The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-01-21
ANCIENT GREEKS POETRY.
CLASSIC LECTURE BY DOC'oH
n. n. HARRIS.

Ileciac and iambtc serre' VI ''N
ing. of Catiinu.. Tyuseus. soion m"
Th..sni.. A,chtlochus aud sbnonon-
ids." Discussed I'm Detail.
The chapel Of Richmond College was
filled at O'Clock last night by an apprecia-
tive audience to hear the distinguished pro-
fessor Of Greek On the Eiegiac and Jamoic
poetry OF the ancient Greeks. Prof.. harris
always draws well, and the cultivated au-
dience. consisting OF the professors anu
officers Of the College and their iamiiies'
Rev. DIR. Richardson and wife, Rev. Dr' IL
A. Upper and daughter. Rev. Dr. Dickin-
son and wife, Major b. II. Nash and WIFE, MI
W. l.. Boyd and wife. Professor Horey ana
wife, wIth many others Of equal note' gave
him inspiring attention. -,
The lecture was one of those falling INTO
the Course OF Senior Greek. The fourteen
Young men which this year make the pro-
missing class did their part OF welcoming
their guests very handsomely, and the sue sue
cess os the evening was gratifying. lps
Professor said that his next lecture Wouiu
DE on more pleasing theme, namely hellc
Poetry, but all enjOved his effort. Among
other things he said:
"A year ago We had the pleasure oil loOk-
| ing at some of the great Epics, ascriDeu 70
| Homer. This species Of verse reached It's
meridian as early as $50 b. &. and then rap
| idly declined. TO be succeeded about 700 Is.
4. by new and more varied forms. Inc
transition from Epic to Lyric was not mere
liz in outward form, but still more In SUD
stance and in adaptation to new surrouDu-
iugs The forms Of government were
| changinO in noarIy all OF the Greclan st"tos
from regal, first to aristocratic ana theh "
| democratic. Achilles and Hector were hV
longer the model men, the fate OF friail anu
the wanderings of Ulysses could not inter,
est the proud mobiles at their banquets, stu
less the assemblies Of people riOting IN ne"
found freedom. The times we also III
teuseIy active. Commerce and colonization
with constant wars at home and abroad iel'
little leisure for the contemplation OF glo-
rious past. All energies were ABSORBED III
social questions pressing for Immediate so'
luton. OIL.
This. then. was the youth Of Greek.
speaking people. In childhood tney hau
loved the stately monastery OF Epic' III
manhood they would come TO appreciate the
drama. Between these must come the pc
riod of surgng passion. of intense seltcOn-
sci BUSINESS. Lyric poetry is intensely per
sonal. an OutpOuring Of the present emo
tions. as may be seen in our popular songs
and in the masterpieces OF sucn poets a.
Robert Burns aud Father Ryan. There Il
no great breadth Of thought, but immense
depth Of feeling.
DIVISIONS OF LYRIC POETRY.
..Tbe fraementary character as well a
the position Of Greek Lyrics was ILLUSTRATED
nv comparison TO the asteroids, a multitude
of little globes, once perhaps n splendid
. plaunet thatsrOled between the orbits
nery Mars and benignant Jupiter
The division into Elegiac and lamblc
personal and choral, with the structure
9 subjects, chief authors and their dates. "a'
briefly exhibited in tabulated form upoi
the black board.
The lecturer then proceeded TO discuss
r the two kinds Of verse which were the mos
I important steps in the transition from epic
I the poetry for recitation, to Nellie, the poetr.
1 for song.
ELEGIAC VERSE.
! "This species Of verse shows but Sigh
departure, and that only in alternate verses
from the epic model. 1t was used nrsl
perhaps, at funerals, then as a vehicle 10
all sorts # emotions in politics, in war, II
I banquets, in proverbs.
"Callinus. IF Ephesus. reputed inventor a
the rythm, lived IN the dark days OF Gin
p merriam invasion, and used his gift TO SIT
I his ieliew-citIZens 10 meet these foes II
: battle.
"Tyrtaeus. the lame schoolmaster, wa
sent by Athens TO aid the Spartans in one O
their hercest wars. His marching song
and pleas for discipline did much to vii
them victory.
"solon, the great law-giyer, accomplish,
+ bv poem revolution of sentiments whic
/ he would not have dared TO suggest il
prose.
"Theognis. Of Megara, Bourbon Of tn
: Bourbons, opposed the swelling tide Of dem
ocratic progress all in vain, but time ha
dealt kindly with his work In preseryir
much Of them as text book for schools.
..Sim0nides. Of Coos, was specially fame
for his brilliant epigrams composed durln
j and after the Persian war"
From each Of these writers the profess0
4 gave, first in the original, then in transla
. ton, some brief and characteristic extracts
I IAHBIC POETRY.
o ''rhe other kind is in several respect
e antipOdal 10 Elegiac. It's rymth Is most IA
e miliar. being that OF the great body q
}. English poetry. II was especially adaptei
: to Satire, but used for many other pun
Il poses.
r "Archilochus, its reputed inventor, wa
j. born on PaXOs. a mountain Of purest mar
] bic, went IN early manhood 10 hunt Tor col
amid the Black Hills Of Thrace, knew al
A the vicissitudes Of frontier life and coniiic
4 with sayages. loved with intcnsest passiO
the girl be left behind him, returned poor
!. was rejected by her father, had all his pas
\ sion turned to gall, and poured it out in bit
terest nyectye. His later years wer
I equally turbulent and be fell in battle, be
D.. mOaned as ore Of the brightest wits eve
= known and ranked by the Greeks as secOu
only 10 Homer
E"SimOnOndes Of AmOrgOs was a respecta
Ole merchant of narrow views aud m0ros
: temper. Two Of his works survive, pee
o Of advice to his son, and lOw-hung satire
on woman"
i The lecture closed with brief reference I
b the Fables Of AesOp and the fashion Of in
j. prOmptu toasts AT feasts, both Of these beln
commonly in lamb; verse.
g NEXT TUESDAY.
The subject will be resumed at some hou
and place next Tuesday in a discussion q
T. the genuine Nellie or Song Poetry in seyera
OF its most conspicuous varieties.