Listed 66 sub titles with search on: Biographies for wider area of: "MYTILINI Province LESVOS" .
MYTILINI (Ancient city) LESVOS
Alcaeus (Alkaios), the son of Miccus, was a native of Mytilene, according to Suidas,
who may, however, have confounded him in this point with the lyric poet. He is
found exhibiting at Athens as a poet of the old comedy, or rather of that mixed
comedy, which formed the transition between the old and the middle. In B. C. 388,
he brought forward a play entitled Pasiphae, in the same contest in which Aristophanes
exhibited his second Plutus, but, if the meaning of Suidas is rightly understood,
he obtained only the fifth place. He left ten plays, of which some fragments remain,
and the following titles are known, Adelphai moicheuomenai, Ganumedes, Endumion,
Hiepos gamos, Kallisto, Komoidotragoidia, Palaistra.
Alcaeus, a tragic poet, mentioned by Fabricius, does not appear to
be a different person from Alcaeus the comedian. The mistake of calling him a
tragic poet arose simply from an erroneous reading of the title of his " Comoedo-tragoedia."
MYTILINI (Ancient city) LESVOS
A writer who probably lived in the third century A.D. He was
the author of a Greek pastoral romance, Daphnis and Chloe, in four books. It is
considered the best of all ancient romances which have come down to us, on account
of its deep and natural feeling, its grace of narrative, and the comparative purity
and ease of its language. It has suggested many imitations by Italian, French,
German, and English writers, the more famous being Bernardin de St. Pierre's Paul
et Virginie. The rare translation by John Day of the French version of Amyot was
reprinted in 1890. The Greek text is edited by Hirschig with a Latin version in
the Erotici Scriptores of the Didot collection (Paris, 1856). Translation by Smith
(London, 1855).
This text is from: Harry Thurston Peck, Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities. Cited Oct 2002 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
Longus was the creator of the pastoral romance, and author of Daphnis and Chloe. Nothing is known about him; even his name has been suspected and his floruit is most uncertain. Perhaps he was from Lesbos. His work, a bucolic idyll in prose, narrates how Daphnis and Chloe, two foundlings brought up by shepherds in Lesbos, gradually became enamoured to each other and finally married. What interests the author chiefly is to describe how the passion of love develops in the two protagonists, from the first naive and confused feelings of infancy to full sexual maturity.
The general tone of his romance is dictated by glyketes: this sweet-ening of pastoral life appealed very much to the critics of the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, when 'bergeries' were in fashion. In spite of his artificiality in language and style, his ecphrastic descriptions of nature testify to a notable love of nature, which was highly praised by Goethe.
2nd cent. B.C. He worked in Alexandria and wrote about the Argonauts, the city of Troy and the relationship of Dionysus with the Amazons.
Dionysius. Of Mytilene, was surnamed Scytobrachion, and seems to have lived shortly before the time of Cicero, if we may believe the report that he instructed M. Antonius Gnipho at Alexandria (Suet. de Illustr. Gram. 7), for Suetonius expresses a doubt as to its correctness for chronological reasons. Artemon (ap. Athen. xii.) states, that Dionysius Scytobrachion was the author of the historical work which was commonly attributed to the ancient historian Xanthus of Lydia, who lived about B. C. 480. From this it has been inferred, that our Dionysius must have lived at a much earlier time. But if we conceive that Dionysius may have made a revision of the work of Xanthus, it does not follow that he must needs have lived very near the age of Xanthus. Suidas attributes to him a metrical work, the expedition of Dionysus and Athena (he Dionusou kai Hathenas stratia), and a prose work on the Argonauts in six books, addressed to Parmenon. He was probably also the author of the historic Cycle, which Suidas attributes to Dionysius of Miletus. The Argonautica is often referred to by the Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, who likewise several times confounds the Mytilenean with the Milesian (i. 1298, ii. 207, 1144, iii. 200, 242, iv. 119, 223, 228, 1153), and this work was also consulted by Diodorus Siculus. (iii. 52, 66.)
