"The poet says, he makes this courtesan worse than Circe; for she changed the minds and internal disposition of her followers, whereas Circe, as Homer expressly remarks, metamorphosed only their outward form"
— Fielding, Henry (1707-1754) and The Reverend William Young (d.1757); Aristophanes (c.448-c.380 B.C.)
Author
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed by A. J. Valpy ... for Lackington, Allen and Co.
Date
1742
Metaphor
"The poet says, he makes this courtesan worse than Circe; for she changed the minds and internal disposition of her followers, whereas Circe, as Homer expressly remarks, metamorphosed only their outward form"
Metaphor in Context
CARIO.
I will in all things imitate the Circe,[1] who mixed up those drugs, which formerly persuaded the retinue of Philonides[2] at Corinth, as if they were really swine, to eat well-kneaded dung, which she herself kneaded for them; and do you, my little pigs, grunting with delight, follow me, your dam.[3]
NOTES
1. I will imitate the Circe. As the old fellows had said, that they would imitate Ulysses and his companions in the punishment they inflicted on Polyphemus, Cario quits that character, and says, that he will personate that of Circe, who changed Ulysses's companions into swine.
2. Persuaded the retinue of Philonides. Circe was a famous courtesan of Circei. Ulysses coming on that shore, sent Eurylochus with twenty-two men to reconnoitre the country; they arrived at the palace of this lady, who, by the attraction of her charms, made them forget their companions, whom they had left in the ship. Eurylochus alone returned to inform Ulysses of what had happened. Homer has dressed up this matter of fact in a very ingenious fable; in which he says, that Circe transformed these men into swine. Aristophanes alludes to this fable, but changes it; for, instead of saying the companions of Ulysses, or Eurylochus, he says the companions of Philonides; and, instead of laying the scene at Circei, as Homer has done, he lays it at Corinth; by that means giving a terrible stroke to that same Philonides, whom we have mentioned before, reproaching him, that Lais (Nais) the Corinthian courtesan had entirely bewitched him; and that, with a set of parasites, whom he always had about him, he led an infamous life in her company. This requires no greater explanation, nor can any satire be more ingenious or more bitter. Dacier.
Mr. Pope, in his notes on the tenth book of the Odyssey, differs from this learned lady in her account of this fable. "Homer," says he, "was very well acquainted with the story of Medea, and applies what is reported of that enchantress to Circe, and gives the name of Ææe to the island of Circe, in resemblance to Ææa, a city of Colchis, the country of Medea and Æetes. That Homer was not a stranger to the story of Medea is evident; for he mentions the ship Argo in the twelfth Odyssey, in which Jason sailed to Colchis, where Medea fell in love with him; so that, though Circe be a fabled deity, yet what Homer says of her was applicable to the character of another person; and, consequently, a just foundation for a story in poetry."
The observation of Giraldus is likewise worth mentioning. The poet says, he makes this courtesan worse than Circe; for she changed the minds and internal disposition of her followers, whereas Circe, as Homer expressly remarks, metamorphosed only their outward form.
3. Little pigs, follow your dam. This was a proverb, and, as Erasmus tells us, used to denote a great degree of ignorance and stupidity; for the sow was opposed to Minerva.
I will in all things imitate the Circe,[1] who mixed up those drugs, which formerly persuaded the retinue of Philonides[2] at Corinth, as if they were really swine, to eat well-kneaded dung, which she herself kneaded for them; and do you, my little pigs, grunting with delight, follow me, your dam.[3]
NOTES
1. I will imitate the Circe. As the old fellows had said, that they would imitate Ulysses and his companions in the punishment they inflicted on Polyphemus, Cario quits that character, and says, that he will personate that of Circe, who changed Ulysses's companions into swine.
2. Persuaded the retinue of Philonides. Circe was a famous courtesan of Circei. Ulysses coming on that shore, sent Eurylochus with twenty-two men to reconnoitre the country; they arrived at the palace of this lady, who, by the attraction of her charms, made them forget their companions, whom they had left in the ship. Eurylochus alone returned to inform Ulysses of what had happened. Homer has dressed up this matter of fact in a very ingenious fable; in which he says, that Circe transformed these men into swine. Aristophanes alludes to this fable, but changes it; for, instead of saying the companions of Ulysses, or Eurylochus, he says the companions of Philonides; and, instead of laying the scene at Circei, as Homer has done, he lays it at Corinth; by that means giving a terrible stroke to that same Philonides, whom we have mentioned before, reproaching him, that Lais (Nais) the Corinthian courtesan had entirely bewitched him; and that, with a set of parasites, whom he always had about him, he led an infamous life in her company. This requires no greater explanation, nor can any satire be more ingenious or more bitter. Dacier.
Mr. Pope, in his notes on the tenth book of the Odyssey, differs from this learned lady in her account of this fable. "Homer," says he, "was very well acquainted with the story of Medea, and applies what is reported of that enchantress to Circe, and gives the name of Ææe to the island of Circe, in resemblance to Ææa, a city of Colchis, the country of Medea and Æetes. That Homer was not a stranger to the story of Medea is evident; for he mentions the ship Argo in the twelfth Odyssey, in which Jason sailed to Colchis, where Medea fell in love with him; so that, though Circe be a fabled deity, yet what Homer says of her was applicable to the character of another person; and, consequently, a just foundation for a story in poetry."
The observation of Giraldus is likewise worth mentioning. The poet says, he makes this courtesan worse than Circe; for she changed the minds and internal disposition of her followers, whereas Circe, as Homer expressly remarks, metamorphosed only their outward form.
3. Little pigs, follow your dam. This was a proverb, and, as Erasmus tells us, used to denote a great degree of ignorance and stupidity; for the sow was opposed to Minerva.
Categories
Provenance
Searching HDIS
Citation
Taken from an 1812 edition of Aristophanes. Fielding, Henry and William Young.
Theme
Inner and Outer
Date of Entry
10/13/2004
