The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-11-05
Book Reviews and Notes Of the Publishers.

Zeus and Hera to their Roman cous- ins Jupiter and Juno. Nor can we study here the earlier Phoenician tra 7N-routes in Greece, nor attempt to lctcfmine even approximately the pro- portions of the elements of myth, his torical tradition, and imagination in the story of the poems. .. To intro duce into our discussions the consid- eration of origins would lead to end- less confusion and to no clear re- 'sult. Still less than the ques- tions of prehistoric archaeology, may we discuss here the so-called Homeric question, as to the manner of the composition of the poems, although the general attitude of the writer must be briefly stated This book seeks to set forth with regard to Hom- eric antiquities simply what may be learned from the Homeric poems themselves, with such illustration as is obvious or naturally presented from other sources" (Pps. 1, Z, 3.)
 Within the limits prescribed by himself the author has worked with
  | The work extends over 700 pages and is packed with all the available in- formation on a subject which has en- grossed more study than almost any other in Greek literature. Each chap ter is given up to the discussion of Q particular topic and furnishes all the hints which are available in the | yNO 1Fs a,Ao i,,e 1.-the facts in the case, The Geogra- phy, the Family, Dress and Decora- ton, Food, Property. Slavery, Trade, Agriculture, Religion, and War are some of the many topics discussed in this most exhaustive treatise. To the general reader perhaps it Is not easy to see the forest for the trees and it would have been of great advantage
 to such had there been a summary or picture of the whole presented in a final chapter, but this the author ap-
 parently considered besund either the
 limits of his space or the design of the
 work. It is a book chiefly for schol-
 ars or students and even these must Iregard 1t more in the nature of an en' | cyclopaedia than narrative, This a Ileast is the way the average reader
 would regard it aud use it.
 The book is equipped with man!
 maps and plates which make clear tn,
 meaning of the text and in them
 selves, constitute a very valuable ait
 to one who wishes to grasp more firm ly some of the facts which mak
 Greek art and Greek literature tn
 source to which all who have felt tn eternal longing for beauty of forn and expression turn; that Colder past which looms like shining clou, upon the far horizon of history. Ina | this work of Professor Seymour vii help towards fuller and clearer real Ilzation of that past cannot be doubte' and if it does no one can doubt tha he will be satisfied. For the aim 0 the true scholar is not mere pedantr or the accumulation of facts, but lik that of the scientist, life, And | spite of all the wide intervals of tim and space life has not changed an the world of thoughts and fears 0 hopes and ambitions, of far reachin :. daring and noble courage are foreve the same Nowhere is the meanin of some of the deepest and most eter
 nal asirations of the human soul nor ] vividly felt than is those poems whlc j have for ages been the delight and jo
 of generation after generation