Lofberg - Phormio and 'Art for Art's Sake' (Art)

7/27/2019 Lofberg - Phormio and 'Art for Art's Sake' (Art)

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Phormio and 'Art for Art's Sake'

Author(s): J. O. LofbergSource: The Classical Weekly, Vol. 22, No. 23 (Apr. 22, 1929), pp. 183-184Published by: Classical Association of the Atlantic StatesStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4389318Accessed: 22/10/2010 13:34

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APRIL 22, 1929] THE CLASSICAL WEEKLY 183it is evident that, strictly speaking,there is no ancientsocialism at all. Thus Professor Oertel's analysisdestroys the very basis of his predecessor'sstructure.The conclusion of his argument the reader mayfind useful, and I give it in translation,expandedveryslightly for the sake of clearness:'By way of summary we may say that socialistictheories and movements in antiquity originated asreactions to the encroachment of capital. In moderntimes the three aspects of socialismdiscussedseparate-ly above-namely, one emanating from the masses forpolitical independence, one of a purely ideologicalnature, and the third looking toward reforms in pro-duction-are coming into actual operation. In an-tiquity, however, socialismremainedan ideal of societyin the sphere of fancy, playfulness, and theory, andthe whole conception of reforming production wasmerely the final result of imagination in its most ad-venturous form. The polis, with its interference ofthe State into private life, was on the whole favorableto state socialistic measures, and to measures of acompensatory and alimentary nature provided for byregular egal action underexistingconditionsof proper-ty rights. The condition of industry and labor, how-ever, was antagonistic to real socialism, with its revo-lutionary social program. Therein lies the great differ-ence between antiquity and the present. Otherwisethe points of contact between the ancient and themodern social movements are clear. They amountto the fact that ultimately the root of socialism is to befound, then as now, in the individuals of the massesinclining toward state socialistic tendencies. It is thegreat merit of Robert von P6hlmannthat he painted instriking colorsthis particularaspect of antiquity.

As I have intimated, the student who wants all theancient literary sources on Greek socialism arrangedand evaluated, and who can trust to his critical judg-ment not to be misled by modern analogies will go tovon Pohlmann's work as a matter of course. Thereader who wants results or who has not the firmnessto resist an attractive presentation will best keep toOertel'ssummary. This he will find invaluable for itscalm statement of a controversial question, for itstemperate solution of the problem, and for its directionto the wide surrounding iterature.WASHINGTONSQUARE COLLEGENEwV YORK UNIVERSITY CASPER J. KRAEMER, JR.A Handbook of Greek Mythology, Including Its

Extension to Rome. By H. J. Rose. New York:E. P. Dutton and Company (undated. The Prefaceis dated in June, I928). Pp. ix -- 363. $4.501.Every reader of ancient literature sooner or laternotices with astonishment how many and how greatare the inconsistencies, often contradictions, in thestories told of the ancient deities of Greeceand Rome.And if he hopes to find his difficulties solved by anycomplete account of the subject, he is only the moreimpressed by the fact that there never was any oneself-consistent, orthodox account of such matters, noGreek or Roman "Bible" that might be appealed toin orderto resolvea doubtor settle a dispute. Classicalmythology was, in fact, a jungle of stories, a tangle ofbeliefs, a wilderness of cults and practices. Since itwas the uncontrolled growth of men's philosophies,fancies, superstitions and beliefs, springing up in manyplaces in a periodof many generations, it is no wonderthat it does not lend itself readily to any simple ex-

planation or even systematic exposition onl the basisof any one principle.In his introductory chapter Professor Rose verysanely points out that no one of the attempts madein the past to supply a universal explanation of mythscan be held valid. They are not all misunderstoodhistory, though some may be. Some may be allegories,and some may be symbolical; but to force them allinto such frameworks only breeds confusion. NeitherEuhemerus in ancient times with his imaginary islandof Pancheat, nor in modern times Max Mueller withhis equally fanciful disease of language has provided auniversal solvent. In the last century there wasa group of scholars who were bent on explaining every-thing in mythology as sun-myths, while just at presentit is fashionable to see everywhere echoes of aboriginal"corn spirits" or "year demons." Doubtless, someof the myths may be accounted for by nearly everyone of these theories, or by others that are not namedhere, and in his notes and comments Mr. Rose givesample help to the student who wishes some hint as tohow a given myth originated. But in the main his bookis a straight forward narrative of what the myths andlegends are, and is not intended to illustrate anytheory of his own as to how they originated. Thereare eleven chapters, a bibliography, and a good index,which gives the pronunciation of the names-a veryuseful feature of the book....On the whole, this handbook may be recommendedas one of the clearest, most comprehensive and yetconcise manuals on the subject, and ought to find awide usefulness. In his preface Mr. Rose disclaims allcredit for originality, and states that he has onlycompiled his book from Roscher's "Lexikon," the workof Preller-Robert, and other modern writers on thesubject-their name is legion. But the clear arrange-ment of material, the marshalling of the multidutinousdetails, and the sane and sober judgment displayedare all his own and merit praise....AMHERST, MASSACHUSSETTS GEORGE M. WHEELER


