# The Iliad in a Nutshell: or Homer's Battle of the Frogs and Mice

THE
ILIAD in a Nutshell:
OR,
Homer's BATTLE
OF THE
FROGS and MICE.
Illustrated with NOTES.
LONDON:
to the Right Honourable
JAMES,
Viscount Limerick.
My Lord,
s Your Lordship does not esteem it any Accomplishment to forget whatever You learnt at the University, I hope it is no Presumption to inscribe to You the following Poem, translated from the Greek; Your Lordship will be a Judge, how much Latitude it is done with, as well as how far that Liberty is pardonable.
HOMER is by a few bold Men said to have many Faults: But most of the Criticks insist upon it, that where-ever any thing like an Error appears in that great Author, the Blame is to be charg'd wholly upon the Reader;
Nor is it Homer nods, but we that dream.
I have endeavour'd to take in as many of his disputed Beauties as my Plan would admit, especially his Machinery, which I doubt not will be highly agreeable to all the Admirers of the Marvellous.
It is needless to attempt a labour'd Encomium of the Original, which is perhaps the best as well as oldest Burlesque in the World; since the Iliad, so necessary for understanding the Intention of it, is now in every English Reader's Hands. But howsoever this faint Imitation may be receiv'd by the World, my Experience of Your Lordship's Friendship assures me no Trifle will be unacceptable to You; which gives me an Opportunity of declaring my self, with all Sincerity and Gratitude,
Your most Obliged,
and Obedient
Humble Servant,
S. Wesley
The Iliad in a Nutshell:
OR,
Homer's BATTLE
OF THE
FROGS and MICE.
FINIS.
* ↑ v. 1. Your Aid.] Bossu acquaints us the Invocation is necessary, because the Poet reports what he cannot be suppos'd to know, if some Deity had not inspir'd him; not that the Muse signifies any thing else, but the Qualifications requisite to Poetry.
* ↑ Ibid. Muses.] The Poet to win the Attention of the Reader, and warning us he is about to relate something surprizing, invokes not one Muse, but the whole number.
* ↑ v.4. Mars.] As the Invocation is address'd to the Gods, so the Proposition mentions them, and the Narration is full of them, and they occasion the Marvellous in Epic. Bossu.
* ↑ v.8. Jove.] He has as much to do in the Commonwealth of Æsop, as the States of Homer, witness his appointing Kings over the Frogs. Id.
* ↑ v.9. Ballance.] Æschylus wrote a Tragedy upon Jupiter's Scales, and Virgil copied them.
* ↑ v. 15. Him thus accosts.] A Frog may as easily be supposed to speak as Xanthus the Horse of Achilles. Indeed the Epopæa assumes a liberty very like that of Æsop. The Discourse between Juno and Æolus, and what Neptune said to Zephyrus and Boreas have as little Truth and Probability as the Intercourse between the City and Country-mouse. Bossu.
* ↑ v. 21. Me.] Self Commendation is very common in Epic Heroes, and Virgil makes Æneas say of himself, Sum pius.
* ↑ Ibid. Peleus.] A Name from Mud.
* ↑ Ibid. Po.] There were three Eridani, one in Heaven, another on Earth, and a third in Hell. That on Earth is here intended.
* ↑ v. 17. Hydromedusa.] A Ruler in the Waters.
* ↑ v. 25. Physignathus.] One who swells his Cheeks.
* ↑ v. 30. Tall.] High Characters should be plac'd upon Bodies of the largest size, and finest make. Bossu.
* ↑ v. 31. Psicharpax.] One who plunders Granaries.
* ↑ v. 36. Troxartes.] A Bread-eater.
* ↑ v. 37. Leichomyle.] A licker of Meal.
* ↑ v. 38. Maternal Honour] The Hemisticks of Virgil have been much admir'd by some very learned Criticks, who seem to be of opinion, that a Verse is oftentimes the more perfect, the less 'tis finish'd.
* ↑ v. 71. So Jove ordains.] Innumerable are the Instances of Warrior's charging their Fears upon the Gods, nothing less than immortals should ever stop a Diomede or Ajax. The like Excuse is used even by the Gods themselves, in favour of Offenders,Non tibi Tyndaridis facies invisa Lacænæ, Culpatusue Paris.
* ↑ v. 72. Elimouser.] The Word Cat being very familiar, is avoided as too low. It is requisite also to inform the Curious, that not only Elimouser himself, but his Son Grimalkin was of that Species; for without this Caution, he might be thought of a different kind, which is very frequent in Poetry, witness Jupiter and his Offspring Sarpedon, and many others.
