Greek Elegiac Poetry: From the Seventh to the Fifth Centuries Bc (Loeb Classical Library, No 258)

Rating:
Summary: "...delighting in the lyre and lovely feasting..."
Review: This is an excellent volume for anyone interested
in poetry, ancient Greek culture and mores, and
the expression of thought in subtle shadings.
The poets included in this volume, in the order
of presentation, are: Callinus, Tyrtaeus, Mimnermus,
Solon, Theognis (and the "Theognidae"), Philiadas,
Phocylides, Demodocus, Xenophanes, Asius,
Dionysius Chalcus, Euenus, Critias, and
Anonymous Elegiacs.
There is an excellent Introduction, and each poet's
section begins with "Testimonia" from ancient authors
concerning the poet. The poems are sometimes fragments,
lines or phrases which were quoted by some ancient
author or by a later commentator on some ancient author,
who then uses the line or phrase of the poet mentioned.
The "elegy" in this case is not the poem of mourning
that most people are familiar with. As the Introduction,
by the translator and editor, Douglas E. Gerber states:
"Almost any topic, apart from the scurrilous or obscene,
was considered suitable for archaic elegy and in this
period it is therefore more apporpriate to define elegy
as simply a poem composed in elegiac couplets."
Many of the poems were composed during symposia, drinking
parties where intellectual discussion and cultural commentary
and criticism also were shared by the participants.
Some of the poetry is wise advice; some is commentary
on love making and beauty worshipping. All of it is
wondrous insight into ancient Greek thinking, ways of
living, and creative expression.
-- Robert Kilgore.