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

  • John Pentland Mahaffy
Date:
1910
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

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

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    many private recollections, when he is illustrating the character of his hero by special anecdotes. I am suspicious, moreover, on account of the gross exaggeration (in chap, ii.) about the Spartan loss at Leuctra, which, he says, amounted to half the citizens, whereas in the Hellenica we are told that 400 out of the 700 present were slain. The style is uneven, and the structure of the piece not according to the strict laws of rhetoric. Thus the proem consists only of two short sentences, and there is a full recapitulation at the end, which is unsuitable, and spoils the effect (as Isocrates felt, when he forbade such repetitions in encomia). The following sentence is perhaps the worst possible specimen of Gorgian alliteration G—vo^Li^iov iv rw ToiovT(o TO T£ arptfiEQ^ Kul ai'SKTrXrjKToruToi', Kol adopvj3r]T6TaToyy 'Cfii dvaixapTriTOTarov^ kul ^vfTETnftuvXEvroTaroy eij'ai. Several of these words occur nowhere else in Xenophon, as is the case with many other terms in this tract. But the frequent recur- rence of uTrat XEyouEi'a in each tract or work of Xenophon makes it very difficult to establish their genuineness from inter- nal evidence. In contrast to the former, here is an elegantly finished period : 6 Be KaprEpiq. p.EV 7rpu)TEvu)r, EvOa ttoveIv Kaipoi, d\Ky Be, diTOv dvBpiac dycor, yi'ojpy Be, ottov ftovXrjg Epyoy, ovtoq EpoiyE Bokei BiKaiujg dy^p ayaBog Trai'TEXwg di' yopiii^EffBai.^ Here I leave the Agesilaus, recording my own opinion against its genuineness, but referring the reader to the German critics for arguments on whichever side he pleases to range himself. There is a convenient English text and commentar}^ lately published by Mr. Hailstone. § 485. We now proceed to consider the Socratic group of works, consisting of the Memoirs, or general sketch of Socrates, with the CEconomicus, which describes his views on the practi- cal business of life, and the Symposium, on social relaxations. This account of the great philosopher, by an affectionate pupil, differs widely from the panegyric we have just discussed. In- stead of rhetorical periods and figures, for which Xenophon had little natural taste, and imperfect training, we have the form of artless narrative and easy dialogue, in which he is a great master, though overshadowed by the quaint Herodotus * c. vi. sub fin. * Cf. also c. xi. § 13.
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