Alexander Pope - Penn State University

325 Pages·2012·0.79 MB·English

by  Jim Manis

The Odyssey of
Homer
Translated by
Alexander Pope
An Electronic Classics Series Publication
The Odyssey of Homer trans. Alexander Pope is a publication of The Electronic Classics Series. This
Portable Document file is furnished free and without any charge of any kind. Any person using this
document file, for any purpose, and in any way does so at his or her own risk. Neither the Pennsylvania
State University nor Jim Manis, Editor, nor anyone associated with the Pennsylvania State University
assumes any responsibility for the material contained within the document or for the file as an electronic
transmission, in any way.
The Odyssey of Homer trans. Alexander Pope, The Electronic Classics Series, Jim Manis, Editor, PSU-
Hazleton, Hazleton, PA 18202 is a Portable Document File produced as part of an ongoing publication
project to bring classical works of literature, in English, to free and easy access of those wishing to make
use of them.
Jim Manis is a faculty member of the English Department of The Pennsylvania State University. This page
and any preceding page(s) are restricted by copyright. The text of the following pages are not copyrighted
within the United States; however, the fonts used may be.
Cover Design: Jim Manis
Copyright © 2004 - 2012
The Pennsylvania State University is an equal opportunity university.
Pope
The Odyssey of which progress has gained a strong ascendency over preju-
dice, and in which persons and things are, day by day, find-
ing their real level, in lieu of their conventional value. The
Homer
same principles which have swept away traditional abuses,
and which are making rapid havoc among the revenues of
sinecurists, and stripping the thin, tawdry veil from attrac-
Translated by
tive superstitions, are working as actively in literature as in
Alexander Pope society. The credulity of one writer, or the partiality of an-
other, finds as powerful a touchstone and as wholesome a
chastisement in the healthy scepticism of a temperate class
IIIIINNNNNTTTTTRRRRROOOOODDDDDUUUUUCCCCCTTTTTIIIIIOOOOONNNNN
of antagonists, as the dreams of conservatism, or the impos-
tures of pluralist sinecures in the Church. History and tra-
Scepticism is as much the result of knowledge, as knowledge
dition, whether of ancient or comparatively recent times, are
is of scepticism. To be content with what we at present know,
subjected to very different handling from that which the in-
is, for the most part, to shut our ears against conviction;
dulgence or credulity of former ages could allow. Mere state-
since, from the very gradual character of our education, we
ments are jealously watched, and the motives of the writer
must continually forget, and emancipate ourselves from,
form as important an ingredient in the analysis or his his-
knowledge previously acquired; we must set aside old no-
tory, as the facts he records. Probability is a powerful and
tions and embrace fresh ones; and, as we learn, we must be
troublesome test; and it is by this troublesome standard that
daily unlearning something which it has cost us no small
a large portion of historical evidence is sifted. Consistency is
labour and anxiety to acquire.
no less pertinacious and exacting in its demands. In brief, to
And this difficulty attaches itself more closely to an age in
3
The Odyssey of Homer
write a history, we must know more than mere facts. Hu- controversy; but upon everything else, even down to the au-
man nature, viewed under an introduction of extended ex- thorship of plays, there is more or less of doubt and uncer-
perience, is the best help to the criticism of human history. tainty. Of Socrates we know as little as the contradictions of
Historical characters can only be estimated by the standard Plato and Xenophon will allow us to know. He was one of
which human experience, whether actual or traditionary, has the dramatis personae in two dramas as unlike in principles
furnished. To form correct views of individuals we must re- as in style. He appears as the enunciator of opinions as dif-
gard them as forming parts of a great whole—we must mea- ferent in their tone as those of the writers who have handed
sure them by their relation to the mass of beings by whom them down. When we have read Plato or Xenophon, we
they are surrounded; and, in contemplating the incidents in think we know something of Socrates; when we have fairly
their lives or condition which tradition has handed down to read and examined both, we feel convinced that we are some-
us, we must rather consider the general bearing of the whole thing worse than ignorant.
