THe Vertues required in an Heroick Poem ( and indeed in all Writings published ) are comprehended all in this one word Discretion .

And Discretion consisteth in this , That every part of the Poem be conducing , and in good order placed to the End and Designe of the Poet. And the Designe is not only to profit , but also to delight the Reader .

By Profit , I intend not here any accession of Wealth either to the Poet , or to the Reader ; but accession of Prudence , Justice , and Fortitude , by the Example of such Great and Noble Persons as he introduceth speaking , or describeth acting . For all men love to behold , though not to practise Vertue . So that at last the work of an Heroique Poet is no more but to furnish an ingenuous Reader ( when his leisure abounds ) with the diversion of an honest and delightful Story , whether true or feigned .

But because there be many men called Critiques , and Wits , and Vertuosi , that are accustomed to censure the Poets , and most of them of divers Judgments : How is it possible ( you 'l say ) to please them all ? Yes , very well ; if the Poem be as it should be . For men can judge what 's good , that know not what is best . For he that can judge what is best , must have considered all those things ( though they be almost innumerable ) that concur to make the reading of an Heroique Poem pleasant . Whereof I 'll name as many as shall come into my mind .

And they are contained , first , in the choice of words . Secondly , in the construction . Thirdly , in the contrivance of the Story or Fiction . Fourthly , in the Elevation of the Fancie . Fifthly , in the Justice and Impartiality of the Poet. Sixthly , in the clearness of Descriptions . Seventhly , in the Amplitude of the Subject .

And ( to begin with words ) the first Indiscretion is , The use of such words as to the Readers of Poesie ( which are commonly Persons of the best Quality ) are not sufficiently known . For the work of an Heroique Poem is to raise admiration ( principally ) for three Vertues , Valour , Beauty , and Love , to the reading whereof Women no less than Men have a just pretence , though their skill in Language be not so universal . And therefore forein words till by long use they become vulgar , are unintelligible to them . Also the names of Instruments and Tools of Artificers , and words of Art , though of use in the Schools , are far from being fit to be spoken by a Heroe . He may delight in the Arts themselves , and have skill in some of them ; but his Glory lies not in that , but in Courage , Nobility , and other Vertues of Nature , or in the Command he has over other men . Nor does Homer in any part of his Poem attribute any praise to Achilles , or any blame to Alexander , for that they had both learnt to play upon the Ghittarre . The Character of words that become a Heroe are Property , and Significancie , but without both the malice and lasciviousness of a Satyr .

Another Vertue of an Heroique Poem is the Perspicuity and the Facility of Construction , and consisteth in a natural contexture of the words , so as not to discover the labour but the natural ability of Poet , and this is usually called a good Style . For the order of words when placed as they ought to be , carries a light before it , whereby a man may foresee the length of his period ; as a torch in the night shews a man the stops and unevenness in his way . But when plac'd unnaturally , the Reader will often find unexpected checks , and be forced to go back and hunt for the sense , and suffer such unease , as in a Coach a man unexpectedly finds in passing over a furrow . And though the Laws of Verse ( which have bound the Greeks and Latines to number of Feet , and quantity of Syllables , and the English and other Nations to number of Syllables and Rime ) put great constraint upon the natural course of Language ; yet the Poet , having the liberty to depart from what is obstinate , and to chuse somewhat else that is more obedient to such Laws , and no less fit for his purpose , shall not be ( neither by the measure , nor by the necessity of Rime ) excused ; though a Translation often may .

A third Vertue lies in the Contrivance . For there is difference between a Poem and a History in Prose . For a History is wholly related by the Writer ; but in a Heroique Poem the Narration is , a great part of it , put upon some of the persons introduced by the Poet. So Homer begins not his Iliad with the injury done by Paris , but makes it related by Menelaus , and very briefly as a thing notorious ; nor begins he his Odysses with the departure of Ulysses from Troy , but makes Ulysses himself relate the same to Alcinous , in the midst of his Poem ; which I think much more pleasant and ingenious , than a too precise and close following of the time .

