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(whom Ptolemy Philometor had appointed over his fon Euergetes) he fet himself to another correction with all the wit and learning he was mafter of. He reftor'd fome verfes to their former readings, rejected others which he mark'd with obelisks as fpurious, and proceeded with fuch induftrious accuracy, that, notwithstanding there were fome who wrote against his performance, antiquity has generally acquiefc'd in it. Nay, fo far have they carry'd their opinion in his favour, as to call a man ann Ariftarchus when they meant to say a candid, judicious Critick; in the fame manner as they call the contrary a Zoilus, from that Zoilus who about this time wrote an envious criticism againft Homer. And now we mention these two together, I fanfy it will be no fmall pleasure to the benevolent part of mankind, to fee how their characters ftand in contraft to each other, for examples to future ages, at the head of the two contrary forts of criticifm, which, proceed from good nature, or from ill-will. The one was honour'd with the offces and countenance of the court; the other, when he apply'd to the fame place for an encouragement amongst the men of learning, had his petition rejected: The one had his fame continu'd to pofterity; the other is only remember'd with infamy: If the one had antagonists, they were oblig'd to pay him the deference of a formal anfwer; the other was never anfwer'd but in general, with thofe opprobrious names

Thracian flave and rhetorical dog: The one is fuppos'd to have his copy ftill remaining; while the other's remarks are perifh'd, as things that men were afham'd to preferve, the just desert of whatever arises

Arguet ambiguè dictum; mutanda notabit;

Fiet Ariftarchus

Vitruv. 7 in Proœm

-Horat: Ars Poetica.

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In Syria and other

parts of Afia.

from the miferable principles of ill will or envy. It was not the ambition of Egypt, only to have a correct edition of Homer. We find in the P life of the Poet Aratus, that he, having finish'd a copy of the Odyffey, was fent for by Antiochus King of Syria, and entertain'd by him while he finish'd one of the Iliads. We read too of others which were publifh'd with the names of countries; fuch as the 4 Maffaliotick and Sinopick as if the world were agreed to make his works in their furvival undergo the fame fate with himself; and that as different cities contended for his birth, so they might again contend for the true edition. But though thefe reviews were not peculiar to Egypt the greatest honour was theirs, in that universal approbation which the performance of Ariftarchus receiv'd; and if it be not his edition which we have at prefent, we know not to whom to afcribe it.

In India and
Perfia:

But the world, was not contented barely to have fettled an edition of his works. There were innumerable comments in which they were open'd like a treasury of learning; and tranflations whereby other languages became enrich'd by an infufion of his fpirit of poetry. Alian tells us, that even the Indians had them in their tongue, and the Perfian Kings fung them in theirs. Perfius mentions a verfion into Latin by Labeo, and in general the paffages and imitations which are taken, from him, are fo numerous, that he may be faid to have been tranflated by piecemeal into that, and all other languages: Which affords us this remark, that there is hardly any thing in him, which has not been

Author vita Arati, & Suidas in Arato.
Elian, . 12. cap. 48,-

initio Iliados.
• Perfius, Sat. 1.

D 6

9 Euftathius

pitch'd

pitch'd upon by fome author or other as a particular

beauty.

The extent and height of their reputation in the Heathen world.

