MR L. G. POCOCK’S ODYSSEAN THEORY

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30448, 23 May 1964, Page 1

MR L. G. POCOCK’S ODYSSEAN THEORY

The theory of Mr L. G. Pocock, of Christchurch, that the “Odyssey” was not written by the Greek poet. Homer, but originated at Trapani, in .north-west Sicily, and the supporting evidence he has gathered on the matter, are to be published so.on in a book called “Odyssean Essays." • Mr Pocock, former professor of classics at the University of Canterbury,- said yesterday that although his work on the subject had been published in two books and a number of articles, he

wanted to publish everything: in one volume so that it would be available for reference by classical scholars. The English publishing firm of Blackwells had started printing the book, and it should be available before the end of the year. Mr Pocock claimed to have established beyond any reasonable doubt that the modern town of Trapani was the Isite of the ancient Drepane, sacred home of the Phaeaicians. He had found, too, (that the topographical- derails of the “Odyssey” were still to be seen in the neighbourhood of Vulcano, in the Aeolian Islands, and not in the empty ‘ waters of the, Straits of Messina. Mr Pocock said yesterday that his discoveries about the “Odyssey” had led him to a lot of new finds in the "Iliad": , of Homer and the “Theogony”, jof Hesiod. j He and Mr C. S. Perry, librarian at the Wellington Public Library, had stumbled' on the exact position of such places as Styx and Hades (the original site of the European hell) in and under the Rock of -Gibraltar and the Strait of Gibraltar. . Mr Pocock said that if archaeologists had announced; such a discovery there would have been a great furore. “As lit is, we are still waiting for lit,” he said. Asked whether his theories i had now been accepted by most classical scholars. Mr i Pocock said: “You could say .privately, but not publicly by 'many.”