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Oct 2005 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
Coes (Koes), of Mytilene, attended Dareius Hystaspis in his Scythian expedition as commander of the Mytilenaeans, and dissuaded the king from breaking up his bridge of boats over the Danube, and so cutting off his own retreat. For this good counsel he was rewarded by Dareius on his return with the tyranny of Mytilene. In B. C. 501, when the lonians had been instigated to revolt by Aristagoras, CoΓ«s, with several of the other tyrants, was seized by latragoras at Myus, where the Persian fleet that had been engaged at Naxos was lying. They were delivered up to the people of their several cities, and most of them were allowed to go uninjured into exile; but Coes, on the contrary, was stoned to death by the Mytilenaeans. (Herod. iv. 97, v. 11, 37, 38)
Laomedon of Mytilene, son of Larichus, was one of Alexander's generals, and appears to have enjoyed a high place in his confidence even before the death of Philip, as he was one of those banished by that monarch (together with his brother Erigyius, Ptolemy, Nearchus, and others) for taking part in the intrigues of the young prince. (Arrian. Anab. iii. 6). After the death of Philip, Laomedon, in common with the others who had suffered on this occasion, was held by Alexander in the highest honour: he accompanied him to Asia, where, on account of his acquaintance with the Persian language, he was appointed to the charge of the captives. (Arrian. l. c.) Though his name is not afterwards mentioned during the wars of Alexander, the high consideration he enjoyed is sufficiently attested by his obtaining in the division of the provinces, after the king's death, the important government of Syria. (Diod. xviii. 3; Arrian. ap. Phot. p. 69, a; Dexipp. ap. Phot. p. 64, a; Justin. xiii. 4; Curt. x. 10; Appian. Syr. 52). This he was still allowed to retain on the second partition at Triparadeisus, but it was not long before the provinces of Phoenicia and Coele Syria excited the cupidity of his powerful neighbour Ptolemy. The Egyptian king at first offered Laomedon a large sum of money in exchange for his government; but the latter having rejected his overtures, he sent Nicanor with an army to invade Syria. Laomedon was unable to offer any effectual resistance: he was made prisoner by Nicanor, and sent into Egypt, from whence, however, he managed to effect his escape, and join Alcetas in Pisidia. (Arrian. ap. Phot. p. 71, b; Diod. xviii. 39, 43; Appian, Syr. 52). There can be no doubt that he took part in the subsequent contest of Alcetas, Attalus, and the other surviving partizans of Perdiccas against Antigonus, and shared in the final overthrow of that party (B. C. 320), but his individual fate is not mentioned.
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Oct 2006 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
Erigyius, (Eriguios), a Mytilenaean, son of Larichus, was an officer in Alexander's army. He had been driven into banishment by Philip because of his faithful attachment to Alexander, and returned when the latter came to the throne in B. C. 336. At the battle of Arbela, B. C. 331, he commanded the cavalry of the allies, as he did also when Alexander set out from Ecbatana in pursuit of Dareius, B. C. 330. In the same year Erigyius was entrusted with the command of one of the three divisions with which Alexander invaded Hyrcania, and he was, too, among the generals sent against Satibarzanes, whom he slew in battle with his own hand. In 329, together with Craterus and Hephaestion, and by the assistance of Aristander the soothsayer, he endeavoured to dissuade Alexander from crossing the Jaxartes against the Scythians. In 328 he fell in battle against the Bactrian fugitives. (Arr. Anab. iii. 6, 11, 20, 23, 28, iv. 4; Diod. xvii. 57; Curt. vi. 4.3, vii. 3.2, 4.32-40, 7.6-29, viii. 2.40.)
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Oct 2005 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
Archytas. A musician of Mitylene, mentioned by Diogenes Laertius as having written a treatise on agriculture.
