_Greeks_ have chang'd the Word
_Seculum_ into the Letters, [Greek: epistasthai ta grammata], seeing
that the _Latin_ Copies have it, _scire seculum_. For here arises a
double Sense, either _that the Age itself might know something_, or
_that somebody might know the Age_. But this is an easier Translation of
it into [Greek: aiona] or [Greek: kosmon], than into [Greek: grammata].
For it is absurd to say that Letters know any Thing; but it is no
absurdity to say, _something is known to our Age_, or _that any one
knows his Age_. And a little after, where he propounds an Ambiguity in
the Accent, the Translator does not stick to put _Virgil's_ Words
instead of _Homer's_, when there was the same Necessity in that Example,
_quicquid dicis esse, hoc est_, _What thou sayst is, it is_. _Aristotle_
out of _Homer_ says, [Greek: ou kataputhetai ombro], if [Greek: ou]
should be aspirated and circumflected, it sounds in _Latin_ thus; _Cujus
computrescit pluvia_; _by whose Rain it putrifies_; but if [Greek: ou]
be acuted and exile, it sounds, _Non computrescit pluvia; it does not
putrify with Rain_; and this indeed is taken out of the _Iliad_ [Greek:
ps]. Another is, [Greek: didomen de oi euchos aresthai]: the Accent
being placed upon the last Syllable but one, signifies, _grant to him_;
but plac'd upon the first Syllable [Greek: didomen], signifies, _we
grant_. But the Poet did not think _Jupiter_ said, _we grant to him_;
but commands the Dream itself to grant him, to whom it is sent to obtain
his Desire. For [Greek: didomen], is used for [Greek: didonai]. For
these two of _Homer_, these two are added out of our Poets; as that out
of the Odes of _Horace_.

_Me tuo longas pereunte noctes,
Lydia, dormis._

For if the Accent be on _me_ being short, and _tu_ be pronounc'd short,
it is one Word _metuo_; that is, _timeo, I am afraid_: Although this
Ambiguity lies not in the Accent only, but also arises from the
Composition.

They have brought another Example out of _Virgil_:

_Heu quia nam tanti cinxerunt aethera nymbi!_

Although here also the Ambiguity lies in the Composition.

_Hi._ _Leonard_, These Things are indeed Niceties, worthy to be known;
but in the mean Time, I'm afraid our Entertainment should seem rather a
Sophistical one, than a Poetical one: At another Time, if you please,
we'll hunt Niceties and Criticisms for a whole Day together.

_Le._ That is as much as to say, we'll hunt for