This passage is referred to by
Stephanus
of
Byzantium, _s.
Byzantium, _s.
Iliad - Pope
p.
360 ed. Fabric. Ou hamelei ge toi kai oi poiaetai melopoioi
legontai, kai ta Omaerou epae to palai pros lyran aedeto.
"The voice," observes Heeren, "was always accompanied by some
instrument. The bard was provided with a harp on which he played a
prelude, to elevate and inspire his mind, and with which he
accompanied the song when begun. His voice probably preserved a
medium between singing and recitation; the words, and not the melody
were regarded by the listeners, hence it was necessary for him to
remain intelligible to all. In countries where nothing similar is
found, it is difficult to represent such scenes to the mind; but
whoever has had an opportunity of listening to the improvisation of
Italy, can easily form an idea of Demodocus and Phemius. "--_Ancient
Greece,_ p. 94.
4 "Should it not be, since _my_ arrival? asks Mackenzie, observing
that "poplars can hardly live so long". But setting aside the fact
that we must not expect consistency in a mere romance, the ancients
had a superstitious belief in the great age of trees which grew near
places consecrated by the presence of gods and great men. See Cicero
de Legg II I, sub init. , where he speaks of the plane tree under
which Socrates used to walk and of the tree at Delos, where Latona
gave birth to Apollo.
This passage is referred to by Stephanus of
Byzantium, _s. v. _ N. T. p. 490, ed. de Pinedo. I omit quoting any
of the dull epigrams ascribed to Homer for, as Mr. Justice Talfourd
rightly observes, "The authenticity of these fragments depends upon
that of the pseudo Herodotean Life of Homer, from which they are
taken. " Lit of Greece, pp. 38 in Encycl. Metrop. Cf. Coleridge,
Classic Poets, p. 317.
5 It is quoted as the work of Cleobulus, by Diogenes Laert.
360 ed. Fabric. Ou hamelei ge toi kai oi poiaetai melopoioi
legontai, kai ta Omaerou epae to palai pros lyran aedeto.
"The voice," observes Heeren, "was always accompanied by some
instrument. The bard was provided with a harp on which he played a
prelude, to elevate and inspire his mind, and with which he
accompanied the song when begun. His voice probably preserved a
medium between singing and recitation; the words, and not the melody
were regarded by the listeners, hence it was necessary for him to
remain intelligible to all. In countries where nothing similar is
found, it is difficult to represent such scenes to the mind; but
whoever has had an opportunity of listening to the improvisation of
Italy, can easily form an idea of Demodocus and Phemius. "--_Ancient
Greece,_ p. 94.
4 "Should it not be, since _my_ arrival? asks Mackenzie, observing
that "poplars can hardly live so long". But setting aside the fact
that we must not expect consistency in a mere romance, the ancients
had a superstitious belief in the great age of trees which grew near
places consecrated by the presence of gods and great men. See Cicero
de Legg II I, sub init. , where he speaks of the plane tree under
which Socrates used to walk and of the tree at Delos, where Latona
gave birth to Apollo.
This passage is referred to by Stephanus of
Byzantium, _s. v. _ N. T. p. 490, ed. de Pinedo. I omit quoting any
of the dull epigrams ascribed to Homer for, as Mr. Justice Talfourd
rightly observes, "The authenticity of these fragments depends upon
that of the pseudo Herodotean Life of Homer, from which they are
taken. " Lit of Greece, pp. 38 in Encycl. Metrop. Cf. Coleridge,
Classic Poets, p. 317.
5 It is quoted as the work of Cleobulus, by Diogenes Laert.