narrative, than the respective probability of its details. It has been an easy, and a popular expedient of late years,
It is unfortunate for us, that, of some of the greatest men, to deny the personal or real existence of men and things whose
we know least, and talk most. Homer, Socrates, and life and condition were too much for our belief. This sys-
Shakespere have, perhaps, contributed more to the intellec- tem—which has often comforted the religious sceptic, and
tual enlightenment of mankind than any other three writers substituted the consolations of Strauss for those of the New
who could be named, and yet the history of all three has Testament—has been of incalculable value to the historical
given rise to a boundless ocean of discussion, which has left theorists of the last and present centuries. To question the
us little save the option of choosing which theory or theories existence of Alexander the Great, would be a more excusable
we will follow. The personality of Shakespere is, perhaps, the act, than to believe in that of Romulus. To deny a fact re-
only thing in which critics will allow us to believe without lated in Herodotus, because it is inconsistent with a theory
4
Pope
developed from an Assyrian inscription which no two schol- According to this document, the city of Cumae in Æolia
ars read in the same way, is more pardonable, than to believe was, at an early period, the seat of frequent immigrations
in the good-natured old king whom the elegant pen of Florian from various parts of Greece. Among the immigrants was
has idealized—Numa Pompilius. Menapolus, the son of Ithagenes. Although poor, he mar-
Scepticism has attained its culminating point with respect ried, and the result of the union was a girl named Critheis.
to Homer, and the state of our Homeric knowledge may be The girl was left an orphan at an early age, under the guard-
described as a free permission to believe any theory, pro- ianship of Cleanax, of Argos. It is to the indiscretion of this
vided we throw overboard all written tradition, concerning maiden that we “are indebted for so much happiness.” Homer
the author or authors of the Iliad and Odyssey. What few was the first fruit of her juvenile frailty, and received the
authorities exist on the subject, are summarily dismissed, al- name of Melesigenes from having been born near the river
though the arguments appear to run in a circle. “This can- Meles in Boeotia, whither Critheis had been transported in
not be true, because it is not true; and that is not true, be- order to save her reputation.
cause it cannot be true.” Such seems to be the style, in which “At this time,” continues our narrative, “there lived at
testimony upon testimony, statement upon statement, is Smyrna a man named Phemius, a teacher of literature and
consigned to denial and oblivion. music, who, not being married, engaged Critheis to manage
It is, however, unfortunate that the professed biographies of his household, and spin the flax he received as the price of
Homer are partly forgeries, partly freaks of ingenuity and imagi- his scholastic labours. So satisfactory was her performance
nation, in which truth is the requisite most wanting. Before of this task, and so modest her conduct, that he made pro-
taking a brief review of the Homeric theory in its present con- posals of marriage, declaring himself, as a further induce-
ditions, some notice must be taken of the treatise on the Life ment, willing to adopt her son, who, he asserted, would be-
of Homer which has been attributed to Herodotus. come a clever man, if he were carefully brought up.”
5
The Odyssey of Homer
They were married; careful cultivation ripened the talents memoirs of all that he deemed worthy of preservation. Hav-
which nature had bestowed, and Melesigenes soon surpassed ing set sail from Tyrrhenia and Iberia, they reached Ithaca.
his schoolfellows in every attainment, and, when older, ri- Here Melesigenes, who had already suffered in his eyes, be-
valled his preceptor in wisdom. Phemius died, leaving him came much worse; and Mentes, who was about to leave for
sole heir to his property, and his mother soon followed. Leucadia, left him to the medical superintendence of a friend
Melesigenes carried on his adopted father’s school with great of his, named Mentor, the son of Alcinor. Under his hospi-
success, exciting the admiration not only of the inhabitants table and intelligent host, Melesigenes rapidly became ac-
of Smyrna, but also of the strangers whom the trade carried quainted with the legends respecting Ulysses, which after-
on there, especially in the exportation of corn, attracted to wards formed the subject of the Odyssey. The inhabitants of
that city. Among these visitors, one Mentes, from Leucadia, Ithaca assert, that it was here that Melesigenes became blind,
the modern Santa Maura, who evinced a knowledge and in- but the Colophonians make their city the seat of that mis-
telligence rarely found in those times, persuaded Melesigenes fortune. He then returned to Smyrna, where he applied him-
to close his school, and accompany him on his travels. He self to the study of poetry.
