SIR, An Essay on the " Alexandra" of Lycophron. NO. I. Οὔτε λέγει, οὔτε κρύπτει, ἀλλὰ σημαίνει. PLUTARCH. TO THE EDITOR OF THE CLASSICAL JOUrnal. In this Essay it is my intention to propose some new method of illustrating the "Alexandra " of Lycophron, more parti cularly the object, for which the poet wrote that poem, and, also, the form and the language, in which he has written it. "Tu ne cede malis, sed contra audentior ito,' "" seems in this instance very applicable to the cause of literature, and, I hope, will serve to justify in some measure with you, and your learned readers, the enterprising intention which I have expressed. Few learned men have directed their philological researches and labors to the elucidation of this poem. Those few have been unsuccessful. The "Scholia" of Theon are lost; his successors, Tzetzes, Bertrand, Canter, Meursius, and Potter, all regard the whole "Alexandra" as highly mysterious, and in some passages as unintelligible. Meursius and Potter even pass in mute despair all the three passages of the extract, which I shall transcribe as necessary to my purpose, although the right explication of the last passage would have facilitated the interpretation of the whole mysterious poem. Suidas lived twelve centuries and a half after Lycophron. He calls the "Alexandra" rò σxorεvòv Пoinua. Between Lycophron and Statius, who mentions "Latebræque Lycophronis atri," I a much less interval of time, that is, three centuries and more had elapsed. The "atri" indeed is equivalent to the "σxoTov." On the other hand, "Latebræ" is a most happy term for that disguised language, which, with natural propriety, had been adopted by the poet in the country where he wrote. It may almost be inferred from a term not only so happy, but so appropriate as "Latebræ," that in the time of Statius the nature of the mysterious diction was not unknown; that notwithstanding the close obscurity, in which that diction was locked and confined, the key of interpretation was still retained. Ovid, who lived nearer the time of Lycophron, dignifies him with the sole epithet, "Cothurnatum." Lucian in his Lexiphanes names the "Alexandra," and condemns it for its unusual expressions. This exclusive condemnation of this single poem affords a strong argument for presuming that the other works of the same poet "Atri" as united with "Latebræ" and as equivalent to σε σκοτεινὸν κ seem to allude to this poem only. VOL. V. No. IX. H were not thought by the satirist to merit the same condemnation. Athenæus and Diogenes Laertius have not hinted the least disapprobation of those passages, which they have occasionally quoted from Lycophron, either for their obscurity, or any other defect of composition. The otεivòv Пoinua itself, in several parts, where the plan of the poem could not interfere, exhibits in verse of a correct and pleasing rhythm an impressive elegance, a perspicuous force of diction. The passage which begins in 6. 365. with σε'Ενὸς δὲ λώβης ἀντὶ, μυρίων τέκνων” is a competent example. Lycophron was born in Chalcis.' He possessed great talents and great erudition. Ptolemy Philometor, the universal patron of all men, and of all works, in every art, in every science, and in every species of literature, patronised Lycophron. He gave him the appointment of a librarian, and maintained him in the celebrated Museum contiguous to the royal palace at Alexandria. As a poet, Lycophron had attained great eminence; otherwise he would not have been ranked amongst the stars of the " Pleiad," by which collective, and most splendid title, he, and six other contemporary poets were then, and have been since, distinguished. Of his numerous works, in which there were twenty tragedies, and many satires, none, except the "Alexandra," have survived. At the court of Ptolemy, sportive and enigmatical compositions were in much request. Lycophron acquired an inferior kind of reputation even in these, more especially in the Avaygauaricus, which transmuted, by a transposition of the component letters, any word into another word, or into other words. Thus 'Ager in the hands of Lycophron became 'Egarn; and 'Agrón, the name of the Queen, was, by his flattering art of metathesis, "Heas o. The language of Egypt, where these enigmatical sports of composition were both invented and practised by the Greeks, had been totally and still, in the time of Lycophron, remained principally enigmatical with an innovating mixture of the alphabet. It was enigmatical, because it consisted in representations, called hieroglyphical, either by symbols, or by proper imitation. The sculptor and painter per figuras animalium sensus mentis effingebant," and conducted men through what Lycophron calls 66 In a country of this mysterious dialect, if I may be allowed the term, not only a sportive but a serious composition, either in hieroglyphical prose or verse, might reasonably have been expected from authors, who, like Lycophron, were supported by the sovereign of that country. The "Alexandra" is a monologue, where one alone of the two characters speaks. A messenger reports to Priam from the mouth of This is Chalcis in Euboea. At present, both the town and the island have the same appellation of Negroponte. 