Archytas (Archutas), of Mytilene, a musician, who may perhaps have been the author of the work Peri Aulon, which is ascribed to Archytas of Tarentum. (Diog. Laert. viii. 82; Athen. xiii., iv.)
MYTILINI (Ancient city) LESVOS
Diophanes. Of Mytilene, one of the most distinguished Greek rhetoricians of the
time of the Gracchi. For reasons unknown to us, he was obliged to quit his native
place, and went to Rome, where he instructed Tiberius Gracchus, and became his
intimate friend. After T. Gracchus had fallen a victim to the oligarchical faction,
Diophanes and many other friends of Gracchus were also put to death. (Cic. Brut.
27; Strab. xiii.; Plut. T. Gracch. 8, 20.) Another much later rhetorician of the
same name occurs in Porphyry's life of Plotinus.
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Oct 2005 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
Hermarchus (Hermarchos). A rhetorician of Mitylene who became a disciple of Epicurus, and finally succeeded him as head of the school about B.C. 270. A letter of Epicurus to him is preserved by Cicero. His philosophical works are lost.
Hermarchus, (Hermarchos), sometimes, but incorrectly, written IIermachus. He was a son of Agemarchus, a poor man of Mytilene, and was at first brought up as a rhetorician, but afterwards became a faithful disciple of Epicurus, who left to him his garden, and appointed him his successor as the head of his school, about B. C. 270. (Diog. Laert. x. 17, 24.) He died in the house of Lysias at an advanced age, and left behind him the reputation of a great philosopher. Cicero (de Fin. ii. 30) has preserved a letter of Epicurus addressed to him. Hermarchus was the author of several works, which are characterised by Diogenes Laertius (x. 24) as kallista, viz. Epistolika peri Empedokleous, in 22 books, Peri ton mathematon, Pros Platona, and Pros Aristotelen; but all of them are lost, and we know nothing about them but their titles. But from an expression of Cicero (de Nat. Deor. i. 33), we may infer that his works were of a polemical nature, and directed against the philosophy of Plato and Aristotle, and on Empedocles. (Comp. Cic. Acad. ii. 30; Athen. xiii.; Phot. Bibl. Cod. 167, p. 115, b. ed. Bekker.) It should be remarked that his name was formerly written Hermachus, until it was corrected by Villoison in his Anecdota Graec. ii.
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Nov 2005 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
Cratippus, a Peripatetic philosopher of Mytilene, who was a contemporary of Pompey and Cicero. The latter, who was connected with him by intimate friendship, entertained a very high opinion of him, for he declares him to be the most distinguished among the Peripatetics that he had known (de Off. iii. 2), and thinks him at least equal to the greatest men of his school (De Divin. i. 3). Cratippus accompanied Pompey in his flight after the battle of Pharsalia, and endeavoured to comfort and rouse him by philosophical arguments (Plut. Pomp. 75; comp. Aelian, V. H. vii. 21). Several eminent Romans, such as M. Marcellus and Cicero himself, received instruction from him, and in B. C. 44, young M. Cicero was his pupil at Athens, and was tenderly attached to him (Cic. Brut. 31, ad Fam. xii. 16, xvi. 21, de Off. i. 1, ii. 2, 7). Young Cicero seems also to have visited Asia in his company (Ad Fam. xii. 16). When Caesar was at the head of the Roman republic, Cicero obtained from him the Roman franchise for Cratippus, and also induced the council of the Areiopagus at Athens to invite the philosopher to remain in that city as one of her chief ornaments, and to continue his instructions in philosophy (Plut. Cic. 24). After the murder of Caesar, Brutus, while staying at Athens, also attended the lectures of Cratippus (Plut. Brut. 24). Notwithstanding the high opinion which Cicero entertained of the knowledge and talent of Cratippus, we do not hear that he wrote on any philosophical subject, and the only allusions we have to his tenets, refer to his opinions on divination, on which he seems to have written a work. Cicero states that Cratippus believed in dreams and supernatural inspiration (furor), but that he rejected all other kinds of divination (De Divin. i. 3, 32, 50, 70, 71, ii. 48, 52; Tertull. de Anim. 46).
