Homer is new this morning, and perhaps nothing is as old as today’s newspaper.

Péguy contrasts the supposed “newness” of daily journalism with the enduring freshness of great literature. Homer, though ancient, can feel perpetually present because each reading renews the work; its themes—war, homecoming, pride, grief—remain intelligible and alive. By contrast, the newspaper, produced to be current, becomes obsolete almost immediately: yesterday’s headlines are already stale. The aphorism also hints at a critique of modernity’s obsession with novelty and information, suggesting that what truly lasts is not what is newest, but what continues to speak across time. The line elevates the classics as living companions and demotes the news as quickly perishable.