A fourth is in the Elevation of Fancie , which is generally taken for the greatest praise of Heroique Poetry ; and is so , when governed by discretion . For men more generally affect and admire Fancie than they do either Judgment , or Reason , or Memory , or any other intellectual Vertue , and for the pleasantness of it , give to it alone the name of Wit , accounting Reason and Judgment but for a dull entertainment . For in Fancie consisteth the Sublimity of a Poet , which is that Poetical Fury which the Readers for the most part call for . It flies abroad swiftly to fetch in both Matter and Words ; but if there be not Discretion at home to distinguish which are fit to be used and which not , which decent , and which undecent for Persons , Times , and Places , their delight and grace is lost . But if they be discreetly used , they are greater ornaments of a Poem by much than any other . A Metaphor also ( which is a comparison contracted into a word ) is not unpleasant ; but when they are sharp , and extraordinary , they are not fit for an Heroique Poet , nor for a publique consultation , but only for an Accusation or Defence at the Bar.

A fifth lies in the Justice and Impartiality of the Poet , and belongeth as well to History as to Poetry . For both the Poet and the Historian writeth only ( or should do ) matter of Fact . And as far as the truth of Fact can defame a man , so far they are allowed to blemish the reputation of Persons . But to do the same upon Report , or by inference , is below the dignity not only of a Heroe but of a Man . For neither a Poet nor an Historian ought to make himself an absolute Master of any mans good name . None of the Emperors of Rome whom Tacitus or any other Writer hath condemned , was ever subject to the Judgment of any of them , nor were they ever heard to plead for themselves , which are things that ought to be antecedent to condemnation . Nor was ( I think ) Epicurus the Philosopher ( who is transmitted to us by the Stoicks for a man of evil and voluptuous life ) ever called , convented , and lawfully convicted , as all men ought to be before they be defamed . Therefore 't is a very great fault in a Poet to speak evil of any man in their Writings Historical .

A sixth Vertue consists in the perfection and curiosity of Descriptions , which the ancient Writers of Eloquence call Icones , that is Images . And an Image is always a part , or rather the ground of a Poetical comparison . As ( for example ) when Virgil would set before our eyes the fall of Troy , he describes perhaps the whole Labour of many men together in the felling of some great Tree , and with how much ado it fell . This is the Image . To which if you but add these words , So fell Troy , you have the Comparison entire ; the grace whereof lieth in the lightsomness , and is but the description of all ( even of the minutest ) parts of the thing described ; that not only they that stand far off , but also they that stand near , and look upon it with the oldest spectacles of a Critique , may approve it . For a Poet is a Painter , and should paint Actions to the understanding with the most decent words , as Painters do Persons and Bodies with the choicest colours , to the eye ; which if not done nicely , will not be worthy to be plac'd in a Cabinet .

The seventh Vertue which lying in the Amplitude of the Subject , is nothing but variety , and a thing without which a whole Poem would be no pleasanter than an Epigram , or one good Verse ; nor a Picture of a hundred figures better than any one of them asunder , if drawn with equal art . And these are the Vertues which ought especially to be looked upon by the Critiques . in the comparing of the Poets , Homer with Virgil , or Virgil with Lucan . For these only , for their excellencie , I have read or heard compared .

If the comparison be grounded upon the first and second Vertues , which consist in known words and Style unforc'd , they are all excellent in their own Language , though perhaps the Latin than the Greek is apter to dispose it self into an Hexameter Verse , as having both fewer Monosyllables and fewer Polysyllables . And this may make the Latin Verse appear more grave and equal , which is taken for a kind of Majesty ; though in truth there be no Majesty in words but then when they seem to proceed from an high and weighty imployment of the mind . But neither Homer , nor Virgil , nor Lucan , nor any Poet writing commendably ( though not excellently ) was ever charged much with unknown words , or great constraint of Style , as being a fault proper to Translators , when they hold themselves too superstitiously to their Authors words .

In the third Vertue , which is Contrivance , there is no doubt but Homer excels them all . For their Poems ( except the Introduction of their Gods ) are but so many Histories in Verse ; whereas Homer has woven so many Histories together as contain the whole Learning of his time ( which the Greeks call Cyclopaedia ) and furnished both the Greek and Latin Stages with all the Plots and Arguments of their Tragedies .

The fourth Vertue which is the height of Fancie , is almost proper to Lucan , and so admirable in him , that no Heroique Poem raises such admiration of the Poet , as his hath done , though not so great admiration of the persons he introduceth . And though it be a mark of a great Wit ; yet it is fitter for a Rhetorician than a Poet , and rebelleth often against Discretion ; as when he says

Than which nothing could be spoken more gloriously to the Exaltation of a man , nor more disgracefully to the Depression of the Gods . Homer indeed maketh some Gods for the Greeks , and some for the Trojans ; but always makes Jupiter impartial . And never prefers the judgment of a Man before that of Jupiter ; much less before the judgment of all the Gods together .

