Excerpt from The International Library of Famous Literature, Vol. 2 of 20: Selections From the World's Great Writers Ancient, Medieval, and Modern, With Biographical and Explanatory Notes and Critical Essays by Many Eminent Writers This is not the introduction to a book, or even to a series of books: one might call it rather an introduction to Literature itself - or to a goodly portion of that vast literary tide drift of the centuries, which certain honest purveyors and explorers have here brought to shore, and spread out in cleanly type, for whosoever will - to read, to ponder, and enjoy. From earliest recorded times there has lived a disposition to engarland together songs that have touched the heart chants that have wakened valor - fables that have exploited truth - maxims that have worded justice. There was reason enough for this before yet printing or types were known, and when some Homer - whose notes we shall find by and by, a-thrill along these pages - lifted up his voice to gathering crowds. That he might bring together his chants, and the chants of many another, to round out the composite tales about Troy, Helen, and Agamemnon. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.