Greek Lyric Poetry Introduction

What is Lyric Poetry? •Greek Lyric Poetry refers to poetry sung to a stringed instrument (usually a lyre but also flutes and other stringed instruments) •Lyric in this way differs from other styles of poetry like elegiac which are recited aloud •Lyric poetry contains several different forms including dithyrambs, (prayers to Dionysus) paeans (sung to Apollo) funeral dirges, wedding songs, encomia, (songs of praise) and epinicia (victory odes)

Lyric Age •The so called “golden age” of Greek lyric poetry spans from 650 to about 450 BC, this is the first period from which the names of individual lyric poets survive •It appears that a long period of anonymous lyric poetry preceded this “golden age” •There are nine chief lyric poets as established by the Alexandrians and first recorded in 100 BC •Alcman, Alcaeus, Anacreon, Bacchylides, Ibycus, Pindar, Sappho, Simonides, Stesichorus •We shall concern ourselves with Anacreon, Sappho, and Archilochus

Archilochus ( BC) •Lyric poet from Paros, wrote iambics (meter used for jest and ridicule) and elegiacs (love poetry), mercenary soldier •Wrote many poems attacking Lycambes who was believed to have promised his daughter Neoboule to the poet and then changed his mind •The state of Archilochean manuscripts is not great, most of the fragments which have survived are quoted in the works of other writers

Archilochus fragment 71 (as listed by D. Campbell) •ε ἰ γ ὰ ρ ὣ ς ἐ μο ὶ γένοιτο χε ῖ ρα Νεοβούλης θιγε ῖ ν •If only it were possible for me to touch the hand of Neoboule. •This one line fragment indicates the longing of the poet for his absent lover •Few other lines in Archilochus’ poetry speak directly of Neoboule and never with such tenderness, Archilochus’ usual target is her father Lycambes,

Sappho ( BC) •Female poet born on island of Lesbos, one of the most renowned and revered poets of the ancient world •much of her poetry has been lost, term lesbian comes from her love poems to young women •her poetry includes wedding songs, hymns to gods, and even some personal material

Sappho 55 •κατθάνοισα δ ὲ κείσηι ο ὐ δέ ποτα μναμοσύνα σέθεν • ἔ σσετ' ο ὐ δ ὲ ποκ' ὔ στερον· ο ὐ γ ὰ ρ πεδέχηις βρόδων •τ ὼ ν ἐ κ Πιερίας· ἀ λλ' ἀ φάνης κ ἀ ν Ἀ ίδα δόμωι •φοιτάσηις πεδ' ἀ μαύρων νεκύων ἐ κπεποταμένα. •When you die, as you lie there, no memory of you will persist, •Not now nor in the future. You have no share of the Pierian roses, rather •Unseen in the house of Hades you will float around flying amongst the invisible corpses

Anacreon ( B.C.) •Born in Teos in Ionia, wrote poetry that was mostly monodic to be sung solo as opposed to choral which is sung by a chorus, •his poetry covers a wide range of topics including love, disappointment, parties, and everyday life •Served under a variety of powerful patrons including Polycrates, the tyrant of Samos and Hipparchus one of two tyrants at Athens

Anacreon 358 •σφαίρηι δη ὖ τέ με πορφυρ ῆ ι •βάλλων χρυσοκόμης Ἔ ρως •νήνι ποικιλοσαμβάλωι •συμπαίζειν προκαλε ῖ ται· • ἡ δ', ἐ στ ὶ ν γ ὰ ρ ἀ π' ε ὐ κτίτου •Λέσβου, τ ὴ ν μ ὲ ν ἐ μ ὴ ν κόμην, •λευκ ὴ γάρ, καταμέμφεται, •πρ ὸ ς δ' ἄ λλην τιν ὰ χάσκει. •Eros, hitting me with a purple ball, once again •summons me to play with the girl wearing elaborate sandals. •She is from well-built Lesbos, she finds fault with me •because my hair is white, and she stands agape at another woman.

Anacreon 417 •π ῶ λε Θρηικίη, τί δή με • λοξ ὸ ν ὄ μμασι βλέπουσα •νηλέως φεύγεις, δοκε ῖ ς δέ • μ' ο ὐ δ ὲ ν ε ἰ δέναι σοφόν; • ἴ σθι τοι, καλ ῶ ς μ ὲ ν ἄ ν τοι • τ ὸ ν χαλιν ὸ ν ἐ μβάλοιμι, • ἡ νίας δ' ἔ χων στρέφοιμί • σ' ἀ μφ ὶ τέρματα δρόμου· •ν ῦ ν δ ὲ λειμ ῶ νάς τε βόσκεαι • κο ῦ φά τε σκιρτ ῶ σα παίζεις, •δεξι ὸ ν γ ὰ ρ ἱ πποπείρην • ο ὐ κ ἔ χεις ἐ πεμβάτην. •Thracian philly, •why looking ruthlessly askance at me •do you flee me •you seem to have no sense. •Know this truly, •I would beautifully flick the reins, •Holding the reins I would ride you •Around the turn posts of the racecourse. •Now you graze in the meadows and •Nimbly leaping around you play •Because you do not have the right horse-tamer on her back.