It is almoft incredible to what an height the idea of that veneration the ancients paid to Homer will arife, to one who reads particularly with this view, through all these periods. He was no fooner come from his obfcurity, but Greece receiv'd him with delight and profit: There were then but few books to divide their attention, and none which had a better title to engrofs it all. They made fome daily discoveries of his beauties, which were ftill promoted in their different chanels by the favourite qualities of different nations. Sparta and Macedon confider'd him moft in refpect of his warlikė fpirit; Athens and Ægypt with regard to his poetry and learning; and all their endeavours united under the hands of the learned, to make him blaze forth into an univerfal character. His works, which from the beginning pafs'd for excellent poetry, grew to be hiftory and geography; they rofe to be a magazine of feienses; were exalted into a scheme of religion; gave a fanction to whatever rites they mention'd; were quoted in all cafes for the conduct of life, and learned by heart as the very book of belief and practice. From him the Poets drew their infpirations, the Oriticks their rules, and the Philofophers a defence of their opinions: Every author was fond to use his name; and every profeffion writ books upon him, 'till they fwell'd to libraries. The warriors form'd themselves by his Heroes, and the oracles deliver'd his verfes for anfwers Nor was mankind fatisfy'd to have feated his character at the top of human wisdom, but being overborn with an imagination that he tranfcended their fpecies, they admitted him to fhare in thofe honours they gave the Deities. They inftituted games for him, dedicated ftatutes, erected temples,

as

t

as at Smyrna, Chios and Alexandria; and Ælian tells us, that when the Argives facrific'd with their guests, they us'd to invoke the prefence of Apollo and Homer together.

The decline of their

character in the

beginning of Chri

tianity.

Thus he was fettled on a foot of adoration, and continued highly venerated in the Roman empire, when Chriftianity began. Heathenifm was then to be destroy'd, and Homer appear'd the father of it; whofe fictions were at once the belief of the Pagan religion, and the objections of Chriftianity against it. He became therefore very deeply involv'd in the queftion; and not with that honour which hitherto attended him, but as a criminal who had drawn the world into folly. He was on one hand accus'd for having fram'd* fables upon the works of Mofes; as the rebellion of the Giants from the building of Babel, and the cafting Ate or Strife out of heaven from the fall of Lucifer. He was expos'd on the other hand for thofe which he is faid to invent, as when" Arnobius cries out," This is the man "who wounded your Venus, imprifon'd your Mars, "who freed even your Jupiter. by Briareus, and who "finds authorities for all your vices," &c. Mankind was w derided for whatever he had hitherto made them believe; and x Plato, who expell'd him his commonwealth, has of all the Philofophers, found the beft quarter from the fathers, for paffing that fentence. His finest beauties began to take a new ap

Elian. 1. 9. cap. 15.

* Juftin Martyr, Admonit, ad gentes.

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Arnobius adversùs gentes, l. 7,

w Vid. Tertull. Apol. cap. 14.

Arnobius, ibid. Eufebius prap. Evangel, 1. 14. cap. 10.

pearance

pearance of pernicious qualities; and because they might be confider'd as allurements to fancy, or fupports to thofe errors with which they were mingled, they were to be depreciated while the contest of faith was in being. It was hence, that the reading them was. difcourag'd, that we hear Ruffinus accufing St. Ferome for it, and that y St. Außin rejects him as the grand mafter of fable; tho' indeed the dulciffimè vanus which he applies to Homer, looks but like a fondling manner of parting with him.

This ftrong attack against our author oblig'd those Philofophers who could have acquiefc'd as his admirers, to appear as his defenders; who because they faw the fables could not be literally fupported, endeavour'd to find a hidden fenfe, and to carry on every where that vein of allegory which was already broken open with fuccefs in fome places. But how miferably were they forc'd to fhifts, when they made z Juno's dreffing in the Ceftos for Jupiter to fignify the purging of the air as it approach'd the fire? Or the ftory of Mars and Venus, that inclination they have to incontinency who are born when thefe planets are in conjunction? Wit and learning had here a large field to display themselves, and to difagree in: for fome-. times Jupiter, and fometimes Vulcan, was made to fignify the fire; or Mars and Venus were allow'd to give us a lecture of morality at one time, and a problem of aftronomy at another. And thefe ftrange difcoveries, which a Porphyry and the reft would have to pass for the genuine theology of the Greeks, prove but (as b Eufebius terms it) the perverting of fables into a

St. Auguft. Confeff. l. I. cap. 14.
Plutarch on reading the Poets.
Porphyrius de Antro Nymph. &c.
Eufebii prapar. Evangel. I. 3. cap. I

myftick

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