MEDALS FROM THE ANTIQUE.

No. 1.-HOMER.

BY THE CHEVALIER DE CHATELAIN.

AMONGST the written accounts of Homer, that have been handed down to us, the one attributed to Herodotus, although presenting doubts and controverted points that have been canvassed by historians, is yet looked upon by the latter as so much the most authentic and abounding in facts, that they have adopted it in preference to all others, while considerably abridging its details.

Herodotus begins by informing us that his object in writing this life of Homer, was the desire of paying homage to truth. He next traces back the family of the great poet to its remote ancestors, and introduces us to Melanopes, the son of Stagenes, and grandson to Critho, who left Magnesia, and, in company with many other adventurers repaired to Eolia, where the foundations of Cuma had just been laid. Melanopes, though little favoured by the gifts of fortune, offered his hand to the daughter of Homyres; and, on the death of this couple, Critheis, their only offspring, was intrusted to Cleanax, who becoming displeased with the young orphan, gave her over to the guardianship of the Boetian Ismenias, then about to conduct several women to Smyrna, a new colony just founded by Theseus,† the descendant of Admetes, at the furthest point of the Hermoan Gulf. Some time after her arrival, Critheis, on repairing to a banquet with several of her companions, gave birth to Homer, on the banks of the river Meles, whence is derived the name of Melesigenes, by which the poet is sometimes designated.

Critheis continued living with Ismenias in Smyrna for some time; after which she left him, and brought up her son from the produce of her manual labour; and having offered her services to Phemius, who kept a gymnasium, in which he taught literature and music, she spun the wool that he received from his pupils in payment of his lessons. Before long, Phemius offered his hand to the young stranger, who accepted it, on his proposing to adopt her son, whose precocious intellect and excellent disposition seemed to promise a future genius, provided these valuable qualities were properly cultivated. Thanks to his natural

*Cumæ, in Eolia, likewise bore the name of Cyme, or Cymes. This city must not be confounded with a town of the same name, built by the Eolians in the Kingdom of Naples. Both towns were celebrated for their sybils.

This Prince died 191 years after the days when flourished Theseus king of Athens.

capacities, and the careful training of his master, Melesigenes soon surpassed all his fellow pupils. Scarcely had he reached the years of manhood, when his learning was equal in all points to that of Phemius. Death soon after removed from him his beloved master, who left him all he possessed; and shortly after he lost his mother. Melesigenes now carried on Phemius's gymnasium by himself, and was greatly admired both by the citizens of Smyrna, and such foreigners as the corn trade attracted to the new city. Amongst the latter, none was more conspicuous than Mentes, who had just arrived from Leucadia on a commercial errand of the above mentioned kind.

This man, who, though simple in outward appearance, astonished Homer by the variety of his knowledge, now persuaded him to accompany him on a voyage, assuring him that no means could be more efficacious to awaken the emotions of the mind, and to inspire poetical ideas. Melesigenes followed this advice, and being of an observant turn, did not allow any of the characteristics of the different regions he visited to escape his notice.

After having travelled through Etruria and Spain, our wayfarers reached Ithaca. But Melesigenes had already been attacked for some time past by a serious complaint in his eyes, and as Mentes could not postpone his departure for Leucadia, he was now obliged to leave him here, after recommending him to the kind offices of Mentor, son of Alcimes, a man much esteemed by his fellow citizens for his wealth, his love of justice, and his ready hospitality. In recommending Homer to his generous friend, Mentes entreated him to leave no stone unturned to promote his recovery, hoping on his not very far distant return from Leucadia, that he should be able to carry him back to his native land.

