Death & Dying

Book VII, 1: On Homer

by Alcaeus of Messene 3rd century BC (Paton’s date)

Translated by W. R. Paton (1916–18) · From The Greek Anthology (Loeb, vol. II, 1917)

Death & Dying

In Ios the boys, weaving a riddle at the bidding of the Muses, vexed to death Homer the singer of the heroes. And the Nereids of the sea anointed him with nectar and laid him dead under the rock on the shore; because he glorified Thetis and her son and the battle-din of the other heroes and the deeds of Odysseus of Ithaca. Blessed among the islands in the sea is Ios, for small though she be, she covers the star of the Muses and Graces.

This translation is printed as prose in its source edition.

MLA

Messene, Alcaeus of. “Book VII, 1: On Homer.” Translated by W. R. Paton. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/alcaeus-messene/0/.

Chicago

Messene, Alcaeus of. “Book VII, 1: On Homer.” Translated by W. R. Paton. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/alcaeus-messene/0/.

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