elf. And to Odysseus he says
that he will sail away on the following day; then being stirred by the
entreaties of Phoenix, he says he will take counsel about leaving. Moved
by the free speech of Ajax, he confesses all that he intends to do: that
he will not go forth to fight until Hector gets as far as his tents and
the ships, after killing many of the Greeks. Then he says, "I think I
shall stop Hector no matter how earnestly he fights." And this argument
he offers in rebuttal to Odysseus about resisting the onslaught of
Hector.

In the words of Phoenix he shows that there is such a thing as the art
of Rhetoric. For he says to Achilles that he had taken him over (I. ix.
440):--

Inexperienced yet in war that sorrow brings alike on all
And sage debate, on which attends renown
Me then he sent, to teach thee how to frame
Befitting speech and mighty deeds achieve.

These words show that the power of speech especially makes men renowned.

It is besides possible to find in many other parts of his poems passages
pertaining to the art of Rhetoric. For he shows the method of accusation
and purgation elsewhere and in the place where Hector taxes his brother,
accusing him of cowardice and dissoluteness. Because he had this
character, he had injured those who were far different from him; so he
had become the cause of evil to his family. And Alexander softens his
brothers' temper by confessing he was rightly blamed; he wipes off the
charge of cowardice by promising to meet Menelaus in combat. And that
Homer was a skilful speaker, no one in his right mind would deny, for it
is all clear from reading his poems.

He did not overlook to give certain types to his speakers. He introduces
Nestor as agreeable and attractive to his hearers; Menelaus, fond of
brevity, attractive, and sticking to his subject; Odysseus, abundant
subtility of speech. These things Antenor testifies about the two
heroes; he had heard them when they came to Ilium as ambassadors. And
these characteristics of speech Homer himself introduces, displaying
them in all his poetry.

He was acquainted with Antithesis in eloquence. This in every subject
introduces the contrary, and proves and disproves the same thing by
clever handling of the art of logic. For he says (I. xx. 248):--

For glibly runs the tongue, and can at will
Give utt'rance to discourse in every vein;
Wide is the range of language, and such words
As one may