Listed 100 (total found 131) sub titles with search on: Biographies for wider area of: "LESVOS Prefecture NORTH AEGEAN" .
MYTILINI (Ancient city) LESVOS
Alcaeus (Alkaios), the son of Miccus, was a native of Mytilene, according to Suidas,
who may, however, have confounded him in this point with the lyric poet. He is
found exhibiting at Athens as a poet of the old comedy, or rather of that mixed
comedy, which formed the transition between the old and the middle. In B. C. 388,
he brought forward a play entitled Pasiphae, in the same contest in which Aristophanes
exhibited his second Plutus, but, if the meaning of Suidas is rightly understood,
he obtained only the fifth place. He left ten plays, of which some fragments remain,
and the following titles are known, Adelphai moicheuomenai, Ganumedes, Endumion,
Hiepos gamos, Kallisto, Komoidotragoidia, Palaistra.
Alcaeus, a tragic poet, mentioned by Fabricius, does not appear to
be a different person from Alcaeus the comedian. The mistake of calling him a
tragic poet arose simply from an erroneous reading of the title of his " Comoedo-tragoedia."
MYTILINI (Ancient city) LESVOS
A writer who probably lived in the third century A.D. He was
the author of a Greek pastoral romance, Daphnis and Chloe, in four books. It is
considered the best of all ancient romances which have come down to us, on account
of its deep and natural feeling, its grace of narrative, and the comparative purity
and ease of its language. It has suggested many imitations by Italian, French,
German, and English writers, the more famous being Bernardin de St. Pierre's Paul
et Virginie. The rare translation by John Day of the French version of Amyot was
reprinted in 1890. The Greek text is edited by Hirschig with a Latin version in
the Erotici Scriptores of the Didot collection (Paris, 1856). Translation by Smith
(London, 1855).
This text is from: Harry Thurston Peck, Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities. Cited Oct 2002 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
Longus was the creator of the pastoral romance, and author of Daphnis and Chloe. Nothing is known about him; even his name has been suspected and his floruit is most uncertain. Perhaps he was from Lesbos. His work, a bucolic idyll in prose, narrates how Daphnis and Chloe, two foundlings brought up by shepherds in Lesbos, gradually became enamoured to each other and finally married. What interests the author chiefly is to describe how the passion of love develops in the two protagonists, from the first naive and confused feelings of infancy to full sexual maturity.
The general tone of his romance is dictated by glyketes: this sweet-ening of pastoral life appealed very much to the critics of the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, when 'bergeries' were in fashion. In spite of his artificiality in language and style, his ecphrastic descriptions of nature testify to a notable love of nature, which was highly praised by Goethe.
2nd cent. B.C. He worked in Alexandria and wrote about the Argonauts, the city of Troy and the relationship of Dionysus with the Amazons.
Dionysius. Of Mytilene, was surnamed Scytobrachion, and seems to have lived shortly before the time of Cicero, if we may believe the report that he instructed M. Antonius Gnipho at Alexandria (Suet. de Illustr. Gram. 7), for Suetonius expresses a doubt as to its correctness for chronological reasons. Artemon (ap. Athen. xii.) states, that Dionysius Scytobrachion was the author of the historical work which was commonly attributed to the ancient historian Xanthus of Lydia, who lived about B. C. 480. From this it has been inferred, that our Dionysius must have lived at a much earlier time. But if we conceive that Dionysius may have made a revision of the work of Xanthus, it does not follow that he must needs have lived very near the age of Xanthus. Suidas attributes to him a metrical work, the expedition of Dionysus and Athena (he Dionusou kai Hathenas stratia), and a prose work on the Argonauts in six books, addressed to Parmenon. He was probably also the author of the historic Cycle, which Suidas attributes to Dionysius of Miletus. The Argonautica is often referred to by the Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, who likewise several times confounds the Mytilenean with the Milesian (i. 1298, ii. 207, 1144, iii. 200, 242, iv. 119, 223, 228, 1153), and this work was also consulted by Diodorus Siculus. (iii. 52, 66.)
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Oct 2005 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
Coes (Koes), of Mytilene, attended Dareius Hystaspis in his Scythian expedition as commander of the Mytilenaeans, and dissuaded the king from breaking up his bridge of boats over the Danube, and so cutting off his own retreat. For this good counsel he was rewarded by Dareius on his return with the tyranny of Mytilene. In B. C. 501, when the lonians had been instigated to revolt by Aristagoras, CoΓ«s, with several of the other tyrants, was seized by latragoras at Myus, where the Persian fleet that had been engaged at Naxos was lying. They were delivered up to the people of their several cities, and most of them were allowed to go uninjured into exile; but Coes, on the contrary, was stoned to death by the Mytilenaeans. (Herod. iv. 97, v. 11, 37, 38)
Laomedon of Mytilene, son of Larichus, was one of Alexander's generals, and appears to have enjoyed a high place in his confidence even before the death of Philip, as he was one of those banished by that monarch (together with his brother Erigyius, Ptolemy, Nearchus, and others) for taking part in the intrigues of the young prince. (Arrian. Anab. iii. 6). After the death of Philip, Laomedon, in common with the others who had suffered on this occasion, was held by Alexander in the highest honour: he accompanied him to Asia, where, on account of his acquaintance with the Persian language, he was appointed to the charge of the captives. (Arrian. l. c.) Though his name is not afterwards mentioned during the wars of Alexander, the high consideration he enjoyed is sufficiently attested by his obtaining in the division of the provinces, after the king's death, the important government of Syria. (Diod. xviii. 3; Arrian. ap. Phot. p. 69, a; Dexipp. ap. Phot. p. 64, a; Justin. xiii. 4; Curt. x. 10; Appian. Syr. 52). This he was still allowed to retain on the second partition at Triparadeisus, but it was not long before the provinces of Phoenicia and Coele Syria excited the cupidity of his powerful neighbour Ptolemy. The Egyptian king at first offered Laomedon a large sum of money in exchange for his government; but the latter having rejected his overtures, he sent Nicanor with an army to invade Syria. Laomedon was unable to offer any effectual resistance: he was made prisoner by Nicanor, and sent into Egypt, from whence, however, he managed to effect his escape, and join Alcetas in Pisidia. (Arrian. ap. Phot. p. 71, b; Diod. xviii. 39, 43; Appian, Syr. 52). There can be no doubt that he took part in the subsequent contest of Alcetas, Attalus, and the other surviving partizans of Perdiccas against Antigonus, and shared in the final overthrow of that party (B. C. 320), but his individual fate is not mentioned.
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Oct 2006 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
MITHYMNA (Ancient city) LESVOS
480 - 400
Hellanicus, (Hellanikos). One of the Greek logographi or chroniclers,
born at Mitylene in Lesbos about B.C. 490. He is said to have lived till the age
of eighty-five, and to have gone on writing until after B.C. 406. In the course
of his long life he composed a series of works on genealogy, chorography, and
chronology, of which the fragments are collected by C. and Th. Muller (Paris,
1841). He was the first writer who attempted to introduce a systematic chronological
arrangement into the traditional periods of Greek, and especially Athenian, history
and mythology. His theories of the ancient Attic chronology were accepted down
to the time of Eratosthenes.
Hellanicus, (Hellanikos). Of Mytilene in the island of Lesbos, the most eminent
among the Greek logographers. He was the son, according to some, of Andromenes
or Aristomenes, and, according to others, of Scamon (Seammon), though this latter
may be merely a mistake of Suidas (s. v. Hellanikos). According to the confused
account of Suidas, Hellanicus and Herodotus lived together at the court of Amyntas
(B. C. 553--504), and Hellanicus was still alive in the reign of Perdiccas, who
succeeded to the throne in B. C. 461. This account, however, is irreconcilable
with the further statement of Suidas, that Hellanicus was a contemporary of Sophocles
and Euripides. Lucian (Macrob. 22) states that Hellanicus died at the age of eighty-five,
and the learned authoress Pamphila (ap. Gellium, xv. 23), who likewise makes him
a contemporary of Herodotus, says that at the beginning of the Peloponnesian war
(B. C. 431), Hellanicus was about sixty-five years old, so that he would have
been born about B. C. 496, and died in B. C. 411. This account, which in itself
is very probable, seems to be contradicted by a statement of a scholiast (ad Aristoph.
Ran. 706), from which it would appear that after the battle of Arginusae, in B.
C. 406, Hellanicus was still engaged in writing; but the vague and indefinite
expression of that scholiast does not warrant such an inference, and it is moreover
clear from Thucydides (i. 97), that in B. C. 404 or 403 Hellanicus was no longer
alive. Another authority, all anonymous biographer of Euripides (p. 134 in Westermann's
Vitarum Scriptores Graeci minores, Brunswick, 1845), states that Hellanicus was
born on the day of the battle of Salamis, that is, on the 20th of Boedromion B.
C. 481, and that he received his name from the victory of Hellas over the barbarians;
but this account is too much like an invention of some grammarian to account for
the name Hellanicus, and deserves no credit; and among the various contradictory
statements we are inclined to adopt that of Pamphila. Respecting the life of Hellanicus
we are altogether in the dark, and we only learn from Suidas that he died at Perperene,
a town on the coast of Asia Minor opposite to Lesbos ; we may, however, presume
that he visited at least some of the countries of whose history he treated.
Hellanicus was a very prolific writer, and if we were to look upon
all the titles that have come down to us as titles of genuine productions and
distinct works, their number would amount to nearly thirty; but the recent investigations
of Preller (De Hellanico Lesbio Historico, Dorpat, 1840, 4to.) have shown that
several works bearing his name are spurious and of later date, and that many others
which are referred to as separate works, are only chapters or sections of other
works. We adopt Preller's arrangement, and first mention those works which were
spurious. 1. Aiguptiaka. The late origin of this production is obvious from the
fragment quoted by Arrian (Dissert. Epictet. ii. 19) and Gellius (i. 2; comp.
Athen. xi., xv.) 2. Eis Ammonos anabasis, which is mentioned by Athenaeus (xiv.),
who, however, doubts its genuineness. 3. Barbarika nomima, which, even according
to the opinions of the ancients, was a compilation made from the works of Herodotus
and Damastes. (Euseb. Praep. Evang. ix.; comp. Suid. s.v. Zamolxis; Etymol. Mag.
p. 407. 48.) 4. Ethnon onomasiai, which seems to have been a similar compilation.
(Athen. xi. ; comp. Herod. iv. 190.) It may have been the same work as the one
which we find referred to under the name of Peri ethnon (Schol. ad Apollon. Rhod,
iv. 322), Ktiseis ethnon kai poleon, or simply ktiseis. (Steph. Byz. s. v. Charimatai;
Athen. x.) Stephanus of Byzantium refers to some other works under the name of
Hellanicus, such as Kupriaka, ta peri Ludian, and Skuthika, of which we cannot
say whether they were parts of another work, perhaps the Persika (of which we
shall speak presently). The Phoinikika mentioned by Cedrenus (Synops.), and the
historiai (Athen. ix., where hiereiais must probably be read for historiais; Theodoret,
de Aff.), probably never existed at all, and are wrong titles. There is one work
referred to by Fulgentius (Myth. i. 2), called Dios polutuchia, the very title
of which is a mystery, and is otherwise unknown.
Setting aside these works, which were spurious, or at least of very
doubtful character, we proceed to enumerate the genuine productions of Hellanicus,
according to the three divisions under which they are arranged by Preller, viz.
genealogical, chorographical, and chronological works.
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Nov 2005 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
I. Genealogical works. It is a very probable opinion of Preller,
that Apollodorus, in writing his Bibliotheca, followed principally the genealogical
works of Hellanicus, and he accordingly arranges the latter in the following order,
agreeing with that in which Apollodorus treats of his subjects. 1. Deukalioneia,
in two books, containing the Thessalian traditions about the origin of man, and
about Deucalion and his descendants down to the time of the Argonauts. (Clem.
Alex. Strom. vi.) The Phettalika referred to by Harpoeration (s. v. tetrarchia)
were either the same work or a portion of it. 2. Phoronis, in two books, contained
the Pelasgian and Argive traditions from the time of Phoroneus and Ogyges down
to Heracles, perhaps even down to the return of the Heracleidae. (Dionys. i. 28.)
The works Peri Arkadias (Schol. ad Apollon. Rhod. i. 162), Argolika (Schol. ad
Hom. Il. iii. 75), and Boiotika (ibid. iii. 494) were either the same work as
the Phoronis or portions of it. 3. Atlantias, in two books, containing the stories
about Atlas and his descendants. (Harpocrat. s. v. Homeridai; Schol. ad Hom. Il.
xviii. 486.) 4. Troika, in two books, beginning with the time of Dardanus. (Harpocrat.
s. v. Krithote; Schol. ad Hom. Il.) The Adopis was only a portion of the Troica.
(Marcellin. Vit. Thue. § 4.)
II. Chorographical works. 1. Atthis, or a history of Attica,
consisting of at least four books. The first contained the history of the mythical
period ; the second was principally occupied with the history and antiquities
of the Attic demi; the contents of the third and fourth are little known, but
we know that Hellanicus treated of the Attic colonies established in Ionia, and
of the subsequent events down to his own time. (Preller; comp. Thuc. i. 97.) 2.
Aiolika, or the history of the Aeolians in Asia Minor and the islands of the Aegean.
The Lesbiaca and Peri Chiou ktiseos seem to have formed sections of the Aeolica.
(Tzetz. ad Lyeoph. 1374; Schol. ad Pind. Nem. xi. 43, ad Hom. Od. viii. 294.)
3. Persika, in two books, contained the history of Persia, Media, and Assyria
from the time of Ninus to that of Hellanicus himself, as we may gather from the
fragments still extant, and as is expressly stated by Cephalion in Syncellus (p.
315, ed. Dindorf).
III. Chronological works. 1. Hiereiai tes Heras in three books,
contained a chronological list of the priestesses of Hera at Argos. There existed
undonbtedly at Argos in the temple of Hera records in the form of annals, which
ascended to the earliest times for which they were made up from oral traditions.
Hellanicus made use of these records, but his work was not a mere meagre list,
but he incorporated in it a variety of traditions and historical events, for which
there was no room in any of his other works, and he thus produced a sort of chronicle.
It was one of the earliest attempts to regulate chronology, and was afterwards
made use of by Thucydides (ii. 2, iv. 1, 33), Timaeus (Polyb. xii. 12), and others.
(Comp. Plut. De Mus.; Preller, l. c.) 2. Karneonikai, or a chronological list
of the victors in the musical and poetical contests at the festival of the Carneia.
This work may be regarded as the first attempt towards a history of literature
in Greece. A part of this work, or perhaps an early edition of it, is said to
have been in verse. (Athen. xiv.) Suidas states that Hellanicus wrote many works
both in prose and in verse; but of the latter kind nothing is known.