* ↑ v. 110. Whose unavailing.] Prayers of good men are commonly successful in Epick, but Psicharpax had been guilty of great Indiscretion, to hazard his life for meer Curiosity.
* ↑ v. 111. As erst.] Some say Homer has given the Gods such Manners, as turn them into mere swine, Bossu. Here Jupiter is chang'd into a Brute indeed, but into one of a nobler Species, tho' in Manners it must be own'd, inclin'd to lasciviousness.
* ↑ 122. It is not strange to give Epithets to Persons upon Occasions which have no Relation to them. Boileau. As may appear even from Virgil himself sometimes.—Quem Pius Æneas dictis affatur amaris.
* ↑ v. 127. God-like.
* ↑ v. 131. Divine.] This Phrase is not us'd to signify Perfection, but some particular Qualification or Advantage. Patroclus is call'd equal to a God, when he is lighting a Fire. Eustathius.
* ↑ v. 146.] Themis the Goddess of Justice.
* ↑ v. 149. Then thou.] It was the Opinion of the Antients, that Heroes, just upon the point of Death, had the Gift of Prophecy.
* ↑ v. 152. Leichopinax.] A licker of Dishes.
* ↑ v. 193. Nor Funeral Wailings.] The Loss of Burial was esteem'd a very great Affliction, we have not any Records left concerning the Manner how Mice buried their Dead; an Enquiry into that Piece of Antiquity would be highly satisfactory to the Curious.
* ↑ v. 201. Mart.] By an Archaisimus for Mars, see Spencer. He was the God of War, by whom Areithous had his Armour given him; allegorically he signifies Brutal Force.
* ↑ v. 204. Vulcan.] The God of Fire, who made the Armour of Glaucus, Achilles, &c. It is the Happiness of a Poet to raise the obscurest Circumstances into the strongest Point of Light. Eustathius. Mars must be own'd as proper a Person to desire this Favour of Vulcan, in behalf of those who had never offended him, as Venus was in Virgil to desire it for her illegitimate Son. A Woman in these Days would not be very likely to prevail with her Spouse, by putting him in Mind that she had made him a Cuckold.
* ↑ v. 211. Led.] An Epic Poet should order the Machines so, that his Action should stand in no need of them. How many Gods does Virgil make use of to raise a storm, which happened at the rising of Orion? 'Tis well observed, Dij nisi datâ occasione nocere non possunt. Bossu. Thus the Mice might have gnaw'd a few Bean-stalks without any Assistance from two Divinities, but then the Action had not been so fit for the Epopea.
* ↑ v. 238. Embasichytrus.] A creeper into Pots.
* ↑ v. 240. Tyroglyphus.] A Cheese-Scooper. The Antient Poets seem to have been endu'd by Apollo with the Property of knowing all Things past, present, and to come, which a careful Reader may perceive by their Writings. This was probably the very Mouse which was caught in a Trap by Taffy; and I wonder he was not named by the Author of Muscipula; who has also overlook'd another Testimony of the Antiquity of the Welsh in Virgil, who mentions Evans in his Æneid, Necnon Evantem Phrygium.
* ↑ 248. Nor funeral Wailings.] Repetitions are best when left to the Reader's Pleasure to make whenever he sees occasion, by which he may deserve as much Reputation as the Author himself could have merited by those Flowers; if a long Book must needs be had, 'tis but going over any Part again and again, and the Work is done.
* ↑ v.255. No! by this.] The Scepter was the solemn Oath of Kings; Virgil and Valerias Flaccus imitate Homer in making it so. It poetically acquaints us with the high Descent and hereditary Right of the Heroe.
* ↑ v. 260. Hydrocætes.] One who lies in the Waters.
* ↑ v. 261. Slain by himself.] It cannot be deny'd that Physignathus swears to a Lie; but it must be consider'd, says Bossu, The great Art of Kings is the Mystery of Dissimulation. This is the Charater which the Greek Poet gives Ulysses, and it is represented as a true and solid Virtue, and commended by Minerva herself.
* ↑ v. 288. Practis'd to deceive.] Minerva persuaded the Trojans to break the League; for which Breach afterwards Hector fell by Poetical Justice, whom she cheated and told Lies to in the Shape of Deiphobus, to betray him into the Hands of Achilles; but Prudence consists, we are told, in Dissimulation.
* ↑ v. 289. While wav'ring Mars.] It is the Business of this God ever to fortify the weaker Side, to keep up the Broil; he is call'd wav'ring, because Victory is always changing Parties.
* ↑ v. 292. Allotted Lord.] Jupiter the eldest Brother had the East, Pluto the West, and Neptune the Sea.
