Attended Prayers this morning and recitation in Topography. I was called upon today and acquitted myself with mediocrity. Making one week over, out of eight which we have before us. I returned home, dressed myself and after breakfast attended Lecture. It was today the history of the Anti Homeric literature, the subjects of which are those 348which we have still remaining of the works of that time, those of which we have authentic accounts, the works themselves being lost and lastly the authors of these works. Three periods may be assumed in the early history of Greek works and although we rank Homer our first author, he does not come until the close of the third period. A peculiar character is to be ascribed to that age when man was just emerging from the barbarous into the heroic state which itself was semibarbarous. The first period above mentioned consequently comprises the age of the earliest lawgivers, founders of tribes, priests, inventors of arts, founders of cities and reformers, whose communication with their fellow men was in an unusual strain, but who can by no means be considered poets in the sense in which we use the term. Of this number were Orpheus, Linus, Amphion and Musaeus, if we ascribe to them any actual existence. They were not poets but only higher wise men, but as the changes between the ages was great as the progress of civilization, it is probable they had nothing to leave worthy of notice.

The second period was that of the sacred songs of the temples, of triumphal hymns in the families of the heroes and the songs of the bards like those in more modern times. Here was more probably the rise of Poetry as an art. It is highly probable that many of these came down to a much later age although they have become unknown in any time which we have records of. The songs in the temples came down and were preserved long after they had become unintelligible. Homer mentions the song of the Salii which was sung but of which nobody knew the meaning. Something similar may be found in our version of the Bible in which there are some words which have lost their meaning but which are preserved because it is not thought worthwhile to affect the associations which are natural to the mind and which would weaken our respect for the sacred scriptures, were we at liberty to expunge at pleasure. This species of writing would however sink naturally also, by the transition into a more polished age.

The third period is that in which poetry was made a single branch of application and was gradually brought to the perfection which we behold in the books of Homer. No one will suppose that a book like the Iliad or Odyssey of Homer could be the first composition in any language. It is so artificially formed that with all the allowance in the world for the native power of creative genius, and all deductions for the work of subsequent critics, there is an art to be seen and traced which could not have proceeded but from a long series of efforts. They may since have been adapted to each other and more highly polished 349and suited to an after age, but nevertheless they are still very much too great for a first exertion.

We are thus prepared to analyze a few of the accounts which we have received of the early authors and which has been perfected for us by the patience of criticism. Fabricius has given us seventy names. We will therefore attempt a few. He previously however noticed a list of names in the synopsis Article 6. of authors of works of reference, for the history of Greek Literature.1 The first class comprise the names of the primitive heroes, Prometheus, Hercules &c. The first was considered as the great leader of the arts and age in this early stage. Chiron, a native of Thessaly, which country appears to have been the cradle of the arts in this country, a curious circumstance when we find it had relapsed into proverbial ignorance and barbarism in the flourishing times of Athens. It has been usual with theologians to attempt to identify every name in ancient history with some one or other of the names in the old testament, thinking in that to make a regular historical account of all ages to agree from different authorities, but it only rendered the Christian account suspect, he thought. Hermes was according to the ancient accounts the author of alphabetical writing, of Geometry, of medicine, of the lyre of seven strings and many other arts, from which it would appear that he was a tolerably versatile genius. He has many works charged to him but they are all fabrications of different periods, two or three of them Arabian, and others in the middle ages or earlier, their names are in the synopsis. He was supposed to have been the who pursued alchemy as a study; it did not arise until the third century after Christ. He was also called Theuth Thoth in Egyptian and Teut in German. Horus and Zoroaster were the last. Of this last he spoke largely, or rather of his supposed work, the Zendavesta Zend-Avesta which was said to have been discovered and translated in the eighteenth century by du Perron, a Frenchman.2 Sir William Jones however did not allow its authenticity but argues it as merely tradition which has come down in the East from a much later period. He however thinks that there are two Chapters which appear to be somewhat authentic, even if this is the case the work is extremely valuable. Eichhorn has also added another passage to the number. He is supposed to have existed in Persia in the seventh Century before Christ. From lecture I went home and wrote my Journal which occupied me very nearly all the morning.

I spent half an hour at the reading room and after dinner went to declamation. It was my turn, but I did not word or words omitted and my excuse was not accepted. I offered the speech of Patrick Henry 350on the Virginia resolutions and it was accepted. I could find no other. I spent the afternoon committing a piece of poetry, a little song of Waller’s3 to a rose, according to an intention of mine to commit to Memory a certain portion of Poetry in a certain time in order to improve my memory. I also read Thomson’s Autumn, not having had an opportunity to read it at the appointed time. I nevertheless took the commencement of this month instead, to which the poem as strictly applies. I was more pleased than ever with it, the appeal to Industry delighted me very much. Thinking of that song of Wallers, I was struck with the similarity of one of the ideas with one of Grey’s Gray’s which has been much admired. “Full many a flower” &c. My afternoon was in this way very agreably taken up.

After Prayers, we drilled in the Corps, which as usual put me into a terribly irritated state, I believe much more pain has issued from serving in my capacity than pleasure. After drill, I was a little while at Otis’s and the rest of the time in my room. We this evening enjoyed the first privileges of the Senior Year by having no lesson on Saturdays. I wrote a large part of my theme and mused away some time.4 XI.

