THE HOMERIC POEMS. 139 CHAPTER II. AGE OF EPIC POETRY. HOMER AND HIS WORKS. Homer. The oldest literary productions of Greece extant are the poems of Homer, the most ancient monuments of Aryan poetry west of the Persian Gulf. About 1000 B.C., among the legion of ballad-writers, the reciters of battle-songs, myths, and traditions (known as Rhapsodists-ode-stitchers), there arose an Ionian poet who soon towered head and shoulders above them all—a giant among the giants of literature-HoMER, of unique genius and world-wide fame. As to Homer's life, we must ever remain in the dark. For the honor of giving him birth, seven cities of antiquity disputed,* Smyrna seeming to have the best claim. If we may believe tradition, he gave early evidence of his divine powers. Chance took him on a sea-voyage, during which he visited many countries, among them Ithaca, the home of Ulysses, one of his heroes. On the island of Chi'os, his favorite resort, he is thought to have written his epics the Il'iad and Od'yssey, the first in early manhood, the second in old age. Legend relates that Homer, twice warned by an oracle to beware of the young men's riddle, went ashore one day on I'os, an island of the Cyc'lades, and there, noticing some boys who had been fishing, asked them, "What luck?" "What we caught we left, what we could not catch we carried with us," *"Septem urbes certant de stirpe insignis Homeri,— Smyrna, Rhodos, Colophon, Salamis, Chios, Argos, Athenæ." For all places mentioned in the history of Grecian literature, see Map, p. 132. was the reply. Unable to guess the riddle, the old poet died of vexation. According to another account, disease carried him off. He was buried on the sea-shore at Ios, where in after years this epitaph marked his tomb:— "Here Homer the Divine, in earthy bed, Homer's Style.-Homer's Iliad was the first Greek poem in which were combined ingenuity of plot, unity of subject, and a faithful delineation of character throughout. He deals with heroes, but they are men of like passions with ourselves. The Odyssey, if less sublime, in its pathos and fine touches of nature shows the same rich gifts of genius as the older poem of loftier flight. Both works are written in hexameter verse, the true metre of the ancient epic. The distinguishing features of Homer's style are clearness, a vigor which makes us feel we are in the presence of a master, and a childlike simplicity that well accords with his sublime themes. His fidelity to nature is matched only by Shakespeare's; and imagery, profuse as it is rich, lifelike, and appropriate, lights up every page. Simile is Homer's own figure; and transporting pictures flash ever and anon across the scene, called up by his magic wand. For example: "As when, high-fed with grain, a stall-bound steed "As a young olive, in some sylvan scene, Crowned by fresh fountains with eternal green, THE HOMERIC POEMS. When lo! by blasts uprooted, whirled around, 141 Homer astonishes us with his universal knowledge. He names every part of a vessel technically with all the accuracy of a veteran seaman; he is as conversant with the details of a sacrifice as the officiating priest; he describes a conflict between two warriors with the precision of a master of fence; he sketches the forms and usages of palaces as if born and bred in kings' courts, and is equally familiar with the manners of the meanest hind. Everywhere he is at home. Other poets* may be stars in the firmament, but Homer, as Longi'nus says, is the sun in the zenith. His poetry is all nature, life, action, fire. It breathes an atmosphere of pure morality, and furnishes ideal characters long held up as models to the Grecian youth, who learned his verses by heart and in some cases could even repeat his entire poems. Human genius has left on earth at intervals of centuries a few imperishable monuments; none nobler among these than the marvellous Greek epics. Plan of the Iliad.—The Iliad, a poem of twenty-four books, is a tale of the siege of Troy (Il'ium), a city on the coast of Asia Minor (probable date of the siege, 1194-1184 B.C.). The cause of the war was the perfidious conduct of Paris, son of Priam, the Trojan monarch. Hospitably entertained at the court of Menela'us, king of Sparta, he eloped with Helen, the wife of his host, the most beautiful of women, and carried her off to Asia with the treasures of her husband. To avenge this outrage, Menelaus, supported by Nestor the sage of Py'los, called upon the Greek princes, collected an armament of a thousand ships, the command of which was conferred upon *In this category we do not mean to include our own Shakespeare; Homer's pedestal is no loftier than his. his brother Agamemnon, and set sail for Troy. A war of ten years followed, which ended in the capture of the city by stratagem, the slaughter of Priam and his family, and the enslavement of many of the Trojans. The special subject of the Iliad is the wrath of the Thessalian Achilles (a-kil'leez), the leading warrior of the Grecian host, and the time of the action is near the close of the war. Agamemnon, compelled to restore to her father, a priest of Apollo, the captive maid Chryse'is who had fallen to his share, seizes upon Brise'is, a virgin allotted to Achilles. A quarrel results, and Achilles withdraws from the camp. Emboldened by his absence, the Trojans redouble their efforts. Misfortunes to the Greek cause follow; and though many heroes second only to Achilles-the stalwart Ajax, the cunning Ulysses, king of Ithaca, Menelaus, and Diomedeexert themselves to turn the tide of battle, the Greek host is made keenly to feel the loss of its puissant champion. Jupiter, king of heaven, sides with the Trojans; and Hector "of the dancing helm-crest" drives the besiegers to their ships. At length Achilles, still unwilling to join in the fray himself, allows Patro'clus, his bosom-friend, to lead his Myrmidons to the rescue. Arrayed in the armor of the Thessalian chief, Patroclus puts to flight the deceived Trojans; but, pursuing them too far, receives a death-wound from the hand of Hector. The news of his friend's fall fills Achilles with thirst for revenge. A reconciliation is effected with Agamemnon; Achilles returns to the field; the enemy are thrown into confusion; and Hector, pierced by his spear, is dragged in triumph at Achilles' chariot-wheels. The wrath of the Greek hero is finally appeased by the sacrifice of twelve Trojan captives at the funeral of Patroclus. To redeem the body of his son, old Priam, alone and unarmed, enters the Grecian camp, is well received by Achilles, who melts into pity at the sight of the grief-stricken suppliant, accomplishes his purpose, and returns to Troy with Hector's corpse. This meeting between Achilles and Priam is counted among the finest scenes.-The Iliad closes with the obsequies of Hector. Achilles, the central figure of the poem, over whose grave Alexander wept jealous tears, was the impersonation of youth ful beauty and physical prowess. Brave, generous, passionate, devoted in his friendship but awful in his implacable anger, in him we are brought face to face with the ideal of Greek chivalry. Hector, the magnanimous Trojan hero, was the type of moral courage and domestic virtue. He appears as the affectionate husband, the loving father, kind even to fallen Helen. Homer has painted with exquisite touch a parting scene between Hector and his consort Androm'ache, possessed of every wifely virtue. This passage, herewith presented, is pronounced the most beautiful in the Iliad. PARTING OF HECTOR AND ANDROMACHE. "Hector left in haste The mansion, and retraced his way between The rows of stately dwellings, traversing And gave his child to Hector great in arms. A tender child-a babe too young to speak-- A city southeast of Troy, situated at the base of Mount Pla'cos, and hence called Hypoplacian (under Placos). |