* ↑ v. 297. The Seas obsequious.] See the Note upon the arming the Mice l. 211. To which may be added this fine Remark of the last cited Author. To express Physical Truths poetically, we must not say Salt preserves dead Bodies, or Flies fill them with Maggots; but that Achilles fearing the hot Season might taint the Carcase of his Friend, gets his Mother Thetis, Goddess of the Sea, which is salt, to perfume it with Ambrosia.
* ↑ 310. And Jove.] It would be a Search worthy of some learned Critick, to find why Jupiter went to Bed, when he knew he should not sleep,
* ↑ v. 321. The Subject Gods.] Poets divided the Divine Attributes as it were into so many Persons, because the Infirmity of a Human Mind cannot sufficiently conceive, and explain so much Power and Action in a Simplicity so great and indivisible as that of God: And perhaps they were jealous of the Advantages they reap'd from such excellent, and refin'd Learning, and which they thought the vulgar part of Mankind was not worthy of Bossu.
* ↑ v. 331. There too.] v. 333. The Nereids.] Neptune and the rest of the watry Deities are present at the Council of the Gods; because Waters supply the Air with Vapours, and by that means pass into the Æther: See Eustathius on the Subject, who will also give you the Reasons of most of the Epithets here apply'd to the Gods.
* ↑ v. 338. Pluto.] He was not introduc'd into Homer's Assembly; but as that seems a hardship upon one who is honour'd with the Title of Jupiter, as well as his elder Brother, he is here admitted into the Council.
* ↑ v. 340. And all the base-born.] Homer always expresses a great kindness for Bastards, of which we need desire no stronger Proof than his filling Heaven with them. On the other side he makes Marriage and Discord inseparable, and Jupiter and Juno are for ever scolding. Here not the Moral, but the Allegory is to be observed.
* ↑ v. 345. The Seats.] Vulcan's Workmanship being animated, does not deviate at all from Probability; because a God can do more difficult Things than these, and all Matter will obey him. Besides Aristotle assures us, the Wonderful is the distinguishing Character of Epic, and proceeds therein even to the Unreasonable. A Remark as just and well-grounded as any in his whole Art of Poetry.
* ↑ v. 369. With mystick Dance.] The reputable Dancing among the Antients was said by some to be invented by Minerva.
* ↑ v. 371. Blue-ey'd.] The Greek might be translated owl-ey'd; but that would not be so agreeable to the modern Gothick Taste, as it was to the antient Simplicity.
* ↑ v. 391. Nor yet can.] Observe the Character of Prudence, who acquits neither Side, and refuses to engage on either with any Disadvantage to her self.
* ↑ v. 407. Since Scenes.] The harmony of all things springs from Discord; wherefore Jupiter was diverted at the Disagreement of the Gods themselves, so other Immortals may be suppos'd pleas'd with the Battle of Frogs and Mice.
* ↑ v. 410. Daring for a God.] This is to be understood allegorically. The honest old Archbishop of Thessalonica ingenuously acquaints us in his Comment upon the first Iliad, that Allegory was invented in order to solve the Absurdities which would otherwise appear in the antient Writers. And I must once for all inform my Reader, if he finds any Passage he cannot well account for, he must take it for granted, There is an Allegory in it.
* ↑ v. 421. Tho' more than.] Jove in the Iliad makes this Speech to Juno. A man's Love to the Sex in general, may be no ill Recommendation to a particular Woman, even to a virtuous Matron; tho' I fancy it could never make him more in favour with his own Wife, whatever Influence it might have on the Wife of another, unless Nature was a very different Thing in Homer's time from what it is in our degenerate Age.
* ↑ v.434. Pond'rous Anvils.] The Physical meaning seems very apparent. Juno the Air has two Elements, Earth and Water at her Feet, call'd Anvils, because in them only Arts are exercised. The Moral intimates, that good Housewives should stay at home. Dacier. There is another Moral equally plain, over-look'd by the learned French Woman, viz. That Husbands upon extraordinary Occasions, may bestow upon their Wives corporal Correction. If the fair Sex now think this brutal, 'tis merely out of false Delicacy.
* ↑ v. 439. Hornets.] Flies might have done well enough for Trumpeters. Minerva in the 17th Iliad inspires Menelaus with the Courage of a Flie, which Comparison has nothing of Meanness in it; however a Hornet is more heroical.
* ↑ v. 441. Hypsiboas.] A loud Bawler.
* ↑ v. 442. Leichenor.] A Name from licking.
* ↑ v. 445. Peleion.] A Name of the same signification with Pelides. The Son of Peleus, i.e. Mud.
* ↑ v. 446. Troglodytes.] One who runs into Holes.
