--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Greece, sound, thy Homer's, Rome thy…" description: "\"Greece, sound, thy Homer's, Rome thy Virgil's name, But England's Milton equals both in fame.\" — William Cowper" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/276/william-cowper-779_england_greece-sound-thy-homer-s-rome-thy-virgil_831992.png" --- # Greece, sound, thy Homer's, Rome thy Virgil's name, But… ![“Greece, sound, thy Homer's, Rome thy Virgil's name, But England's Milton equals both in fame.” quote by William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/276/william-cowper-779_england_greece-sound-thy-homer-s-rome-thy-virgil_831992.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/276/william-cowper-779_england_greece-sound-thy-homer-s-rome-thy-virgil_831992.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/276/william-cowper-779_england_greece-sound-thy-homer-s-rome-thy-virgil_831992.png) > “Greece, sound, thy Homer's, Rome thy Virgil's name, But England's Milton equals both in fame.” [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The poet contrasts the cultural legacies of Greece, Rome, and England, noting England's Milton matches the fame of classical poets. **In simple terms:** England’s Milton is as famous as Greek and Roman poets. Key Takeaway Recognize modern literary greatness. Themes literature culture legacy Mood reflective proud Type literary comparative When to use this quote - education - literary criticism - cultural studies Key Concepts classical influence national pride Questions to Reflect On - How does Milton compare to ancient poets? - What defines literary fame? A Different Perspective Modern works may be less universally known today. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [England](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/england/) [Fame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame/) [Greece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greece/) [Poet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poet/) [Rome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rome/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) ## Related quotes > [O mighty-mouthed inventor of harmonies, O skilled to sing of Time or Eternity, God-gifted organ-voice of England, Milton, a name to resound for ages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/o-mighty-mouthed-inventor-of-harmonies-o-skilled-to-sing-of-time-or/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [ “...\[T\]he three greatest works are those of Homer , Dante and Shakespeare . These are closely followed by the works of Virgil and Milton .” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-devlin/t-he-three-greatest-works-are-those-of-homer-dante-and-shakespeare/) [Joseph Devlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-devlin/) > [Ages elapsed ere Homer's lamp appear'd, And ages ere the Mantuan swan was heard: To carry nature lengths unknown before, To give a Milton…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/ages-elapsed-ere-homer-s-lamp-appear-d-and-ages-ere-the-mantuan-swan/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [Roman Virgil, thou that singest Ilion's lofty temples robed in fire,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-tennyson/roman-virgil-thou-that-singest-ilion-s-lofty-temples-robed-in-fire/) [Alfred Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-tennyson/) > [“I am Aeneas, duty-bound, and known Above high air of heaven by my fame. -AM #CymruAMbyth”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeneas-middleton/i-am-aeneas-duty-bound-and-known-above-high-air-of-heaven-by-my-fame/) Aeneas Middleton > [“Certainly, if money could have been raised upon the book, Robert Herrick would long ago have sacrificed that last possession: but the demand for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/certainly-if-money-could-have-been-raised-upon-the-book-robert/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [Virgil has had a big impact on the whole defence but it starts at the front, we put pressure on the opponent. It makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-matip/virgil-has-had-a-big-impact-on-the-whole-defence-but-it-starts-at-the/) [Joel Matip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-matip/) > [“Of all public figures and benefactors of mankind, no one is loved by history more than the literary patron. Napoleon was just a general…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/of-all-public-figures-and-benefactors-of-mankind-no-one-is-loved-by/) [Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/) > [“Truly Virgil was right: love was a form of sickness. It altered people, made them behave in strange and irrational ways.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-woolfolk-cross/truly-virgil-was-right-love-was-a-form-of-sickness-it-altered-people/) [Donna Woolfolk Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-woolfolk-cross/) > [“The signs of the old flame, I know them well. 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Prayer keeps the Christian's armor bright. And Satan trembles when he sees. The weakest saint upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/when-we-don-t-pray-we-quit-the-fight-prayer-keeps-the-christian-s/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [But animated nature sweeter still, to soothe and satisfy the human ear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/but-animated-nature-sweeter-still-to-soothe-and-satisfy-the-human-ear/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [A fretful temper will divide the closest knot that may be tied, by ceaseless sharp corrosion; a temper passionate and fierce may suddenly your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/a-fretful-temper-will-divide-the-closest-knot-that-may-be-tied-by/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [Ten thousand casks, Forever dribbling out their base contents, Touch'd by the Midas finger of the state, Bleed gold for ministers to sport away.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/ten-thousand-casks-forever-dribbling-out-their-base-contents-touch-d/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [The art of poetry is to touch the passions, and its duty to lead them on the side of virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/the-art-of-poetry-is-to-touch-the-passions-and-its-duty-to-lead-them/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) [Explore all 371 William Cowper quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) ## More England quotes > [Forcing modern speakers of English to not - whoops, not to split an infinitive because it isn't done in Latin makes about as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/forcing-modern-speakers-of-english-to-not-whoops-not-to-split-an/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [I did not know that the planning for biological and chemical warfare was so widespread in England, and even in France before France fell.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholson-baker/i-did-not-know-that-the-planning-for-biological-and-chemical-warfare/) [Nicholson Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholson-baker/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Why did Erich von Stronheim leave Germany? Why did Hitchcock leave England? If you were a director you'd like to work in Hollywood too.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-polanski/why-did-erich-von-stronheim-leave-germany-why-did-hitchcock-leave/) [Roman Polanski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-polanski/) > [I'm from Europe, England, and I actually lived in Italy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adewale-akinnuoye-agbaje/i-m-from-europe-england-and-i-actually-lived-in-italy/) [Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adewale-akinnuoye-agbaje/) > [If I had been an Italian I am sure that I should have been whole-heartedly with you from the start to finish in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/if-i-had-been-an-italian-i-am-sure-that-i-should-have-been-whole/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > ['Downton Abbey' is my worst nightmare. I just hate that whole 'Upstairs Downstairs' thing, I think it's really lazy and it doesn't represent England,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-payne/downton-abbey-is-my-worst-nightmare-i-just-hate-that-whole-upstairs/) [Tom Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-payne/) > [Although I don't have anything against people from other countries, the higher the influx into England the more the British identity disappears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/although-i-don-t-have-anything-against-people-from-other-countries/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [These fledgling democracies in the Middle East, they're actually fighting for their freedom. And what are they rioting for in England? Leisurewear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-gallagher/these-fledgling-democracies-in-the-middle-east-they-re-actually/) [Noel Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-gallagher/) > [In the olden days in England, you could be hung for stealing a sheep or a loaf of bread. However, if a sheep stole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-harding/in-the-olden-days-in-england-you-could-be-hung-for-stealing-a-sheep/) [Mike Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-harding/) > [“Of France and England, did this king succeed; Whose state so many had the managing. 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