Missed Prayers this morning and did not arise until breakfast time. The class as usual were alarmed by an ambiguous expression of Mr. Hayward’s and only had their fears quieted when they found that he had only resorted to one of his usual tricks. At study bell we attended a lecture of Mr. Everett’s. He commenced with an account of the names included in his second period in which he includes the authors of the sacred songs of the temples, heroic hymns and songs of the bards. Of these there are two names, Phemius and Demodocus, rendered remarkable by being mentioned by Homer and the Sibylline 351 image Oracles. The history of these he said would take far more space than he could possibly allow to the subject, he should not therefore go into it but refer us to an essay upon the subject in Mitford’s Greece which he said was worth reading. Origin of them probably was in the superior wisdom and sanctity of individuals who foreseeing events with more clearness took upon themselves the power of inspiration. They afterwards fell into the hands of the priesthood by the natural course of events. Learning being exclusively theirs. These oracles did not confine themselves by any means to Greece. They existed and had influence in Asia Minor, in the Islands and in Syria. The ancient authors mention many but those of the Sibyl were the most famous. The etymology of the name is doubtful, some derive it from Διος βουλη 1 which it was supposed to express. There are at least twenty different derivations of the word, some say more. Ten sibyls were named by Varro, whose names are inserted in the synopsis Article 8.3. The first was supposed to be the daughter of Tiresias, the second existed previous to the Trojan war and foretold it, the third was consulted by Aeneas, the fourth belonged to the islands and flourished about the 10th Olympiad, the seventh is mentioned by Euripides, the eighth by Justin Martyr who says there were twenty four books of her sayings in the 120th Olympiad. All these were in circulation at Rome except the Cuman Cumaean which the Senate suppressed as it was the most holy; they only consulted it upon solemn and important occasions and acted by it’s decisions.

History of the Sibylline Oracles at Rome is singular. The story of their being offered to Tarquin the proud is well known, in nine books and an exorbitant price demanded, which offer being refused, she burnt three and offered the remaining six which being again refused, she burnt three more and demanded the same price for the remainder. This time she was successful and obtained her price. These books were preserved in the Capitol in the temple of Juno under the care of the duumviri appointed for that purpose, the number was afterwards increased to ten and then to fifteen. One author says that in a later age the number was seventy, which proves the office to have been held in great estimation. There is an abbreviation for their title which I do not recollect but the explanation is duumviri sacris faciendis. He said while on this subject, it was worthwhile to mention two or three of these, which we should often meet with in Latin History. The master of the mint for instance had his duty thus written—A.A.A.F.F.P. auro, argento, aere, flando, feriundo propositius. So also a common inscription upon the old Roman tombs, C.S.H.S.T.T.L. communi sumptu haere-352 image dum sit tibi terra levis. H.D.V. caro datu vivit. The oracles were destroyed at the burning of the Capitol under Sylla. They were replaced from all parts of the world as works were collected from all parts of the world, examined and some of them selected, and placed in gilded cases in the temple of Apollo from which they were saved at it’s conflagration. It was the part of ecclesiastical discernment to see the use such things might be put to, they have frequently in them the sign of a fish and this is also seen on the tombs of the early Christians. The origin of it is this, the initial letters of the words they used, in the Greek language formed the word Ιχθνς or Ιησου Χριστου Θεου υιος σταυρος.2 This proves the works fabricated which are called the sibylline Oracles.

A work now extant under the name is of this sort, it was written by the christians who were aware they would obtain much influence if the predictions of the Pagans were according to their wishes. He then entered into a short analysis of this work. The first book is a close imitation of the creation according to the book of Genesis and a prediction of our Saviour which proves his work to have been written since the Christian era. The second was a mere general prophecy of future events. The third was concerning Antichrist, but it has always been a matter of question among men to decide whether by this personage Nero was meant or Martin Luther. She also declares herself to be the daughter of Noah. The fourth treats of the destruction of kingdoms and the last Judgment. In the fifth, she calls herself the sister of Noah and gives a list of the Roman Emperors by their initial letters. In the sixth she gives the account of the baptism of our Saviour, the seventh gives an account of the happy state of the righteous and the eighth foretells the judgment of nations. Most of this was fabricated in the early part of the Christian history with some scraps collected of the old Sybilline books and woven into the work. There have been a large number of fabrications of a similar sort.

After Lecture, I returned home and wrote my Journal for the day before, which employed me all the remainder of the morning. In the afternoon, I wrote a letter to Tudor3 concerning his affairs here, in which I stated to him very simply the whole of the affair. I think it singular that he left town without paying a private debt to me, but such are young men. I dislike human nature more every day and am more disgusted with the young men than ever. I then committed a piece of poetry according to custom which passed off the afternoon with a visit at Morse’s to buy some furniture.

In the Evening, Fisher paid me a visit, the first for some time. 353After he left, I corrected my theme and then went up to Otis’s where I found Fisher. I had intended to stay only ten minutes and stayed a very long while for, happening to fall into quite interesting conversation, and being over a very good fire, we sat and sat until the clock warned Fisher to go home and me to come down to my room, in which I had no inclination to sit with no fire, and at such an hour, so that after reading my Bible I retired at the hour of XII:10.