Page:Monsieur Bossu's Treatise of the epick poem - Le Bossu (1695).djvu/76

32 not undertake the Elogy of any particular Man. But we do not find that Horace has concerned himself in the business of imposing Names: Therefore we refer this to the following Chapter, where we shall enquire into the Opinion of Aristotle.

The Point about Morality is expresly in Horace. This Critick is entirely for the way I proposed. He says * That Homer lays down admirable Instructions for the Conduct of Humane Life, and herein prefers the Iliad and the Odyssei's to the Writings of the most excellent Philosophers. This is self-evident, and having said as much already, we wave saying any more about it: The Reader may consult his Epistle to Lollius.

But what signifies it (may some one say) if Homer had a mind to lay down Instructions of Morality? This does not himder, but he might have made choice of a Hero whom he might have praised, and this Elogy rightly managed might be a Fable. He was willing then to praise Achilles and Ʋlysses as Xenophon did his Cyrus. Is not this plainly the Design of Virgil? And if Homer was less successful, ought we not to pardon the Imperfection of these first Ages, which did not furnish him with those great Ideas of Vertue, and those perfect Heroes which after-Ages did produce?

The Hero of Virgil is indeed a true Hero in Morality as well as Poetry; and represents to Kings a compleat Model of all the Vertues which conspire to make a great Prince. This might have given that Idea of the Epick Fable, which we are now examining. For the Aeneid is better read and understood than the Iliad. And Men are easily perswaded, that the Design of these less known Pieces is the same with that which they are so well acquainted with. Besides, this Judgment is backed by that noble Idea Men commonly conceive of the Valour of Achilles, and of the consummated Prudence of Ʋlysses. These are almost the two only Things which the generality of the World are acquainted with in the Greek Poems: Which may have induced them to believe that the Fables of Homer are the Panegyricks of Achilles and Ulysses.

But if Horace, of whom we now speak, had been of this Mind; and if he had believed that the Design of an Epick Poem, should be to establish the Merit of a Hero, and to propose him to others as a Model of Perfection; it necessarily follows, that either this great Critick was not well acquainted with considerable Defects in the Heroes of Homer, or else that he did not think Homer was a good Pattern to imitate.

Yet we see he knew the one, and believed the other. He knew no Vertue in Achilles, nor any Action that deserved Praise. On the contrary, he says, That in all the Iliad, both in the Grecians