All the productions of Hellanicus are lost, with the exception of
a considerable number of fragments. Although he belongs, strictly speaking, to
the logographers (Dionys. Jud. de Thuc. 5; Diod. i. 37), still he holds a much
higher place among the early Greek historians than any of those who are designated
by the name of logographers. He forms the transition from that class of writers
to the real historians; for he not only treated of the mythical ages, but, in
several instances, he carried history down to his own times. But, as far as the
form of history is concerned, he had not emancipated himself from the custom and
practice of other logographers, for, like them, he. treated history from local
points of view, and divided it into such portions as might be related in the form
of genealogies. Hence he wrote local histories and traditions. This circumstance,
and the many differences in his accounts from those of Herodotus, renders it highly
probable that these two writers worked quite independently of each other, and
that the one was unknown to the other. It cannot be matter of surprise that, in
regard to early traditions, he was deficient in historical criticism, and we may
believe Thucydides (i. 97), who says that Hellanicus wrote the history of later
times briefly, and that he was not accurate in his chronology. In his geographical
views, too, he seems to have been greatly dependent upon his predecessors, and
gave, for the most part, what he found in them; whence Agathemerus (i. 1), who
calls him an aner poluistor, remarks that he aplastos paredoke ten historian;
but the censure for falsehood and the like bestowed on him by such writers as
Ctesias (ap. Phot. Bibl. Cod. 72), Theopompus (ap. Strab. i.), Ephorus (up. Joseph.
c. Apion, i. 3; comp. Strab. viii.), and Strabo (x., xi., xiii.), is evidently
one-sided, and should not bias us in forming our judgment of his merits or demerits
as a writer; for there can be no doubt that he was a learned and diligent compiler,
and that so far as his sources went, he was a trustworthy one. His fragments are
collected in Sturz, Hellanici Lesbii Fragmenta, Lips. 1796, 8vo., 2d edition 11826;
in the Museum Criticum,vol.ii., Camb. 1826 ; and in C. and Th. Muller, Fragmenta
Histor. Graec. (Dahlmann, Herodot., Muller, Hist. of Greek Lit., and especially
the work of Preller above referred to.)
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Nov 2005 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
Chorizontes. "Separators." A name given to such of the ancient scholars
and critics as held the belief that the Iliad and Odyssey of Homer were written
by different authors. The names of only two of these critics -Xenon and Hellanicus-
have come down to us.
Of the historians, Hermeias of Methymne brought to a close with this year his narrative of Sicilian affairs, having composed ten books, or, as some divide the work, twelve.
Commentary: One fragment of the Sicilian history of Hermeias remains (Athenaeus 10.438c; also FHG, 2.80.1). The history seems to have dealt mainly with the Elder Dionysius with perhaps a brief introduction on earlier Sicilian affairs.
Hermeias. Of Methymna in Lesbos, the author of a history of Sicily, the third
book of which is quoted by Athenaeus (x. ); but we know from Diodorus Siculus
(xv. 37) that Hermeias related the history of Sicily down to the year B. C. 376,
and that the whole work was divided into ten or twelve books. Stephanus Byzantius
(s. v. Chalkis) speaks of a Periegesis of Hermeias, and Athenaeus (iv.) quotes
the second book of a work Peri tou Gruneion Apollonos, by one Hermeias, but whether
both or either of them is identical with the historian of Sicily is quite uncertain.
A Lesbian historical writer of uncertain date; one of the sources used by Dionysius of Halicarnassus in his account of the Pelasgians (i. 23).
MYRINA (Small town) LEMNOS (LIMNOS)
1952
MYTILINI (Ancient city) LESVOS
Erigyius, (Eriguios), a Mytilenaean, son of Larichus, was an officer in Alexander's
army. He had been driven into banishment by Philip because of his faithful attachment
to Alexander, and returned when the latter came to the throne in B. C. 336. At
the battle of Arbela, B. C. 331, he commanded the cavalry of the allies, as he
did also when Alexander set out from Ecbatana in pursuit of Dareius, B. C. 330.
In the same year Erigyius was entrusted with the command of one of the three divisions
with which Alexander invaded Hyrcania, and he was, too, among the generals sent
against Satibarzanes, whom he slew in battle with his own hand. In 329, together
with Craterus and Hephaestion, and by the assistance of Aristander the soothsayer,
he endeavoured to dissuade Alexander from crossing the Jaxartes against the Scythians.
In 328 he fell in battle against the Bactrian fugitives. (Arr. Anab. iii. 6, 11,
20, 23, 28, iv. 4; Diod. xvii. 57; Curt. vi. 4.3, vii. 3.2, 4.32-40, 7.6-29, viii.
2.40.)
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Oct 2005 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
ANTISSA (Ancient city) LESVOS
Aristocleides (Aristokleides), a celebrated player on the cithara, who traced his descent from Terpander, lived in the time of the Persian war. He was the master of Phrynis of Mytilene. (Schol. ad. Aristoph. Nub. 958; Suidas, s. v. Phrunis)
Archytas. A musician of Mitylene, mentioned by Diogenes Laertius as having written a treatise on agriculture.
Archytas (Archutas), of Mytilene, a musician, who may perhaps have been the author of the work Peri Aulon, which is ascribed to Archytas of Tarentum. (Diog. Laert. viii. 82; Athen. xiii., iv.)
MYTILINI (Ancient city) LESVOS
Diophanes. Of Mytilene, one of the most distinguished Greek rhetoricians of the
time of the Gracchi. For reasons unknown to us, he was obliged to quit his native
place, and went to Rome, where he instructed Tiberius Gracchus, and became his
intimate friend. After T. Gracchus had fallen a victim to the oligarchical faction,
Diophanes and many other friends of Gracchus were also put to death. (Cic. Brut.
27; Strab. xiii.; Plut. T. Gracch. 8, 20.) Another much later rhetorician of the
same name occurs in Porphyry's life of Plotinus.
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Oct 2005 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
ERESSOS (Ancient city) LESVOS
372 - 387
The Greek philosopher. He was a native of Eresus in Lesbos,
and studied philosophy at Athens, first under Plato and afterwards under Aristotle.
He became the favourite pupil of Aristotle, who named Theophrastus his successor
in the presidency of the Lyceum, and in his will bequeathed to him his library
and the originals of his own writings. Theophrastus was a worthy successor of
his great master, and nobly sustained the character of the school. He is said
to have had two thousand disciples, and among them such men as the comic poet
Menander. He was highly esteemed by the kings Philippus, Cassander, and Ptolemy,
and was not the less the object of the regard of the Athenian people, as was decisively
shown when he was impeached of impiety; for he was not only acquitted, but his
accuser would have fallen a victim to his calumny had not Theophrastus generously
interfered to save him. He died in B.C. 287, having presided over the Academy
about thirty-five years. His age is variously stated. According to some accounts
he lived 85 years, according to others 107 years. He is said to have closed his
life with the complaint respecting the short duration of human existence, that
it ended just when the insight into its problems was beginning. He wrote a great
number of works, the great object of which was the development of the Aristotelian
philosophy. His Ethikoi Charakteres, in thirty chapters; his work on plants (Peri
Phuton Istorias), in ten books; his account of the causes of plants (Peri Phuton
Aition); and his treatise on stones (Peri Lithon), are extant.
This text is from: Harry Thurston Peck, Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities. Cited Nov 2002 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
Both Theophrastus and Phanias, the peripatetic philosophers, disciples of Aristotle, were from Eressus. Theophrastus was at first called Tyrtamus, but Aristotle changed his name to Theophrastus, at the same time avoiding the cacophony of his name and signifying the fervor of his speech; for Aristotle made all his pupils eloquent, but Theophrastus most eloquent of all.
This extract is from: The Geography of Strabo (ed. H. L. Jones, 1924), Cambridge. Harvard University Press. Cited Feb 2003 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains comments & interesting hyperlinks.
Theophrastus, the successor of Aristotle in the Peripatetic school,
a native of Eresus in Lesbos,
was born c. 372 BC. His original name was Tyrtamus, but he later became known
by the nickname “Theophrastus,” given to him, it is said, by Aristotle
to indicate the grace of his conversation.
After receiving his first introduction to philosophy in Lesbos
from one Leucippus or Alcippus, he proceeded to Athens,
and became a member of the Platonic circle. After Plato's death he attached himself
to Aristotle, and in all probability accompanied him to Stagira.
The intimate friendship of Theophrastus with Callisthenes, the fellow-pupil of
Alexander the Great, the mention made in his will of an estate belonging to him
at Stagira, and the repeated
notices of the town and its museum in the History of Plants, are facts which point
to this conclusion.
Aristotle in his will made him guardian of his children, bequeathed
to him his library and the originals of his works, and designated him as his successor
at the Lyceum on his own removal to Chalcis.
Theophrastus presided over the Peripatetic school for thirty-five years, and died
in 287 BC. Under his guidance the school flourished greatly - there were at one
period more than 2000 students--and at his death he bequeathed to it his garden
with house and colonnades as a permanent seat of instruction.
His popularity was shown in the regard paid to him by Philip, Cassander
and Ptolemy, and by the complete failure of a charge of impiety brought against
him. He was honoured with a public funeral, and “the whole population of
Athens, honouring him greatly,
followed him to the grave” (Diog. Laert.).
From the lists of the ancients it appears that the activity of Theophrastus
extended over the whole field of contemporary knowledge. His writing probably
differed little from the Aristotelian treatment of the same themes, though supplementary
in details. He served his age mainly as a great popularizer of science. The most
important of his books are two large botanical treatises, On the History of Plants,
in nine books (originally ten), and On the Causes of Plants, in six books (originally
eight), which constitute the most important contribution to botanical science
during Antiquity and the middle ages. We also possess in fragments a History of
Physics, a treatise On Stones, and a work On Sensation, and certain metaphysical
Airoptai, which probably once formed part of a systematic treatise.
The Ethical Characters deserves a separate mention. The work consists
of brief, vigorous and trenchant delineations of moral types, which contain a
most valuable picture of the life of his time. They form the first recorded attempt
at systematic character writing. The book has been regarded by some as an independent
work; others incline to the view that the sketches were written from time to time
by Theophrastus, and collected and edited after his death; others, again, regard
the Characters as part of a larger systematic work, but the style of the book
is against this.
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Life of Theophrastus, by Diogenes Laertius
or Phaenias (Phainias). A native of Eresus in Lesbos, a pupil of Aristotle, and a countryman and friend of Theophrastus. He flourished about B.C. 336. He was a very prolific writer on philosophy, physics, and history. Only fragments of these works remain. He was also the author of a chronicle of his native city, entitled Prutaneis Eresioi. This is supposed to have been one of the principal authorities followed in the so-called Parian Chronicle.
This text is from: Harry Thurston Peck, Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities. Cited Nov 2002 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
Parian Chronicle (Chronikon Parianon, or Marmor Parium). A marble tablet found at Paros in 1627, now placed among the Arundel Marbles in the University Galleries at Oxford. It is written chiefly in the Attic, but partly in the Ionian dialect, and consists of ninety-three lines, some of which are no longer complete. It originally contained a number of dates of the political, but chiefly of the religious and literary, history of the Greeks, from the Athenian king Cecrops to the Athenian archon Diognetus, B.C. 264; in its present condition, however, it only goes down to B.C. 354. All the dates are given according to Attic kings and archons, and the historical authorities on which it depends must have been Attic authors. The origin and aim of the tablet are unknown. It was first published by Selden in 1628; it has since been printed by Boeckh (C. I. G. ii. 2374), who considers the leading authority followed to be Phanias of Eresus.
This text is from: Harry Thurston Peck, Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities. Cited Feb 2003 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
LEMNOS (LIMNOS) (Island) NORTH AEGEAN
Philostratus (Philostratos). Flavius Philostratus the elder, a Greek Sophist of
Lemnos, son of a celebrated Sophist of the same name. He taught first in Athens,
then at Rome till the middle of the third century A.D. By order of his great patroness
Iulia Domna, the learned wife of the emperor Septimius Severus, he wrote (a) the
romantic Life of Apollonius of Tyana. Besides this we have by him (b) a work entitled
Heroicus (Heroikos), consisting of mythical histories of the heroes of the Trojan
War in the form of a dialogue, designed to call back to life the expiring popular
religion; (c) lives of the Sophists (Bioi Sophiston), in two books, the first
dealing with twenty-six philosophers, the second with thirtythree rhetoricians
of earlier as well as later times, a work important for the history of Greek culture,
especially during the imperial age; (d) seventy-three letters, partly amatory
in subject; (e) a fragment of a work intended to revive interest in the old Gymnastic;
lastly (f), the Imagines (Eikones), in two books, being descriptions of sixtysix
paintings on all possible subjects.
Of these it is doubtful whether, as he pretends, they really belonged
to a gallery at Naples, a statement accepted by Brunn, or whether their subjects
were invented by himself, as maintained by Friederichs and Matz. Like all his
writings, this work is skilful and pleasing in its manner, and the interest of
its topic makes it particularly attractive. It is not so much designed to incite
to the study of works of art as to exhibit the art of painting in a totally new
field; and herein he is followed both by his grandson and namesake and by Callistratus.
This text is from: Harry Thurston Peck, Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities. Cited Dec 2003 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
Lucius Flavius Philostratus was born ca.170 CE on the Greek island
of Lemnus. He became one of the leading sophists or orators of his day, spent
some years at the Roman imperial court, and publicized several books, among which
are a very entertaining Life of the sophists and an intriguing biography of the
charismatic miracle worker Apollonius of Tyana.
Philostratus died between 244 and 249. His father, his son-in-law and his grandson
(all namesakes) were also well known authors.
The Second Sophistic
Ancient society was virtually illiterate. Only a few rich people could
afford to attend school. Consequently, almost all communication took place by
means of the spoken word, and the art of speaking in public was considered one
of the most important of all human activities. Or, formulated more precisely:
one of the most important of all male activities, because female orators were
almost unknown.
The first to think about rhetorics were the so-called "sophists"
("intellectuals") of the fifth century BCE, who taught the sons of noble
Athenians how to convince or influence the people's assembly. Several handbooks
about the art of speaking were written in these days: e.g., the Rhetorics by the
great philosopher Aristotle (384-322 BCE). After the fourth century, the Greek
cities lost their independence and political decisions were no longer made by
speeches in political assemblies. Some thought that rhetorics had died.
When Greece was
part of the Roman Empire, the art revived in a different form. From now on, the
title 'sophist' indicated rhetorical virtuosos, who were able to improvise in
public on historical or fictional themes (meletai). The German language possesses
the fine but untranslatable expression Konzertredner to describe these men; in
English, they may be called 'concert orators' or 'show speakers'. The founder
of these new rhetorics was Nicetes of Smyrna,
who lived in the second half of the first century CE. Among the later sophists
were illustrious artists like Herodes Atticus, Polemo of Laodicea, Publius Aelius
Aristides, and Favorinus of Arelate - men who would travel across the entire Roman
world, followed by their fans and disciples. Publius Aelius Aristides was responsible
for several thoughtful essays about the importance of eloquence.
A typical performance of a sophist took place in a theater or a music
hall. When the orator had entered the stage, he invited his audience to mention
a subject about which he had to improvise a declamation. Often, the people would
request a historical speech on the great days of independent Greece, such as:
Leonidas inspires his men to fight until death, Wounded Athenian soldiers ask
their comrades to kill them or Pericles asks the Athenians to declare war on Sparta.
