New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-08-11
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
THE GREEK ANTHOLOGY.
sur GREEK ANTHOLOGY. BY LORD NEAvEs. Il
S"N M 2ll. j. b. Lippincott Il Co.

rho s,ocimcns Of curious and racy poetry in the
.o,,octions known as the Greek Anthology are de-
serving of a friendly welcome from much WIDER
audience than the comparatively limited clrcie VI
classical students They have always been an opce'
of peculiar interest with scholars, ana III 'nis a."
mirably edited volume they are now brought WIN
,be range of cultivated readers. who may not DC III
possession of the key TO the treasures oi
learning. The first collection of the poems Oh 'uo
Anthology that approached to completeness was
nrenared nv n monk of Constantnope aoouV Vio
middle of the fourteenth century In the year lVVo'
fbe learned Salmasius discovered anotner coiu-
pilation in o library at Heidelberg dS'ine HO'n
The tenth century, but it was not un'l VIC
beginning Of the present century an lntcr'al
of two hundred years that III was given
% the world by Brunck and Jacobs. The care
ful study which this manuscript called 1orth lIoin
German scholars threw great deal OF hght on tnis
branch Of Literature. The name of Meleager espe-
eialv was thus brought into conspicuous notlce as
one of the earliest flower gatherers or collectors Oh
The poetry Of the Anthology, lie was syrian Dy
birth and fourished in the early part OF lhe iis'
century before the Christian era. He collected the
fragments of Greek poetry before his time were
either preserved IN the memory, engraved on MAJ
bic or scattered in miscellaneous works but Meiea-
ger was not merely collector lie was also COM
poser of epprams and his productions hold hign
n man of remarkable character, with proiouho
sense Of the dignity of the poets art and passion
oto 1--we of the Beautiful. Another collector was
Philippus of Thessaonica, who lived IN the time Oi
Traiap. and who contributed some original cpl
grams to his collection. He was succeeded by Aga
tLias. who also added some epigrams OF his own
which if not of superior merit, by no means des-
ttu;e Of taste and elegance 80
The space of time over which the writers of the
-l.,I ha Gn1H N q
10 more than thousand years, from Simonides 10
Agathias None Of the more ancient COLLECTIONS
have come down entire TO modern times and we
know them mainly from the comparatively recent
comullations The title of Anthology is still re-
tanned on the same principle on which Meleager
REGARDED his collections wTeaths or garands' the
poems composing them being assimllated TO flowers
of various hues. The individual poems nave also
been called epgrams, term which originally ue.
noted simply an inscription though IN process Vi
time 1t was transferred TO different class
of compositions. Their source may be traceu
IN the religions tendencies of the Greek
mind 4 feeling of dependence on the divine
mower was one Of its leading characteristics. The
Greeks referred all events, whether prosperous OF
adverse. TO the Gods They were accustomed when
their wars had been successful, to consecrae por-
ton Of the spols to the protecting detes. ms Is
supposed 10 have been the oldest form OF offerings
and inscriptions. The old soldier consecrated the
weapons which he no longer able to use. Me-
cbarics did the same with their implements, when
they were worn out, or when the owners changeu
their eIuplOyments. Moral sentences thus came 10
be mt ND as inscriptions on statues or memorial
columns These impulses are exhibited IN the poems
of the Anthology, which thus acquire an additional
interest from the light they throw on the manners,
customs and beliefs of the Greeks
The authorship of the individual poems, or cpl
grams is wholly uncertain. We may consider the
Greek Anthology consisting of collection OF
short pieces found scattered among the old Greek
historians bioaaplers aud miscellaneous writers,
with no unity of character and no cew to their OH
gin The primitive Greek eplgram, however, differs
much from the modern idea attached to the word.
The best form does not aim az wit. or seek to pro-
duce surprise Its purpose is to set forth IN the |
briefest and simplest language some fact or emo |
ton which would prompt the writer to record 1t IN
the form Of an epigram. In accordance with the |
Greek nature they looked to the union of perfect |
simplicity with perfect beauty as the highest ideal
The first serious attempt to exhibit the true char
acter Of the Greek epigram III English translation
was made in Blackwood's Magazine in 1888 and
1854 by Professor Wilson, assisted 10y many friends
particularly by Mr.. William Hay. who for some
time devoted his scholarship and poetic gifts to tins
task. The effort was eminently successful, and
threw into the shade the imperfect versions of pre-
yous transators The specimens in the present vol
ume are from different hands, and in many instances
setouched and perhaps improved by the editor one
of the most graceful of the little love poems is the
following picture of Cupid laid asleep among roses
with the bees settling upon his lips.
We reached the groves deep shadow and there found
Cytber.'s son IN sleeps sweet letters bound,
Looking ike rnddy apples on Their tree;
No quIyer and no Bonded bow had ht;
These were suspended on a leafy spray.
Himself In cups Of roses Graded lay,
Smiling IN sleep; while, from their flight in air,
The brown bees TO his soft lips made repair,
To ply their waXen task, and leave their honey there
Here is a lively fancy of the first entry of love
into the human breast.
Twiung wreath found, one day,
Love. that among the roses lay;
Quick 10y the wings caught hun up
Aud plunged HIM IN the brlmming cup.
Then urged by thlrsts impenous call,
drank the wine off, Love and all;
Aud ever since, within my breast,
HIS tickling wings destroy M rest.
The next epigram, it is supposed, may have been
had in view by Ben Jonson, when he wrote the
famous song Drink to me only with thine eyes,"
The wine-cup glad dear Zenophe's lip
II boasts 10 have touched when she stopped down 10 sip
Happy wlne-cup! wish that, with lips joined 10 mine.
All my soul at draught she would drink up like wine
Among the epigrams of didactic character the
following lines in praise Of equanimty set forth a
noble moral:
TOssd on a sea OF troubles, Soul, my SOUL
Thyseh do thou control;
And 20 The weapons OF advancing foes
stubborn breast oppose;
UBdaunted ind the hostile might
OF squadrOns burning for the fight.
Thine be no hoasting when the victor's crown
Wins thee deserved renOwn;
Thine detected sorrow. when defeat
Would urge a base retreat:
Rejoice In jos Gus things-nor oyermuoh
Let grief thy bosom touch
midst evil aud still bear in mlnd,
How changeful are the ways OF Humankind.