DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70030#0150
HOMER. [GREECE.
The Odyssey has neither the fire nor the majesty of
the Iliad; it announces the poet in his decline; but it
is still the vigorous old age of Homer: it is, as Longinus
observes, the setting sup, which has not the glow of his
meridian splendour, but which possesses the same gran-
deur. We do not find in this latter work that dramatic
form which gives so much motion, and so much interest,
to the Iliad ; the poet, in the Odyssey, abandons himself
to the pleasure of relating; but his genius is still observ-
able in many pleasing episodes, in the description of
manners, and in the flow of a lender and insinuating-
eloquence.
No poet acquired a reputation so universal, and so
permanent as Homer. Eschylus said, that his tragedies
were only the reliques of the magnificent banquet of
Homer: Plato, in decrying the poets, endeavoured to
imitate him, in his harmonious prose; Aristotle formed
the principles of his Poetica after the Iliad: and Virgil
is indebted to him for his sublimest beauties.
Weare not informed in what manner the poems of Homer
were preserved. 11 is pretended that they were chanted, by
certain rhapsodists, in detached pieces, in towns and vil-
lages, as the Caledonians sung the poems of Ossian; that Pi-
sistratus, tyrant of Athens, was the first who arranged them
in the order they have now descended to us. It is, never-
theless, believed that Lycurgus had previously collected
them ; it is honourable to the poet to have found favour
jn the sight of such an austere legislator. Homer had
many enthusiastic admirers among men of the finest
taste, and found detractors in those of less judgment—in
supporters of contradiction and of paradox. We well
know what was the fate of Zoilus; his existence was des-
The Odyssey has neither the fire nor the majesty of
the Iliad; it announces the poet in his decline; but it
is still the vigorous old age of Homer: it is, as Longinus
observes, the setting sup, which has not the glow of his
meridian splendour, but which possesses the same gran-
deur. We do not find in this latter work that dramatic
form which gives so much motion, and so much interest,
to the Iliad ; the poet, in the Odyssey, abandons himself
to the pleasure of relating; but his genius is still observ-
able in many pleasing episodes, in the description of
manners, and in the flow of a lender and insinuating-
eloquence.
No poet acquired a reputation so universal, and so
permanent as Homer. Eschylus said, that his tragedies
were only the reliques of the magnificent banquet of
Homer: Plato, in decrying the poets, endeavoured to
imitate him, in his harmonious prose; Aristotle formed
the principles of his Poetica after the Iliad: and Virgil
is indebted to him for his sublimest beauties.
Weare not informed in what manner the poems of Homer
were preserved. 11 is pretended that they were chanted, by
certain rhapsodists, in detached pieces, in towns and vil-
lages, as the Caledonians sung the poems of Ossian; that Pi-
sistratus, tyrant of Athens, was the first who arranged them
in the order they have now descended to us. It is, never-
theless, believed that Lycurgus had previously collected
them ; it is honourable to the poet to have found favour
jn the sight of such an austere legislator. Homer had
many enthusiastic admirers among men of the finest
taste, and found detractors in those of less judgment—in
supporters of contradiction and of paradox. We well
know what was the fate of Zoilus; his existence was des-