PHOINIX. By Alan Sims. (Chatto and Windus. 7s. 6d.) —Phoinix,
son of Arnyntor, in his old age tells the story not only of Achilles, his marvellous pupil, but of Peleus, the father, and Neoptolemus, the son, of the hero. With the story of the events that in the end drew all the kings to Troy are entangled other great Hellenic legends like that of Herakles, of the voyage of the Argo, and the hunting of the Calydonian boar. Mr. Sims deals with, the Greek heroes in an odd half-rationalizing, half-softening style. He modernizes, though without the rather crude raillery of Mr. Erskine. Indeed, Phoinix humanizes Achilles, for example, a little too tenderly, imputing much violent report to the new poet Homeros. Some striking situations are contrived for gods and mortals ; but that said poet Homeros is much more convincing.
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