20. 10 and 11. Alexandra, (or Cassandra) a daughter of Priam, a series of predictions, which are the subject of the poem. The criminal, because inauspicious, prophetess, had been imprisoned, by command of her father, in a lofty tower on the Trojan coast. But after, as before her confinement, she, without any intermission, opened in the same strain her prophetic 'Ora, Dei jussu, non unquam credita Teucris." By "Dei" is signified Apollo. He, to avenge himself, as mythology relates, her refusal of his addresses, doomed this 66 ..... φοιβόληπτον χελιδόνα to utter incessantly, unheeded or discredited for the present, alarming, and therefore offensive and criminal, but true predictions. It would be unpardonable to trespass too much on the limits of your valuable publication. Upon that account, this, the first, part of my essay, must be confined to the proposed illustration of the object, for which the poet wrote the "Alexandra.” An extract from the "original" seems to be the most advisable, because it is the most genuine mode of obtaining that illustration. The third passage of this extract is united, both in construction, and by the link of historical facts, with the two others, which are, therefore, necessary to introduce it. This passage embraces, apparently, the beforementioned object, that is, the character, or person, foreshadowed in the final prophecy. The diction of this extract is either symbolically, or properly hieroglyphical. The first passage relates to the wars between Persia and Greece, after the flight of Xerxes, A. C. 478. and includes a period of 147 years. The second passage completes that period of 147 years, and relates to the conquest of Persia by Alexander, A. C. 331. to some 66 And thus is introduced the third passage, which wholly relates Πρέσβιστος ἐν φίλοισιν ” of Alexander, and includes a period of 22 years from the death of Alexander, A. C. 323. to the pacific partition of his empire amongst his successors, A. C. 301. With this person the series of predictions, as if they had reached their object, is finally closed. An extract from the " Alexandra." 1st PASSAGE. θ. 1435. Πολλοὶ δ ̓ ἀγῶνες, καὶ φόνοι μεταίχμιοι Οἱ δ ̓ ἐν μεταφρένοισι βουστρόφοις χθονός. 1435, "But many combats of strength and skill and acts of slaughter in the space between the antagonists, some namely 1 by land, others on the contrary, in the furrowed midriffs of the earth, shall fatally close the struggles of men, who are engaged in a conflict for mighty sovereignties. Aywvs. properly hieroglyphical. Notes on the Original. MeTaixo. This word expresses the space between two contending parties. Here that space must be Asia Minor and the Mediterranean, except in the ascent and retreat of the ten thousand. 'Avdpwv. Persians and Greeks. Háλas, literally wrestling, and, like 'Aywves, a proper hieroglyphic. Δειναῖσιν Αρχαῖς. The sovereignty by land and by sea. Μεταφρένοισι βουστρόφοις χθονός. The sea is hieroglyphically expressed by the furrowed midriffs of the earth, because the sea divides many parts of the earth, as the midriff divides the trunk of the human body, and at the same time is ploughed or furrowed both by the passage of ships, and by its own agitation from the weather, from its flux and reflux, and from situation. Xovos, we may observe, joined with βουστρόφοις Μεταφρένοισι, is evidently used here in contradistinction to Faia. (9. 1436.) The truth is, that xwv itself, and in its compounds 'AvTix Owv, 'ETIX Oórios &c. means the surface and substance of the whole earth, or terrestrial globe, both land and water, and is, therefore, very different from Tala, which is elementally opposed to water. The real sense of Auróxwv is "aboriginal," or coeval with the existence of the earth, or of any particular country, including the rivers &c. with the land of that country. This legitimate interpretation of xovòs in this passage preserves that antithesis, which is indispensably necessary to the sense. 2nd PASSAGE. Ἕως ἂν αἴθων εὐνάσῃ βαρὺν κλόνον θ. 1445. Καὶ σκῆπτρ ̓ ὀρέξαι τῆς πάλαι μοναρχίας" The Translation. "Until the ardently intrepid Lion, both Thesprotian and Chaladræan, born a descendant both from Eacus and from Dardanus, shall have wholly quieted the grievous tumult of war, and, as soon as he shall have caused the whole family of his kindred to sink by a precipitate downfal, shall have obliged the champions of the Greeks, who had concealed themselves in treacherous fear, to have courted with cringing humility the wolf commanding expeditions, and to have offered with extended hands the sceptres of the ancient monarchy." Notes on the Original. Alewy is the epithet of Alwv 0. 