Pagina 417 van 1391

'Very true.' But if a person could create as well as imitate, he

would rather leave some permanent work and not an imitation only;

he would rather be the receiver than the giver of praise? 'Yes,

for then he would have more honour and advantage.'

Let us now interrogate Homer and the poets. Friend Homer, say I

to him, I am not going to ask you about medicine, or any art to

which your poems incidentally refer, but about their main

subjects-war, military tactics, politics. If you are only twice

and not thrice removed from the truth-not an imitator or an

image-maker, please to inform us what good you have ever done to

mankind? Is there any city which professes to have received laws

from you, as Sicily and Italy have from Charondas, Sparta from

Lycurgus, Athens from Solon? Or was any war ever carried on by

your counsels? or is any invention attributed to you, as there is

to Thales and Anacharsis? Or is there any Homeric way of life,

such as the Pythagorean was, in which you instructed men, and

which is called after you?