The reasoning for Poe's use of the two names In terms of the quotation itself, "the grandeur that was Greece" alludes to the numerous significant contributions made by Greeks to Western philosophy, science, and art (among other things). They had been "the first." But beyond this simple allusion, there is no clear explanation as to why Poe chose to write about Greece in general and not some other country. Poe may have chosen Greece because it was the dominant culture at the time - and therefore the most relevant place where he could make a statement about the importance of cultural heritage. Or perhaps he just liked the sound of the word "grandeur". There are many possibilities as to why he wrote about Greece, but we will never know for sure.