* ↑ v. 451. Artophagus.] One who feeds on Bread.
* ↑ v. 451. Polyphonus.] A great Babbler.
* ↑ v. 457. Limnocharis.] One who loves the Lake.
* ↑ v. 459. Seutlæus.] Call'd from the Beets.
* ↑ v. 461. Isenor.] One equal to a Man; for a Mouse may as easily be supposed equal to a Man, as a Man equal to a God.
* ↑ v. 465. For twelve the tallest.] The Opinion of a Degeneracy of human Size and Strength in the Process of Ages, has been very general. Virgil makes a farther Allowance. In this way of thinking it will appear that Frogs and Mice were not such despicable Animals heretofore as they are at present, either as to their bodily or intellectual Accomplishments.
* ↑ v. 471. Pternotroctes.] A Bacon-eater.
* ↑ v. 472. Limnisius.] Call'd from the Lake.
* ↑ v. 475. Crambophagus.] A Cabbage-eater.
* ↑ v. 481. Pternoglyphus.] A Bacon-scooper.
* ↑ v. 481. Calaminthius.] From the Herb.
* ↑ v. 485. Hydrocharis.] Who loves the Water.
* ↑ v. 486. Pternophagus.] A Bacon-eater.
* ↑ v. 492. Borborocates.] Who lies in the Mud.
* ↑ v. 501. Prassophagus.] An Eater of Garlick.
* ↑ v. 502. Cnissodioctes.] One who follows the Steam of Kitchins.
* ↑ v. 511. Pelobates.] Who walks in the Dirt.
* ↑ v. 512. Artotrogus.] See Artophagus and Troxartes.
* ↑ v. 525. Pelusius.] From Mud.
* ↑ v. 535. Branchiazon.] Croaking.
* ↑ v. 543. Pelides.] This Name alludes not only to Pelos, Mud, but to Achilles also, the Son of Thetis so call'd. It is no Disgrace for a Hero to fly, especially having Guilt upon his Spirits.
* ↑ v. 549. The Frog was oft.] The Greek Poet illustrates the Swiftness of Ericthonius's Mares, by describing them as running over the standing Corn and Surface of Waters, without making any Impression. And the Latin one says the same of Camilla; which is a certain Sign of Homer's Excellency. Now a Frog is as likely to be born upon the Waters, as a Heroine; and a Mouse is not altogether so heavy as a Mare.
* ↑ v. 551. Sitophagus.] An Eater of Wheat.
* ↑ v. 557. Prassæus.] Call'd from Garlick.
* ↑ v. 570. It it no wonder the Heroes are so unwilling to die when the Poet provides no better Entertainment for them in the next World, than the worst they could meet with in this.
* ↑ v. 581. Meridarpax.] One who plunders his Share.
* ↑ v. 582. Artepibulus.] One who has designs upon Bread.
* ↑ v. 586. Warlike as Mars.] When Plutarch blam'd the comparing one Man to several Deities, that Censure was not pass'd upon Homer as a Poet, but by Plutarch as a Priest: And no modern fine Gentleman can think the worse of any thing for its being disapproved by a Priest in his Sacerdotal Capacity.
* ↑ v. 590. Limnius.] A Name of the same Import with Limnisius, call'd from rhe Lake.
* ↑ Ibid. Craugasides.] From Croaking.
* ↑ v. 612. Hard was.] Neptune, in Il. 13. supposes the Assistance of Jupiter himself might be useless to the Trojans; and no wonder therefore if it might be ineffectual to have the Succour of any inferior Divinities.
* ↑ v. 613. Nor Prophet Phœbus.] Apollo being nothing but Destiny, ought not to side with either Part before Jupiter declares himself.
* ↑ v. 614. Nor sage Minerva.] It is agreeable also to the Character of Wisdom to hear others speak first.
* ↑ v. 618. Scarcely so loud.] This Hyperbole, strong as it is, yet is not extravagant. The Voice is not Human, but that of a Deity; and the Comparison being taken from an Army, renders it more natural with respect to the God of War. So Polyphemus, a mere Mortal, shook the whole Isle of Sicily with his Cries.
* ↑ v. 628. Nor Jove.] Thetis brought up this Succour to Jupiter; that is, the watry Element taking its natural Place, put an end to that Combat of the Elements, which is signified by the Wars of the Gods.
* ↑ v. 632. From Dangers.] Tully and Longinus, say Homer, makes Mortals of his Gods, not of the inferior ones only. Pythagoras and Plato tax him with Impiety on this Account, in whose Times the Gods were reckon'd altogether as corporeal as in our Poet's Age. Bossu owns the learned Men of Antiquity, either out of Pride, Envy, or Error, have gone upon wrong Grounds in a Matter of the highest Importance, and deceiv'd almost all Mankind with deform'd and dangerous Figures, instead of necessary and solid Truths.