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Nov 2005 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
A Peripatetic philosopher, born either at Mitylene or Rhodes. He flourished about B.C. 322, and is said to have taught Epicurus. He paid much attention to grammatical study, and is hence classed with Aristotle as one of the founders of scientific grammar (Clem. Alex. i. p. 365). He wrote treatises on the poets, on history, and on poetry, and was the teacher of Aratus and Callimachus.
Lesbonax. A son of Potamon of Mytilene,a philosopher and sophist, who lived in the time of Augustus. He was a pupil of Timocrates, and the father of Polemon, who is known as the teacher and friend of the emperor Tiberius. (Suidas, s. v.; Eudoc. p. 283.) Suidas says that Lesbonax wrote several philosophical works, but does not mention that he was an orator or rhetorician, although there can be no doubt that he is the same person as the Lesbonax who wrote meletai rhetomikai and erotikai epistolai (Schol. ad Luc. de Saltat. 69), and the one of whom, in the time of Photius (Bibl. Cod. 74, p. 52), there were extant sixteen political orations. Of these orations only two have come down to us, one entitled peri tou polemou Korinthion, and the other protreptikos logos, both of which are not unsuccessful imitations of the Attic orators of the best times. They are printed in the collections of the Greek orators published by Aldus, H. Stephens, Reiske, Bekker, and Dobson: a separate edition was published by J. C. Orelli, Lipsiae, 1820,
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Oct 2006 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
MYTILINI (Town) LESVOS
Ο Οδυσσέας Ελύτης (λογοτεχνικό ψευδώνυμο του Οδυσσέα Αλεπουδέλη) γεννήθηκε
στο Ηράκλειο της Κρήτης, γιος του εργοστασιάρχη σαπωνοποιίας και πυρηνελαιουργίας
Παναγιώτη Θ. Αλεπουδέλη και της Μαρίας το γένος Βρανά, που κατάγονταν από τη Μυτιλήνη.
Είχε τέσσερις αδερφούς και μια αδερφή τη Μυρσίνη, που πέθανε σε ηλικία είκοσι
χρόνων το 1918. Το 1914 το εργοστάσιο μεταφέρθηκε στον Πειραιά και η οικογένεια
Αλεπουδέλη εγκαταστάθηκε στην Αθήνα. Λόγω της πολιτικής τοποθέτησής του υπέρ του
Βενιζέλου, ο Παναγιώτης Αλεπουδέλης φυλακίστηκε και η οικογένειά του διώχτηκε
(1920).
Ο Οδυσσέας φοίτησε στο ιδιωτικό λύκειο Δ.Ν.Μακρή (1917-1924) με δασκάλους
μεταξύ άλλων τους Ι.Μ.Παναγιωτόπουλο, Ι.Θ. Κακριδή και Γιάννη Αποστολάκη. Σε παιδική
και νεανική ηλικία ταξίδεψε στην Ελλάδα (κυρίως στα νησιά του Αιγαίου) και την
Ευρώπη. Το 1924 γράφτηκε στο Γ΄ Γυμνάσιο Αρρένων στην Αθήνα (από όπου αποφοίτησε
το 1928) και άρχισε να γράφει στη Διάπλαση των Παίδων. Το καλοκαίρι του επόμενου
χρόνου πέθανε ο πατέρας του από πνευμονία.
Από το 1927 ξεκίνησε το εντεινόμενο ενδιαφέρον του για τη λογοτεχνία.