Fictional themes were also popular: In praise of baldness, Which side of a woman
is the most pleasing, front or back? or Physical defects of men. The sophist would
choose his subject, leave the stage for several minutes to prepare himself, and
would then deliver the requested speech in front of an enchanted audience.
These performances were extremely popular and the sophists were the
ancient equivalents of modern pop stars. They were rich men, who could afford
to devote all their time to rhetorics. Show oratory was, therefore, an expression
of elite culture, a place where a rich man could show his own importance in an
Empire where he could no longer distinguish himself as a politician or a soldier.
This phenomenon is called the Second Sophistic (the First Sophistic
being the art of speaking of the fifth and fourth century BCE). This term was
coined by the sophist and author Philostratus.
Philostratus' life
Almost all facts about Philostratus' life have to be deduced from
his own writings. Unfortunately, several relatives were also called Philostratus,
and these were authors too. Confusion is, therefore, likely, and we must first
establish which Philostratus is responsible for what publication. A short catalogue
of surviving works:
•Philostratus I (second half of the second century)
• Nero, a dialogue - maybe written by Philostratus II.
•Philostratus II (c.170-244/249)
•Eight books containing a Life of Apollonius, a vie romancee of the charismatic
teacher Apollonius of Tyana, commissioned before 217;
two books of Lives of the sophists, a collection of biographies of Greek orators
from the second century CE, written after 231 and finished in 237;
•Gymnasticus, an essay on sport, completed after 220;
•Heroicus, a dialogue on the heroes of the Trojan War (possibly not written
by this Philostratus);
•two books of Imagines, a description of several pictures at an exhibition,
in which the orator tried to improve on the painter's work (by the author of the
Heroicus);
•a declamation On culture and nature (maybe by Philostratus III);
•an epigram on a representation of the legendary hero Telephus (maybe by
Philostratus III);
•Love letters, a collection of several fictional letters;
•other letters, including one to Julia Domna, the wife of the emperor Septimius
Severus.
Philostratus III (first half of the third century), surnamed the Lemnian
•An open letter on epistolography, addressed to Aspasius of Ravenna,
the secretary of Greek letters of the emperor Caracalla (or Severus Alexander?).
Philostratus IV
•a second collection of Imagines (incomplete).
The second of these men, the son of Philostratus I, is the subject
of the present discussion. He was born in or about 170 CE, probably on the isle
of Lemnus, one of the overseas' territories of Athens; in his writings, he indicates
that he spent a part of his youth at the island. From an inscription we can deduce
that his full name was Lucius Flavius Philostratus, a threefold name that means
that he had the Roman citizenship.
His father, who was known as an author (although we do not know with
any certainty any of his publications), sent his son to Athens to study rhetoric
under Proclus of Naucratis, and -later- under some unknown teachers living in
Smyrna and Ephesus
in Asia Minor. He must have
started his career as a sophist in these days. The Severus family Geta's portrait
was destroyed after he had been killed by his brother.
In the first decade of the third century, Philostratus was the hoplite
general of Athens, a very
important function. After this, he moved to Rome, where he may have given sophistic
performances. Between June 203 and 208, the orator was introduced to the court
of the emperor Septimius Severus (193-211), his wife Julia Domna and their sons
Caracalla and Geta. The empress was to be Philostratus' patron until 217. Philostratus
now belonged to a cultural coterie of 'geometricians and philosophers'. This combination
has struck many scholars as odd, and they have assumed that the empress was influenced
by the Neo-Pythagorean philosophical school. Unfortunately, the third century
is not well known for the quality of its mathematicians and it is unclear what
is meant with the word 'geometricians'.
In the last years of his reign, Septimius Severus was obliged to go
to Britain to fight against the Picts, tribesmen living in modern Scotland. Philostratus
accompanied the royal family. In his Life of Apollonius he gives an eyewitness
account of the Ocean tides. During the war, the emperor fell ill and died. He
was succeeded by his sons Geta (211-212) and Caracalla (211-217). Philostratus
stayed at the imperial court. His Life of Apollonius contains a brief aside on
the murder of Geta by his brother.
Together with the remaining emperor and his mother, Philostratus traveled
to the east, where Caracalla was involved in important diplomatic negotiations
with the Parthian empire. On their way to the east, the imperial court visited
Tyana (in modern Turkey),
where a temple was dedicated to the charismatic teacher Apollonius. Maybe it was
on this occasion that Julia Domna commissioned Philostratus' Life of Apollonius.
The vie romancee was finished during the reign of Severus Alexander.
The sophist was married to one Aurelia Melitene -she is known from
an inscription- and they had at least one son Capitolinus and a daughter. The
latter married to Philostratus III, who must have been the son of a brother of
Philostratus II. The son-in-law is known to have been the priest of Hephaestus
on Lemnus and was a successful orator; his father-in-law and uncle calls him 'Philostratus
of Lemnus'. Shortly before or during the emperor's voyage to the East, which took
place in 215, this Lemnian Philostratus received a tax exemption after a fine
declamation before Caracalla.
During the winter, the royal family went to Alexandria.
It is unclear whether Philostratus II was in their company. What is certain, is
that he spent some time in the great city of Antioch, where he met one Gordian,
who was to be emperor in January/February 238. Philostratus dedicated his Lives
of the sophists to this man.
In 217, Caracalla was murdered and succeeded by the commander of the
imperial guard, Macrinus. Julia Domna realized that her life was in danger, refused
food, and died. It is unclear what happened to the writers, geometricians and
philosophers she had protected, and we have no idea what happened to Philostratus.
He is mentioned in a medieval text under the name 'Philostratus of Tyre' and it
is possible that he stayed for some time in this Phoenician city.
He must have returned to Athens, however, where he moved in the leading
cultural and political circles of Greece. His Life of Apollonius was published,
followed by the Lives of the sophists (in 237). The Athenians dedicated a statue
to him in Olympia and honored
the family by choosing his son Capitolinus as hoplite general. He and at least
one other member of the Philostratus family were members of the Roman senate.
No doubt 'our' Philostratus saw the son of his daughter and Philostratus
III, the above mentioned Philostratus IV. But he did not live to see his son-in-law
as the major of Athens in 255/256, because he had died during the reign of the
emperor Philip Arabs (244-249).
Life of Apollonius
In the Life of Apollonius, Philostratus tells the story of Apollonius
of Tyana, a charismatic teacher and miracle worker from the first century AD who
belonged to the school of Pythagoras. It is an apologetic work, in which Philostratus
tries to show that Philostratus was a man with divine powers, but not a magician.
He also pays attention to Apollonius' behavior as a sophist.
Although the hero is known from other sources, Philostratus' vie romancee
is our most important source. Scholars studying the life of the Tyanaean sage
-whose miraculous acts have often been compared to the miracles of Jesus of Nazareth-
have tried to establish the sources of Philostratus' books in order to come as
close as possible to the historical truth.
The most important question is whether Philostratus used the notes
by Apollonius' disciple Damis. Skeptical classicists and historians have tried
to argue that 'Damis' is a literary fiction, comparable to the truthful chronicle
of Cidi Hamete Benengeli which Cervantes claims to have used in Don Quixote. Recently,
Jaap-Jan Flinterman has convincingly argued that there must have been a pseudo-biography
of pythagorean character. His arguments are:
•Philostratus refers to 'Damis' to support information which he can not concile
with his own attitude towards magic.
•The information ascribed to 'Damis' presupposes a conflict between pythagoreanism
and the cynical school of philosophy, a rivalry that was important in the second
century CE, but not in Philostratus' own time.
•One episode in the Life of Apollonius, the sage's meeting with the Indian
brahmans, shows a conception of the relationship between sages and kings of which
there is no evidence in Greek literature on India before the third century CE.
A pseudo-biography of pythagorean character is an extremely viable explanation
for the inclusion of such a conception in a work by an author like Philostratus.
A further discussion of the Life of Apollonius can be found here.
The lives of the sophists
The two books are dedicated to a proconsul named Gordian. This man
was emperor in January/February 238, which makes it almost certain that the Lives
of the Sophists were finished in 237, because the proconsulship was a magistrature
only briefly kept.
Lives of the sophists is an amusing collection of gossip about the
famous sophists of the late first, second and early third centuries. Philostratus
also tells us about their technical capacities, and is one of our most important
sources for the study of the history of ancient rhetorics. He distinguishes two
ages of 'the art of speaking':
•the first sophistic, which was founded in the fifth century BCE by Gorgias
•the second sophistic, founded by Aeschines in the fourth century, but eclipsed
for centuries 'because there were no decent speakers' (in which line 'decent'
means 'well to do')
Philostratus allots much space to the sophist Polemo of Laodicea (90-145)
and his Athenian colleague, the billionaire Herodes Atticus (101-177). The author
of the Lives of the sophists does not aim to be complete, but offers a lot of
entertaining anecdotes and literary criticism. (...)
Jona Lendering, ed.
This text is cited July 2003 from the Livius Ancient History Website URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks.
MITHYMNA (Ancient city) LESVOS
Echecratides, (Echekratides), a Peripatetic philosopher, who is mentioned among the disciples of Aristotle. He is spoken of only by Stephanus of Byzantium (s. v. Methumna), from whom we learn that he was a native of Methymna in Lesbos.
MYTILINI (Ancient city) LESVOS
Hermarchus (Hermarchos). A rhetorician of Mitylene who became a disciple of Epicurus, and finally succeeded him as head of the school about B.C. 270. A letter of Epicurus to him is preserved by Cicero. His philosophical works are lost.
Hermarchus, (Hermarchos), sometimes, but incorrectly, written IIermachus. He was a son of Agemarchus, a poor man of Mytilene, and was at first brought up as a rhetorician, but afterwards became a faithful disciple of Epicurus, who left to him his garden, and appointed him his successor as the head of his school, about B. C. 270. (Diog. Laert. x. 17, 24.) He died in the house of Lysias at an advanced age, and left behind him the reputation of a great philosopher. Cicero (de Fin. ii. 30) has preserved a letter of Epicurus addressed to him. Hermarchus was the author of several works, which are characterised by Diogenes Laertius (x. 24) as kallista, viz. Epistolika peri Empedokleous, in 22 books, Peri ton mathematon, Pros Platona, and Pros Aristotelen; but all of them are lost, and we know nothing about them but their titles. But from an expression of Cicero (de Nat. Deor. i. 33), we may infer that his works were of a polemical nature, and directed against the philosophy of Plato and Aristotle, and on Empedocles. (Comp. Cic. Acad. ii. 30; Athen. xiii.; Phot. Bibl. Cod. 167, p. 115, b. ed. Bekker.) It should be remarked that his name was formerly written Hermachus, until it was corrected by Villoison in his Anecdota Graec. ii.
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Nov 2005 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
Cratippus, a Peripatetic philosopher of Mytilene, who was a contemporary of Pompey and Cicero. The latter, who was connected with him by intimate friendship, entertained a very high opinion of him, for he declares him to be the most distinguished among the Peripatetics that he had known (de Off. iii. 2), and thinks him at least equal to the greatest men of his school (De Divin. i. 3). Cratippus accompanied Pompey in his flight after the battle of Pharsalia, and endeavoured to comfort and rouse him by philosophical arguments (Plut. Pomp. 75; comp. Aelian, V. H. vii. 21). Several eminent Romans, such as M. Marcellus and Cicero himself, received instruction from him, and in B. C. 44, young M. Cicero was his pupil at Athens, and was tenderly attached to him (Cic. Brut. 31, ad Fam. xii. 16, xvi. 21, de Off. i. 1, ii. 2, 7). Young Cicero seems also to have visited Asia in his company (Ad Fam. xii. 16). When Caesar was at the head of the Roman republic, Cicero obtained from him the Roman franchise for Cratippus, and also induced the council of the Areiopagus at Athens to invite the philosopher to remain in that city as one of her chief ornaments, and to continue his instructions in philosophy (Plut. Cic. 24). After the murder of Caesar, Brutus, while staying at Athens, also attended the lectures of Cratippus (Plut. Brut. 24). Notwithstanding the high opinion which Cicero entertained of the knowledge and talent of Cratippus, we do not hear that he wrote on any philosophical subject, and the only allusions we have to his tenets, refer to his opinions on divination, on which he seems to have written a work. Cicero states that Cratippus believed in dreams and supernatural inspiration (furor), but that he rejected all other kinds of divination (De Divin. i. 3, 32, 50, 70, 71, ii. 48, 52; Tertull. de Anim. 46).
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Nov 2005 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
A Peripatetic philosopher, born either at Mitylene or Rhodes. He flourished about B.C. 322, and is said to have taught Epicurus. He paid much attention to grammatical study, and is hence classed with Aristotle as one of the founders of scientific grammar (Clem. Alex. i. p. 365). He wrote treatises on the poets, on history, and on poetry, and was the teacher of Aratus and Callimachus.
Lesbonax. A son of Potamon of Mytilene,a philosopher and sophist, who lived in the time of Augustus. He was a pupil of Timocrates, and the father of Polemon, who is known as the teacher and friend of the emperor Tiberius. (Suidas, s. v.; Eudoc. p. 283.) Suidas says that Lesbonax wrote several philosophical works, but does not mention that he was an orator or rhetorician, although there can be no doubt that he is the same person as the Lesbonax who wrote meletai rhetomikai and erotikai epistolai (Schol. ad Luc. de Saltat. 69), and the one of whom, in the time of Photius (Bibl. Cod. 74, p. 52), there were extant sixteen political orations. Of these orations only two have come down to us, one entitled peri tou polemou Korinthion, and the other protreptikos logos, both of which are not unsuccessful imitations of the Attic orators of the best times. They are printed in the collections of the Greek orators published by Aldus, H. Stephens, Reiske, Bekker, and Dobson: a separate edition was published by J. C. Orelli, Lipsiae, 1820,
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Oct 2006 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
ANTISSA (Ancient city) LESVOS
712 - 645
Terpander (Terpandros), of Lesbos,
was the father of Greek music, and through it of lyric poetry,
although his own poetical compositions were few and in extremely simple rhythms.
