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PoeticInspiration…
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recipient”amongotherlisteners.AttheoutsetoftheCatalogueofShipsHomer
acknowledgesMuses’knowledge(tεἴσtέtεπάνtO),aswellastheirpresence
(πάρεσtέ),whichcanbeinterpretedtwoways.Eitherthepoetimpliesdivinepres-
enceatthesiteoftheeventheisabouttonarratetohisaudience,orsimplywishes
toemphasisepresenceoftheMusesaslistenersduringhisperformance.Such
approachtothetextIliaddisturbsthefirmteacher1pupildivision,byreversing
therespectfulrolesofthepoetandhisMuse,sincethedeityispresentnotonlyto
correctandassist,butalsotoenjoytheperformance.
Therelationpoet1Musegoesevenfurtherandoperatesatyetanother
level.Readersofbothepicpoems,IliadandOdyssey,areremindedthatgods,
andMusesinparticular,arethemselvesaccomplishedartists,entertainingother
celestialsatheavenlyfeasts11.Thus,theoutstandingaffinitybetweenthepoet
andMusesisfoundedonacommonground1theircraft.Thebardfindsiteasier
toaddressgodknowinghewillfindinhimorherafellowartist.However,the
priceforsuchkinshipwithimmortalscanbeextremelyhighandHomeriswell
awareofthat.
IntheBookIIofIliadherelatesthestoryofThamyris,whoengagedinamusi-
calcontestwiththeMuses,boastedhecouldexceltheirmusicalskills.Punished
forhisvanityandarrogancehewasmaimed,anddeprivedofthedivinepower
ofsong.TheMusesalsotookawayhisabilitytoplaythelyre12.Thestoryof
Thamyrisdemonstratesthatapoetmustknowhislimits,andespeciallyknowthe
timetotakeastepback.Homershowsinthecourseoftheepicthatheisaware
oftheterribleconsequencesofuncontrolledprideandegotism,againstwhichhe
warnstheaudience.Thepoetstresseshisreverenceandesteemtohispatrons
inaremark,hemakesinthemiddleofalengthypassagedescribingtheTrojans
stormingtherampartinBookXIIoftheIliad:
Ἄλλoiδ΄ἀpI΄ἄλλῃσipάχηνἐpάχoνtoπύλῃσiν·
ἀργOλέoνδέpεtOotOGεὸνὣgπάνt΄ἀγoρεoσOi·
MeanwhiletheTrojanswerefightingabouttheothergates.
I,however,amnogodtobeabletotellallthesethings.
(Il.XII175)
Thispersonalremarkcanbeinterpretedtwofold:Homerdeclaresthedifficulty
andcomplexityofthematerialhesetouttonarratetothelisteners1ataskal-
mostsurpassinghispoeticabilities,butatthesametimeheemphasisesinaself-
deprecatorymannerhisinferiorstatusasanartist.Thepoet’sawarenessofhis
humanlimitationsandhiscautionnottooffendthegodsisevidentinthispassage.
11See:Il.I604,9.1861189.
12Il.II5911600.ForotherversionsofThamyrisstoryseePseudo-Apollodorus,Myth.I.3.3;
PausaniasPerieg:GraeciaedescriptioIV33.3,7111.