Mentor lavished the kindest attentions upon the young traveller, and gave him a great many details about Ithaca, besides relating numerous traditionary legends about Ulysses. At length Mentes returned to Ithaca from Leucadia, and found his hopes realized by being able to carry away Melesigenes on board his ship. After several voyages, our travellers landed at Colophon, where Homer was again attacked by a complaint in his eyes, which having considerably increased in virulence, finished by depriving him entirely of sight. In this dreadful extremity he returned to Smyrna, where he devoted himself to poetry; but having fallen into poverty, he crossed the smiling plains watered by the Hermus, and directing his steps towards Cumæ, he entered a colony founded by the inhabitants of that city, under the name of Neon-Tichos; and stopping near the door of one of those tanners that manufactured shields, he uttered these verses, which may be translated thus: "Thou race descended from the magnificent city of Cumæ, ye who inhabit the foot of Mount Sardene, overshadowed by majestic trees, ye who drink of the flowing waters of the divine river Hermus, whose origin may be traced back to Jupiter himself, grant, O grant, an asylum to a fugitive and a wanderer!"

Tychius-such was the tanner's name-was melted to pity at the sight of this helpless blind man reduced to beggary, and having led him into his dwelling, gave him a seat, and invited him to share his humble meal. Melesigenes next entered his host's manufactory, where he captivated the admiration of all present by his sublime recital of Amphiaraus's Expedition to Thebes. Thus he managed for a time to gain a livelihood by reciting verses in Neon-Tichos, whose inhabitants subsequently planted a poplar in his honour, and hallowed the spot where he sat and recited his poems. But, alas! poverty, cruel poverty, soon hampered him again. "Nay then," said he, "I must turn my steps towards some city where I may find men of sound judgment and acute intellect."

After passing through Larissa, he came back as miserable as ever to Cuma. It was then he composed an epitaph to be engraved on the tomb of Midas, son of Gordius, that ran thus: "I am the brass virgin who reclines on Midas's sepulchre. As long as these light waves shall flow, as long as this noble tree shall grow, as long as the sun shall rise and the majestic moon shall shine, as long as rivers shall lash their banks with their tide, so long shall I remain here, watering the marble with my tears, and saying: 'Friend, who wanderest by, I warn thee, that Midas lies buried on this spot.""

Homer conciliated many partizans by reciting his poetry in the assembly of elders. One day he said to them: "Your city would be held in great veneration by the latest posterity, were it to provide for my livelihood." All present manifested their high approval of such a measure, and advised him to lay his proposal before the senate, promising to second it as far as lay in their power.

Encouraged by this display of sympathy, Melesigenes repaired to the place where the magistrates were assembled, and having at length succeeded, by dint of importunity, in compelling one of the officers of the court to lay his request before the senate, he sat down outside the building to await the result of their deliberations. The person who

had introduced him, besides a great number of those present who had admired his verses in private assemblies, were of opinion that his request ought to be granted. One only amongst the senators, according to tradition, caused his petition to be rejected, alleging amongst other reasons, that if once they resolved to support all Homers (i.e., blind men), it would have the effect of burdening the state with crowds of useless paupers. Thenceforward Melesigenes was known only under the name of Homer, or Blind.

When the unfortunate poet learnt the deliberations of the senate, "Alas!" exclaimed he, "to what a miserable fate has Jupiter destined me, who was brought up on the lap of a respected mother, in the days when the warlike people of Phrycium, so skilled in breaking horses, came and built the sacred walls of Symrna on the banks of the Meles. Learned daughters of Jupiter! you had intended to immortalize that city

VOL. VI.

U

by my strains. But its inhabitants have expelled me from its bosom; they have heard my strains, yet they despise me! He who has worked my downfall shall not go unpunished! As to myself, whom the gods condemned at my birth to so cruel a fate, I will bear its outrages with courage and resignation. I will depart from hence, and seek a peaceful asylum in some foreign land." And as he turned his steps towards the land of the Phocians, he hurled his imprecations against Cumæ, in these words: "O Cumæ, may no great poet ever have birth within thy walls to celebrate thy name!"

