The Io

Socrates: Joy be with Io. Whence come you now? what; do you come directly from home, from Ephesus? Io. Not so, Socrates, I assure you; but from Epidaurus, from the feasts of Æsculapius. soc. The people of Epidaurus, I think, upon this occasion, propose a trial of skill among the rhapsodists, in honour of the god. Do they not? io. They do; and a trial of skill in every other branch of the Muse’s art? soc. Well; you, I presume, were one of the competitors: What success had you? io. We came off, O Socrates, with the chief prize. soc. You say well: now then let us prepare to win the conquest in the Panathenæa. io. That we shall accomplish too, if fortune favour us. soc. Often have I envied you rhapsodists, Io, the great advantages of your profession. For to be always well dressed, and to make the hand- somest appearance possible, as becomes a man, no doubt, who speaks in public; to be conversant, besides, in the works of many excellent poets, especially in those of Homer, the best and most divine of them all; and to learn, not merely his verses, but his meaning, as it is necessary you should; these are advantages highly to be envied. For a man could never be a good rhapsodist unless he understood what he recited: because it is the business of a rhapsodist to explain to his audience the sense and meaning of the poet; but this it is impossible to perform well, without a knowledge of those things, concerning which the poet writes. Now all this certainly merits a high degree of admiration.

Io: You are in the right, Socrates. And the learning this I have made my principal business. It has given me indeed more trouble than any other branch of my profession. I presume therefore there is now no man living, who disserts upon Homer so well as myself: nay, that none of those celebrated persons, Metrodorus of Lampsacus, Stesimbrotus the Thasian, Glauco, nor any other, whether antient or modern, was ever able to show in the verses of that poet so many and so fine sentiments as I can do.

Socrates: I am glad, Io, to hear you say so: for I am persuaded you will not be so ill-natured as to refuse the exhibiting before me your abilities in this way.

Io: My illustrations of Homer are indeed, Socrates, well worth your attention. For they are such as, I think, entitle me to receive from the admirers of that poet the crown of gold.