The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-11-09
TRoILus AND caEssiuA.
The First OF Rev. Or. DaIton's
Course Of Lectures.

Baxter Hall was well filed Saturday
afternoon and close attention was given TO
the lecture on "Troilus and Cresslda."
As lovers. these two give their names to
the play, but their part In 1t Is CT minor
interest compared with the Homeric heroes
who are more prominent. All the great
chiefs, both Greek and Trojan. who are
conspicuous In the Homeric legends appear
In Shakespeare's pages where they assume
roles corresponding to the originals Of the
Greek poet. In the several councils COLO
quies. contests and camp scenes Of the sue
ceeding acts, the utmost fidelity Is pre-
served in the tone and bearing of each and
all. This was the least to be expected In a
play Of Shakespeare, albeit, the resources
Of the poet were limited to "a little Latin
and less Creek" However. II Chapman's
translation was made before Shakespeare
wrote, he had enough to go on, enough for
his purpose. After full and clear &naly-
sis Of the play. the lecturer proceeded to q
discussion OF the lights and shades Of the
characters, first as depicted by Shakes
peare, and, secondly, by other Greek, Latin
and later poets, and lastly by Homer him
self Shakespeare's delineatiOns were
| decared equal TO those OF any poet since
| Homer, but inferior to the grand original
| drawings III Homer. Several comparisons
| o. characters and actions were made to sus-
| tain this position, the object being to show
| that In Homer the Greek and Trojan lead
ers move on higher plane, and are marked
| by an individuality, distinction and eleva-
tion Of mind and manners far beyond the
DGs. pictures aIss presented attn by any yodsro later
And the more we think of IL. the more
wonderful this feat, this achievement OF
the most ancient Of poets. For he it was
who gave TO the world, to all nations and
ages, these types of manhood which still
exist In undiminlshed splendor and une-
qualled truth. Agamemnon Is still the
model of kings, Nest0r the typical old man,
Ulysses the typical diplomatist, Aajx and
Achilles types Of brave, valiant soldiers.
Helen Of beauty, Andromacne Of womanly
tenderness and fidelity, and Hector OF all
the elements found in the makeup Of an
ideal man, son, husband and father, patri-
OF, statesman and hero. All these and
many other characters are now the COM
mon property Of mankind, heroes and her
Dimes, whose memories VIII never perish
from the earth and whose names the world
will not willingly let die. All subsequent
authors In prose and verse assume that
every intelligent reader required only an
| alluslon to remind him OF their familiar
| features. All over the world they are
names to c0njure with, frequent In all
poets, the fayorite themes OF painters aud
| sculptors, proudly borne BY the battle
| ships Of every nation, and written all over
| the heavens iu planets, stars and constella-
| tiOps. which shine for all worlds, and viii
| to the latest syllable Of recorded time.
The above Is but an outline Of part Of
/ the lecture, which was warmly applauded
at the close. BY special request, the next
lecture will be postponed one "eek' W
| November 2ist.