Muller, whose account of Terpander is so excellent, that it is necessary to follow him to a great extent, has justly remarked that, setting aside the mythological traditions about early minstrels, such as Orpheus, Philammon, Chrysothemis, and others, the history of Greek music begins with Terpander. But Muller, and other scholars, have pointed out the fact, that Terpander may be connected with one of the most interesting and important of those traditions. The beautiful fable, which told how the head and lyre of Orpheus, cast upon the waves by the Thracian Maenads, were borne to Lesbos, and there received with religious honours, was doubtless an allegory, signifying the transference of the art of music to that island from Pieria, which the ancients afterwards confounded with Thrace; a transference which is confirmed by the undoubted tradition, that Lesbos was colonised by the Aeolians of Boeotia, who were of the same race as the Pierians, and who had among them one of the earliest seats of the worship of the Muses, upon Mount Helicon. Now the very town in Lesbos, at which the grave of Orpheus was shown, and where the nightingales were said to sing most sweetly, Antissa, was the birthplace of Terpander. The presumption that he belonged to one of those families in which, according to the Greek custom, the art was handed down from father to son, is strengthened by the significancy of his name; and this significant name, again, finds numerous parallels in the early history of other arts as well as music [Cheirisophus, Eucheirus, Eugrammus]. It is not unreasonable to suppose, further, that the race of musicians, from which Terpander was descended, preserved traditions and rules which they had originally derived from the Pierian bards. The tradition which made him a decendant of Hesiod (Suid. s. v.) furnishes incidentally a certain degree of confirmation of these views. What Terpander himself effected for the art is thus described by Muller: " Terpander appears to have been properly the founder of Greek music. He first reduced to rule the different modes of singing which prevailed in different countries, and formed, out of these rude strains, a connected system, from which the Greek music never departed throughout all the improvements and refinements of later ages. Though endowed with an inventive mind, and the commencer of a new era of music, he attempted no more than to systematize the musical styles which existed in the tunes of Greece and Asia Minor." (Hist. of the Lit. of Anc. Greece, vol. i. p. 149.)
His father's name is said to have been Derdeneus (Marm. Par. Ep. 34), while another account made him the son of Boeus, the son of Phoceus, the son of Homer (Suid. s. v.). There can be no doubt that he was a Lesbian, and that Antissa was his native town (Pind. ap. Ath. xiv. p. 635, d.; Marm. Par. l. c. ; Plut. de Mus. 30, p. 1141, c.; Clem. Alex. Strom. vol. i. p. 309; Steph. Byz. s. v. Antissa; Suid. s. vv. Terpandros, Meta Les-bion oidon). The other accounts, preserved by Suidas, which made him a native either of Arne in Boeotia, or of Cyme in Aeolis, are easily explained, and are connected with what has been already said in an interesting manner. Both Arne and Cyme were among the Aeolian cities which were said to have sent colonies to Lesbos, and both might therefore have claimed to reckon Terpander among their citizens, on the general principle by which the natives of Grecian colonies were regarded as citizens of the parent state; and, besides this, the tradition connecting him with Arne, one of the oldest cities of Boeotia, is another indication of his descent from the Pierians, while the claim of Cyme is probably connected with the traditions which derived his genealogy from Homer or from Hesiod (See Plehn, Lesbiaca, pp. 140--142). The statement of Diodorus (vi. 28, ap. Tzetz. Chil. i. 16) that he was a native of Methymna, must be regarded as simply a mistake.
The age at which Terpander flourished is generally considered one of the best ascertained dates of that remote period of chronology; although the still more important question of his relation, in point of time, to the other early musicians, Olympus and Clonas, and to the earliest iambic and elegiac poets, Archilochus and Callinus, and the lyric poets Tyrtaeus and Alcman, is allowed to present very great difficulties. As to the first point, C. O. Muller says that " it is one of the most certain dates of the more 1 ancient chronology, that in the 26th Olympiad (B. C. 676) musical contests were first introduced at the feast of Apollo Carneius [at Sparta], and at their first celebration Terpander was crowned victor." (Hist. Lit. Anc. Greece, vol. i. p. 150, vol. i. p. 268 of the German; comp. Dor. b. iv. c. 6. § 1; and Mr. Grote echoes the statement, that " this is one of the best ascertained points among the obscure chronology of the seventh century " (Hist. of Greece, vol. iv. p. 102); and in the two great chronological works of Clinton and Fischer (s. a. 676), the date is laid down as certain.) The ancient authorities for this statement are Hellanicus (Athen. xiv. p. 635, f., Fr. 122, ed. Car. Muller, Frag. Hist. vol. i. p. 627, in Didot's Bibliotheca), and Sosibius the Lacedaemonian (Ath. l. c., Fr. 3, ed. Muller, ibid. vol. ii. p. 625); of whom the former gives us only the fact, that Terpander was the first victor at the Carneia, without the date; and the latter gives us only the date of the institution of the Carneia, without mentioning the victory of Terpander: the combination of the two statements, on which the force of the chronological argument rests, is made by Athenaeus, whose only object, however, in making it is to prove that Terpander was older than Anacreon; and who, in the very same sentence, quotes the statement of Hieronymus (de Poetis), that Terpander was contemporary with Lycurgus. Mr. Grote says (p. 103, note), " That Terpander was victor at the Spartan festival of the Karneia, in 676, B. C., may well have been derived by Hellanikus from the Spartan registers; " and a similar meaning has been put upon the phrase used by Athenaeus, hos Hellanikos historei, en te tois emmetrois Karneonikais, kan tois katalogaden: but, granting this supposition its full force, Hellanicus does not say that Terpander was victor " in 676, B. C.; " but he does give us, in another fragment, a date irreconcileable with this, namely, that Terpander flourished in the time of Midas (Clem. Alex. Strom. vol. i. p. 398, Potter; Fr. 123, ed. Muller. l. c.). The date 676, B. C., for the institution of the Carneia, therefore, rests alone on the testimony of Sosibius, for it can hardly be doubted that the same date, as given by Africanus (Euseb. Chron. pars i. Ol. 26. p. 144, ed. Mai, vol. i. p. 285, ed. Aucher) was copied from the chronon anagraphe of Sosibius. Still Sosibius alone would undoubtedly be a very high authority; but, in addition to the caution which is required in dealing with indirect evidence, and in addition to the testimonies which assign a different date to Terpander, it may be questioned whether the date of Sosibius for the institution of the Carneia is to be understood literally, or whether it was not derived from some other epoch by a computation which, on a different chronological system, would have given a different result. There can be little doubt that the records of Sparta, which Sosibius "may well have" followed were kept, not by Olympiads, but by the reigns of the kings, and that, in turning the dates of those early kings into Olympiads, Sosibius computed from the date which he assumed for the Trojan War, namely B. C. 1180 ; and that, if he had taken a different date for the Trojan War, e.g. that of B. C. 1217, he would, by the same computation, have placed the institution of the Carneia at Ol. 16, a date which would agree well enough with that really given by Hellanicus (See Car. Muller, Frag. Hist. vol. ii. p. 626). On the whole, then, it seems probable that the date of B. C. 676 is not quite so certain as it has been represented.
With respect to the other testimonies, that of Hellanicus, already referred to, is rendered some-what indefinite by the, at least partly, mythological character of Midas; but, if the date has any historical value at all, it would place Terpander at least as high as Ol. 20, B. C. 700, the date of the death of Midas, according to Eusebius. confirmed by Herodotus (i. 14), who makes Midas a little older than Gyges. To the same effect is the testimony of the Lydian historian Xanthus, who lived before Hellanicus, and who placed Terpander at Ol. 18, B.C. 708 (Clem. Alex. Strom. vol. i. p. 398, Potter). Glaucus of Rhegium also, who lived not long after Hellanicus, stated that Terpander was older than Archilochus, and that he came next after those who first composed aulodic music, meaning perhaps Olympus and Clonas; and Plutarch, who quotes this statement (de Mus. iv. p. 1132, e.) introduces it with the remark, kai tois chronois de sphodra palaios esti, and presently afterwards (5, p. 1133, a) he adds, as a general historical tradition (paradidotai) that Archilochus flourished after Terpander and Clonas. Mr. Grote accepts these testimonies; but draws from them the inference, that Archilochus should be placed lower than he usually is, about B. C. 670 instead of 700. The statement of Hieronymus (Ath. l. c.) that Terpander was contemporary with Lycurgus, is perhaps only another form of the tradition that the laws of Lycurgus were aided by the music and poetry of Terpander and Tyrtaeus, which has evidently no chronological significance. On the other hand, Phanias made Terpander later than Archilochus (Clem. Alex. l. c.), and the chronologers place his musical reform at Ol. 33, 2, B. C. 647 (Euseb.) or Ol. 34. 1, B. C. 644. (Marm. Par. Ep. 34). Lastly, we are told that Terpander was victorious in the musical contest at four successive Pythian festivals ; but there is abundance of evidence to prove that these Pythian musical contests were not those established by the Amphictyons in Ol. 48. 3, but some which had existed long before, and which were celebrated, according to Muller, every eight years, a circumstance which throws doubt on the number of Terpander's victories (See Muller, Dor. b. iv. c. 6. § 2; Grote, Hist. of Greece. vol. iv. p. 103, note). These discrepancies will show the great uncertainty attending the chronology of so early a period, and the danger of resting even upon an apparently definite date; although in the present case, the general comparison of the testimonies makes it far from improbable that the date first assigned is about the right one. All that can be said, with any approach to certainty, is that Terpander flourished somewhere between B. C. 700 and 650, and that his career may possibly have extended either a little above the higher, or, less probably, a little below the lower, of those dates.
Fortunately, we have clearer information respecting the scene and the nature of his artistic labours. From motives which were variously stated by tradition, he removed from Lesbos to Sparta, and there introduced his new system of music, and established the first musical school or system (katastasis) that existed in Greece. (Plut. de Mus. 9, p. 1134, c.: the other authorities respecting the migration of Terpander, the powerful effect of his music on the Spartans, and the honour in which they held him, during his life and after his death, are collected by Plehn, Lesbiaca, p. 147)
In order to explain fully the musical improvements introduced by
Terpander, it would be necessary to enter into the subject of Greek music at
greater length than is consistent with the limits of this article, or the plan
of the work. A full account of the subject will be found in the Dictionary of
Antiquities, art. Musica, in Muller's History of the Literature of Ancient Greece,
c. 12, and in Bockh (de Metr. Pind. iii. 7). It will be enough here to state
that Terpander enlarged the compass of the lyre from a tetrachord to an octave;
but in a peculiar manner. The old lyre had four strings, which were so tuned
that the extreme notes had to one another the relation called by the Greeks
dia tessaron, the fourth, and the two intermediate notes were such, according
to the most ancient genus of music, namely, the diatonic, and the prevailing
mode, the Dorian, that the intervals were (ascending) semitone, tone, tone,
that is:
[Figure] To this tetrachord Terpander added another, the lowest
note of which was one tone above the highest of the other, and the intervals
of which the same as those of the former that is:
[Figure] But, in combining these two tetrachords, he omitted the third
string, reckoning from the highest, so that he intervals (ascending) were 1/2,
1, 1, 1, 11/2, 1 2 , that is :
[Figure] The interval between the extreme notes is an octave, or, as
the Greeks called it, dia pason. Plutarch (de Mus. 19) adduces arguments to
prove that the omission of the third string was intentional; but whether the
reason was, the opinion that it could well be dispensed with, or some theoretical
preference for the number 7, we are not informed. It was afterwards restored,
so that the lyre had eight strings. The following table (from Plehn) shows the
names of the strings, and the intervals between them, in the descending order,
for each lyre: Heptachord. Octachord.
E nete E nete ----------- 1 tone. ----------- 1 tone.
D paranete D paranete ----------- 1 " ----------- 11/2 "
C trite ----------- 1/2 "
B trite B paramese ----------- 1 " ----------- 1 "
A mese A mese ----------- 1 " ----------- 1 "
G lichanos G lichanos ----------- 1 " ----------- 1 "
F parupate F parupate ----------- 1/2 " ----------- 1/2 "
E hupate E hupate
The invention of the seven-stringed lyre, or heptachord, is not
only ascribed to Terpander by several ancient writers, but it is also referred
to in two verses of his own still extant (Eucl. Introd. Harm. p. 19; Strab.
xiii. p. 618):
Soi d hemeis tetragerun aposterxantes aoidan
heptatonoi phormingi neous keladesomen humnous.
It remained in use even as late as the time of Pindar (Pyth. ii. 70, Ncm. v.
22). The invention of the barbiton or magadis, an instrument of greater compass
than an octave, is ascribed to Terpander by Pindar, but probably erroneously
(Pind. ap. Ath. xiv. p. 635, d.; Plehn, Lesb. p. 153). It is impossible here
to enter on the question whether the lyre of Terpander could be adapted, by
tuning its strings differently, to the different modes and genera of Greek music;
and whether his own compositions were in any other mode than the Dorian (See
Dict. of Ant. art. Musica)>
While Terpander thus enlarged the compass of the lyre, he appears
to have been the first who regularly set poetry to music (Clem. Alex. Strom.
vol. i. p. 364, b.). Plutarch (de Mus. 3) tells us that he set his own verses
and those of Homer to certain citharoedic nomes, and sang them in the musical
contests; and that he was the first who gave names to the various citharoedic
nomes. These nomes were simple tunes, from which others could be derived by
slight variations; and these latter were called mele. That the nomes of Terpander
were entirely of his own composition, is not very probable, and indeed there
is evidence to prove that some of them were derived from old tunes, ascribed
to the ancient bards, and others from national melodies. Neither were they all
adapted to the rhythm of the heroic hexameter; for among them we find mention
made of Trochaic nomes and of Orthian nomes, which consisted in a great extension
of certain feet; and there is still extant a fragment of Terpander, which affords
a good specimen of those Spondaic hymns which were sung at festivals of peculiar
solemnity, and the music of which would of course be in keeping with the gravity
of the rhythm and of the meaning (Clem. Alex. Strom. vi. p. 784):
Zeu, panton archa, panton agetor,
Zeu, soi pempo tautan humnon archan.
The question, whether any of Terpander's nomes were aulodic, cannot
be decided with absolute certainty. Nearly all that we know of him is any connection
with citharoedic music; and the arguments adduced to prove that he also used
the flute are by no means conclusive; while, on the other hand, the improvement
of that species of music is expressly ascribed to other composers, as Olympus
and Clonas, who stand in much the same relation to aulodic music as Terpander
does to that of the lyre. It is also uncertain whether his nomes were embodied
in any written system of musical notation, or whether they were handed down
by tradition in the school which he founded. Be this as it may, they remained
for a very long period the standard melodies used at religious festivals, and
the school of Terpander flourished for many generations at Sparta,
and in Lesbos, and throughout
Greece. At the festival of the Carneia, where Terpander had been the first to
obtain a victory, the prize for lyric music was gained in regular succession
by members of his school down to Pericleitus, about B. C. 550. Respecting the
improvements in citharoedic music after the time of Terpander, see Thaletas
at Gortyna.
The remains of Terpander's poetry, which no doubt consisted entirely of religious hymns, are comprised in the two fragments already quoted, and in two others, the one of one hexameter verse (Schol. Arist. Nub. 591), and the other of one and a half (Plut. Lyc. 21), and one reference (Bockh, Plehn, and Muller, as above quoted; Ulrici, Gesch. d. Hellen Dichtk. vol. ii. pp. 341, foll.; Bode, vol. ii. passim; Bergk, Poet. Lyr. Graec. pp. 537, 538).
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited April 2005 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
ERESSOS (Ancient city) LESVOS
630 - 570
Sappho ( Aeolic, Psappha). One of the two great leaders of the Aeolian
school of lyric poetry, Alcaeus being the other. She was a native of Mitylene,
or, as some said, of Eresos in Lesbos, and flourished towards the end of
the seventh century B.C. Her father's name was Scamandronymus, who died when she
was only six years old. She had three brothers, Charaxus, Larichus, and Eurigius.
