“This,” says Dr. Dodd, “is a good deal in the manner of the celebrated _drinking Ode_, too well known to be inserted.” Yet it may be alleged by those who imagine Shakespeare to have been generally able to think for himself, that the topicks are obvious, and their application is different.—But for argument’s sake, let the Parody be granted; and “our Author,” says some one, “may be puzzled to prove that there was a Latin translation of Anacreon at the time Shakespeare wrote his _Timon of Athens_.” This challenge is peculiarly unhappy: for I do not at present recollect any _other Classick_ (if indeed, with great deference to Mynheer De Pauw, Anacreon may be numbered amongst them) that was _originally_ published with _two_ Latin translations. But this is not all. Puttenham in his _Arte of English Poesie_, 1589, quotes some one of a “reasonable good facilitie in translation, who finding _certaine_ of Anacreon’s Odes very well translated by Ronsard the French poet—comes our Minion, and translates the same out of French into English”: and his strictures upon him evince the publication. Now this identical Ode is to be met with in Ronsard! and as his works are in few hands, I will take the liberty of transcribing it: La terre les eaux va boivant, L’arbre la boit par sa racine, La mer salee boit le vent, Et le Soleil boit la marine. Le Soleil est beu de la Lune, Tout boit soit en haut ou en bas: Suivant ceste reigle commune, Pourquoy donc ne boirons-nous pas?—Edit. Fol. p. 507. I know not whether an observation or two relative to our Author’s acquaintance with Homer be worth our investigation. The ingenious Mrs. Lenox observes on a passage of _Troilus and Cressida_, where Achilles is roused to battle by the death of Patroclus, that Shakespeare must _here_ have had the _Iliad_ in view, as “the old Story, which in many places he hath faithfully copied, is absolutely silent with respect to this circumstance.” And Mr. Upton is positive that the _sweet oblivious Antidote_, inquired after by Macbeth, could be nothing but the _Nepenthe_ described in the _Odyssey_, Νηπενθές τ᾽ ἄχολόν τε, κακῶν ἐπίληθον ἁπάντων. I will not insist upon the Translations by Chapman; as the first Editions are without date, and it may be difficult to ascertain the exact time of their publication. But the _former_ circumstance might have been learned from Alexander Barclay; and the _latter_ more fully from Spenser than from Homer himself. “But Shakespeare,” persists Mr. Upton, “hath some _Greek Expressions_.” Indeed!—“We have one in _Coriolanus_, ——It is held That valour is the chiefest Virtue, and Most dignifies the _Haver_;—— and another in _Macbeth_, where Banquo addresses the _Weïrd-Sisters_, ——My noble Partner You greet with present grace, and great prediction Of noble _Having_.—— Gr. Ἔχεια,—and πρὸς τὸν Ἔχοντα, to the _Haver_.