Volume 1

Studies of the Greek poets / by John Addington Symonds.

  • John Addington Symonds
Date:
1877-1879
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Studies of the Greek poets / by John Addington Symonds. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    takes rank in the erotic cycle. Yet we may touch in passing on the names of Philodemus and Antipater, the former a native of Gadara, the latter a Sidonian, whose epitaph was composed by Meleager. Their poems help to complete the picture of Syrian luxury and culture in the cities of North Palestine, which we gain when reading Meleager. Of Philodemus the liveliest epigram is a dialogue, which seems to have come straight from the pages of some comedy (i. 68) ; but the majority of his verses belong to that class of literature which finds its illustration in the Gabinetto Segreto of the Neapolitan Museum. Occasion- ally he strikes a true note of poetry, as in this invocation to the moon : * rvKTepiv1? S'lKepws <pi\o-navvvx* <P°Tve cre\i]v77, <p<xiv€ 5t’ evTprjTwv ftaWop.kV'f} OupiSccv avyafe xputrerjv Ka\Aiorioz/ • is rh (piXeuvruv epya KaroirreveLi/ ov (p96vos aOavaTri. oAjSifeh /cal /cal 7)p.ias olda (Te\i]vr]' nal yap cry]v ityvx^v ecpAeyev ’Eudv/iicov. Antipater shines less in his erotic poems than in the numerous epigrams which he composed on the earlier Greek poets, especially on Anacreon, Erinna, Sappho, Pindar, Ibycus. He lived at a period when the study of the lyrists was still flou- rishing, and each of his couplets contains a fine and thoughtful piece of descriptive criticism. Another group of amatory poets must be mentioned. Aga- thias, Macedonius, and Paulus Silentiarius, Greeks of Byzantium For the poor thing had wandered thither, To follow where the kiss should guide it, Oh cruel I to intercept it ! ” Shelley. * ‘ ‘ Shine forth, night-wandering, horned, and vigilant queen, Through the shy lattice shoot thy silver sheen ; Illume Callistion : for a goddess may Gaze on a pair of lovers while they play. Thou enviest her and me, I know, fair moon, For thou didst once burn for Endymion.”