Epic poetry, Greek -- Translations into English; Homer -- Translations into English; Odysseus, King of Ithaca (Mythological character) -- Poetry
“Glaucus told Homer what had taken place, and bade him follow him,
assuring him that good fortune would be the result. Conversation soon
showed that the stranger was a man of much cleverness and general
knowledge, and the Chian persuaded him to remain, and to undertake the
charge of his children.”
Besides the satisfaction of driving the impostor Thestorides from the
island, Homer enjoyed considerable success as a teacher. In the town of
Chios he established a school, where he taught the precepts of poetry.
“To this day,” says Chandler, “the most curious remain is that which
has been named, without reason, the School of Homer. It is on the
coast, at some distance from the city, northward, and appears to have
been an open temple of Cybele, formed on the top of a rock. The shape
is oval, and in the centre is the image of the goddess, the head and an
arm wanting. She is represented, as usual, sitting. The chair has a
lion carved on each side, and on the back. The area is bounded by a low
rim, or seat, and about five yards over. The whole is hewn out of the
mountain, is rude, indistinct, and probably of the most remote
antiquity.”
So successful was this school, that Homer realised a considerable
fortune. He married, and had two daughters, one of whom died single,
the other married a Chian.
The following passage betrays the same tendency to connect the
personages of the poems with the history of the poet, which has already
been mentioned:—
“In his poetical compositions Homer displays great gratitude towards
Mentor of Ithaca, in the Odyssey, whose name he has inserted in his
poem as the companion of Ulysses, in return for the care taken of him
when afflicted with blindness. He also testifies his gratitude to
Phemius, who had given him both sustenance and instruction.”
His celebrity continued to increase, and many persons advised him to
visit Greece whither his reputation had now extended. Having, it is
said, made some additions to his poems calculated to please the vanity
of the Athenians, of whose city he had hitherto made no mention, he set
out for Samos. Here, being recognized by a Samian, who had met with him
in Chios, he was handsomely received, and invited to join in
celebrating the Apaturian festival. He recited some verses, which gave
great satisfaction, and by singing the Eiresione at the New Moon
festivals, he earned a subsistence, visiting the houses of the rich,
with whose children he was very popular.
In the spring he sailed for Athens, and arrived at the island of Ios,
now Ino, where he fell extremely ill, and died. It is said that his
death arose from vexation, at not having been able to unravel an enigma
proposed by some fishermen’s children.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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