The Defense of Poesy by Sir Phillip Sidney

Musæus, Homer, and Hesiod = First lightgivers to ignorance Orpheus, Linus, and some others = First to make pens deliver knowledge to posterity Amphion and Orpheus = Moved stones with poetry and listened to by beasts Sidney's opponents of poetry = Compared to ungrateful hedgehogs and vipers

Lightgiver to ignorance = Enabled people to feed on tougher knowledges Charming sweetness = Drew untamed wits to an admiration of knowledge Vipers = Those who deface poetry despite its historical significance Hedgehog = One who being received into a place, drives out the host

Musæus, Homer, and Hesiod = First poets in noble nations and languages Orpheus, Linus, and some others = First to deliver knowledge in writing to posterity Amphion and Orpheus = Used poetry to achieve remarkable feats Sidney's opponents of poetry = Critics of poetry's significance in history

<p>Lightgiver to ignorance = First nurse of noble nations and languages Charming sweetness = Ability to draw wild untamed wits to an admiration of knowledge Vipers = Metaphor for those who seek to deface poetry despite its historical significance Hedgehog = Metaphor for those who are ungrateful and seek to drive out their host</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Musæus, Homer, and Hesiod = First in their country to make pens deliver knowledge to posterity Orpheus, Linus, and some others = Claimed as fathers in learning for delivering knowledge through writing Amphion and Orpheus = Known for using poetry to inspire remarkable achievements Sidney's opponents of poetry = Critics of the role of poetry as a lightgiver in history</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Poetry has been the first source of enlightenment and education in noble nations and languages, enabling people to gradually acquire tougher knowledge. It has played a crucial role in drawing people towards admiration of knowledge and learning.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Sir Phillip Sidney compares those who inveigh against poetry to ungrateful hedgehogs or vipers, implying that they are rejecting the very source that nurtured and enabled their subsequent acquisition of knowledge.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Sir Phillip Sidney cites Musæus, Homer, and Hesiod as the first poets in noble nations and languages, claiming that no other writers or historians preceded them in delivering knowledge to posterity.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Sir Phillip Sidney illustrates this influence by referring to Amphion, who was said to move stones with his poetry to build Thebes, and Orpheus, who was listened to by beasts. This demonstrates the power of poetry in captivating and inspiring even the most untamed wits.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Sir Phillip Sidney emphasizes that poetry not only had temporal precedence but also acted as a cause, drawing people towards admiration of knowledge and paving the way for the development of other sciences and forms of learning.</p> Signup and view all the answers