The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-11-17

islands In classical eimeS Leucas alone wal
inhabited by Dorian The C~ephalIenian'
crossed TO D~ulichium and founded there
new Cephalenia. The Ithacans crossed
from Leucas 20 Same and built there the
new Ithaca. That emigrating parties otter
Civ their old names 20 their new homes
ID shown not only by northern Greek names
In Peloponnesus but also by names o. Eng.
hsh towns in New England and all over the
United States.
What was the position Of women in HO-
meric times? An answer TO the question
will DO found in the fourth chapter Of. this
volume. Prof. Seymour points out that
eight types OF women are drawn clearly
by HOmer-Helen, Andromache, Penelope.
HeCuba. Arete, NausicaR. Clytemnestra and
Euryclea. Helen Of Troy. often called
ArRive Helen. from her early home. ID
beautiful. fascinating. possessed OF great
tact but little Conscience, the quick witted
mistress Of her household and yet easily
influenced. She lie not greatly troubled in
soul by the fact that she IL the cause of
the war. but she applies to herself such
harsh epithets (dogfaoed woman and dog)
and Expresses such fervent wishes that she
had dice before causing all this trouble that
In general no one else has the heart 20 re-
proach her. though Achilles. addressing
the dead Patroclus. calls her horrible. When
h goes to the great tower Of the Scsean
gate on the first day of battle for a view
Of the conflict On the plain. Priam calls to
her: Come hither. dear child. and sit by
me. that thou may'st see thy former hus-
band. thy kinsmen and thy friends. Thou
art not to blame In my sight; the gods are
TO blame. who brought upon me the fearful
war OF the Acheans." Similarly Hector.
though he curses his brother Paris for
bringing Helen TO T~roy-wishing that he
CParis) had never been born, and even
praying for his death-yet has 10 Wort OF
reproach for Helen herself. When Hec-
tors body 10 ransomed md brought back
to the city Helen says that in the twenty
years Of her life in Troy she never heard q
harsh or r~eprOachful word from him: but
that whenever any others reprOached her
he checked them by his kind spirit snd kind
Words MeneIaus himself has no rebuke
for Helen after she is recaptured. but well
comes her back to his home with no re-
proaohes and accepts the view which Helen
AAoANoAA RAOgChNo WbG AhO n1Ys kAhg III
dite inspired her blind infatuation when
the goddess led her 10 Troy. away from
her fatherland. leaving her daughter. her
home and her husband. who was inferior
to no one, either In mind or in comeliness.'
Prof. Seymour reminds us that the poet
gives no description Of Helen's beauty.
Nor indeed does he mention the stature.
color Of hair or eyes or weight
Of any Of his chief female charcojsrs. ex-
cept as he implies that Nausicaa Ia all and
slender by a comparison with Artemis
and a young palm tree. That tall stature
was necessary to beauty in HOmer's day
as well as in AristOtle's is indicated by the
words Of Calypso to Odysseus. when she
wonders that he longs to return to Ithaca
Penelope, though the goddess offers
him a life OF undyinG ease and counts her
self not inferior to Penelope in stature and
form. Attention is clO directed to the
iact that not once in RIlthe poems IL the
age OF a woman given in terms OF years.
is young. but Homer does not
ms how young. Helen and Penelope
are agelesS in their beauty. like the gods
Leasing observed that no
more satisfactory evidence OF Helen's
could be given than the words OF
The aged cOunsellors Of Troy as she ap-
preached the Soean gate: 1T is no matter
" blame that for such a woman the Trojans
well greaved AchRans suffer long:
Is she like the immortal ~goddesses
a Countenance."
A~ndrOmache. OF course. has long been
recognized as the type Of the devoted help
nate whose heart is bound up in her hus-
,and and child. The mutual affection and
confidence OF Hector and Andromache
s ideal. Il will be remembered that on
he first day Of battle she has gone with her
nfant son and the nurse to the Scean
.ate Of the city in the hope of learning
idings Of the conflict and Of her husband. |
she learns that he has come to the
ity with a message for Queen Hecuba,
nd the young wife hurries to meet him,
ust after he has sought her vainly at their
and is Fastening to the field Of war.
iector smiles. looking upon his child in
Hence. but A~ndrOmache. shedding tears,
lands by him. clasps his hand and says:
My dear husband. this courage of thine
Vil be thy death. nor dost thou pity thine
nfant son n me. hapless woman" She
eminds him that he Is to her not only hus-
and but also father and brother. and
him to take his stand within the
and from the wall to direct its defence.
Ie replies that he remembers all this. but
remain way from the battle. He
.nows that the time will come when Iium
hall perish and he grieves not so much for
herself nor Priam. nor his brothers.
q at the thought Of the lot that is to befalI
Indromache-to weave at the bidding OF
mother or to fetch water from the springs
I Argos or Thessaly. He caresses her
nd bids her grieve not too much for him;
Q cannot escape death il the gods have
'illed il. o will he be slain unless this il
ated. He reminds her. too. thai war is
he care OF men," and she departs TO her
ONE. often turning about for a last look
1 her husband.
Penelope OF Ithaca has. We need not say.
zen long accepted IA the eXemplar Of a
aithful wife. while Hecuba is the typical
Aother. Arete. wife OF Alcinous. King Of
he Pheacians. is the masterful woman
rho governs her household and settles
ne disputes Of her people. even the quar-
lis among men. Her daughter. the charm
u Princess Nausicaa. 10 the typical petted
ut not spoiled young girl; she is, by the
the only young damsel just reaching
10 time for marriage whom Homer depicts.