Charaxus was violently upbraided by his sister in a poem, because he became so
enamoured of the courtesan Rhodopis at Naucratis in Egypt as to ransom her from
slavery at an immense price. Sappho was contemporary with Alcaeus, Stesichorus,
and Pittacus. That she was not only contemporary, but lived in friendly intercourse,
with Alcaeus is shown by existing fragments of the poetry of both. Of the events
of her life we have no other information than an obscure allusion in the Parian
Marble and in Ovid ( Her.xv. 51) to her flight from Mitylene to Sicily to escape
some unknown danger, between B.C. 604 and 592; and the common story that being
in love with Phaon, and finding her love unrequited, she leaped down from the
Leucadian Rock. This story, however, seems to have been an invention of later
times. The name of Phaon does not occur in one of Sappho's fragments, and there
is no evidence that he was mentioned in her poems. As for the leap from the Leucadian
Rock, it is a mere metaphor, taken from an expiatory rite connected with the worship
of Apollo, which seems to have been a frequent poetical image. At Mitylene Sappho
appears to have been the leader of a feminine literary set, most of the members
of which were her pupils in poetry, fashion, and gallantry, so that from this
association later writers have attempted to prove that the moral character of
Sappho was not free from all reproach; and it is difficult to read the fragments
which remain of her verse without being forced to come to the conclusion that
a woman who could write such poetry could not be the pure woman that her modern
apologists would have her. (See the defence of Sappho by Welcker [1816] and the
various papers in the Rheinisches Museum for 1857-58.) Of her poetical genius,
however, there cannot be a question. The ancient writers agree in expressing the
most unbounded admiration for the passion, sincerity, and grace of her poetry.
Already in her own age the recitation of one of her poems so affected Solon that
he expressed an earnest desire to learn it before he died. Her lyric poems formed
nine books, but of these only fragments have come down to us. The most important
is a splendid ode to Aphrodite, of which we perhaps possess the whole. The best
editions of the fragments is by Neue (Berlin, 1827), and that in Bergk's Poet.
Lyrici Graeci, vol. iii. (4th ed. 1882). The fragments are all collected and translated
into English by Wharton with a full bibliography in his Sappho (Chicago, 1895).
This text is from: Harry Thurston Peck, Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities. Cited Feb 2003 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
Phaon. A boatman at Mitylene who is said to have been originally an ugly old man; but in consequence of his carrying Aphrodite across the sea without accepting payment, the goddess gave him youth and beauty. After this Sappho is said to have fallen in love with him, and to have leaped from the Leucadian rock, when he slighted her.
This text is from: Harry Thurston Peck, Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities. Cited Feb 2003 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
Sappho to Phaon, P. Ovidius Naso, The Epistles of Ovid
Leucatas, is a rock of white 14 color jutting out from Leucas into the sea and towards Cephallenia and therefore it took its name from its color. It contains the temple of Apollo Leucatas, and also the "Leap," which was believed to put an end to the longings of love. Where Sappho is said to have been the first, as Menander says, when through frantic longing she was chasing the haughty Phaon, to fling herself with a leap from the far-seen rock, calling upon thee in prayer, O lord and master.
This extract is from: The Geography of Strabo (ed. H. L. Jones, 1924), Cambridge. Harvard University Press. Cited Feb 2003 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains comments & interesting hyperlinks.
Gorgo, a lyric poetess, a contemporary and rival of Sappho, who often attacked her in her poems. (Max. Tyr. Diss. xxiv. 9)
Damophila (Damophile). A poetess of Lesbos, intimate with Sappho. She composed a hymn on the worship of the Pergaean Artemis (Philostrat. Vit. Apollon. i. 20).
(Arion). A Greek poet and musician, of Methymna in Lesbos, who flourished about B.C. 625. In the course of a roving life he spent a considerable time at the court of Periander, tyrant of Corinth. Here he first gave the dithyramb (q.v.) an artistic form, and was therefore regarded as the inventor of that style in general. He is best known by the story of his rescue on the back of a dolphin. Returning from a journey through Lower Italy and Sicily, he trusted himself to a crew of Corinthian sailors, who resolved to kill him on the open sea for the sake of his treasures. As a last favour he extorted the permission to sing his songs once more to the lyre, and then to throw himself into the sea.
His strains drew a number of dolphins around him, one of which took him on its back, and carried him safe to land at the foot of the foreland of Taenarum. Thence he hastened to Corinth, and convicted the sailors, who were telling Periander that they had left the minstrel safe at Tarentum ( Hyg. Fab.194). A bronze statue of a man on a dolphin, which stood on the top of Taenarum, was supposed to be his thank-offering to Poseidon ( Herod.i. 24). A hymn of thanksgiving to the god of the sea, preserved under his name, belongs to a later time.
Arion, an ancient Greek bard and great master on the cithara, was a native of Methymna in Lesbos, and, according to some accounts, a son of Cyclon or of Poseidon and the nymph Oncaea. He is called the inventor of the dithyrambic poetry, and of the name dithyramb (Herod. i. 23; Schol. ad Pind. Ol. xiii. 25). All traditions about him agree in describing him as a contemporary and friend of Periander, tyrant of Corinth, so that he must have lived about B. C. 700. He appears to have spent a great part of his life at the court of Periander, but respecting his life and his poetical or musical productions, scarcely anything is known beyond the beautiful story of his escape from the sailors with whom he sailed from Sicily to Corinth. On one occasion, thus runs the story, Arion went to Sicily to take part in some musical contest. He won the prize, and, laden with presents, he embarked in a Corinthian ship to return to his friend Periander. The rude sailors coveted his treasures, and meditated his murder. Apollo, in a dream, informed his beloved bard of the plot. After having tried in vain to save his life, he at length obtained permission once more to seek delight in his song and playing on the cithara. In festal attire he placed himself in the prow of the ship and invoked the gods in inspired strains, and then threw himself into the sea. But many song-loving dolphins had assembled round the vessel, and one of them now took the bard on its back and carried him to Taenarus, from whence he returned to Corinth in safety, and related his adventure to Periander. When the Corinthian vessel arrived likewise, Periander inquired of the sailors after Arion, and they said that he had remained behind at Tarentum; but when Arion, at the bidding of Periander, came forward, the sailors owned their guilt and were punished according to their desert (Herod. i. 24; Gellius, xvi. 19; Hygin. Fab. 194; Paus. iii. 25.5.) In the time of Herodotus and Pausanias there existed on Taenarus a brass monument, which was dedicated there either by Periander or Arion himself, and which represented him riding on a dolphin. Arion and his cithara (lyre) were placed among the stars (Hygin. l. c.; Serv. ad Virg. Eclog. viii. 54; Aelian, H. A. xii. 45).
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Oct 2005 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
...Periander, who disclosed the oracle's answer to Thrasybulus, was the son of
Cypselus, and sovereign of Corinth. The Corinthians say (and the Lesbians agree)
that the most marvellous thing that happened to him in his life was the landing
on Taenarus of Arion of Methymna, brought there by a dolphin. This Arion was a
lyre-player second to none in that age; he was the first man whom we know to compose
and name the dithyramb which he afterwards taught at Corinth.
They say that this Arion, who spent most of his time with Periander,
wished to sail to Italy and Sicily, and that after he had made a lot of money
there he wanted to come back to Corinth. Trusting none more than the Corinthians,
he hired a Corinthian vessel to carry him from Tarentum.But when they were out
at sea, the crew plotted to take Arion's money and cast him overboard. Discovering
this, he earnestly entreated them, asking for his life and offering them his money.
But the crew would not listen to him, and told him either to kill himself and
so receive burial on land or else to jump into the sea at once. Abandoned to this
extremity, Arion asked that, since they had made up their minds, they would let
him stand on the half-deck in all his regalia and sing; and he promised that after
he had sung he would do himself in. The men, pleased at the thought of hearing
the best singer in the world, drew away toward the waist of the vessel from the
stern. Arion, putting on all his regalia and taking his lyre, stood up on the
half-deck and sang the "Stirring Song," and when the
song was finished he threw himself into the sea, as he was with all his regalia.
So the crew sailed away to Corinth; but a dolphin (so the story goes) took Arion
on his back and bore him to Taenarus. Landing there, he went to Corinth in his
regalia, and when he arrived, he related all that had happened. Periander, skeptical,
kept him in confinement, letting him go nowhere, and waited for the sailors. When
they arrived, they were summoned and asked what news they brought of Arion. While
they were saying that he was safe in Italy and that they had left him flourishing
at Tarentum, Arion appeared before them, just as he was when he jumped from the
ship; astonished, they could no longer deny what was proved against them. This
is what the Corinthians and Lesbians say, and there is a little bronze memorial
of Arion on Taenarus, the figure of a man riding upon a dolphin.
Commentary:
1. The dithyramb was a kind of dance-music particularly associated with the cult
of Dionysus.
2. Stirring Song (orthios nomos) was a high-pitched (and apparently very well-known)
song or hymn in honor of Apollo.
This extract is from: Herodotus. The Histories (ed. A. D. Godley, 1920), Cambridge. Harvard University Press. Cited Oct 2003 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains comments & interesting hyperlinks.
Methymna, whence came Arion, who, according to a myth told by Herodotus and his followers, safely escaped on a dolphin to Taenarum after being thrown into the sea by the pirates. Now Arion played, and sang to, the cithara; and Terpander, also, is said to have been an artist in the same music and to have been born in the same island, having been the first person to use the seven-stringed instead of the four-stringed lyre, as we are told in the verses attributed to him:
For thee I, having dismissed four-toned song, shall sing new hymns to the tune of a seven-stringed cithara
This extract is from: The Geography of Strabo (ed. H. L. Jones, 1924), Cambridge. Harvard University Press. Cited Oct 2003 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains comments & interesting hyperlinks.
The Dithyramb.The Dorian worship of the gods, and especially of Apollo, had been accompanied from an early time by choral lyrics, to which an artistic development was given by Alcman of Sparta (660 B.C.) and Stesichorus of Himera (620 B.C.). It was reserved for a man of Aeolian origin to perfect one particular species of the poetry which Dorians had made their own.Arion, of Methymna in Lesbos, lived about 600 B.C. He gave a finished form to the dithurambos, or choral hymn in honour of Dionysus. The kuklios choros--i. e. the chorus which stood, or danced, round the altar of Dionysus--received from him a more complete organisation, its number being fixed at fifty. The earliest kuklioi choroi of this kind were trained and produced by Arion at Corinth in the reign of Periander. Pindar alludes to this when he speaks of Corinth as the place where the graces of Dionysus --the joyous song and dance of his festival--were first shown forth, sun boelatai . . . dithuramboi (Olymp. xiii. 19). The epithet boelates which is there given to the dithyramb probably refers to the fact that an ox was the prize, rather than to a symbolical identification of Dionysus with that animal. In one of his lost poems Pindar had connected the origin of the dithyramb with Naxos, and, in another, with Thebes. This is quite consistent with Corinth having been the first home of the matured dithyramb. It is well known that the dithyramb had existed before Arion's time. The earliest occurrence of the word is in Archilochus (circ. 670 B.C.), fr. 79: hos Dionusoi' anaktos kalon exarxai melos | oida dithurambon, oinoi sunkeraunotheis phrenas--a testimony to the impassioned character of the song. Herodotus speaks of Arion as not merely the developer, but the inventor (i. 23); and Aristotle made a similar statement, if we can trust the citation in Photius (ton de arxamenon tes oides Aristoteles Ariona phesin einai, hos protos ton kuklion egage choron: Biblioth. Cod. 239). But it was natural that the man who developed and popularised the dithyramb should have come to figure in tradition as its inventor. The etymology of dithurambos is unknown. Plato conjectures that its original theme was the birth of Dionysus (Legg. p. 700 B). If this was so, at any rate the scope must soon have been enlarged, so as to include all the fortunes of the god.
This extract is from: A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities (1890) (eds. William Smith, LLD, William Wayte, G. E. Marindin). Cited August 2004 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
Arion: Various WebPages
Epic poet
MYTILINI (Town) LESVOS
Ο Οδυσσέας Ελύτης (λογοτεχνικό ψευδώνυμο του Οδυσσέα Αλεπουδέλη) γεννήθηκε
στο Ηράκλειο της Κρήτης, γιος του εργοστασιάρχη σαπωνοποιίας και πυρηνελαιουργίας
Παναγιώτη Θ. Αλεπουδέλη και της Μαρίας το γένος Βρανά, που κατάγονταν από τη Μυτιλήνη.
Είχε τέσσερις αδερφούς και μια αδερφή τη Μυρσίνη, που πέθανε σε ηλικία είκοσι
χρόνων το 1918. Το 1914 το εργοστάσιο μεταφέρθηκε στον Πειραιά και η οικογένεια
Αλεπουδέλη εγκαταστάθηκε στην Αθήνα. Λόγω της πολιτικής τοποθέτησής του υπέρ του
Βενιζέλου, ο Παναγιώτης Αλεπουδέλης φυλακίστηκε και η οικογένειά του διώχτηκε
(1920).
Ο Οδυσσέας φοίτησε στο ιδιωτικό λύκειο Δ.Ν.Μακρή (1917-1924) με δασκάλους
μεταξύ άλλων τους Ι.Μ.Παναγιωτόπουλο, Ι.Θ. Κακριδή και Γιάννη Αποστολάκη. Σε παιδική
και νεανική ηλικία ταξίδεψε στην Ελλάδα (κυρίως στα νησιά του Αιγαίου) και την
Ευρώπη. Το 1924 γράφτηκε στο Γ΄ Γυμνάσιο Αρρένων στην Αθήνα (από όπου αποφοίτησε
το 1928) και άρχισε να γράφει στη Διάπλαση των Παίδων. Το καλοκαίρι του επόμενου
χρόνου πέθανε ο πατέρας του από πνευμονία.
Από το 1927 ξεκίνησε το εντεινόμενο ενδιαφέρον του για τη λογοτεχνία.
Το 1929 θεωρείται ως ορόσημο στη ζωή του Ελύτη. Τότε ήρθε σε επαφή με τον Υπερρεαλισμό,
μέσω της ποίησης του Λόρκα και του Ελυάρ και έγραψε τα πρώτα του ποιήματα. Τον
επόμενο χρόνο γράφτηκε στη Νομική Σχολή του Πανεπιστημίου Αθηνών. Το 1933 έγινε
μέλος της Ιδεοκρατικής Φιλοσοφικής Ομάδας του Πανεπιστημίου, μαζί με τους Κωνσταντίνο
Τσάτσο, Π. Κανελλόπουλο, Θεόδωρο Συκουτρή και άλλους. Το 1935 ταξίδεψε στη Μυτιλήνη
μαζί με τον Ανδρέα Εμπειρίκο, όπου γνώρισε τη ζωγραφική του Θεόφιλου. Γνωρίστηκε
επίσης με τους Κ.Γ.Κατσίμπαλη, Γιώργο Σεφέρη, Γιώργο Θεοτοκά και Α.Καραντώνη,
ιδρυτές των Νέων Γραμμάτων, όπου πρωτοδημοσίευσε ποιήματα με το ψευδώνυμο Ελύτης.
