Batrachomyomachia, Hymns and Epigrams

by Homer

Translated by George Chapman. This Elibron Classics book is a facsimile reprint of a 1888 edition by John Russell Smith, London.

Genres: Poetry, Classics, Mythology

303 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 601

About the author

Homer (Greek: Όμηρος born c. 8th century BC) was a Greek poet who is credited as the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Homer is considered one of the most revered and influential authors in history.
Homer's Iliad centers on a quarrel between King Agamemnon and the warrior Achilles during the last year of the Trojan War. The Odyssey chronicles the ten-year journey of Odysseus, king of Ithaca, back to his home after the fall of Troy. The poems are in Homeric Greek, also known as Epic Greek, a literary language which shows a mixture of features of the Ionic and Aeolic dialects from different centuries; the predominant influence is Eastern Ionic. Most researchers believe that the poems were originally transmitted orally. Despite being predominantly known for its tragic and serious themes, the Homeric poems also contain instances of comedy and laughter.
Homer's epic poems shaped aspects of ancient Greek culture and education, fostering ideals of heroism, glory, and honor. To Plato, Homer was simply the one who "has taught Greece" (τὴν Ἑλλάδα πεπαίδευκεν). In Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy, Virgil refers to Homer as "Poet sovereign", king of all poets; in the preface to his translation of the Iliad, Alexander Pope acknowledges that Homer has always been considered the "greatest of poets". From antiquity to the present day, Homeric epics have inspired many famous works of literature, music, art, and film.
The question of by whom, when, where and under what circumstances the Iliad and Odyssey were composed continues to be debated. Scholars remain divided as to whether the two works are the product of a single author. It is thought that the poems were composed at some point around the late eighth or early seventh century BC. Many accounts of Homer's life circulated in classical antiquity; the most widespread account was that he was a blind bard from Ionia, a region of central coastal Anatolia in present-day Turkey. Modern scholars consider these accounts legendary.

French: Homère, Italian: Omero, Portuguese, Spanish: Homero.

Reviews

[Cody · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll tell no lies: "The Batrachomyomachia" is fantastic. Sure, Homer didn't write it. I don't care. The bit where fairest Pallas, my Athena, refuses to intervene due to the most petty and girlish reasons imaginable is worth a thousand Grecian bowman. I hasten to add that I, uh, have always had some weird crush on Athena. And just so you know, she looks exactly like Vacation-era Jane Wiedlin from the Go-Go's. This is historical fact.

Batrachomyomachia is just fun to say. Admit it: you want to respond, when someone dares ask what you're currently reading, with, 'Oh, just "The Batrachomyomachia."' Why? One, it makes you sound incredibly, incredibly intelligent (it is eight syllables, after all). Two, it's plain fun to say. Try it with me:

Batrachomyomachia
Batrachomyomachia
Batrachomyomachia

Didn't that feel good? It is good to know this type of shit; so too that the non-proper noun 'batrachomyomachia' may further pepper your daily, yes daily, speech-panache ('Well, Jim and Betty, the kids really just fell into a batrachomyomachia over who'd get to shoot the dog first, and Little Jimmy got part of his ear bitten off. These things happen all the time. Look: Let's not make a big deal over a batrachomyomachia when there's fresh dog golden retriever puppy meat to eat'). But before one can do that they must drill it into the brain. THUS: Three times fast:

BatrachomyomachiaBatrachomyomachiaBatrachomyomachia

Nicely done!

If you're ever looking for the definitive pre-historical-to-Classical poetic epic of the great Mice-Frog Wars, it is here. No need to look further. There's also an edition illustrated by Herman Munster (Fred Gwynne), a factive farce I am far too obtuse to have manufactured out of so much thin but hot air.

[Joseph Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

An epic poem about frogs and mice with significant 17th century translations? Batrachomyomachia more like Batracho-my-type-of-book-omachia!!!

[morag Sarkar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the poem listening to the audio . I felt very clever afterwards , listening to ancient Greek stuff

[Jorvon Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

How threatening mice advanc'd with warlike grace,
And wag'd dire combats with the croaking race.

[Stefano Caserta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una delle opere più simpatiche del mondo classico, una parodia di classe che in pochissimi versi eguaglia il Pathos dell'originale e diverte il lettore che, incredulo, si lascia trascinare in un turbine di emozioni senza fine abitato da personaggi indimenticabili, quali Gonfiagote e Rubabriciole (figlio di Rodipane).

[Dylan Katthagen]

"Homeric Hymns, Epigrams and The Battle of Frogs and Mice", is a collection of songs, aphorisms and stories attributed to the great epic poet Homer. There are thirty-three poems addressed to numerous Greek gods (e.g. Dionysus, Demeter, Apollo, Aphrodite and Athena), axioms on various subjects (e.g. sailing and childhood) and a child-friendly war story between frogs and mice.

[Oscar Alltree · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love how cute and tiny everything is and how the little mice have chickpea shell helmets and nut boxing gloves and little vegetable armour and it’s just so adorable. sadly, we didn’t get to hear of a mouse goaded by ares or athena tho, i would’ve lost my shit 😔

[Judith Opdebeeck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just talking about the batrachomyomachia here, not the hymns, but i really like it!!! Its an awesome parody of the classic epics. Just the poetry was a bit hard to read from time to time.

[Cristobal Peña]

Only read the Batrachomyomachia (in greek)

[Audiobook Heaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great books, I listened to the audiobook version on YouTube. I will leave the link below so that everyone can enjoy it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYD9l...

[Isaac · Rating 5 out of 5]

frogs vs mice in a Homeric epic. this redwall-equs (pre-rewall) is superbe.

[Victor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars to Batrachomyomachia for being funny and epic. None for everything else.

[Popebrak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seriously? Homer wrote _three_ poems?

You'd think somebody would have pointed this out to me earlier.

[Glauco Fattore]

A fun satire of an epic.