POETS. There is no Doubt to be made, but that the antient Hebrews had their Poets; and we have still remaining in the Bible a good Number of Canticles, and other Pieces of Poetry. What seems to me very remarkable is this, that all their Poetry is dedicated, by the Application they have made of it, to the Celebrating of the Greatness of God, and the Magnificence of his Works. The Hebrew Poets, so many of ‘em at least as have any Works handed down to us, were all Men inspired of God. We find among them, Kings, Law-givers, Prophets. Moses, Baruch, David, Solomon, Hezekiah, Job, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and most of the Prophets, have composed Poems or Pieces in Verse. And what kind of Poetry? why, the most pompous, the most majestick; and the most sublime that can be conceived. The Expression, the Sentiments, the Figures, the Variety, the Action, every thing is surprizing. But as to the Laws of this Poetry, they are entirely unknown to us, as has been observed before.
Aristot. Rhet. l. 3. c. 17. Diogen. Laert. l. 1. Plutarch. in Solone. Tit. i. 12.St. Paul gives to the Pagan Poets the Name of Prophets. One of themselves, even a Prophet of their own said, &c. Because among the Heathen, Poets were what Prophets were among the Hebrews. They were look’d upon as inspir’d, and animated with the Spirit of Apollo. They spoke by Enthusiasm, Oracles were commonly deliver’d in Verse, the Poets were the Interpreters of the Wills of the Gods.
The Poet quoted here by St. Paul, is Epimenides. The Antients relate many Particulars of him, which prove, that they esteem’d him as an inspir’d Person, and favour’d by the Gods. Aristotle says, that he did not indeed foretell future Events, but that he discover’d Things that were past and unknown. Diogenes Laertius and Plutarch give an Account, that seeing the Fort of Munichium, which is the Port of Athens, he cry’d out, O the Blindness of Men! If the Athenians could but foresee the Misfortunes that this Fort will create to them, they would demolish it with their Teeth. The Truth of these Words was evinced some Years after, when King Antigonus placed a Garison there, to curb the City of Athens. Another Time he encouraged the Athenians, who were in Apprehension of an Invasion from the Persians. He told them, that it would be ten Years before they came, and that then they would be obliged to return again, after having suffer’d great Losses. He also foretold to the Lacedemonians and Cretans, the Captivity to which the Arcadians should one Day reduce them. ‘Twas probably from such Predictions Diogen. Laert. l. 1. Acts xvii. 28. Τὸ γὰρ καὶ γένος ἐσμὲν.as these, whether true or false, that made the Greeks consider Epimenides as a Prophet, and which were a Reason to St. Paul for his giving him the same Appellation, whether by way of Irony, or otherwise.
The same Apostle quotes the Poet Aratus, who was a Native of Cilicia as well as himself. He cites these Words from him, We are the Children and the Race of God. Ipsius enim & genus sumus. This is but a part of a longer Passage, the Sense of which is this: We must begin from Jupiter, whom we must by no means forget. Every thing is replete with Jupiter. He fills the Streets, the publick Places, and Assemblies of Men. The whole Sea and its Harbours are full of this God, and all of us in all Places have need of Jupiter. ‘Twas certainly not to prove the Being, or to enhance the Merit of Jupiter, or to procure Authority to the Poet Aratus, that the Apostle quotes this Passage. But he has deliver’d out of Bondage, as we may say, a Truth which this Poet had utter’d, without penetrating into the true Meaning of it. He has made use of it to prove the Existence of the true God, to People that were not convinced of the divine Authority of the Scriptures, and would have rejected such Proofs as the Apostle might have derived from thence.