promised not only to pay his expenses, but to furnish him But poverty soon drove him to Cumae. Having passed over
with a further stipend, urging, that, “While he was yet young, the Hermaean plain, he arrived at Neon Teichos, the New
it was fitting that he should see with his own eyes the coun- Wall, a colony of Cumae. Here his misfortunes and poetical
tries and cities which might hereafter be the subjects of his talent gained him the friendship of one Tychias, an armourer.
discourses.” Melesigenes consented, and set out with his pa- “And up to my time,” continues the author, “the inhabitants
tron, “examining all the curiosities of the countries they vis- showed the place where he used to sit when giving a recita-
ited, and informing himself of everything by interrogating tion of his verses; and they greatly honoured the spot. Here
those whom he met.” We may also suppose, that he wrote also a poplar grew, which they said had sprung up ever since
6
Pope
Melesigenes arrived.” call blind men Homers.” With a love of economy, which
But poverty still drove him on, and he went by way of shows how similar the world has always been in its treat-
Larissa, as being the most convenient road. Here, the Cumans ment of literary men, the pension was denied, and the poet
say, he composed an epitaph on Gordius, king of Phrygia, vented his disappointment in a wish that Cumae might never
which has however, and with greater probability, been at- produce a poet capable of giving it renown and glory.
tributed to Cleobulus of Lindus. At Phocaea Homer was destined to experience another lit-
Arrived at Cumae, he frequented the conversaziones of the erary distress. One Thestorides, who aimed at the reputa-
old men, and delighted all by the charms of his poetry. En- tion of poetical genius, kept Homer in his own house, and
couraged by this favourable reception, he declared that, if allowed him a pittance, on condition of the verses of the
they would allow him a public maintenance, he would ren- poet passing in his name. Having collected sufficient poetry
der their city most gloriouslv renowned. They avowed their to be profitable, Thestorides, like some would-be literary
willingness to support him in the measure he proposed, and publishers, neglected the man whose brains he had sucked,
procured him an audience in the council. Having made the and left him. At his departure, Homer is said to have ob-
speech, with the purport of which our author has forgotten served: “O Thestorides, of the many things hidden from the
to acquaint us, he retired, and left them to debate respecting knowledge of man, nothing is more unintelligible than the
the answer to be given to his proposal. human heart.”
The greater part of the assembly seemed favourable to the Homer continued his career of difficulty and distress, un-
poet’s demand, but one man “observed that if they were to til some Chian merchants, struck by the similarity of the
feed Homers, they would be encumbered with a multitude verses they heard him recite, acquainted him with the fact
of useless people.” “From this circumstance,” says the writer, that Thestorides was pursuing a profitable livelihood by the
“Melesigenes acquired the name of Homer, for the Cumans recital of the very same poems. This at once determined him
7
The Odyssey of Homer
to set out for Chios. No vessel happened then to be setting desolate places and untrodden spots, and of what he stood in
sail thither, but he found one ready to start for Erythrae, a need. Homer, by recounting to him the whole history of his
town of Ionia, which faces that island, and he prevailed upon misfortunes, moved him with compassion; and he took him
the seamen to allow him to accompany them. Having em- and led him to his cot, and, having lit a fire, bade him sup.
barked, he invoked a favourable wind, and prayed that he “The dogs, instead of eating, kept barking at the stranger,
might be able to expose the imposture of Thestorides, who, according to their usual habit. Whereupon Homer addressed
by his breach of hospitality, had drawn down the wrath of Glaucus thus: O Glaucus, my friend, prythee attend to my
Jove the Hospitable. behest. First give the dogs their supper at the doors of the
At Erythrae, Homer fortunately met with a person who hut: for so it is better, since, whilst they watch, nor thief nor
had known him in Phocaea, by whose assistance he at length, wild beast will approach the fold.
after some difficulty, reached the little hamlet of Pithys. Here “Glaucus was pleased with the advice and marvelled at its
he met with an adventure, which we will continue in the author. Having finished supper, they banqueted afresh on
words of our author. “Having set out from Pithys, Homer conversation, Homer narrating his wanderings, and telling
went on, attracted by the cries of some goats that were pas- of the cities he had visited.
turing. The dogs barked on his approach, and he cried out. “At length they retired to rest; but on the following morn-
Glaucus (for that was the name of the goat-herd) heard his ing, Glaucus resolved to go to his master, and acquaint him
voice, ran up quickly, called off his dogs, and drove them with his meeting with Homer. Having left the goats in charge
away from Homer. For some time he stood wondering how of a fellow-servant, he left Homer at home, promising to
a blind man should have reached such a place alone, and return quickly. Having arrived at Bolissus, a place near the
what could be his design in coming. He then went up to farm, and finding his mate, he told him the whole story re-
him and inquired who he was, and how he had come to specting Homer and his journey. He paid little attention to
8
Pope
what he said, and blamed Glaucus for his stupidity in taking about five yards over. The whole is hewn out of the moun-
in and feeding maimed and enfeebled persons. However, he tain, is rude, indistinct, and probably of the most remote
bade him bring the stranger to him. antiquity.”