Το 1929 θεωρείται ως ορόσημο στη ζωή του Ελύτη. Τότε ήρθε σε επαφή με τον Υπερρεαλισμό,
μέσω της ποίησης του Λόρκα και του Ελυάρ και έγραψε τα πρώτα του ποιήματα. Τον
επόμενο χρόνο γράφτηκε στη Νομική Σχολή του Πανεπιστημίου Αθηνών. Το 1933 έγινε
μέλος της Ιδεοκρατικής Φιλοσοφικής Ομάδας του Πανεπιστημίου, μαζί με τους Κωνσταντίνο
Τσάτσο, Π. Κανελλόπουλο, Θεόδωρο Συκουτρή και άλλους. Το 1935 ταξίδεψε στη Μυτιλήνη
μαζί με τον Ανδρέα Εμπειρίκο, όπου γνώρισε τη ζωγραφική του Θεόφιλου. Γνωρίστηκε
επίσης με τους Κ.Γ.Κατσίμπαλη, Γιώργο Σεφέρη, Γιώργο Θεοτοκά και Α.Καραντώνη,
ιδρυτές των Νέων Γραμμάτων, όπου πρωτοδημοσίευσε ποιήματα με το ψευδώνυμο Ελύτης.
Το 1936 γνωρίστηκε με τον μετέπειτα στενό φίλο του Νίκο Γκάτσο και στο τέλος του
χρόνου κατατάχτηκε στο στρατό, στη σχολή εφέδρων αξιωματικών της Κέρκυρας. Στα
τέλη του 1937 μετατέθηκε στην Αθήνα και απολύθηκε το 1938.
Το 1940 κατατάχθηκε στη Βόρειο Ήπειρο. Ένα χρόνο αργότερα κινδύνεψε
να πεθάνει από κοιλιακό τύφο και γύρισε στην Αθήνα. Το 1945 διορίστηκε διευθυντής
προγράμματος της νεοσύστατης τότε Ελληνικής Ραδιοφωνίας με εισήγηση του Γιώργου
Σεφέρη (παραιτήθηκε ένα χρόνο αργότερα) και συνεργάστηκε με τα περιοδικά Νέα Γράμματα
και Αγγλοελληνική Επιθεώρηση.
Από το 1948 ως το 1951 εγκαταστάθηκε στο Παρίσι, από όπου ταξίδεψε
στην Ισπανία, την Ιταλία και την Αγγλία. Στο Λονδίνο γνωρίστηκε με το Mario Vitti
και τον Pablo Picasso.
Μετά την επιστροφή του στην Αθήνα έγινε μέλος της Ομάδας των Δώδεκα
(1952-1953), έγινε μέλος του Δ.Σ. του Θεάτρου Τέχνης(1953), του Ελληνικού Χοροδράματος
(1955) και επαναδιορίστηκε στην Ελληνική Ραδιοφωνία (από το 1953 ως τη νέα παραίτησή
του το 1954). Συνεργάστηκε με το Εθνικό Θέατρο και το Θέατρο Τέχνης ως μεταφραστής.
Το 1960 πέθαναν η μητέρα του και ο αδελφός του Κωνσταντίνος. Από το 1961 ταξίδεψε
στην Αμερική, τη Σοβιετική Ένωση, τη Βουλγαρία. Το 1965 χρονολογείται και η έναρξη
της ενασχόλησής του με τη ζωγραφική και το κολάζ.
Μετά το πραξικόπημα του 1967 κατέφυγε στο Παρίσι (1969) και το 1970
ταξίδεψε για τέσσερις μήνες στην Κύπρο (στην Κύπρο ξαναπήγε το 1973). Το 1974
έγινε πρόεδρος του Δ.Σ. της Ελληνικής Ραδιοφωνίας Τηλεόρασης. Πέθανε το Μάρτη
του 1996 στην τελευταία του κατοικία στην οδό Σκουφά.
Η πρώτη επίσημη εμφάνιση του Οδυσσέα Ελύτη στο χώρο της λογοτεχνίας
πραγματοποιήθηκε το 1939 με την έκδοση της πρώτης ποιητικής συλλογής του με τίτλο
Προσανατολισμοί. Το 1942 δημοσίευσε το δοκίμιο Η αληθινή φυσιογνωμία και η λυρική
τόλμη του Ανδρέα Κάλβου και το 1943 εκδόθηκε η ποιητική συλλογή του Ήλιος ο Πρώτος.