* ↑ v. 634. Corporeal Deities being subject to Pains, is not inconsistent with true Theology; nay, Bossu assures us, even the Adultery of Mars and Venus contains a very moral Lesson. Tho' how to reconcile this with what I have just quoted out of him, I cannot comprehend, without the help of some new Allegory.
* ↑ v. 644. First born Titans.] If Homer held Birth-right to be Divine, 'tis plain it was on Earth only. The Titans were Rebels because they were conquer'd; but had they gain'd the Victory, they would have had at least as much Right to the Sov'reignty of Heaven as ever Jupiter was possess'd of. The Poet was no Friend to Passive-Obedience; and the Patrons of Resistance may prove their Point most irrefragably out of his Poem.
* ↑ v. 665. In suddain Darkness.] When the Author has a mind to save any Hero in Distress, he brings in some God to steal him away in a Cloud. A Conduct imitated by almost all his Commentators; who when their favourite Writer is in any Danger, constantly raise a Dust, that the Poet may escape in the Obscurity.
* ↑ v. 971. As from a Victim.] To judge rightly of Comparisons, we are not to examine if the Subjects from whence they are deriv'd, be great or little, noble or familiar, but if the Image produc'd be clear and lively.
* ↑ v. 677. His Bolt.] Homer's Allegory is not to be accounted for without a deep Insight into the Egyptian and Hieroglyphical Learning. Tho' his best Translator affirms he probably us'd old Traditions as Embellishments of Poetry only, neither taking care to explain them to the Reader, nor perhaps diving into their mystick Meanings himself. Yet the best Critick upon him says, These Tales, unless taken allegorically, are entirely Atheistical, and contrary to Decency. A celebrated Author blames Spencer for making his Moral too obvious, a Fault which the most malicious Carper can never charge Homer with. A far greater Genius is requisite to understand his Fables, than open Morality has need of. It requires much stronger Teeth to crack the Shell than to eat the Kernel.
* ↑ v. 702. Allies.] At least as capable of assisting him against the Mice, as Briareas, to protect him against the Gods.
* ↑ v. 703. Not triple-form'd.] Chimæra was feign'd to have the Head of a Lion, the Body of a Goat, and the Tail of a Dragon, because a Mountain to call'd had Lions at the top, Goats in the middle, and Serpents at the bottom. Tho' some of the Antients thought it no Fiction.
* ↑ v. 721. Not monstrous.] It becomes not a Hero to fear any thing but the Gods; the old Mouse first advises a Retreat, and then the young one complies, as Diomede did with the Counsel of Nestor.
* ↑ v. 731. As when.] An Ass was not always such a Fool of a Beast as he is now; for other Animals as well as Men, degenerate: However, if it might be thought too low a Comparison for a Man, I hope it is not too mean for a Mouse.
* ↑ v. 743. To blameless.] The Gods are represented as Feasting in Æthiopia before the Scenes of War are open'd in the Iliad, and return thither at the Close. The Æthiopians are said to be the Inventors of Pomps, Sacrifices, and other Honours paid to the Gods. Macrobius tells us, Jupiter means the Sun, and the number Twelve denotes the twelve Signs.
* ↑ v. 750. An Iliad.] Homer's Iliad does not take up fifty Days, so that it was but a strange Complement to a great General,to say he had furnish'd Matter for an Iliad in one Campaign or half Year.
* ↑ Ibid. Work Divine!] Madam Dacier seems to have almost as much regard for Homer as the Bible, as tho' she were willing they should stand or fall together; and with Wit equal to her Piety, she proves the Poet blameless by Texts of Scripture. Nothing could go beyond this, except the Fancy of our Countryman, who held Homer and Solomon to be the same Person. I think it proper at my taking Leave of my Reader, to acquaint him, there is a general Moral runs through this whole Work; which I will not suppose him so ignorant as not to discern. 'Tis of a quite different Nature from the above-mention'd Allegories; to which sort of Beauties may be applied, with the Alteration of new into old, that celebrated Couplet,This new Way of Wit does so surprize, Men lose their Wits in wond'ring where it lies.
ERRATA.
Page 3. v. 23. Note, for Self-Condemnation, read Self-Commendation. p. 8. v.90. for dispast, r. dispart. p.9. v. 97. for Swimmers, r. Swimmer's. p. 38. l. 457. for Lymnocharis, r. Limnocharis.
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