LITERATURE 



283 



GREEK LITERATURE Continued 



The beginning of the literature of the Greeks 

 is lost in a mass of fables, from their curious 

 habit of personifying every feeling or experi- 

 ence. 



Nothing definite is known of their poets be- 

 fore Homer. The most ancient traditional 

 poet was Olin. followed by Linus, Orpheus, and 

 others, but the poems left under their names 

 cannot be relied upon as genuine. 



In the poetical legends of the twelve labors 

 of Hercules, the voyage of Theseus and the ex- 

 pedition of the Argonauts are the first traces 

 of historical facts, preserved, distorted, and 

 obscured by fables. The story of Cadmus bring- 

 ing the alphabet to Greece makes one of the 

 early tales. These stories were a part of Greek 

 education, everyone believed them, and they 

 made up the national religion. All this has be- 

 come a part of the literature of Europe. 



The Trojan War was the greatest event of the 

 first, or heroic, age, and this was of more im- 

 portance to art and poetry than to history. 

 The poems of the first Grecian l>ard< were written 

 to celebrate the herpes of this war, and with 

 these began the Epic age of Greek literature. 

 From this time date the two great poems of 

 Homer, the Iliad and the Odyssey, which have 

 come down to the present day with several 

 hymns and epigrams of which he was author. 

 Writing was unknown, these poems were first 

 circulated orally, and parts of them were com- 

 mitted to memory and recited by wandering 

 singers. Even later, when they had bem ml 

 lected in writing, they were impressed upon 

 the memory and used to excite patriotism, 

 religious feeling, and love for the beautiful. 



The poems of Homer became tin- foundation 

 of all Grecian literature, and after him a class 

 of poets endeavored to connect tlieir work with 

 his, calling thsemelves the Cyclic ports, ami in 

 their works can be found the whole (yd. ,,f 

 tradition ami mythology. T 1 

 l)irth of the gods, the creation of fh- W..H.I. 

 an.l all the adventures of ancient h 

 these f>< in- h i\< DOOM the tales of the Argo- 

 nauts an.l Hercules, the events of the Trojan 

 War, and mythical legends telling the fate of 

 the Greeks after the fall of Troy. 



Some authorities make Hesiod contemporary 

 with Homer, others place him two or throe 



generations later. His poetry has nothing of 

 the fancy which lights up the lines of Homer, 

 its object is to give knowledge. His poem, 

 "Works and Days," relates the events of com- 

 mon life in practical fashion, interspersed with 

 moral maxims, and is, in fact, an agricultural 

 poem. His " Theogony " is of great importance, 

 as it contains the religious faith of Greece. 

 Through this poem the Greeks first found a 

 religious code. 



Until the beginning of the Seventh Century 

 epic poetry was the only form in use except the 

 early songs or hymns, and noble families were 

 charmed by the recital of the deeds of their 

 heroes in these epics. When republican move- 

 ments began, these families lost something of 

 power and privilege, a development of individu- 

 ality began, and a poet dared to put his own 

 thoughts or feelings into verse. These poems, 

 at first, took the form of the elegy and epigram, 

 and among writers of these are T^Tteus, Archi- 

 lochus, and Simonides, writing between the years 

 B. C. and C.iii I'.. C. The rlegies of Solon, 

 (592-559 B. C.) were pure expressions of his 

 political feelings. 



jEsop's name appears about ."iT'J B. T., and 

 among his well-known fables have been coll, 

 those from other sources. No metrical version 

 of these fables is known to belong to early times. 



Among the pleasures and amusements sought 

 after by the Greeks, lighter poem* wm- written 

 intended to be sung to accompany the lute. 

 hence called lyrics. All lyrical poetry originally 

 consisted in cheerful songs, praises of love and 

 wine, and exhortations to enjoy life. In this 

 style, Anacreon was the most celebrated. In 

 her Odes, a form of lyrics. Sappho became an 

 object of admiration and Airman nui^-d \ 

 by his martial I 



'Hi.- philosopher^ of this time took up 

 tical :id among them were the often 



ted Srven V "f (Ireeee. Kpinien 



tands high on this list, closely follow rd 

 by Solon and Th.d.--. and their fame WOSOtti 

 by wi-<- judgment and skill shown in their man 

 ;.-llt of the ollices- over which they ruled. 



Their sayinpi also form the body of n 

 im applied to daily practical living. 

 the nation irn-w intellectually, a habit 

 l.itivr thought also grew, and this became the 



