Note 76 — Chapter IV · THE HELLESPONT AND HOMER’S TROY
Reading edition
“He who would understand the poet must visit the poet’s country.” Regarding Homer’s birthplace an anonymous poet long ago wrote:
Smyrna, Rhodos, Colophon, Salamis, Chios, Argos, Athenæ, Orbis de patria oertat, Homere, tua.
But in whichever of these place the immortal bard was born, if in any of them, it is quite evident to even the casual visitor to Troy that the poet was thoroughly familiar with its environment which he describes with such marvelous precision.