“Glaucus told Homer what had taken place, and bade him So successful was this school, that Homer realised a con-
follow him, assuring him that good fortune would be the siderable fortune. He married, and had two daughters, one
result. Conversation soon showed that the stranger was a of whom died single, the other married a Chian.
man of much cleverness and general knowledge, and the The following passage betrays the same tendency to con-
Chian persuaded him to remain, and to undertake the charge nect the personages of the poems with the history of the
of his children.” poet, which has already been mentioned:—
Besides the satisfaction of driving the impostor Thestorides “In his poetical compositions Homer displays great grati-
from the island, Homer enjoyed considerable success as a tude towards Mentor of Ithaca, in the Odyssey, whose name
teacher. In the town of Chios he established a school, where he has inserted in his poem as the companion of Ulysses, in
he taught the precepts of poetry. “To this day,” says Chan- return for the care taken of him when afflicted with blind-
dler, “the most curious remain is that which has been named, ness. He also testifies his gratitude to Phemius, who had given
without reason, the School of Homer. It is on the coast, at him both sustenance and instruction.”
some distance from the city, northward, and appears to have His celebrity continued to increase, and many persons ad-
been an open temple of Cybele, formed on the top of a rock. vised him to visit Greece whither his reputation had now
The shape is oval, and in the centre is the image of the god- extended. Having, it is said, made some additions to his po-
dess, the head and an arm wanting. She is represented, as ems calculated to please the vanity of the Athenians, of whose
usual, sitting. The chair has a lion carved on each side, and city he had hitherto made no mention, he set out for Samos.
on the back. The area is bounded by a low rim, or seat, and Here, being recognized by a Samian, who had met with him
9
The Odyssey of Homer
in Chios, he was handsomely received, and invited to join in ing and fertilizing, flows like the Nile, through many lands
celebrating the Apaturian festival. He recited some verses, and nations; and, like the sources of the Nile, its fountains
which gave great satisfaction, and by singing the Eiresione at will ever remain concealed.”
the New Moon festivals, he earned a subsistence, visiting the Such are the words in which one of the most judicious
houses of the rich, with whose children he was very popular. German critics has eloquently described the uncertainty in
In the spring he sailed for Athens, and arrived at the island which the whole of the Homeric question is involved. With
of Ios, now Ino, where he fell extremely ill, and died. It is said no less truth and feeling he proceeds:—
that his death arose from vexation, at not having been able to “It seems here of chief importance to expect no more than
unravel an enigma proposed by some fishermen’s children. the nature of things makes possible. If the period of tradi-
Such is, in brief, the substance of the earliest life of Homer tion in history is the region of twilight, we should not expect
we possess, and so broad are the evidences of its historical in it perfect light. The creations of genius always seem like
worthlessness, that it is scarcely necessary to point them out miracles, because they are, for the most part, created far out
in detail. Let us now consider some of the opinions to which of the reach of observation. If we were in possession of all
a persevering, patient, and learned—but by no means con- the historical testimonies, we never could wholly explain the
sistent—series of investigations has led. In doing so, I pro- origin of the Iliad and the Odyssey; for their origin, in all
fess to bring forward statements, not to vouch for their rea- essential points, must have remained the secret of the poet.”
sonableness or probability. From this criticism, which shows as much insight into the
“Homer appeared. The history of this poet and his works depths of human nature as into the minute wire-drawings of
is lost in doubtful obscurity, as is the history of many of the scholastic investigation, let us pass on to the main question
first minds who have done honour to humanity, because they at issue. Was Homer an individual? or were the Iliad and
rose amidst darkness. The majestic stream of his song, bless- Odyssey the result of an ingenious arrangement of fragments
10