A history of classical Greek literature / by J.P. Mahaffy.

John Pentland Mahaffy

Date:: 1910

Credit: A history of classical Greek literature / by J.P. Mahaffy. Source: Wellcome Collection.

50/240 page 34

$54 of the transitory nothingness of life—Euripides’ to fxriotv etc oiJSeV peVei—may have aided his candid nature in the very just and impartial view he takes of the virtues and vices of men. He has often been accused, but never convicted, of bias or unfairness. He is most explicit in telling the good points of those who suffer his severest censure. Perhaps the most disagreeable personage in his history is the deity ‘ who permits no one to feel proud but himself’ *—a sort of singular, but impersonal Providence, in whom a leading attribute is jealousy, a curious and early reflection of the most ingrained national vice of the Greeks from Homer to the present day. The enigmatical warnings of this Providence, through dreams and oracles, occupy, no doubt, too prominent a place among his causes for great events, but, nevertheless, convey to us the feeling of the Greek public, even of later days, far more faith- fully than the uncompromising positivism of Thucydides. If, also, he assigns trivial origins to great consequences, such as the selfishness of Demokedes involving his whole race in misfor- tune, we must remember in palliation that the caprices of TpuTOV yvJ>iLr\v aTre^i^aro i\ev64pus ov (rvfiPovXtvwv afp^ri crTpareveffOai iirl T^v 'EWcfSa, ovtos uv^p (ppaadels aep^ea haKpvffavTa fXpero raSe • /SatrtXeC, troKKhv aK\i]Ka>v Kexo>pi<rfxeva 4pyd(rao vvv re /cal hxlycp irpdrepov; fiaKaplffas yhp (reuvThv SaKpveis. 'O 5e eltre * ’E<rri\9e yap p.e Xoyiaifievov KaroiKTupai ws fipax^^s ^ Tras dvdpdoirivos fiios, el rovreccy ye iSvruv rocrov- roty ovSels is eKaroffThv eras irepiecrrai. 'O Se d/xelPeTO Keyccv 'Erepa Tovrov vapd t)]V ^6riy ireir6y6ap.ey olKrpdrepa. iy yhp ovtu fipaxii &lcp ovSels ovrey dyOpuiros i<i>y evBa'ip.p>y Trec^u/ce, aSre rovreuy, oHre rwy HWay, ov irapaaT-nfferai woWaKis, /col ovkI OTTof, redydyai ^oiXeaBat fidXXoy fl (tieiy. aX re yap <rvfx(t>opal irpoa'irlirTOva'ai, Ka\ at yovffoi ffvyrapdffffovcrai Kod dpax^T idyra fiaKphy SoKeeiy elvai iroievffi rhy ^ioy. ovtw 6 yey Bdyaros fioxOvpVT eovaris r^s (6r)s Kara(f>vy^ alperurdTri aydpdircp yeyoye' 6 5^ 9ehs yXvKvy yevffas rby alwva <f>9ovephs iy avr^ evplaKerai idiy. The author of the Epitaphios, ascribed to Lysias, has used this passage with great effect, and : without any servile imitation, in his admirable peroration, §§ 77-78. • vii. 10. It is, however, but just to add that he thinks the gods (0eoO have their name from setting in order (/cder^qu Bernes), and that he reoog- . nises ir, many places a wise and benevolent Providence. Thus, iiL 108, ^ Kai HUS ToO Belov f] irpovolri, &<nrep /cal oIk6s iffri, iovcra ffotp-f), makes harm j less and edible animals prolific, whereas the reverse is the case with birds i of prey.$

A history of classical Greek literature / by J.P. Mahaffy.

Licence and re-use

Contents