Το 1936 γνωρίστηκε με τον μετέπειτα στενό φίλο του Νίκο Γκάτσο και στο τέλος του
χρόνου κατατάχτηκε στο στρατό, στη σχολή εφέδρων αξιωματικών της Κέρκυρας. Στα
τέλη του 1937 μετατέθηκε στην Αθήνα και απολύθηκε το 1938.
Το 1940 κατατάχθηκε στη Βόρειο Ήπειρο. Ένα χρόνο αργότερα κινδύνεψε
να πεθάνει από κοιλιακό τύφο και γύρισε στην Αθήνα. Το 1945 διορίστηκε διευθυντής
προγράμματος της νεοσύστατης τότε Ελληνικής Ραδιοφωνίας με εισήγηση του Γιώργου
Σεφέρη (παραιτήθηκε ένα χρόνο αργότερα) και συνεργάστηκε με τα περιοδικά Νέα Γράμματα
και Αγγλοελληνική Επιθεώρηση.
Από το 1948 ως το 1951 εγκαταστάθηκε στο Παρίσι, από όπου ταξίδεψε
στην Ισπανία, την Ιταλία και την Αγγλία. Στο Λονδίνο γνωρίστηκε με το Mario Vitti
και τον Pablo Picasso.
Μετά την επιστροφή του στην Αθήνα έγινε μέλος της Ομάδας των Δώδεκα
(1952-1953), έγινε μέλος του Δ.Σ. του Θεάτρου Τέχνης(1953), του Ελληνικού Χοροδράματος
(1955) και επαναδιορίστηκε στην Ελληνική Ραδιοφωνία (από το 1953 ως τη νέα παραίτησή
του το 1954). Συνεργάστηκε με το Εθνικό Θέατρο και το Θέατρο Τέχνης ως μεταφραστής.
Το 1960 πέθαναν η μητέρα του και ο αδελφός του Κωνσταντίνος. Από το 1961 ταξίδεψε
στην Αμερική, τη Σοβιετική Ένωση, τη Βουλγαρία. Το 1965 χρονολογείται και η έναρξη
της ενασχόλησής του με τη ζωγραφική και το κολάζ.
Μετά το πραξικόπημα του 1967 κατέφυγε στο Παρίσι (1969) και το 1970
ταξίδεψε για τέσσερις μήνες στην Κύπρο (στην Κύπρο ξαναπήγε το 1973). Το 1974
έγινε πρόεδρος του Δ.Σ. της Ελληνικής Ραδιοφωνίας Τηλεόρασης. Πέθανε το Μάρτη
του 1996 στην τελευταία του κατοικία στην οδό Σκουφά.
Η πρώτη επίσημη εμφάνιση του Οδυσσέα Ελύτη στο χώρο της λογοτεχνίας
πραγματοποιήθηκε το 1939 με την έκδοση της πρώτης ποιητικής συλλογής του με τίτλο
Προσανατολισμοί. Το 1942 δημοσίευσε το δοκίμιο Η αληθινή φυσιογνωμία και η λυρική
τόλμη του Ανδρέα Κάλβου και το 1943 εκδόθηκε η ποιητική συλλογή του Ήλιος ο Πρώτος.
Ακολούθησαν μεταξύ άλλων το ?ξιον Εστί (1959), οι Έξι και μια τύψεις για τον ουρανό
(1960), το Μονόγραμμα (στις Βρυξέλλες), το Φωτόδεντρο και η δέκατη τέταρτη ομορφιά
και ο Ήλιος ο Ηλιάτορας (1971), η Σαπφώ και ο Μικρός Ναυτίλος (1984), τα Ελεγεία
της Οξώπετρας (1991), και οι τελευταίες του συλλογές Δυτικά της λύπης και Ο κήπος
με τις αυταπάτες (1995). Ο Οδυσσέας Ελύτης τιμήθηκε με το Πρώτο Κρατικό Βραβείο
Ποίησης (1960) , το Παράσημο Ταξίαρχου του Φοίνικος (1965), με το βραβείο Νόμπελ
λογοτεχνίας (1979), με το Χρυσό Μετάλλιο Τιμής του Δήμου Αθηναίων (1982), με το
βραβείο Μεσόγειος της Κοινότητας των Μεσογειακών Πανεπιστημίων (1988), με το Παράσημο
του Ανώτατου Ταξίαρχου της Λεγεώνας της Τιμής στο Παρίσι (1989). Το 1972 αρνήθηκε
βραβείο θεσπισμένο από τη δικτατορία και το 1977 αρνήθηκε την αναγόρευσή του ως
Ακαδημαϊκού. Το 1987 αναγορεύτηκε επίτιμος διδάκτωρ των Πανεπιστημίων της Ρώμης
και της Αθήνας. Εκτός από το ποιητικό του έργο στην Ελλάδα κυκλοφόρησαν ο τόμος
κριτικών κειμένων του Ανοιχτά χαρτιά (1974), ποιητικές και θεατρικές μεταφράσεις
του, δοκίμια και πεζογραφήματα. Εικαστικά έργα του παρουσιάστηκαν το 1980 σε έκθεση
με κολάζ του και τίτλο Συνεικόνες στην Αθήνα, το 1988 στο Beaubourg της Γαλλίας
και το 1992 στο Μουσείο μοντέρνας Τέχνης της ?νδρου. Ο Οδυσσέας Ελύτης τοποθετείται
από τους ιστορικούς της λογοτεχνίας στους κορυφαίους έλληνες ποιητές του αιώνα
μας. Με την ποίησή του υπέταξε τα λεγόμενα ορθόδοξα σχήματα της λογοτεχνικής έκφρασης
του υπερρεαλιστικού ρεύματος στην έκφραση της δια βίου πνευματικής αγωνίας του
για τον ορισμό της νεοελληνικής ταυτότητας σε σχέση με τη Δύση. Έργα του μεταφράστηκαν
σε πολλές ξένες γλώσσες. 1. Για περισσότερα βιογραφικά στοιχεία του Οδυσσέα Ελύτη
βλ., Δασκαλόπουλος Δημήτρης, «Χρονολόγιο Οδυσσέα Ελύτη», Χάρτης21-23, 11/1986,
σ.261-280, Σταυροπούλου Έρη, «Χρονολόγιο Οδυσσέα Ελύτη (1911-1995)», Διαβάζω362,
4/1996, σ.54-61, «Χρονολόγιο Οδυσσέα Ελύτη», Επτά Ημέρες (Καθημερινής)ΚΑ΄, 1997,
σ.105-120 και Vitti Mario, «Ελύτης Οδυσσέας», Παγκόσμιο Βιογραφικό Λεξικό3. Αθήνα,
Εκδοτική Αθηνών, 1985.
Ενδεικτική Βιβλιογραφία
- Αδαμόπουλος Χρίστος, Λόγος κεκρυμμένος περί φωτός · ή Αξονική τομογραφία Οδυσσέα Ελύτη. Μελέτη ομιλίας και ελληνικής γραφής. Αθήνα, Οι εκδόσεις των φίλων, 1987.
- Αργυρίου Αλ., Ανοιχτοί λογαριασμοί στην ποίηση του Οδυσσέα Ελύτη. Αθήνα, Καστανιώτης, 1998.
- Γαβαλάς Δημήτρης, Η εσωτερική διαλεκτική στη «Μαρία Νεφέλη» του Οδυσσέα Ελύτη. Θεσσαλονίκη, Κώδικας, 1987.
- Γιαλουράκης Μανώλης, «Ελύτης Οδυσσέας», Μεγάλη Εγκυκλοπαίδεια της Νεοελληνικής Λογοτεχνίας6. Αθήνα, Χάρη Πάτση.
- Γκρίτση-Μιλλιέξ Τατιάνα, Το «?ξιον Εστί» του Οδυσσέα Ελύτη. Κύπρος, 1961.
- Δανιήλ Ανθούλα, Οδυσσέας Ελύτης, μια αντίστροφη πορεία. Από το Ημερολόγιο ενός αθέατου Απριλίου στους Προσανατολισμούς. Αθήνα, Επικαιρότητα, 1986.
- Δασκαλόπουλος Δημήτρης, Βιβλιογραφία Οδυσσέα Ελύτη (1971-1992). Αθήνα, Εταιρεία Συγγραφέων, 1993.
- Δεκαβάλλες Αντώνης, Ο Ελύτης από το χρυσό ως το ασημένιο ποίημα. Αθήνα, Κέδρος, 1990.
- Δημοπούλου - Χατζηπέτρου Ντίνα, Οδυσσέας Ελύτης. Το μέτρημα του ανθρώπου. Αθήνα, εκδ. Κριτικών Φύλλων, 1985.
- Δήμου Νίκος, Δοκίμια 1, Οδυσσέας Ελύτης. Αθήνα, Νεφέλη, 1992.
- Ζωγράφου Λιλή, Ο ηλιοπότης Ελύτης. Αθήνα, Ερμείας.
- Θαλάσσης Γιώργος, Οδυσσέας Ελύτης. Τέχνη μυρεψού. Αθήνα, Βιβλιοπωλείο της Εστίας, 1974.
- Ιακώβ Δανιήλ Ι., Η αρχαιογνωσία του Οδυσσέα Ελύτη. Αθήνα, Πολύτυπο, 1983.
- Ιωάννου Γιάννης Η., Οδυσσέας Ελύτης. Από τις καταβολές του Υπερρεαλισμού στις εκβολές του μύθου. Αθήνα, Καστανιώτης, 1991.
- Καποδίστριας Παναγιώτης Π., Η αναστύλωση του απωλεσμένου πολιτεύματος. (Τύποι στιγμών στον Ελύτη). ?μφισσα, 1992 (ανάτυπο από το περ. Τετράμηνα48, σ.3199-3216)
- Καραντώνης Αντρέας, Για τον Οδυσσέα Ελύτη. Αθήνα, Παπαδήμας, 1980.
- Κεφαλίδης Ν.Χ. - Παπάζογλου Γ.Κ., Πίνακας λέξεων «Ποιημάτων» του Οδυσσέα Ελύτη. Θεσσαλονίκη, 1985.
- Κοκόλης Ξ.Α., Για το ?ξιον Εστί του Ελύτη - μια οριστικά μισοτελειωμένη ανάγνωση. Θεσσαλονίκη, University Studio Press, 1984.
- Λιγνάδης Τάσος, Το ?ξιον Εστί του Ελύτη - Εισαγωγή - Σχολιασμός - Ανάλυση. Αθήνα,
1976 (β' έκδοση με προσθήκη)
- Λυχναρά Λίνα, Η μεταλογική των πραγμάτων: Οδυσσέας Ελύτης. Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1980.
- Λυχναρά Λίνα, Το μεσογειακό τοπίο στην ποίηση του Γιώργου Σεφέρη και του Οδυσσέα Ελύτη. Μια παράλληλη ανάγνωση. Αθήνα, Βιβλιοπωλείο της Εστίας, 1996.
- Μαρωνίτης Δ.Ν., Όροι του λυρισμού στον Οδυσσέα Ελύτη. Αθήνα, Κέδρος, 1980.
- Μαυρομάτης Δημήτρης Κ., Πίνακας λέξεων του «?ξιον Εστί» του Οδυσσέα Ελύτη. Ιωάννινα, Πανεπιστήμιο Ιωαννίνων, Φιλοσοφική Σχολή. Έδρα Νεοελληνικής Φιλολογίας, 1981.
- Μερακλής Μ.Γ., Δεκαπέντε ερμηνευτικές δοκιμές στον Οδυσσέα Ελύτη. Αθήνα, Πατάκης, 1984.
- Παπαχρίστου - Πάνου Ευαγγελία, «Ιδού εγώ?» 1+4 δοκίμια για τον Οδυσσέα Ελύτη. Αθήνα, Δωδώνη, 1980.
- Τσεκούρας Δ.Ι., «Το Μονόγραμμα του Οδυσσέα Ελύτη (μια πρώτη κειμενογλωσσολογική/υφολογική ανάγνωση του έργου)», Πόρφυρας75 (Κέρκυρας), 10-12/1995, σ.87-96.
- Φράιερ Κίμων, ?ξιον εστί το τίμημα. Εισαγωγή στην ποίηση του Οδυσσέα Ελύτη.
Μετάφραση Νάσος Βαγενάς. Αθήνα, Κέδρος, 1978.
- Carson Jeffrey (μετάφραση Στρατή Πασχάλη), «Σχόλια στην ποίηση του Οδυσσέα Ελύτη», Η λέξη3, 3-4/1981, σ.167-171.
- Vitti Mario, Οδυσσέας Ελύτης - Κριτική μελέτη. Αθήνα, Ερμής, 1984.
- Vitti Mario, Οδυσσέας Ελύτης. Βιβλιογραφία 1935-1971. Συνεργασία Αγγελικής Γαβαθά. Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1977.
- Vitti Mario (επιμ.), Εισαγωγή στην ποίηση του Ελύτη, Επιλογή κριτικών κειμένων ? Επιμέλεια Mario Vitti. Ηράκλειο, Πανεπιστημιακές εκδόσεις Κρήτης, 1999.
Αφιερώματα περιοδικών -
- The Charioteer1, (Νέα Υόρκη), Φθινόπωρο 1960.
- Bolet ίn de la Universidad de Chile73, (Σαντιάγο), 4/1967.
- La Nouvelle Revue Francaise, (Παρίσι), 6/1970.
- Αιολικά Γράμματα13, ετ.3, 1-2/1973.
- Books Αbroad49, (Oklahoma), αρ.4, Φθινόπωρο 1975.
- Αιολικά Γράμματα8, αρ.43-44, 1-4/1975.
- Επίκαιρα586, 25/10/1979.
- Απανεμιά14, ετ.3, 11-12/1979.
- Αντί146, 29/2/1980.
- Θεατρικά Τετράδια3, ετ.Α', 3/1980.
- Η λέξη3, 3-4/1981, σ.155-171 και 241-246.
- The Charioteer24-25, (Νέα Υόρκη), 1982-1983.
- Γράμματα και Τέχνες43-44, 11-12/1985.
- Χάρτης21-23, 11/1986.
- Η λέξη92, 2/1990, σ.91-113.
- Η λέξη106, 11-12/1991.
- Αντί492, 24/4/1992.
- Εντευκτήριο6, (Θεσσαλονίκη), αρ.23-24, Καλοκαίρι - Χειμώνας 1993.
- Εντευκτήριο (Θεσσαλονίκη), αρ.28-29, Φθινόπωρο - Χειμώνας 1994.
- Επτά Ημέρες (Καθημερινής), 25/9/1994.
- Διαβάζω362, 4/1996.
- Επτά Ημέρες (Καθημερινής)ΚΑ', "Τα Ελληνικά Νόμπελ", 1997.
- Διαβάζω372, 3/1997, σ.47-65.
