As from fome feast a man returning late, Rejoicing It is evident, that Ulyffes had a very intimate commerce with Κίρκη δ' Ἠελίς θυγάτηρ ὑπεριονίδαο Dyonyfius Halicarn. and Aristotle mention Telegonus as the fon of Circe and Ulyffes, who afterwards flew his father with the bone of a fish inadvertently. Thus Horace, Telegoni juga Parricide. But then is not this intrigue a breach of Morality, and conjugal infidelity in that Heroe? I refer the Reader to Note XIV. of the fifth book of the Odyffey: I shall only add, that the notions of Morality are now very different from what they were in former ages: Adultery alone was esteemed criminal, and punish'd with death by the ancient Heathens: Concubinage was not only permitted, but thought to be honourable, as appears from the practice, not only of Heroes, but even of the Pagan Deities; and confequently this was the vice of the age, not in particular of Ulyffes. But there is a stronger objection against Ulyffes, and it may be asked, how is he to be vindicated for wasting no less space than a whole year in dalliance with an harlot? Penelope and his country feem both forgotten, and confequently he appears to neglect his own reestablishment, the chief design of the Odyssey: What adds fome weight to this observation is, that his companions feem more senfible of his long absence from his country, and regret it more than that Heroe; for they awake him out of his dream, and intreat him to depart from the Island. It is therefore neceffary to take away this objection: for if it be unanswerable, Ulyffes is guilty of all the miseries of his family and country, by neglecting to redress them by returning; and therefore he must cease to be an Heroe, and is no longer to be propos'd as a pattern of Wisdom, and imitation, as he is in the opening of the Odyssey. But the stay of Ulyffes is involuntary, and confequently irreproachable; he is in Rejoicing round, some morsel to receive, (Such as the good man ever us'd to give.) 250 Domestick thus the grifly beasts drew near; They gaze with wonder, not unmixt with fear, Now on the threshold of the dome they stood, And heard a voice refounding thro' the wood: Plac'd at her loom within, the Goddess sung; 255 The vaulted roofs and solid pavement rung. the power of a Deity, and therefore not capable of departing with. In short, I am not pleading for perfection in the character of Ulyffes: Human Nature allows it not, and therefore it is not to be afcribed to it in Poetry. But if Ulyffes were here guilty, his character ceases to be of a piece; we no longer interest our selves in his misfortunes, since they are all owing to his own folly: the nature of the Poem requires, that he should be continually endeavouring to restore his affairs: if then he be here funk into a Lethargy, his character is at once loft, his calamities are a just punishment, and the moral of the Odyffey is destroy'd, which is to shew Wisdom and Virtue rewarded, and Vice and Folly punished by the death of the suitors, and re-establishment of Ulyffes. 1 260 O'er the fair web the rising figures shine, The Goddess rifing, asks her guests to stay, Soon v. 272. But venom'd was the bread, and mix'd the bowl.] It is an undoubted truth, that Homer afcribes more power to these magical drugs and Incantations than they have in reality; but we are to remember that he is speaking before a credulous audience, who readily believed these improbabilities, and at the fame time he very judicioufly provides for the fatisfaction of his more understanding Readers, by couching an excellent moral under his fables; viz. that by indulging our appetites we fink below the dignity of Human Nature, and degenerate into brutality. 1 Book X. HOMER'S ODYSSEY. Soon in the lufcious feast themselves they loft, 75 And drank Oblivion of their native coaft. Instant her circling wand the Goddess waves, To hogs transforms 'em, and the Sty receives. 31 I am not in the number of those who believe that there never were any Magicians who perform'd things of an uncommon nature: The story of Jannes and Jambres, of the Witch of Endor, and Simon Magus, are undeniable instances of the contrary. Magic is suppos'd to, have been first practis'd in Ægypt, and to have spread afterwards among the Chaldeans: It is very evident that Homer had been in Egypt, where he might hear an account of the wonders perform'd by it. Dacier is of opinion, that these deluders, or Magicians, were mimics of the real miracles of Mofes, and that they are defcribed with a wand, in imitation of that great Prophet. But if any person thinks that Magic is mere fable, and never had any existence, yet established fame and common opinion juftify a Poet for using it. What has been more ridiculed than the winds being inclosed in a bag by Aolus, and committed to Ulyffes? but as abfurd as this appears, more countries than Lapland pretend to the power of felling a storm or a fair wind at this day, as is notorious from travellers of credit: and perhaps a Poet would not even in thefe ages be thought ridiculous, if speaking of Lapland, he should introduce one of these Venefica's, and defcribe the ceremonies she used in the performance of her pretended incantations. Milton not unhappily has introduc'd the imagin'd power of these Lapland Witches into his Paradise Lost. The night-hag, when call'd In fecret, riding thro the air she comes, In short, Virgil has imitated Homer in all these bold Episodes, and 1 No more was seen the human form divine, And their own voice affrights them when they groan, The mast and acorn, brutal food! and strows } v. 278. No more was seen the human form divine, &c.] Longinus here reports a Criticism of Zoilus; he is very pleafant upon this transformation of the companions of Ulyffes, and calls them, the squea ing pigs of Homer: we may gather from this instance the nature of his Criticisms, and conjecture that they tended to turn the fineft incidents of Homer into ridicule. Burlesque was his talent, and instead of informing the reason by pointing out the errors of the Poem, his only aim was to make his Readers laugh; but he drew upon himself the indignation of all the learned world: he was known by the name of the vile Thracian flave, and liv'd in great want and poverty; and pofterity profecutes his memory with the fame animosity. The man was really very learned, as Dionyfius Halicarn. informs us: His morals were never reproach'd, and yet, as Vitruvius relates, he was crucify'd by Ptolemy, or as others write, fton'd to death, or burnt alive at Smyrna; so that his only crime was his defamation of Homer: a tragical instance of the great value which was set upon his Poetry by antiquity, and of the danger of attacking a celebrated Author with malice and envy. But |