1441. Here as in Homer Aïowy rather denotes the nature than the color of the Lion. Virgil has "fulvus," and Milton " tawny" with this animal. Naturalists agree in stating, that the ardent intrepidity of the lion increases in proportion to the heat of his native climate. In this place "ardently intrepid," which is one meaning of Altwv, is the happiest epithet for Λέων. Evάon. Doubtless Alexander "quieted" most effectually the contentions be tween Persia and Greece by subduing both countries. Απ' Αἰακοῦ τε κἀπὸ Δαρδάνου γεγώς· through Olympias his mother, Alexander was born a descendant from acus, and from Dardanus; for Neoptolemus king of the Molossi in Epirus, and father of Olympias, was lineally descended from Pyrrhus (or Neoptolemus) the son of Achilles, the son of Peleus, the son of Eacus, and collaterally, and with intermarriages, perhaps by blood descended from Dardanus through Andromache, widow of Hector, and wife of Pyrrhus, who gave her, with part of his kingdom of Epirus, in marriage to Helenus, the son of Priam, the lineal representative of Dardanus. The memory of this descent from Dardanus was retained in the name of Troada, the sister of Olympias. Θεσπρωτὸς Χαλαδραῖος. Both these words are pars pro toto." The "Thesproti" were a people of Epirus, and express the country of Alexander by his mother, and Chaladra (sometimes called Galadræ, Galadra, Chaladræ, Chanastra, and Chalastra) was a town in Macedonia, and expresses the country of Alexander by his father. 66 Afwy. Here the lion is the hieroglyphical symbol of Alexander, as in 0. 33 and 459. it is the same symbol of Hercules, and, in 9. 555. that of Castor. As I shall consider the subject of hieroglyphics with a view to this poem in another part of this essay, it will be sufficient to remark from Diodorus Siculus, (Lib. 1st) that the Iporon of a lion was a symbol is 'Afxs, and that, in the case of Osymandyas, the figure of the lion τὴν διάθεσιν ἑαυτοῦ τῆς ψυχῆς ἐσήμαινεν, because Osymandyas was καθ ̓ ὑπερβολὴν ἀνδρεῖος, καὶ φορτικὸς, “ superlatively intrepid, and insolent." pn. That this downfal was sudden and headlong is proved by every historian of this event. But the history itself, as so well known, and familiar to every school-boy, need not be repeated here. 'Quaiμwy. The Persians to whom Alexander was related by blood, because through his Macedonian father Philip, he descended from Hercules, and through Hercules from Perseus. This descent is not mentioned here, because it had been somewhat particularised before in 9. 803-4. in the person of Hercules, the son of Alexander by Barsine. The son is, in that passage, said to be ἀπὸ Περσέως σπορᾶς Καὶ τημενείων οὐκ ἄπωθεν αἱμάτων· and if the son were, the father must have been also. Alexander, through Philip his father, was a lineal descendant from Caranus, who "Regni sedem statuit," and "veluti unum corpus Macedoniæ fecit." Caranus was a lineal descendant from Temenus the great grandson, or, according to some, the son of Hercules, the son of Alcmene, the daughter of Electry on, the son of Perseus, from whom the Persians were said to have their descent, and their name. Therefore Alexander, when he subdued, and destroyed, or made captive the Sóμov Távτa all the (reigning) family of Persia, in that family subdued, and destroyed, and made captive, a family of descendants from the same blood with himself, that is, his kindred. Πάντα κυπώσας. Of this word I suspect the authenticity. If it be authentic, I suspect the requisite length of the first syllable, xu, whether from 2d aorist of xúпTw, or from xúñas (9.333.) or xú. I could wish, therefore, to propose a slight alteration, and to "read" ... Πάντ' ἀκυρώσας δόμον that is, "having annihilated the authority of the whole family." 'Avaynáo This is a most extraordinary error of the press, or of the manuscript, or negligence of the editor, because grammatical construction obviously requires Αναγκάσῃ to correspond with the preceding εὐνάση. 66 Πτήξαντας ̓Αργείων πρόμους. Ipouous" means chiefly the Athenians, although they were leagued with the Etolians. This interpretation is verified by the "σяñπт¡а" &c. of the next line. When Thebes had been taken, and destroyed by Alexander, A. C. 333. Greece, in general, submitted to him. But, as it was thought that some advantage might be taken of his absence from Europe in his expedition, the Athenians, allied with the Etolians, were the IIpóμol amongst the Greeks for disavowing and forming a universal resistance to his authority. Ingavras, therefore, in its proper sense, is most aptly expressive |