Transcriber's Note Non-italic phrases within italic text blocks are marked with ~swung dashes~. STUDIES ON HOMER AND THE HOMERIC AGE. BY THE RIGHT HON. W. E. GLADSTONE, D.C.L. M. P. FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD. IN THREE VOLUMES. VOL. I. Plenius ac melius Chrysippo et Crantore.--HORACE. OXFORD: AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS. M.DCCC.LVIII. [_The right of Translation is reserved._] STUDIES ON HOMER AND THE HOMERIC AGE. I. PROLEGOMENA. II. ACHÆIS: OR, THE ETHNOLOGY OF THE GREEK RACES. BY THE RIGHT HON. W. E. GLADSTONE, D.C.L. M. P. FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD Plenius ac melius Chrysippo et Crantore.--HORACE. OXFORD: AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS. M.DCCC.LVIII. THE CONTENTS. I. PROLEGOMENA. SECT. I. _On the State of the Homeric Question._ Objects of this Work Page 1 Results thus far of the Homeric Controversy 2 Improved apparatus for the Study of Homer 4 Effect of the poems on Civilization 5 They do not compete with the Holy Scriptures 6 SECT. II. _The Place of Homer in Classical Education._ Study of Homer in the English Universities 9 Homer should not be studied as a Poet only 11 His claims compared with those of other Poets 14 Study of Homer in the Public Schools 18 SECT. III. _On the Historic Aims of Homer._ High organization of the Poems 21 The presumption is that the Poet had Historic aims 22 Positive signs of them 23 Pursued even at some cost of Poetical beauty 26 Minuter indications 28 General tone 28 Hypothesis of reproduction inadmissible 30 What is chiefly meant by his Historic aims 35 SECT. IV. _On the probable Date of Homer._ The main question: is he an original witness 36 Adverse arguments 37 Affirmative arguments 39 SECT. V. _The probable Trustworthiness of the Text of Homer._