Homer had now made known his misfortunes and recited his verses in all the small assemblies of Phocis, and was undertaking the composition of new poems. At that time there lived one Thestorides, who instructed children in grammar and polite learning. This man, whose good faith seemed little to be relied on, having heard Homer's poetical works, offered to provide for his livelihood, on the condition of his allowing him to write down the verses he had already composed, and such as he might hereafter produce. Being destitute of everything, Homer willingly agreed to his proposal; and having taken up his abode at Thestorides's house, he composed the little Iliad and the Phoceid. But no sooner had his treacherous host got possession of these poems, which he had determined to sell under his own name, than he ceased to take any further care of Homer. It was then that the poet upbraided him, in a distich to this effect: "Oh, Thestorides, of all the things most concealed from man, no one is more impenetrable than his mind." Thestorides then left Phocis, and went to Chios, where he opened a gymnasium, and having declared himself the author of the poems he had stolen from Homer, acquired not only a high reputation but considerable profit, while the poetry could scarcely keep its real author from starvation.

A short time after, some well informed persons, who came from Chios to visit Phocis, having recognized in the verses recited by Homer the lines they had so often heard repeated by Thestorides, expressed their surprise at such a circumstance to the unfortunate blind poet. Homer, then discovering that Thestorides had taken refuge in Chios, determined to follow him thither. On searching the port, however, he found but one vessel bound for Erythrea, and by dint of beseeching the seamen the most touching terms, he at length prevailed upon them to take him on board.

On reaching Erythrea, and being welcomed by a Phocian, who had often heard him recite his poetry, Homer entreated him to see whether there happened to be a bark in the harbour that could convey him to Chios. The Phocian conducted him to a spot where a fisherman's smack lay at anchor; but it was in vain his kind friend interceded with the fishermen to take Homer on board; they turned a deaf ear to his entreaties, and hastened their departure, leaving Homer and his companion motionless on the shore. They were, however, soon compelled, by contrary winds, to put back into port. Homer then exclaimed:

'O mariners! you see that hospitable Jupiter renders all your efforts fruitless. Take me on board, and he will prove propitious to your voyage." Fear now extorted from these harsh men what pity could not move them to do; and having promised the poet not to abandon him on the road, they took him away with them. On reaching Chios they landed Homer, who passed the night on the sea-shore.

The next day the unhappy traveller wandered about till he came to a place called Pinus, where he spent the night, and had nearly been killed by the fall of a fir-apple that struck his forehead during his slumber. He then continued his road in the direction of a flock of goats, whose bleatings guided him, till he fell in with a set of dogs, whose hoarse barking was soon blended with his cries for help. The shepherd Glaucus quickly came to the rescue, and having quelled the impetuosity of the faithful animals, and saved Homer from their threatening jaws, was lost in astonishment, how a man deprived of sight could have found his way into so solitary a spot; and stepping up to the stranger, inquired with interest whither he was going, and how he came to be reduced to such helpless poverty? The unfortunate like to tell their troubles; and accordingly Homer soon excited the commiseration of the good-hearted shepherd by relating his sad tale. Glaucus took the blind poet into his cottage, and offered him refreshments. The dogs hung their heads, but continued growling at the sight of the stranger. Glaucus," said Homer, "give some food to these faithful guardians, that preserve your fold from savage beasts and from the attacks of robbers." The shepherd, judging from these words that his guest possessed a compassionate heart, immediately felt an esteem for him, and begged him to rest from his fatigues beneath his roof.

On the morrow, Glaucus intrusted his goats to his fellow slave, and leaving Homer in his cottage repaired in haste to Bolissus, at a short distance from whence resided the master of his farm, whom he immediately informed of the unexpected arrival of the indigent blind traveller, at the same time requesting to know what he was to do for him. The master received this piece of news with ill-humour. He blamed Glaucus for his want of intelligence and a degree of compassion which could not go the length of lodging and feeding everybody who happened to be afflicted with some infirmity; nevertheless, he desired to see the stranger. On returning home, Glaucus informed Homer of the orders he had received and advised him to accompany him, hinting that perhaps this interview might lead to a happy change in his fortunes. Homer therefore hesitated not to go to Bolissus. The rich citizen conversed with the poet, and having found in him not only a man of the world, but a scholar of vast erudition, immediately endeavoured to persuade him to remain in his house, and subsequently proposed to him to superintend the education of his children. Homer accepted his offer, and it was during his stay at Bolissus that he composed the Cercops, the Batrachomyomachia, the Epicyclides, and sundry works intended for the