Litchfield enquirer., 1845-05-22
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES or SOME Of
The ANCIENT GREEK LTTERATI.

-BEoGRApHtCAL SKETCHES OF SOME Of
TIE ANCIENT GREEK LITERATI,
H''l CRAPrER vE.-OF ANACREON.
ArAcREoN, the most celebrated Of the Ancient
Greek Lyric Poets. was born in the city Of Teios,
In The psOsiuceuf Ioaia. I'M ID year oi the ssh
Olympiad. h iod taisa17 s2ais y e7a'F
Q. This was very nearly as early Us the time
when Cyrus the Great began his reign as king Of
Persia 81 AoH 4Wfed fdt@ enc t7iai |n1 TIa
IS. So great was the fans Of Anacreon's genius genius,
and the pleasantness Of his manners. that he was
first sent for BY Polycrates the king q Sanos, to
appear At his Court. '. F1 p'@t 5''
= q. From the city that gave him birth, he was was
called the = Teian Bard" =" 'HTfN.'' Y ''3y'+'.'
8. Such was the influence which Anacrcon ex.
erted over the mind Of Polycrates, BY the sweet.
ness of his songs, that he sotensd the disposition
Of that monarch 90 that, from having been ty.
rant, he became mild, and comparatively benev-
olent sovereign. '9s't 'N aMaF ~ a.l'F
DO GA similar, but far more powerful influence,
was manifested BY the Harp Of David over the
splenetic mind Of king Saul. a' - .'''a'4o'.
Minister, or Chief Counsellor Of Polycrates. Be
this as IT may, i is certain that he maintained
hlgh station in his royal favor pm ,.'''h t5
S.fThe reader will bear in mind, that il was the
custom of poets at this time, not only 70 compose
their lyrics. but to set them to music, and perform
them on the harpin public assemblies, and on ies-
a.. .rt gt,sF-l r.. "a 4l.
O. Hence, If they expected to excel, they had a
double task to perform not merely to consult
beauty or sublimity Of sentiment, but to pay strict
regardto melody and harmony Of numbers. .s" z
100. II was this fact, probably, which gave to
Anacreons odas a power 90 peculiarly bewitching
and attractive. i9ANEq aeR R55 aa@ #s@ 3.N
IL. Although his sentiments are not always per-
iectly pure and chaste; yet the unrivalled harmo.
nv Of his unt the adffrabie simplici.
tyof his style. render him perfect model for all
poets who are DESTROYS Of excelling ia light and
graceful song. 9ol 'a" F'i19
10 10. The writer would by no means recommend
Anacreon as strict moralist; yet. even in this re-
spect, considering the age in which he lived, he
has neither been excelled by Robert Burns Of Scot.
land. nor by Thomas Moore Of Ireland while in
the melody Of his numbers, he is Ear their supe-
rior. mr. w. S0ef "'7 F"''t''' '"
} 49, A poet, then, in reading Anacrson, should
consult him for the same reason that statuary
would examine the statue Of the Venus Of Madon.
VA in Rome, for the purpose Of perfscting himself
in his art; while he should endeavor to clohe his
ideas in purer and chaster drapery. Nj .'
hl14. Anacreon did not pass his whole life under
the patronage Of polycrates but after Hipparchus,
the Of Psisratus. was elevated the to Archonship
at Athens. he invited Aaacreon to become citi.
zen Of that ancient and renowned seat Of learning
and science. ~ s4@ a. tos fpf 7''MA'a
l5 This Invitation the Teisn bard hailed with
great joy. He accordingly Get sail for Athens,
where he arrived, after pleasant voyage, and was
Immediately introduced to Hipparchus, by whom
he was loaded with many distinguished favors and
benefits. aapa il bni4 tsdH ,iiH4 sci a @ e'.i@
10. Hipparchus was possessed Of great wealth,
and could, therefore, have well afforded to have
given Anacrecn every suitable encouragement.
~ The poet continued to reside at Athens long
time, where he was greatly beloved, and stoodvery
high In the estimation Of all men Of learning, &c.
Mus. and taste. IN that City. Public morals, at
this time. wsss mot 1t a very high stand in Ath-
ems; and at CoFinth, neighboring city Of Greece,
they were extremely dissolute 'a 1T. h'H t''
IN 10 Anacseon. being advanced in years, at length
departed to his native country, where he hoped to
spend the remainder Of his days In tranquility and
retirement. 3b J. " HnlNais 1919 ad gF.3 5sehc
Or 10. Bae here hemet with q melancholy acct.
dent which soon terminated his earthly existence.
40. Treating grapes, Of which be was remarks
by fond. one Of the seeds passed suddenly into an
opening Of the larynx. and lodged upon his lungs;
thus oceasioning almost immediate sufocation and
death. 3aj lEfl b0g1alJDGn 9~ s.lH p+H".'
ss2i. Thus died the TeiaD bard, on the last day
THAT completed eighty-two years Of his life. He
was buried in his native city Of Teios, in the de.
lightful province Of Ionia. e shsa'a' lsf''s'
- OF the character Of Anacreon, il is much to
be regretted. that he was far loo loose in his NOR
ais He was inofdinately attached 70 wine and
sensual pleasure. Vet such was the crying iault Of
the times and we need no better evidences oi the
DEPRIVED character Of any particular age and peo-
pie, than the very productions Of the poets who
lived md wrote for their qualification. ." r 70
%. Ofthe great number Of productions which
Ahzcreoe wrote. but lsw have come down to our
aat. bae haJ b TEsi sfi1 9Ial9sf aa9fs~i 5at
-. The whole number. including q Few hzg.
ments. amount 70, ffly-six Odes.
s2S. These have been elegantly translated into
English verse, By Thomas Moore. Esq. the csle-
hra'ed Irish poet. who ia now living.
a26.i d. Rereivals AN iagsaious post Of Connect
irnk n arannlnlAA nasaa n Anaeaannsi flAaz n