Page images
PDF
EPUB

Notwithstanding such insurmountable difficulties, the human mind is irresistibly bent on gleaning the scanty biographical materials which still remain, concerning a poet, who has been hitherto unrivalled, either by ancient or modern bards.

If we are to give credit to the account ascribed to Herodotus,-An inhabitant of Magnesia, whose name was Menalippus, went to settle at Cumæ, where he married the daughter of a citizen called Homyres, and bad by her a child of the name of Critheis. The father and mother dying, the orphan, who was left under the care of her uncle, suffered herself to be, debauched. The guardian, anxious to conceal a disgrace, which he could not prevent, sent Critheis to Smyrna, along with Ismenias, who was about to conduct a colony to that settlement.

Soon after her arrival, as she was assisting at a public festival with her companions, on the banks of the river Meles, Critheis was delivered of Homer, whom she, from this circumstance, called Melesigenes. This event is said to have occurred about one hundred and sixty-eight years after th siege of Troy, and six hundred and twenty-two before the expedition of Xerxes.

On the birth of her son, Critheis left the pro

tection of Ismenias, and supported herself by her industry, until Phemius, a schoolmaster of Smyrna, perceiving her good qualities, took her into his house, to spin the wool he received from his scholars, in return for his instructions; and she conducted herself with such modesty and discreetness in his family, that he married her, and adopted her son, in whom he soon discovered symptoms of uncommon genius.

After the death of Phemius and Critheis, Homer succeeded to the school and fortune of his father-in-law, and managed his new employment with such wisdom, that he became universally respected, both by the natives who resided in the town, and the strangers, who resorted from all parts to Smyrna, on account of its extensive trade.

Mentes, of Leucadia, the master of a ship that happened to arrive there, being a man of wit and talents, and a great lover of poetry, was so much charmed with the abilities of Homer, that he requested him to give up his school, in order to accompany him.

Employed perhaps, at that period, on the immortal poem of the Iliud, and perceiving the great advantage of seeing and examining the places he

should have occasion to mention in the course of his works, Homer accepted of the invitation, embarked with his friend, and sailed for Africa, whence he introduced into Greece the names of their gods, and the chief ceremonies used in the worship of the Egyptians. After this, he visited Spain and Italy, and having touched at Ithaca on his return, he was left there, on account of a defluxion in his eyes, as Mentes was in haste to révisit his native country.

During his stay in this island, he was hospitably entertained by Mentor, one of the principal inhabitants, from whom he learned the most res markable incidents in the life of Ulysses; and these he afterwards took care to introduce into his Odyssey.

Mentes, on his return, finding his friend restored to his sight, they embarked once more together, and after some time spent in visiting the coast of Peloponnesus, and the adjoining islands, they arrived at Colophon, where his distemper returning with increased violence, Homer is said to have become entirely blind.

This misfortune made him resolve to return to Smyrna, where he is thought to have finished his Iliad; but instead of meeting with consolation

and assistance there, he was obliged, by poverty, to set out for Cuma, where he expected to procure some relief.

On his journey thither, he happened to stop at a small town, built by a colony from Cumæ, and being entertained at the house of Tychius, an armourer, he recited some hymus composed in honor of the gods, which procured him great applause.

At Cuma, his poems were heard with rapture, and he himself was treated with great respect; but when he offered to immortalize their city, provided the inhabitants would allow him a salary, he was told in reply, that were they to consent to this, there would be no end of entertaining all the 'Oungoì, or "blind men," who might choose to visit them; and hence he got the name of Homer.

On receiving this unworthy answer, he immediately set out for Phocæa, where he recited his verses; and here, a schoolmaster of the name of Thestorides, offered to maintain him, if he would permit him to transcribe his works. Being obliged, through necessity, to comply with this proposal, the other, without fulfilling his promise, privately withdrew, and at Chios acquired considerable riches, by the repetition of these im

mortal poems, which he had so basely and dishonestly obtained, while the Author himself could hardly procure bread by reciting them at Phocæa. Happening to receive some intimation of this circumstance, Homer set out in search of the perfidious schoolmaster, and landing in the neighbourhood of Chios, he was received into the cottage of Glaucus, a shepherd, and carried by him to his master at Bolissus, who entrusted him with the education of his children. While occupied in this humble employment, his merits began to be discovered, and his name to be mentioned with veneration; on this the guilty Thestorides, hearing of his fame, and conscious of the injustice he had committed, in order to escape the infamy of detection, and perhaps of punishment, instantly fled.

Some time after this, Homer returned to Chios, where he instituted a school of poetry, acquired a competent fortune by his talents, and married a wife, by whom he had two daughters, one of whom was afterwards married to his patron at Bolissus; the other died while young.

At Chios he composed the Odyssey, and, by way of gratitude, commemorated, and indeed immortalized, the names of his friends, Mentes, Phemius, Mentor, and Tychius, in this poem.

1

« PreviousContinue »