Ακολούθησαν μεταξύ άλλων το ?ξιον Εστί (1959), οι Έξι και μια τύψεις για τον ουρανό
(1960), το Μονόγραμμα (στις Βρυξέλλες), το Φωτόδεντρο και η δέκατη τέταρτη ομορφιά
και ο Ήλιος ο Ηλιάτορας (1971), η Σαπφώ και ο Μικρός Ναυτίλος (1984), τα Ελεγεία
της Οξώπετρας (1991), και οι τελευταίες του συλλογές Δυτικά της λύπης και Ο κήπος
με τις αυταπάτες (1995). Ο Οδυσσέας Ελύτης τιμήθηκε με το Πρώτο Κρατικό Βραβείο
Ποίησης (1960) , το Παράσημο Ταξίαρχου του Φοίνικος (1965), με το βραβείο Νόμπελ
λογοτεχνίας (1979), με το Χρυσό Μετάλλιο Τιμής του Δήμου Αθηναίων (1982), με το
βραβείο Μεσόγειος της Κοινότητας των Μεσογειακών Πανεπιστημίων (1988), με το Παράσημο
του Ανώτατου Ταξίαρχου της Λεγεώνας της Τιμής στο Παρίσι (1989). Το 1972 αρνήθηκε
βραβείο θεσπισμένο από τη δικτατορία και το 1977 αρνήθηκε την αναγόρευσή του ως
Ακαδημαϊκού. Το 1987 αναγορεύτηκε επίτιμος διδάκτωρ των Πανεπιστημίων της Ρώμης
και της Αθήνας. Εκτός από το ποιητικό του έργο στην Ελλάδα κυκλοφόρησαν ο τόμος
κριτικών κειμένων του Ανοιχτά χαρτιά (1974), ποιητικές και θεατρικές μεταφράσεις
του, δοκίμια και πεζογραφήματα. Εικαστικά έργα του παρουσιάστηκαν το 1980 σε έκθεση
με κολάζ του και τίτλο Συνεικόνες στην Αθήνα, το 1988 στο Beaubourg της Γαλλίας
και το 1992 στο Μουσείο μοντέρνας Τέχνης της ?νδρου. Ο Οδυσσέας Ελύτης τοποθετείται
από τους ιστορικούς της λογοτεχνίας στους κορυφαίους έλληνες ποιητές του αιώνα
μας. Με την ποίησή του υπέταξε τα λεγόμενα ορθόδοξα σχήματα της λογοτεχνικής έκφρασης
του υπερρεαλιστικού ρεύματος στην έκφραση της δια βίου πνευματικής αγωνίας του
για τον ορισμό της νεοελληνικής ταυτότητας σε σχέση με τη Δύση. Έργα του μεταφράστηκαν
σε πολλές ξένες γλώσσες. 1. Για περισσότερα βιογραφικά στοιχεία του Οδυσσέα Ελύτη
βλ., Δασκαλόπουλος Δημήτρης, «Χρονολόγιο Οδυσσέα Ελύτη», Χάρτης21-23, 11/1986,
σ.261-280, Σταυροπούλου Έρη, «Χρονολόγιο Οδυσσέα Ελύτη (1911-1995)», Διαβάζω362,
4/1996, σ.54-61, «Χρονολόγιο Οδυσσέα Ελύτη», Επτά Ημέρες (Καθημερινής)ΚΑ΄, 1997,
σ.105-120 και Vitti Mario, «Ελύτης Οδυσσέας», Παγκόσμιο Βιογραφικό Λεξικό3. Αθήνα,
Εκδοτική Αθηνών, 1985.
