Page images
PDF
EPUB

Gail). 2. Because the administration of government is not in the hands of the few, but of the many. (Poppo and Goeller, 2nd ed.). Dr. Owen though he says the passage "does not seem admissible (susceptible?) of any interpretation wholly free from objections," yet pronounces at last in favor of the latter rendering; nor are we disposed to find fault with his decision. The context calls for such an explanation, and the construction, though certainly unusual, is after all less harsh and violent than Dr. Owen seems to think it. We may translate almost literally, because the carrying on of government extends not to few but to many, which naturally enough suggests the sense required.

66

C. 38. § 1. ών καθ' ἡμέραν ἡ τέρψις τὸ λυπηρὸν ἐκπλήσσει. “ καθ' ἡμέραν ἡ τέρψις for ἡ καθ ̓ ἡμέραν τέρψις.” So also Krüger; but the difference of collocation appears to be more than a mere accident, and requires to be accounted for. We may say, perhaps, that xað quéquv, standing as it does in the text, is not a mere adjunct of the noun, but qualifies the sentence, whereof day by day the enjoyment drives away vexation.

...

C. 39. § 2. οὔτε γὰρ Λακεδαιμόνιοι καθ' ἑκάστους . . . στρατεύουσι. This reading, which is the common one, makes it necessary to take Aaxedapório as a generic designation for the Lacedaemonians and their allies-for neither do the Peloponnesian confederacy wage war by single States-a rather harsh expedient. It would have been well, perhaps, to notice the easier reading xav' έavro's which, though resting on little manuscript authority, is preferred by Poppo and Krüger.

C. 40. § 2. οὐ τοὺς λόγους τοῖς ἔρχοις βλάβην ἡγούμενοι, ἀλλὰ μὴ προδιδαχθῆναι μᾶλλον λόγῳ πρότερον ἢ ἐπὶ ἃ δεῖ ἔργῳ ἐλθεῖν. “ This use of oyo in the sense of in truth, in good deed, is very common." "Egyo here stands opposed to loy and signifies not in truth, but in action. Translate, "regarding not speech as any detriment to action, but rather not to be instructed by speech, before proceeding in action to those things which are necessary." In the next section Pericles continues: "For in this also we (Athenians) are peculiar, that we show the greatest courage, though at the same time we consider fully what we are to undertake: ὃ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἀμαθία μὲν θράσος, λογισ μòs dè őxvov qéqe." Dr. Owen adopts the best account of this rather difficult clause, but has fallen, apparently through inadvertence, into some inconsistency of statement. He begins by saying, "the only difficulty in this passage results from the grammatical use of o, which refers to τολμαν and ἐκλογίζεσθαι, i. e. the quality of daring combined with reflection." But further on he remarks: "Matthiae and Poppo consider the relative as repeated and explained in λoyiouós... the

1848.]

Results of the Examination.

785

sense being as though it had been written ὃ τοῖς ἄλλοις, ἀμαθίας Θράσος φερούσης, ὄκνον φέρει. This appears to me the best explanation." Obviously, however, it would be absurd to say, the quality of daring combined with reflection, brings cowardice, etc.; and o, if it is repeated and explained in λογισμός, can refer only to ἐκλογίζεσθαι. C. 42. § 3. καὶ γὰρ τοῖς τἄλλα χείροσι δίκαιον τὴν ἐς τοὺς πολέμους ὑπὲρ τῆς πατρίδος ἀνδραγαθίαν προτίθεσθαι. “ τοῖς χείροσι bas 'rois-zeloooi the force of the adnominal genitive after ardoayaðíav. Krüger remarks (Gr. § 48. 12. R. 2) that the adnominal dative of possession for the genitive is a form of speech which does not frequently occur in Attic prose; and that where neither the position nor the sense requires us to connect the dative with the substantive, we should take it rather with the verb. In the present case, certainly, the latter is the superior construction. Translate, "Since indeed for those who in other points were worse, it is just that the manly courage, which led them to the wars in support of their country, should be put forward (as a shield or screen, to cover their failings)."

C. 44. § 1. “ ὅσοι πάρεστε—ἐπίστανται. On the sudden transition from the oratio recta to the oratio obliqua, cf. Kühner, § 345. R. 6.” There is a change here from the second person to the third; the orator goes on to speak about those whom he had just before been speaking to; but there is no quotation in the passage, and of course no passing from direct to indirect quotation-from the oratio recta to the oratio obliqua.

