[53,0] The Fifty-third Discourse:  On Homer. 
1 Democritus expresses his opinion of Homer in these words: "Homer, having been 
blessed with a divinely inspired genius, fashioned an 'ornament of verses' of every 
kind," thus indicating his belief that without a divine and superhuman nature it is 
impossible to produce verses of such beauty and wisdom. Many others too have 
written on this subject, some expressly lauding the poet and at the same time 
pointing out some of his wise sayings, while others have busied themselves with 
interpreting the thought itself, this group including not merely Aristarchus and 
Crates and several others of those who later were called grammarians but formerly 
critics. In fact Aristotle himself, with whom they say that literary interpretation and 
criticism began, treats of the poet in many dialogues, admiring him in general and 
paying him honour, as does also Heracleides of Pontus.  
2 Prior to these, however, Plato mentions Homer at every opportunity, marvelling at 
the charm and grace of his poesy,  though often censuring him in respect of his myths 
and tales about the gods, holding that he (p359) has told what was not at all beneficial to 
mankind when he narrates in detail about the gods instances of greed, of scheming 
against one another, and of adultery and wrangling and contentiousness.  And finally 
he reaches the point of refusing to admit Homer to partnership in his own state and 
constitution,  which, as he himself believed, was to be founded upon wisdom, his 
purpose being, not only that those whom he appoints as guardians and leaders of the 
state should not as boys hear such tales about gods, but also that no melancholy 
account of conditions in the lower world should cause them to be more faint-hearted 
in the face of battle and death  or, like colts which have been badly broken in, 
suspicious from the start bat things which are not really terrifying.  
3 Regarding these matters there is indeed another theory, which is fuller, longer, and 
not easy to expound, dealing with the question whether Homer erred in these 
particulars, or whether he was merely transmitting to mankind certain doctrines 
about natural phenomena embodied in the myths after the fashion then in vogue.  
Indeed it is not easy to arbitrate a question like that, just as, in my opinion, it is not 
easy to decide against one of two men who are your friends, both being worthy of 
respect, when each makes charges against the other. 
4 But to continue, Zeno  the philosopher also has written on both the Iliad and the 
Odyssey, and, in fact, on the Margites  too; he believes that this poem also was 
composed by Homer at the time when (p361) he was rather young and was testing his 
poetic genius. 5 However, Zeno finds fault with none of the work of Homer, 
undertaking to interpret it and at the same time to show that the poet has written 
some things in accord with fancy and some things in accord with reality, Zeno's 
purpose being to save Homer from appearing to be at war with himself in certain 
matters which are held to be inconsistent with each other as narrated by Homer.  But 
Antisthenes  anticipated Zeno in this theory, namely, that some things have been 
spoken by the poet in accord with fancy and some in accord with reality; however, 
Antisthenes did not elaborate the theory, whereas Zeno made it plain in each of its 
details. Moreover, Persaeus, the pupil of Zeno, also has followed the same plan in his 
writings, as have several others as well. 
But to return to Plato, while finding fault with Homer, as I have said, he at the same 
time declares his poetic power to be something amazing, his idea being that Homer is 
capable of everything and reproduces literally every voice, even of rivers, winds, and 
waves; moreover, he very jestingly gives instructions to bind the poet's brows with a 
fillet of wool, pour perfume on him, and — send him somewhere else. 
(p363) 6 Furthermore, Plato himself in praising Homer's poesy for its charm admires 
the man exceedingly.  Indeed, without divine favour, without inspiration of the 
Muses and Apollo, it is simply impossible for poetry to be created which is so lofty 
and magnificent, and withal so sweet,  as to enthral for so many years, not merely 
men who have the same tongue and language as the poet, but even many of alien 
race, yes, so that not only men who speak two languages and are of mixed stock, 
though unacquainted with much else that is Greek, are very familiar with Homer's 
verses, but even some who live very far away. For example, it is said that Homer's 
poetry is sung even in India, where they have translated it into their own speech and 
tongue. 7 The result is that, while the people of India have no chance to behold many 
of the stars in our part of the world — for example, it is said that the Bears are not 
visible in their country — still they are not unacquainted with the sufferings of Priam, 
the laments and wailings of Andromachê and Hecuba, and the valour of both Achilles 
and Hector: so remarkable has been the spell of one man's poetry! It even seems to 
me that by this power of his he has surpassed both the Sirens and Orpheus. 8 For in 
(p365) what respect is it a greater feat to cast a spell upon stones and trees and wild 
beasts and to make them follow than to have mastered so completely men of alien 
race who do not understand the Hellenic speech, men who have acquaintance with 
neither the poet's tongue nor the deeds of which his poem tells, but are, as I believe, 
simply enchanted by a lyre? Moreover, I believe that many barbarians who are still 
more ignorant than those men of India have heard of the name of Homer, if nothing 
more, though they have no clear notion what it signifies, whether animal or vegetable 
or something else still. 
9 However that may be, Homer's life deserves praise much more than his verse. For 
example, his having lived in poverty, a wanderer, and making from his poems only 
enough to sustain life is evidence of remarkable fortitude and nobility of soul;  and 
besides, his never having written his name anywhere, yes, never having even referred 
to himself anywhere in his poetry, though all other writers with any reputation for 
skill in composing either verse or prose write their names both at the beginning and 
at the end, and many even in the body of their works,  both prose and verse. 

[53,10] Take, for example, Hecataeus  and Herodotus and Thucydides, Thucydides, 
in fact, solemnly affirming, 
not merely once at the beginning (p367) of his history, but many times, in 
connexion with each winter and summer,  "Thucydides composed this." Homer, on 
the contrary, was so liberal and magnanimous that nowhere in his poetry will he be 
found to refer to himself, but in fact, like the prophets of the gods, he speaks, as it 
were, from the invisible, from somewhere in the inmost sanctuary.  
11 Again, since everything Homer wrote is both beneficial and practically serviceable, if 
one were to review all he has said on the subject of virtue and vice, it would be a vast 
undertaking; however, on the subject of kings a brief statement must be made as to 
what he says they should be like. Whenever, for instance, he praises any king, he calls 
him "the peer of Zeus in wisdom"; and all the good kings are "Zeus-nurtured"; and 
Minos, who has the highest reputation among the Greeks for justice, he says is both 
the associate and pupil of Zeus,  his idea being that Minos was the first and greatest 
king of all, and the only one who himself understood and handed down the art of 
kingship, and also that good kings should shape their course with an eye to Minos, 
patterning their own conduct after a god, so far as humanly possible. 
12 Moreover, the 
poet makes manifest the character of Zeus and the nature of his kingship in a 
multitude of ways, but, to put it briefly and succinctly, he frequently indicates his 
power and disposition by the constant epithet, "father of gods and of men," the notion 
being that the care exercised (p369) by kings should be that of a solicitous father, 
accompanied by kindness and affection, and that he should never lead and govern 
men in any other way than with love and protective care, since Zeus does not disdain 
being called men's father.