8.
[17]
And if we ourselves were not able to arrive at these advantages, nor even taste them with
our senses, still we ought to admire them, even when we saw them in others. Who of us was of
so ignorant and brutal a disposition as not lately to be grieved at the death of Roscius? who,
though he was an old man when he died, yet on account of the excellence and beauty of his art,
appeared to be one who on every account ought not to have died. Therefore, had he by the
gestures of his body gained so much of our affections, and shall we disregard the incredible
movements of the mind, and the rapid operations of genius? How often have I seen this man.
Archias, O judges,—(for I will take advantage of your kindness, since you listen to
me so attentively while speaking in this unusual manner,)—how often have I seen him,
when he had not written a single word, repeat extempore a great number of admirable verses on
the very events which were passing at the moment!
[18]
How often
have I seen him go back, and describe the same thing over again with an entire change of
language and ideas! And what he wrote with care and with much thought that I have seen admired
to such a degree, as to equal the credit of even the writings of the ancients. Should not I,
then, love this man? should I not admire him? should not I think it my duty to defend him in
every possible way? And, indeed, we have constantly heard from men of the greatest eminence
and learning, that the study of other sciences was made up of learning, and rules, and regular
method; but that a poet was such by the unassisted work of nature, and was moved by the vigour
of his own mind, and was inspired, as it were, by some divine wrath. Wherefore rightly does
our own great Ennius call poets holy; because they seem to be recommended to us by some
especial gift, as it were, and liberality of the gods.
[19]
Let
then, judges, this name of poet, this name which no barbarians even have ever disregarded, be
holy in your eyes, men of cultivated minds as you all are. Rocks and deserts reply to the
poet's voice; savage beasts are often moved and arrested by song; and shall we, who have been
trained in the pursuit of the most virtuous acts, refuse to be swayed by the voice of poets?
The Colophonians say that Homer was their citizen; the Chians claim him as theirs; the
Salaminians assert their right to him; but the men of Smyrna loudly assert him to be a citizen
of Smyrna, and they have even raised a temple to him in their city. Many other places also
fight with one another for the honour of being his birth-place.
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