined, Approaching dealt a staggering blow behind.†
Book 16
- From danger now with swiftest speed they flew, And now to conquest with like speed pursue; Sole in the seat the charioteer remains, Now plies the javelin, now directs the reins: Him brave Alcimedon beheld distress'd, Approach'd the chariot, and the chief address'd: "What god provokes thee rashly thus to dare, Alone, unaided, in the thickest war?†
Book 17
- Approaching now, they touch'd the Trojan land; Then, two by two, ascended up the strand.†
Book 18
- whatsoe'er the cause; Till now a stranger, in a happy hour Approach, and taste the dainties of the bower.†
Book 18
- The bellowing oxen the besiegers hear; They rise, take horse, approach, and meet the war, They fight, they fall, beside the silver flood; The waving silver seem'd to blush with blood.†
Book 18
- Thus while he spoke, the Trojan pale with fears Approach'd, and sought his knees with suppliant tears Loth as he was to yield his youthful breath, And his soul shivering at the approach of death.†
Book 21
- Priam is struck at his approach, and tries to persuade his son to re-enter the town.†
Book 22
- So, roll'd up in his den, the swelling snake Beholds the traveller approach the brake; When fed with noxious herbs his turgid veins Have gather'd half the poisons of the plains; He burns, he stiffens with collected ire, And his red eyeballs glare with living fire.†
Book 22
- And yet suppose these measures I forego, Approach unarm'd, and parley with the foe, The warrior-shield, the helm, and lance, lay down.†
Book 22
- Her voice divine the chief with joyful mind Obey'd; and rested, on his lance reclined While like Deiphobus the martial dame (Her face, her gesture, and her arms the same), In show an aid, by hapless Hector's side Approach'd, and greets him thus with voice belied: "Too long, O Hector!†
Book 22
- A god deceived me; Pallas, 'twas thy deed, Death and black fate approach!†
Book 22
- The morning planet told the approach of light; And, fast behind, Aurora's warmer ray O'er the broad ocean pour'd the golden day: Then sank the blaze, the pile no longer burn'd, And to their caves the whistling winds return'd: Across the Thracian seas their course they bore; The ruffled seas beneath their passage roar.†
Book 23
- the approaching steeds your contest end.†
Book 23
Definitions:
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(1)
(approach as in: approached the city) to get closer to (near in space, time, quantity, or quality)
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(2)
(approach as in: use the best approach) a way of doing something; or a route that leads to a particular place
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(3)
(approach as in: approached her with the proposal) to begin communication with someone about something -- often a proposal or a delicate topic
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(4)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) meaning too rare to warrant focus:
More rarely (and typically only in classic literature), the phrase nearest approach to as used in "her nearest approach to an apology" or "her nearest approach to a smile" typically means that "something is as close to something else as it ever gets." "As near an approach to" can have a similar meaning.