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[484]

THE CATALOGUE OF THE SHIPS.

Vs. 484-785. The forces of the Achaeans.

484-493. Prooemium: Invocation of the Muses.

484 = “Λ 218, Ξ 508, Π” 112.—Solemn invocation of the muses where a faithful memory is needed for telling the story, or where the theme taxes the poet's powers. cf. “ἄειδε θεά Α 1, ἄνδρα μοι ἔννεπε μοῦσα α” 1, pandite nunc Helicona, deae, cantusque movete, | . . . et meministis enim, divae, et memorare potestis; | ad nos vix tenuis famae perlabitur aura, Verg. Aen. vii. 641, 645 f.—For the repetition of the invocation, cf. ‘Descend from Heaven, Urania’ Milton Par. Lost vii. 1.

νῦν: now, closely connecting what follows with the advance of the Achaeans that has been described, vs. 455-483.

μοῦσαι: pl. as v. 594. Homer does not know the name of any muse, and has their number as nine only Od. 24.60. The muses could not be assigned to different arts and sciences before these arts and sciences existed.—For the rhyme between the words before the caesura and the close of the verse, cf. 3.133; see § 2 a.

Homer's Iliad, Books I-III. Thomas D. Seymour. Boston. Ginn and Company. 1891.

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