The Composition of the Iliad: An Essay on a Numerical Law in Its Structure (Classic Reprint)

The object of this essay is to demonstrate that the Iliad of Homer at one time consisted of 13,500 lines, neither more nor less, divided into 45 sections of 300 verses each, with major divisions after the 15th and 30th of these; from which it follows that the remaining 2193 verses, which appear in our present texts, are more recent additions and ought to be removed. The importance of this proposition, if established, will be evident to lovers of the poem. I will not dilate on it, but endeavour to establish it, after saying one thing more. I profoundly dissent from that general view of the poem which regards its constitution as a secular growth, and of which, no doubt, the foremost exponent in our country is Dr. Leaf. And I am obliged to controvert his views at particular points, while heartily agreeing at others. It is possible that, in the ardour of discussion, I may have used some words which seem to disparage this eminent scholar.
(Typographical errors above are due to OCR software and don't occur in the book.)

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