The fifth Vertue , which is the Justice and Impartiality of a Poet , is very eminent in Homer and Virgil , but the contrary in Lucan . Lucan shews himself openly in the Pompeyan Faction , i●●eighing against Caesar throughout his Poem , like Cicero against Cataline or Marc Antony ; and is therefore justly reckon'd by Quintilian as a Rhetorician rather than a Poet. And a great part of the delight of his Readers proceedeth from the pleasure which too many men take to hear Great Persons censured . But Homer and Virgil ( especially Homer ) do every where what they can to preserve the Reputation of their Heroes .

If we compare Homer and Virgil by the sixth Vertue , which is the clearness of Images ( or Descriptions ) it is manifest that Homer ought to be preferr'd , though Virgil himself were to be the Judge . For there are very few Images in Virgil besides those which he hath translated out of Homer , so that Virgils Images are Homers Praises . But what if he have added something to it of his own ? Though he have , yet it is no addition of praise , because 't is easie . But he hath some Images which are not in Homer , and better than his . It may be so , and so may other Poets have which never durst compare themselves with Homer . Two or three fine sayings are not enough to make a Wit. But where is that Image of his better done by him than Homer , of those that have been done by them both ? Yes , Eustathius ( as Mr. Ogilby hath observ'd ) where they both describe the falling of a Tree prefers Virgil's description . But Eustathius is in that , I think , mistaken . The place of Homer is in the fourth of the Iliads , the sense whereof is this :

It is manifest that in this place Homer intended no more than to shew how comely the body of Simoisius appeared as he lay dead upon the Bank of Scamander , streight , and tall , with a fair head of hair , and like a streight and high Poplar with the boughs still on ; and not at all to describe the manner of his falling , which ( when a man is wounded through the breast , as he was with a Spear ) is always sudden .

The description of how a great Tree falleth , when many men together hew it down , is in the second of Virgil's Aeneads . The sense of it , with the comparison is in English this :

And here again it is evident that Virgil meant to compare the manner how Troy after many Battles , and after the losses of many Cities , conquer'd by the many Nations under Agamemnon in a long War , and thereby weak'ned , and at last overthrown , with a great Tree hewn round about , and then falling by little and little leisurely .

So that neither these two Descriptions , nor the two Comparisons can be compared together . The Image of a man lying on the ground is one thing ; the Image of falling ( especially of a Kingdom ) is another . This therefore gives no advantage to Virgil over Homer . 'T is true , that this Description of the Felling and Falling of a Tree is exceeding graceful . But is it therefore more than Homer could have done if need had been ? Or is there no Description in Homer of somewhat else as good as this ? Yes , and in many of our English Poets now alive . If it then be lawful for Julius Scaliger to say , that if Jupiter would have described the fall of a Tree , he could not have mended this of Virgil ; it will be lawful for me to repeat an old Epigram of Antipater , to the like purpose , in favour of Homer .

The seventh and last commendation of an Heroique Poem consisteth in Amplitude and Variety ; and in this Homer exceedeth Virgil very much , and that not by superfluity of words , but by plenty of Heroique matter , and multitude of Descriptions and Comparisons ( whereof Virgil hath translated but a small part into his Aeneads ) such as are the Images of Shipwracks , Battles , Single Combats , Beauty , Passions of the mind , Sacrifices , Entertainments , and other things , whereof Virgil ( abating what he borrows of Homer ) has scarce the twentieth part . It is no wonder therefore if all the ancient Learned men both of Greece and Rome have given the first place in Poetry to Homer . It is rather strange that two or three , and of late time , and but Learners of the Greek tongue should dare to contradict so many competent Judges both of Language and Discretion . But howsoever I defen● Homer , I aim not thereby at any reflection upon the following Translation . Why then did I write it ? Because I had nothing else to do . Why publish it ? Because I thought it might take off my Adversaries from shewing their folly upon my more serious Writings , and set them upon my Verses to shew their wisdom . But why without Annotations ? Because I had no hope to do it better than it is already done by Mr. Ogilby .