Ενδεικτική Βιβλιογραφία
- Αδαμόπουλος Χρίστος, Λόγος κεκρυμμένος περί φωτός · ή Αξονική τομογραφία Οδυσσέα Ελύτη. Μελέτη ομιλίας και ελληνικής γραφής. Αθήνα, Οι εκδόσεις των φίλων, 1987.
- Αργυρίου Αλ., Ανοιχτοί λογαριασμοί στην ποίηση του Οδυσσέα Ελύτη. Αθήνα, Καστανιώτης, 1998.
- Γαβαλάς Δημήτρης, Η εσωτερική διαλεκτική στη «Μαρία Νεφέλη» του Οδυσσέα Ελύτη. Θεσσαλονίκη, Κώδικας, 1987.
- Γιαλουράκης Μανώλης, «Ελύτης Οδυσσέας», Μεγάλη Εγκυκλοπαίδεια της Νεοελληνικής Λογοτεχνίας6. Αθήνα, Χάρη Πάτση.
- Γκρίτση-Μιλλιέξ Τατιάνα, Το «?ξιον Εστί» του Οδυσσέα Ελύτη. Κύπρος, 1961.
- Δανιήλ Ανθούλα, Οδυσσέας Ελύτης, μια αντίστροφη πορεία. Από το Ημερολόγιο ενός αθέατου Απριλίου στους Προσανατολισμούς. Αθήνα, Επικαιρότητα, 1986.
- Δασκαλόπουλος Δημήτρης, Βιβλιογραφία Οδυσσέα Ελύτη (1971-1992). Αθήνα, Εταιρεία Συγγραφέων, 1993.
- Δεκαβάλλες Αντώνης, Ο Ελύτης από το χρυσό ως το ασημένιο ποίημα. Αθήνα, Κέδρος, 1990.
- Δημοπούλου - Χατζηπέτρου Ντίνα, Οδυσσέας Ελύτης. Το μέτρημα του ανθρώπου. Αθήνα, εκδ. Κριτικών Φύλλων, 1985.
- Δήμου Νίκος, Δοκίμια 1, Οδυσσέας Ελύτης. Αθήνα, Νεφέλη, 1992.
- Ζωγράφου Λιλή, Ο ηλιοπότης Ελύτης. Αθήνα, Ερμείας.
- Θαλάσσης Γιώργος, Οδυσσέας Ελύτης. Τέχνη μυρεψού. Αθήνα, Βιβλιοπωλείο της Εστίας, 1974.
- Ιακώβ Δανιήλ Ι., Η αρχαιογνωσία του Οδυσσέα Ελύτη. Αθήνα, Πολύτυπο, 1983.
- Ιωάννου Γιάννης Η., Οδυσσέας Ελύτης. Από τις καταβολές του Υπερρεαλισμού στις εκβολές του μύθου. Αθήνα, Καστανιώτης, 1991.
- Καποδίστριας Παναγιώτης Π., Η αναστύλωση του απωλεσμένου πολιτεύματος. (Τύποι στιγμών στον Ελύτη). ?μφισσα, 1992 (ανάτυπο από το περ. Τετράμηνα48, σ.3199-3216)
- Καραντώνης Αντρέας, Για τον Οδυσσέα Ελύτη. Αθήνα, Παπαδήμας, 1980.
- Κεφαλίδης Ν.Χ. - Παπάζογλου Γ.Κ., Πίνακας λέξεων «Ποιημάτων» του Οδυσσέα Ελύτη. Θεσσαλονίκη, 1985.
- Κοκόλης Ξ.Α., Για το ?ξιον Εστί του Ελύτη - μια οριστικά μισοτελειωμένη ανάγνωση. Θεσσαλονίκη, University Studio Press, 1984.
- Λιγνάδης Τάσος, Το ?ξιον Εστί του Ελύτη - Εισαγωγή - Σχολιασμός - Ανάλυση. Αθήνα,
1976 (β' έκδοση με προσθήκη)
- Λυχναρά Λίνα, Η μεταλογική των πραγμάτων: Οδυσσέας Ελύτης. Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1980.
