Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1877-10-20
Reply to Mr.. Davies.
suMmlr Po1Nr, October II, 1877.

dragged the body OF Hector three times around
the rails of Troy, when by Homer authority,
(which still affirm to be the only p oper au-
thority in the case,) he dragged him three times
around The tomb of his friend Patroclus. The
books had reference to were Abbot's History
Of Achilles, Webster's Academic Dictionary,
and Lampriere's Classical Dictionary, and there
may be others, for the error is wide spread.
supposed that some one had " Numbered - as
"at Balaclava," and that the rest had follow
the biunderer | also intimated the way in
which the mistake might have occurred, to wit.
that as Homer had stated that Achilles had
raced the living Hector three times around the
walls, &c, also, dragged him, when dead,
three times around the tomb of Patroclus the
two statements had been confounded. In a
word, that =" a foot-race" had been confound-
ed with funeral"
With this explanation you are not content
You, promptly, volunteer as counsel for the
culprits, urge them to fight it out instead Of
throwing themselves on--the mercy of the
court, and that you will bring them out all
right, by making it as clear as mud that
iey had not noticed, or quoted, the authority
of Homer at all, at all, but the far better
authority of the Cyclic poets -; And, " that
the compilerS of the classical dictionaries were
surprised at the suggestion that they made the
statements on the authority Of Homer
Now, my dear sir, you know, very well, that
in all matters where either facts or fictions
are involved, and especially in the courts Of
law, where you belong, the rule, the common
sense rule is, that to settle any disputed point,
the best evidence which the nature of the case
admits of must be adduced." Now, which is
the best erideHce in the point of dispute be-
tween your adopted clients and myself. Homer,
or the Cyclic poets -?
Why, my dear sir, who were the "Cyclc
poets, what were their names, where were
they born, what are their historic or literary
relques and remains? You seem to be even
in error in regard to why they were denomina-
ted "Cyclic poets -: You say, there were O.
ther poets than Homer, many others, Others so
numerous that very likely on this account they
have always been known as the Cyclic poets,
and that doubtless it is on their authority those
statements TO wit, Hector dragged three times
around the walls of Troy appear" This is
not so, sir A.: they are not called " Cyclic poets"
because OF their legion-like university, Ito use
q big word Of Doctor Johnson) but because,
like Homer, Ito use the words Of Andy JohL-
son) they Swung around the circle, and wrote
about the wars of Troy, as well as Homer.
| again ask, where are these myths, these
"Cyclc poets upon whom you aud your a
dopted clients rely to overthrow the authority
of Homer, in all things touching the Trojan
war? Please direct the officer Of the Court
| won't say Proctor but Seygednta at law
TO direct the proper officer of the court to sum-
mon-and with SHpGna duceS tecum the
whole order of the "Cyclc poets" to appear
and testify, with their proofs in band, IN re-
gard to the point at issue and what will be
his answer? I" have summoned them, but
they come not:-My answer is, mon est IN
rentuS ~; or, in plain English, mot found in
my Baliewick" Such would be the an
swer of the officer: The Cyclic poets sum
moned, come not w
Now, what do you say, my friend Davies,
to all this? Your witnesses are bot torthcom-
ING, your Cyclic poets, F" numerous as they
are, do not appear-llomer does-and yet,
with the ever ready assurance of the profession,
you roar out, what thea are the statements
to be considered false, and should they be ex-
plunged from our school-bookS, and cease to be
part of or learning because Homer is not
authority for them ?" | answer yes And
because Homer is present on the witness stand
and erer will be, while your "Cyclic poets
are in " Utoplia wrong by the by, it should
be " Utopia OF in the Kingdom Of " No
rhere where you say my transcendental pen
writes across your statute books of law, or his
tory, or poetry, jus; what seemeth to me prop
er. And, thereupon, you rush out, into an
exclamation upon the iutoerable tyranny of
Charles the lst, the greater tyranny of Crom-
well, or the "divinely inspired nonsense OF
the rump parliament" What on earth, my
dear sir, have our discussions about Achilles
dragging Hector three times around the walls
Of Troy, to do with these high topics of his
torc aud political debate Nothing, just no.
thing
And yet, with such illustrations, you say,
as tho you had been using administrative logic,
and, upon the question of Hector dragged, or
not dragged around the walls of Troy three
times why, sir You would have Just as good
a right to make 81. Mathew your sole authori-
ty as to the pe.iod Of Christian history he de-
scribes, and deny the correctness Of any state
ment of other gospels not found in his own"
All indeed is that, really, the parallel con-
dition Of tie argument, and facts. between
Homer aud 1.-The Cycles about the three
times dragged Hector, and St. Mathew, Mark,
Luke, and John, about the facts they Severally
narrate? | think not Homer is in court and
bears testimony; the Cycles are not there;
Homer aateia'es the Cycles :" Mark Luke.
aud John, are the cotehDordries of Mathew,
and tho they relate different incidents in the
history of Christ, and in different order. vet the
rery difference shows that there is no concocted
St0yy aud that they all, alike, are telling the
plain uuyaruiShed truth: Nothing said by
either is inconsistent with the other. They
only bear witness 10 different incidents. In
the case we discuss, Homer, and the Cycles,
are at direct variance and conflict We will,
then, my friend Davies, pass over, with your
permission, the scenes on Noun: Ida, the :
" painting tbunderer," the stirring nights
&c, and leave them in that impeuctrable
mist which Jove said even 8" the sun could
not look thrO'; and come to the other question
you make, or raise. as % whether the Had Is,
or is not an historical poem: And, here. am
admouished that We must be brief, less We
overgo, or, at least, the space the FsEE Press
can afford US | should like to initiate here
! like Initiation as against coutraction-but, |
still we will leave the question to history. /
say, upon the opinion af Gladstone and the /.
discoveries of Schliemann and the authority /
Of Alexander, raSer, Tyler, +. r. & +. pro- f.
ieSSor Of history in the University of Edin- /.
burgh, and upon the internal evidence Of the /
Had itself, that It is in the language Of Tyler. /
ID in It's great outlines of narrative, probably. |
authentic" So. " come on Proctor :" with