- Ελίτροχος12, ?νοιξη-Καλοκαίρι 1997, σ.57-105.
- Νέα Εστία141, 15/4/1997, ετ.ΟΑ', αρ.1674-1675.
Για περισσότερα στοιχεία βλ. Vitti Mario, Βιβλιογραφία Οδυσσέα Ελύτη (1971-1992). Αθήνα, Εταιρεία Συγγραφέων, 1993, Δασκαλόπουλος Δημήτρης, Βιβλιογραφία Οδυσσέα Ελύτη (1971-1992). Αθήνα, Εταιρεία Συγγραφέων, 1993, Δασκαλόπουλος Δημήτρης, «Βιβλιογραφικά Οδυσσέα Ελύτη (1993-1997)», Νέα Εστία141, 1η & 15/4/1997, ετ.ΟΑ΄, αρ.1674-1675, σ.611-635 και Σταυροπούλου Έρη, «Οδυσσέας Ελύτης: Επιλογή Βιβλιογραφίας», Διαβάζω362, 4/1996, σ.78-83.
Εργογραφία
(πρώτες αυτοτελείς εκδόσεις)
Ι.Ποίηση
- Προσανατολισμοί. Αθήνα, 1936. (ανάτυπο από το περ. Τα Νέα Γράμματα1 , 11/1935, σ.585-588).
- Οι κλεψύδρες του αγνώστου. Αθήνα, 1937. (ανάτυπο από τα "Επτά νυχτερινά
επτάστιχα", Μακεδονικές Ημέρες5 (Θεσσαλονίκη), 1-2/1937, σ.1-3.
- Προσανατολισμοί. Αθήνα, Πυρσός, 1940.
- Ήλιος ο Πρώτος μαζί με τις Παραλλαγές πάνω σε μιαν αχτίδα. Αθήνα, Ο Γλάρος, 1943.
- Το ?ξιον Εστί. Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1959.
- Έξη και μια τύψεις για τον ουρανό. Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1960.
- ?σμα ηρωικό και πένθιμο για το χαμένο ανθυπολοχαγό της Αλβανίας. Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1962.
- Θάνατος και ανάστασις του Κωνσταντίνου Παλαιολόγου. Αθήνα, 1971.
- Ο Ήλιος ο ηλιάτορας. Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1971.
- Το φωτόδεντρο και Η δέκατη τέταρτη ομορφιά. Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1971.
- Το Μονόγραμμα. Famagouste (Chypre), Les Editions de l' Oiseau, 1971 (πρώτη έκδοση
στην Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1972).
- Τα ρω του έρωτα. Αθήνα, Αστερίας, 1972.
- Ο Φυλλομάντης. Αθήνα, Αστερίας, 1973.
- Τα ετεροθαλή. Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1974.
- Villa Natacha. Θεσσαλονίκη, τραμ, 1973.
- Η καλωσύνη στις λυκοποριές. Espana, Dimitri, 1977.
- Μαρία Νεφέλη. Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1978.
- Τρία ποιήματα με σημαία ευκαιρίας. Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1982.
- Ωδή στη Σαντορίνη. Με ένα σχέδιο του Γεράσιμου Στέρη. Αθήνα, Αρχείο Θηραϊκών Μελετών - Συλλογή Δημήτρη Τσίτουρα, 1984.
- Ημερολόγιο ενός αθέατου Απριλίου. Αθήνα, Ύψιλον/βιβλία, 1984.
- Ο μικρός ναυτίλος. Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1985.
- Ιουλίου λόγος. Αθήνα, 1991.
- Τα ελεγεία της οξώπετρας. Προμετωπίδα Κώστα Πανιαρα. Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1991.
- Η ποδηλάτισσα. Εικόνες Ελένη Καλοκύρη. Δημήτρης Καλοκύρης. Αθήνα, Βιβλιοπωλείο της Εστίας, 1991.
- Δυτικά της λύπης. Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1995.
- Εκ του πλησίον. Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1998.
ΙΙ.Μεταφράσεις
- Paul Eluard. Ποιήματα - Εισαγωγή και απόδοση Οδυσσέα Ελύτη. Αθήνα, τυπ.Σεργιάδη, 1936. (ανάτυπο των «Paul Eluard · Ποιήματα Ι-ΙΧ», Τα Νέα Γράμματα2, 3/1936, σ.232-236 και «Paul Eluard · (Une seule vision variee a l? infini)», Τα Νέα Γράμματα2, 3/1936, σ.227-232)
- Paul Eluard. Από το «Δημόσιο Ρόδο». Ελληνική απόδοση Οδυσσέα Ελύτη. Αθήνα, τυπ.
Σεργιάδη, 1936. (ανάτυπο από το «Paul Eluard - Από το Δημόσιο Ρόδο», Τα Νέα Γράμματα2,
11/1936, σ.854-860.
- Pierre Jean Jouve. Ποιήματα - Εισαγωγή και απόδοση Οδυσσέα Ελύτη. Αθήνα, τυπ. Σεργιάδη, 1938. (ανάτυπο από τα «Pierre Jean Jouve - Ποιήματα Ι-ΧΧVΙΙ», Τα Νέα Γράμματα4, 10-12/1938, σ.761-773 και «Pierre Jean Jouve», Τα Νέα Γράμματα4, 10-12/1938, σ.754-760)
- Ζαν Ζιρωντού. Νεράιδα - Ονειρόδραμα σε τρεις πράξεις. Μετάφραση Οδυσσέα Ελύτη. Αθήνα, Εταιρεία Σπουδών Σχολής Μωραΐτη, 1973.
- Μπέρτολντ Μπρεχτ. Ο κύκλος με την κιμωλία στον Καύκασο - Θρύλος σε πέντε πράξεις. Μετάφραση Οδυσσέα Ελύτη. Αθήνα, Εταιρία Σπουδών Νεοελληνικού Πολιτισμού και Γενικής Παιδείας, 1974.
- Δεύτερη Γραφή , Arthur Rimbaud - Comte de Lautreamont - Paul Eluard - Pierre Jean Jouve - Giuseppe Ungaretti - Federico Garcia Lorca - Vladimir Maiakovski. Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1976.
- Σαπφώ. Ανασύνθεση και απόδοση Οδυσσέας Ελύτης. Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1984.
- Ιωάννης - Η Αποκάλυψη - Μορφή στα νέα ελληνικά Οδυσσέας Ελύτης. Αθήνα, Ύψιλον/βιβλία, 1985.
- Κριναγόρας - Μορφή στα ελληνικά Οδυσσέας Ελύτης. Αθήνα, Ύψιλον/βιβλία, 1987.
Ζ- αν Ζενέ,.Οι Δούλες. Αθήνα, Ύψιλον/Βιβλία, 1994.
ΙΙΙ.Δοκίμιο - Πεζά - Λευκώματα
- Ανοιχτά χαρτιά. Αθήνα, Αστερίας, 1974.
- Ο ζωγράφος Θεόφιλος. Αθήνα, Αστερίας, 1973.
- Η μαγεία του Παπαδιαμάντη. Αθήνα, Ερμείας, 1976.
- Σηματολόγιον. Αθήνα, Ερμείας, 1977.
- Αναφορά στον Ανδρέα Εμπειρίκο. Θεσσαλονίκη, τραμ, 1978.
- Το δωμάτιο με τις εικόνες - Κείμενο Ευγένιος Αρανίτσης. Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1986.
- Ιδιωτική οδός. Αθήνα, Ύψιλον/βιβλία, 1989.
- Τα δημόσια και τα ιδιωτικά. Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1990.
- Οδυσσέας Ελύτης. ?νδρος, Μουσείο Σύγχρονης Τέχνης. Ίδρυμα Βασίλη και Ελίζας Γουλανδρή, 1992.
- Εν λευκώ. Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1992.
- Οδυσσέας Ελύτης. Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1996.
- Ο κήπος με τις αυταπάτες. Αθήνα, Ύψιλον/βιβλία, 1995.
Για αναλυτικότερα στοιχεία βλ. Vitti Mario, Βιβλιογραφία Οδυσσέα Ελύτη (1971-1992). Αθήνα, Εταιρεία Συγγραφέων, 1993, Δασκαλόπουλος Δημήτρης, Βιβλιογραφία Οδυσσέα Ελύτη (1971-1992). Αθήνα, Εταιρεία Συγγραφέων, 1993 και Δασκαλόπουλος Δημήτρης, «Βιβλιογραφικά Οδυσσέα Ελύτη (1993-1997)», Νέα Εστία141, 1 & 15/4/1997, ετ.ΟΑ΄, αρ.1674-1675, σ.611-635.
Το
Odysseus Elytis ? Biography
Descendant of an old family of Lesbos, he was born in Heraclion (Candia)
on the island of Crete, November 2, 1911. Some time later his family settled permanently
in Athens where the poet finished his secondary school studies and later visited
the Law School of the Athens University. His first appearance as a poet in 1935
through the magazine "Nea Grammata" ("New Culture") was saluted as an important
event and the new style he introduced - though giving rise to a great many reactions
- succeeded in prevailing and effectively contributing to the poetical reform
commencing in the Second World War's eve and going on up to our days.
In 1937 he visited the Reserve Officer's Cadet School in Corfu. Upon
the outbreak of the war he served in the rank of Second Lieutenant, first at the
Headquarters of the 1st Army Corps and then at the 24th Regiment, on the advanced
fire line. During the German occupation and later, after Greece was liberated,
he has been unabatedly active, publishing successive collections of poetry and
writing essays concerning contemporary poetry and art problems.§
He has twice been Programme Director of the Greek National Radio Foundation
(1945-46 and 1953-54), Member of the National Theatre's Administrative Council,
President of the Administrative Council of the Greek Radio and Television Service
as well as Member of the Consultative Committee of the Greek National Tourist's
Organisation on the Athens Festival. In 1960 he was awarded the First State Poetry
Prize, in 1965 the Order of the Phoenix Brigade and in 1975 he was proclaimed
Doctor Honoris Causa of the Philosophical School of the Thessaloniki University
and Honorary Citizen of the Town of Mytilene.
During the years 1948-1952 and 1969-1972 he settled in Paris. There,
he listened to philology and literature lessons in the Sorbonne and got acquainted
with the pioneers of the world's avant-garde (Reverdy, Breton, Tzara, Ungaretti,
Matisse, Picasso, Chagall, Giacometti). Starting from Paris he travelled and visited
subsequently Switzerland, England, Italy and Spain. In 1948 he was the representative
of Greece at the "International Meetings of Geneva", in 1949 at the Founding Congress
of the "International Art Critics Union" in Paris and in 1962 at the "Incontro
Romano della Cultura" in Rome.
In 1961, upon an invitation of the State Department, he traveled through
the U.S.A.; and - upon similar invitations - through the Soviet Union in 1963
and Bulgaria in 1965.
Elytis' poetry has marked, through an active presence of over forty
years, a broad spectrum. Unlike others, he did not turn back to Ancient Greece
or Byzantium but devoted himself exclusively to today's Hellenism, of which he
attempted - in a certain way based on psychical and sentimental aspects - to build
up the mythology and the institutions. His main endeavour has been to rid his
people's conscience from remorses unjustifiable, to complement natural elements
through ethical powers, to achieve the highest possible transparency in expression
and to finally succeed in approaching the mystery of light, "the metaphysic of
the sun" - according to his own definition. A parallel way concerning technique
resulted in introducing the "inner architecture", which is clearly perceptible
in a great many works of his; mainly in the Axion Esti - It Is Worthy.
This work - thanks to its setting to music by Mikis Theodorakis - was to be widely
spread among all Greeks and grew to be a kind of the people's new gospel. Elytis'
theoretical ideas have been expressed in a series of essays under the title
(Offering) My Cards To Sight. Besides he applied himself to translating poetry
and theatre as well as creating a series of collage pictures. Translations of
his poetry have been published as autonomous books, in anthologies or in periodicals
in eleven languages.
Literature
"Orientations" (1940)
"Sun - The First" (1943)
"An Heroic And Funeral Chant For The Lieutenant Lost In Albania" (1946)
"To Axion Esti" - "It Is Worthy" (1959)
"Six Plus One Remorses For The Sky" (1960)
"The Light Tree And The Fourteenth Beauty" (1972)
"The Sovereign Sun" (1972)
"The Trills Of Love" (1973)
"The Monogram" (1973)
"Step-Poems" (1974)
"(Offering) My Cards To Sight" (1974)
"The Painter Theophilos" (1973)
"Second Writing" (1976)
"The Magic Of Papadiamantis" (1976)
"Signalbook" (1977)
"Maria Nefeli" (1978)
"Selected poems" Ed. E. Keeley and Ph. Sherrard (1981)
"Three Poems under a Flag of Convenience" (1982)
"Diary of an Invisible April" (1984)
"The Little Mariner" (1988)
"What I Love. Selected Poems" (1986)
"Krinagoras" (1987)
"The Elegies of Oxopetras" (1991)
Reference Works
- Mario Vitti: Odysseus Elytis. Literature 1935-1971 (Icaros 1977)
- Tasos Lignadis: Elytis' Axion Esti (1972)
- Lili Zografos: Elytis - The Sun Drinker (1972); as well as the special issue
of the American magazine Books Abroad dedicated to the work of Elytis (Autumn
1975. Norman, Oklahoma, U.S.A.)
- Odysseus Elytis: Anthologies of Light. Ed. I. Ivask (1981)
- A. Decavalles: Maria Nefeli and the Changeful Sameness of Elytis' Variations
on a theme (1982)
- E. Keeley: Elytis and the Greek Tradition (1983)
- Ph. Sherrard: Odysseus Elytis and the Discovery of Greece, in Journal of Modern
Greek Studies, 1(2), 1983
- K. Malkoff: Eliot and Elytis: Poet of Time, Poet of Space, in Comparative Literature,
36(3), 1984 A. Decavalles: Odysseus Elytis in the 1980s, in World Literature Today,
62(l), 1988
Translations
- Poesie. Procedute dal Canto eroico e funebre per il sottotenente caduto in Albania.
Trad. Mario Vitti (Roma. Il Presente. 1952)
- 21 Poesie. Trad. Vicenzo Rotolo (Palermo. Istituto Siciliano di Studi Bizantini
e Neoellenici. 1968)
- Poemes. Trad. Robert Levesque (1945)
- Six plus un remords pourle ciel. Trad. F. B. Mache (Fata Morgana. Montpellier
1977)
- Korper des Sommers. Ubers. Barbara Schlorb (St. Gallen 1960)
- Sieben nachtliche Siebenzeiler. Ubers. Gunter Dietz (Darmstadt 1966)
- To Axion Esti - Gepriesen sei. Ubers. Guinter Dietz (Hamburg 1969)
- The Axion Esti. Trans. Edmund Keeley and G. Savidis (Pittsburgh, U.S.A. 1974)
- The Sovereign Sun. Trans. Kinom Friar (Philadelphia, U.S.A. 1974)
From Nobel Lectures, Literature 1968-1980, Editor-in-Charge Tore Frangsmyr,
Editor Sture Allen, World Scientific Publishing Co., Singapore, 1993
This autobiography/biography was written at the time of the award and later
published in the book series Les Prix Nobel/Nobel Lectures. The information is
sometimes updated with an addendum submitted by the Laureate. To cite this document,
always state the source as shown above.