It will be seen, that of the points which we have noticed, some are the results of inadvertence,-slips, such as will now and then elude the keenest vigilance, and creep into the most elaborate productions. Others again are more or less matters of question; points on which different minds, with the same evidence before them, may come to different conclusions. They are very far from proving, as we are very far from believing, that the commentary has been hastily or carelessly prepared. On the contrary, our examination, limited and imperfect as it has necessarily been, has satisfied us that we have in this work the fruits of labor at once diligent and successful. So obvious, indeed, are the traces of industrious study, as to render quite unnecessary, expressions such as the following: "but I am disposed after much reflection to adopt as the sense of the passage" (note on II. 42. 4.); "after much examination I have adopted this as the best interpretation, though others may prefer to translate differently" (note on II. 40. 4.); which a pardonable self-distrust has led the editor to insert. Dr. Owen has shown in this book, that he is not one of those, who can rest content with past attainments, careless of further progress. No one

who compares his Thucydides with the highly popular and useful school books which he had previously edited, can fail to recognize its superiority. Its style is more correct, clear and business-like; it is nearly free from the faults of awkwardness and inaccuracy, by which those earlier works were occasionally disfigured. It shows much less of a certain disposition to improve upon the author, to dilate upon his beauties and endorse his moral teachings, to supply emotions that the student ought to feel, which in its predecessors bordered now and then upon the ludicrous. It exhibits a more mature scholarship, more thorough and exact research, and more of that practical skill in dealing with one's materials which practice only can bestow.

Scholars will await with interest the publication of the second volume, destined to contain, according to the announcement of the preface," the remaining text of Thucydides, brief annotations, and copious verbal, historical and grammatical indices of the whole work."

ARTICLE XIII.

LITERARY AND THEOLOGICAL MISCELLANIES.

Age of Literary Men.

In a late Number of a German periodical, a list is given of the names and ages of some of the more prominent scholars and distinguished individuals in the various walks of life in Germany, together with some explanatory remarks. We subjoin the list as a matter of interesting record and of comparison, on a number of important points, with the theologians and literary characters of England and the United States. The first list includes those who lived to the age of 80—92 years.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

In this list are men who struggled with depressing poverty; others who could gratify every want; some who lived in quiet; others who performed the most active duties; some who were endowed with the highest poetic gifts; others who had no imaginative faculty. Creative

1848.]

Age of Literary Men.

787

power and activity as authors continued in some to extreme old age; some lived in the extreme South; others in the cold North.

The next list enumerates some distinguished men who lived to the age

[blocks in formation]

In the above list of names, there was a great variety and contrast in pursuits, outward circumstances, education, etc., but not so great as in the individuals first named. Most of them, as students and authors, were confined to one or two departments. A. W. Schlegel and Minutoli were exceptions. Most of them were also intellectually vigorous till the close of life.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors]

Eleven of the above were clergymen. Most in the list led a quiet life; others, e. g. Luther, Humboldt, were men of the greatest activity. In diterary character there is almost every variety. The literary power in most continued till the last. "In general, old age is not be marked off

before the sixtieth year. What lies this side of that limit belongs to the youthful and fresh, or to the ripe and vigorous, or to the gradually fading powers. In the last stages of middle life, death is wont to gather his richest harvests, not only among the thinkers and poets, but in all departments of action."

The following is the list which is given of those who died between the age of 36 and 22. No instances are furnished of the men who deceased between the age of 36 and 59.

[blocks in formation]

Excitability was the characteristic of nearly all the individuals in this list. Six were soldiers. Four of the others were travellers; one of them traversed Russia and Persia. Three only led a quiet life. The early death of nearly all is to be ascribed directly or indirectly to their nervous activity. In the constitution of a very few only, lay the germ of disease. Most of these young men belonged to the north of Germany.

German Conversations-Lexicon.

=

The ninth edition of this widely circulated Lexicon has recently been completed. It is published in 120 parts or fasciculi, which form fifteen volumes. The last two numbers contain a very valuable General Index, in 112 pages, small type. The full title of the work is the following: "Allgemeine Deutsche Real-Encyclopädie für die gebildeten Stände Conversations-Lexicon." The price of the set in Germany, printed on very good paper, is about 20 Thaler $15. In the last No. a list of the contributors to the various editions is given. The whole number is 368. They are found in all departments of literature and science. Some of them were or are very eminent in their respective departments, and are known throughout the world. The responsible editor of the ninth edition was Dr. Karl August Epse. The work has been owned by the firm of Brockhaus & Co. since 1808, having been purchased in that year by F. A. Brockhaus, father of the present publisher. The eighth edition was completed in 1837, and up to 1842, 31,000 copies had been sold. The seventh edition of the Supplement, in four volumes, was published in 1838-41. The Encyclopaedia Americana was based on the seventh German edition. The first idea of the Lexicon was suggested by Dr. Löbel. The first volume was published in 1796. Löbel died on the ap

« PreviousContinue »