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184 THE CLASSICAL WEEKLY [VOL.XXII, No. 23, WHOLENo. 607(i.e. from the young men's fathers), as Miss Godseyassumes (67). Phormio was admittedly an orthodoxAthenian 'sycophant'. Men of that profession wereinterested in 'art for art's sake', to be sure, but theywere also interested in profit. The pall that had beenthrown on Athenian democractic institutions by theMacedonian conquest had reduced the profits that asycophanta could make by posing as K6WF TO) 85gov(Demosthenes 25.40) and attacking statesmen andpoliticians. He was more likely to eke out his livingby petty activities. This situation seems to havemade it increasingly difficultfor the well-to-do familyto get along without constant danger of litigationand blackmail. The experiencesof the two families inthe Phormio are excellentexamplesof this. The easiestway to meet the situation was to fight fire with fire.According to Xenophon (Memorabilia 2.9), Socrateshad shrewdly suggested to his wealthy friend Critothat he hire a KcWV to keep off the aVKOdP7TaL thatmade his life miserable. Crito found the arrangemententirely satisfactory; his regularly employed 'attorney',by offensive measuresas well as by defensive measures,brought peace where confusionhad been before. Theemployee also was satisfied. He was twitted, to besure, for his servility and was dubbed a parasite (2.9.8),but there was much to gain in a material way withoutany serious loss of caste. It seems to me that it is tosome such position of 'attorney', more common probably in the fourth century than in the fifth, that Phor-mio was aspiring, and that he was bestirring himselfnot so much for Antipho and Phaedria as for himself.His qualifications o be a permanent legal protector ofthe family were well established by his activities asnarrated in the play, and, though he could hardlyexpect the affectionate regard of the two senes, hecertainly commanded their awed respect, and perhapsthat is all any attorney can count on. They couldhardly do anything but accept him as their sycophant-parasite. It was safer to have him on their side thanagainst them.OBERLIN COLLEGE J. 0. LOFBERG

SPENCER AND OVID AGAIN'In the interesting passage, Spenser, Faerie Queene

i.I.8-9, there is rather more than meets the eye. Mrs.Coe is right in seeing a connection between Spenserand Ovid, but, when we fill in the links of the chain,we get what must surely be one of the most strikingexamplesof the continuity of literature.Spenser is here directly imitating his favorite poet,his "well of English undefiled", or in the Parlement ofFoules 1.176-I82 we actually find the words "thesayling firre". Mr. R. K. Root has pointed out thatthe Chaucerian passage is taken from the BellumTrojanum of Joseph of Exeter, written about I I90(see Chaucer's Dares, Modem Philology I5 [1917],i8 ff.). Joseph is imitating chiefly Ovid, but nothing

in classical epic escaped him, and no classical (Latin)epic was complete without its list of trees. Enniusleads the list (Annales I87-I91, Vahlen2);he was fol-lowed by Vergil (Aeneid 6.179-I82; there are severalother lists in Georgics 2). Both were well known toOvid, who in turn was imitated by Seneca, Oedipus532-544, Leo, 545-557, Peiper and Richter), Lucan3. 440-442, Statius, Thebais 6.9I-IO6, Claudian, DeRaptu Proserpinae 2.IO5-III. Thus we get a linestretchingfrom200 B. C. to i6oo A. D.Since classical scholarsmay like to have a specimernof the style of Joseph of Exeter, I quote here in fullthe passage which Chaucer imitated (I.507-5I3):

Silva viret, vemat abies procera,cupressusflebilis, interpres aurus,vaga pinus, olivaconcilians, cornusvenatrix, fraxinusaudax;stat comitis patiens ulmus, nunquamquesenescenscantatrixbuxus;paulo procliviusarvumebria vitis habet, et dedignatalatere,cancicolam2 oscit Phoebum.WYGGESTONSCHOOI, W. B. SEDGWICKLEICESTER, ENGLAND

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Lofberg - Phormio and 'Art for Art's Sake' (Art)