Odysseus Elytis died on March 18, 1996.
The above text cited Nov 2004 from The Nobel Foundation URL below
MYTILINI (Ancient city) LESVOS
Alcaeus, (Alkaios). A famous lyric poet of Mitylene, in Lesbos,
an elder contemporary of Sappho. Towards the end of the seventh century B.C.,
as the scion of a noble house, he headed the aristocratic party in their contests
with the tyrants of his native town, Myrsilus, Melanchrus, and others. Banished
from home, he went on romantic expeditions as far as Egypt. When the tyrants were
put down, and his former comrade, the wise Pitta cus, was called by the people
to rule the State, he took up arms against him also as a tyrant in disguise; but,
attempting to force his return home, he fell into the power of his opponent, who
generously forgave him. Of his further life nothing is known. His poems in the
Aeolic dialect, arranged in ten books by the Alexandrians, consisted of hymns,
political songs (which formed the bulk of the collection), drinking songs, and
love songs, of which we have but a few unsatisfactory fragments. In the opinion
of the ancients, his poems were well constructed, while their tone was in harmony
with the lofty passion and manly vigour of his character. The alcaic strophe,
so much used by his admirer and not unworthy imitator, Horace, is named after
him.
This text is from: Harry Thurston Peck, Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities. Cited Nov 2002 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
Lyric Poetry: . . . In Lesbos the Aeolian lyric was brought to its highest perfection by Alcaeus of Mitylene (about 600), and by his contemporary Sappho, also a Lesbian, and teacher of the poetess Erinna.
Alcaeus (Alkaios), of Mytilene, in the island of Lesbos, the earliest of the Aeolian
lyric poets, began to flourish in the 42nd Olympiad when a contest had commenced
between the nobles and the people in his native state. Alcaeus belonged by birth
to the former party, and warmly espoused their cause. In the second year of the
42nd Olympiad (B. C. 611), we find the brothers of Alcaeus, namely, Cicis and
Antimenidas, fighting under Pittacus against Melanchrus, who is described as the
tyrant of Lesbos, and who fell in the conflict. Alcaeus does not appear to have
taken part with his brothers on this occasion: on the contrary, he speaks of Melanchrus
in terms of high praise (Fr. 7). Alcaeus is mentioned in connexion with the war
in Troas, between the Athenians and Mytilenaeans for the possession of Sigeum
(B. C. 606). Though Pittacus, who commanded the army of Mytilene, slew with his
own hand the leader of the Athenians, Phrynon, an Olympic victor, the Mytilenaeans
were defeated, and Alcaeus incurred the disgrace of leaving his arms behind on
the field of battle; these arms were hung up as a trophy by the Athenians in the
temple of Pallas at Sigeum. His sending home the news of this disaster in a poem,
addressed to his friend Melanippus (Fr. 56, seems to shew that he had a reputation
for courage, such as a single disaster could not endanger; and accordingly we
find him spoken of by ancient writers as a brave and skilful warrior. He thought
that his lyre was best employed in animating his friends to warlike deeds, and
his house is described by himself as furnished with the weapons of war rather
than with the instruments of his art. During the period which followed the war
about Sigeum, the contest between the nobles and the people of Mytilene was brought
to a crisis; and the people, headed by a succession of leaders, who are called
tyrants, and among whom are mentioned the names of Myrsilus, Megalagyrus, and
the Cleanactids, succeeded in driving the nobles into exile. During this civil
war Alcaeus engaged actively on the side of the nobles, whose spirits he endeavoured
to cheer by a number of most animated odes full of invectives against the tyrants;
and after the defeat of his party, he, with his brother Antimenidas, led them
again in an attempt to regain their country. To oppose this attempt Pittacus was
unanimously chosen by the people as aisumnetes (dictator) or tyrant. He held his
office for ten years (B. C. 589-579), and during that time he defeated all the
efforts of the exiled nobles, and established the constitution on a popular basis;
and then he resigned his power.
Notwithstanding the invectives of Alcaeus against him, Pittacus is
said to have set him at liberty when he had been taken prisoner, saying that "
forgiveness is better than revenge". Alcaeus has not escaped the suspicion of
being moved by personal ambition in his opposition to Pittacus. When Alcaeus and
Antimenidas perceived that all hope of their restoration to Mytilene was gone,
they travelled over different countries. Alcaeus visited Egypt and he appears
to have written poems in which his adventures by sea were described. Antimenidas
entered the service of the king of Babylon, and performed an exploit which was
celebrated by Alcaeus. Nothing is known of the life of Alcaeus after this period;
but from the political state of Mytilene it is most probable that he died in exile.
Among the nine principal lyric poets of Greece some ancient writers
assign the first place, others the second, to Alcaeus. His writings present to
us the Aeolian lyric at its highest point. But their circulation in Greece seems
to have been limited by the strangeness of the Aeolic dialect, and perhaps their
loss to us may be partly attributed to the same cause. Two recensions of the works
of Alcaeus were made by the grammarians Aristarchus and Aristophanes. Some fragments
of his poems which remain, and the excellent imitations of Horace, enable us to
understand something of their character.
His poems, which consisted of at least ten book, were called in general
Odes, Hymns, or Songs (aismata). Those which have received the highest praise
are his warlike or patriotic odes referring to the factions of his state stasiotika
or dichostasiastika, the "Alcaei minaces Camoenae" of Horace. Among the fragments
of these are the commencement of a song of exultation over the death of Myrsilus
(Fr. 4), and part of a comparison of his ruined party to a disabled ship (Fr.
2), both of which are finely imitated by Horace. Many fragments are preserved,
especially by Athenaeus (x.), in which the poet sings the praises of wine (Fr.
1, 3, 16, 18, 20). Muller remarks, that "it may be doubted whether Alcaeus composed
a separate class of drinking songs (sumpotika);... it is more probable that he
connected every exhortation to drink with some reflection, either upon the particular
circumstances of the time, or upon man's destiny in general". Of his erotic poems
we have but few remains. Among them were some addressed to Sappho; one of which,
with Sappho's reply, is preserved by Aristotle (Rhet. i. 9; Fr. 38; Sappho, fr.
30), and others to beautiful youths. Most of his remaining poems are religious
hymns and epigrams. Many of his poems are addressed to his friends individually.
The poetry of Alcaeus is always impassioned. Not only with him, but
with the Aeolic school in general, poetry was not a mere art, but the plain and
warm outpouring of the writer's inmost feelings.
The metres of Alcaeus were generally lively, and his poems seem to
have been constructed in short single strophes, in all of which the corresponding
lines were of the same metre, as in the odes of Horace. He is said to have invented
the well-known Alcaic strophe.
His likeness is preserved, together with that of Pittacus, on a brass coin of
Mytilene in the Roval Museum at Paris, which is engraved by Visconti.
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Oct 2005 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
Alpheus Mytilenaeus (Alpheios Mutilenaios), the author of about twelve epigrams in the Greek Anthology, some of which seen to point out the time when he wrote. In the seventh epigram (Jacobs) he refers to the state of the Roman empire, as embracing almost all the known world; in the ninth he speaks of the restored and flourishing city of Troy; and in the tenth he alludes to an epigram by Antipater Sidonius. Now Antipater lived under Augustus, and Troy had received great favours from Julius Caesar and Augustus. (Strab. xiii. p. 889.) Hence it is not improbable that Alpheus wrote under Augustus. It is true that in the fourth epigram he addresses a certain Macrinus, but there is no reason to suppose that this was the emperor Macrinus. Another difficulty has been started, on the ground that other. the eleventh epigram was inscribed, as we learn from Pausanias (viii. 52.3), on the statue of Philopoemen in Tegea, and that it is very improbable that such a statue should have stood without an inscription till the time of Alpheus. But the simple fact is, that no reason can be discovered for attributing this epigram to Alpheus. (Jacobs, Anthol. Graec. xiii. p. 839.)
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Oct 2005 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
Christophorus, Patricius, a native of Mytilene, whose time is unknown, wrote in Iambic verse a Menologium, or history of the saints, arranged according to the saints' days in each month. The MS. was formerly in the Palatine Library, but is now in the Vatican, Cod. 383, No. 7. There are also MISS. of the whole or part of the work at Venice, Moscow, and Paris. It is cited more than once in the Glossarium of Meursius.
Musician, who won at the Panathenaic Games in 456 B.C.
Phrynnis or Phrynis (Phrunis). A writer of dithyrambic verse, born at Mitylene, but a resident of Athens about the time of the Peloponnesian War. He is said to have added two strings to the heptachord, and to have been the first to conquer at the musical contests introduced into the Panathenaea by Pericles
Crinagoras (Krinagoras), a Greek epigrammatic poet, the author of about fifty epigrams in the Greek Anthology, was a native of Mytilene, among the eminent men of which city he is mentioned by Strabo, who speaks of him as a contemporary (xiii.). There are several allusions in his epigrams, which refer to the reign of Augustus, and on the authority of which Jacobs believes him to have flourished from B. C. 31 to A. D. 9. We may also collect from his epigrams that he lived at Rome (Ep. 24), and that he was richer in poems than in worldly goods (Ep. 33). He mentions a younger brother of his, Eucleides (Ep. 12). From the contents of two of his epigrams Reiske inferred, that they must have been written by a more ancient poet of the same name, but this opinion is refuted by Jacobs. Crinagoras often shews a true poetical spirit. He was included in the Anthology of Philip of Thessalonica.
PANAGIOUDA (Village) MYTILINI
(Lesches) or Lescheus (Lescheus). A Cyclic poet, a native of Mitylene or Pyrrha, in the island of Lesbos, and considerably later than Arctinus. The best authorities concur in placing him in the time of Archilochus, or about B.C. 708-676. Hence the account which we find in ancient authors, of a contest between Arctinus and Lesches, can only mean that the latter competed with the earlier poet in treating the same subjects. His poem, in four books, which was attributed by many to Homer, and, besides, to very different authors, was called the "Little Iliad" (Ilias Mikra), and was clearly intended as a supplement to the great Iliad. It is learned from Aristotle that it comprised the events before the fall of Troy, the fate of Aiax, the exploits of Philoctetes, Neoptolemus, and Odysseus, which led to the taking of the city, as well as the account of the destruction of Troy itself; which statement is confirmed by numerous fragments. The last part of this (like the first part of the poem of Arctinus) was called the "Destruction of Troy"(Iliou Persis), from which Pausanias makes several quotations with reference to the sacking of Troy and the partition and carrying away of the prisoners.
This text is from: Harry Thurston Peck, Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities. Cited Oct 2002 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
Lesches, Lescheus, one of the so-called cyclic poets, the son of Aeschylinus, a native of Pyrrha, in the neighbourhood of Mytilene (Paus. x. 25, 5), and thence also called a Mytilenean or a Lesbian. He flourished about the 18th Olympiad; and therefore the tale, which is related about a contest between him and Arctinus, who lived about the beginning of the Olympiads, is an anachronism. This tradition is explained by the fact that Lesches treated, at least to some extent, the same events in his Little Iliad (Ilias he elasson or Ilias mikra), which were the subject of Arctinus's Aethiopis. The little Ilias, like all the other cyclic poems, was ascribed to various poets -to Homer himself, to Thestorides of Phocaea (Herod. Vit. Hom. 16), to the Lacedaemonian Cinaethon, and Diodorus of Erythrae. The poem consisted of four books, according to Proclus, who has preserved an extract from it. It was evidently intended as a supplement to the Homeric Iliad; consequently it related the events after the death of Hector, the fate of Ajax, the exploits of Philoctetes, Neoptolemus, and Ulysses, and the final capture and destruction of Troy (Arist. Poct. 23, Bekk.), which part of the poem was called The Destruction of Troy (Iliou persis). There was no unity in the poem, except that of historical and chronological succession. Hence Aristotle remarks that the little Iliad furnished materials for eight tragedies, whilst only one could be based upon the Iliad or Odyssey of Homer. The extracts which Proclus gives of the poem of Lesches are interwoven with those from the Aethiopis of Arctinus. It is not to be presumed, as Miiller shows (Hist. of Greek Lit. vi. 3), that either poet should have broken off in the middle of an event, in order that the other might fill up the gap. The different times at which they lived is sufficient proof to the contrary, and there are fragments extant which show that Lesches had treated of those events also which in Proclus's extract are not taken from him, but from Arctinus. (Comp. Welcker, der Epische Cydus, pp. 272, 358, 368.)
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Oct 2006 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
MYRINA (Small town) LEMNOS (LIMNOS)
1904 - 1985
KAMINIA (Village) LEMNOS (LIMNOS)
Theodoros Belitsos was born in 1957 in Nea
Smirni where he lives until now. He is a high-school teacher. He studied chemistry
at the University of Thessaloniki, and apart from science he had an interest in
history, folklore and literature.
He has published many articles, research papers and stories in magazines
and newspapers.
With Lemnos he became connected during the years 1984-87 while he
was a high-school teacher in Moudros
and also with his marriage to Maria Provatopoulou from Kaminia.
He developed an interest for Lemnos as well as for A. Moshidis
This text is cited May 2003 from the Limnos Medical Association URL below.
MITHYMNA (Ancient city) LESVOS
In the course of it, we happened to meet with a storm which forced us to put in at a place within the territory of Methymna, where the boat on to which Herodes transhipped, and on which the prosecution maintain that he met his end, lay at anchor.
(Athenian) lost his life at Methymna while serving as trierarch.
MYTILINI (Ancient city) LESVOS
Dicaearchus (Dikaiarchos). A native of Messana in Sicily. He was a scholar of Aristotle's, and is called a Peripatetic philosopher by Cicero (De Off. ii. 5); but, though he wrote some works on philosophical subjects, he seems to have devoted his attention principally to geography and statistics. His chief philosophical work was two dialogues on the soul, each divided into three books, one dialogue (Korinthiakoi) being supposed to have been held at Corinth, the other at Mitylene (Lesbiakoi). In these he argued against the existence of the soul. The greatest performance, however, of Dicaearchus was a treatise on the geography, politics, and manners of Greece, which he called Bios Hellados, "The Life of Greece," a title imitated by Varro in his Vita Populi Romani. All the philosophical writings of Dicaearchus are lost. His geographical works have shared the same fate, except a few fragments. We have remaining one hundred and fifty verses of his Anagraphe tes Hellados, or "Description of Greece," written in iambic trimeters; and also two fragments of the Bios Hellados, one containing a description of Boeotia and Attica, and another an account of Mount Pelion. Dicaearchus's maps were extant in the time of Cicero (Ep. ad Att. vi. 2). Cicero was very fond of the writings of Dicaearchus, and speaks of him in terms of warm admiration (Ad Att. ii. 2). In one of the extant fragments Dicaearchus quotes Posidippus, and must therefore have been alive in B.C. 289.
This text is from: Harry Thurston Peck, Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities. Cited Sept 2003 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
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