- Λυχναρά Λίνα, Το μεσογειακό τοπίο στην ποίηση του Γιώργου Σεφέρη και του Οδυσσέα Ελύτη. Μια παράλληλη ανάγνωση. Αθήνα, Βιβλιοπωλείο της Εστίας, 1996.
- Μαρωνίτης Δ.Ν., Όροι του λυρισμού στον Οδυσσέα Ελύτη. Αθήνα, Κέδρος, 1980.
- Μαυρομάτης Δημήτρης Κ., Πίνακας λέξεων του «?ξιον Εστί» του Οδυσσέα Ελύτη. Ιωάννινα, Πανεπιστήμιο Ιωαννίνων, Φιλοσοφική Σχολή. Έδρα Νεοελληνικής Φιλολογίας, 1981.
- Μερακλής Μ.Γ., Δεκαπέντε ερμηνευτικές δοκιμές στον Οδυσσέα Ελύτη. Αθήνα, Πατάκης, 1984.
- Παπαχρίστου - Πάνου Ευαγγελία, «Ιδού εγώ?» 1+4 δοκίμια για τον Οδυσσέα Ελύτη. Αθήνα, Δωδώνη, 1980.
- Τσεκούρας Δ.Ι., «Το Μονόγραμμα του Οδυσσέα Ελύτη (μια πρώτη κειμενογλωσσολογική/υφολογική ανάγνωση του έργου)», Πόρφυρας75 (Κέρκυρας), 10-12/1995, σ.87-96.
- Φράιερ Κίμων, ?ξιον εστί το τίμημα. Εισαγωγή στην ποίηση του Οδυσσέα Ελύτη.
Μετάφραση Νάσος Βαγενάς. Αθήνα, Κέδρος, 1978.
- Carson Jeffrey (μετάφραση Στρατή Πασχάλη), «Σχόλια στην ποίηση του Οδυσσέα Ελύτη», Η λέξη3, 3-4/1981, σ.167-171.
- Vitti Mario, Οδυσσέας Ελύτης - Κριτική μελέτη. Αθήνα, Ερμής, 1984.
- Vitti Mario, Οδυσσέας Ελύτης. Βιβλιογραφία 1935-1971. Συνεργασία Αγγελικής Γαβαθά. Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1977.
- Vitti Mario (επιμ.), Εισαγωγή στην ποίηση του Ελύτη, Επιλογή κριτικών κειμένων ? Επιμέλεια Mario Vitti. Ηράκλειο, Πανεπιστημιακές εκδόσεις Κρήτης, 1999.
Αφιερώματα περιοδικών -
- The Charioteer1, (Νέα Υόρκη), Φθινόπωρο 1960.
- Bolet ίn de la Universidad de Chile73, (Σαντιάγο), 4/1967.
- La Nouvelle Revue Francaise, (Παρίσι), 6/1970.
- Αιολικά Γράμματα13, ετ.3, 1-2/1973.
- Books Αbroad49, (Oklahoma), αρ.4, Φθινόπωρο 1975.
- Αιολικά Γράμματα8, αρ.43-44, 1-4/1975.
- Επίκαιρα586, 25/10/1979.
- Απανεμιά14, ετ.3, 11-12/1979.
- Αντί146, 29/2/1980.
- Θεατρικά Τετράδια3, ετ.Α', 3/1980.
- Η λέξη3, 3-4/1981, σ.155-171 και 241-246.
- The Charioteer24-25, (Νέα Υόρκη), 1982-1983.
- Γράμματα και Τέχνες43-44, 11-12/1985.
- Χάρτης21-23, 11/1986.
- Η λέξη92, 2/1990, σ.91-113.
- Η λέξη106, 11-12/1991.
- Αντί492, 24/4/1992.
- Εντευκτήριο6, (Θεσσαλονίκη), αρ.23-24, Καλοκαίρι - Χειμώνας 1993.
- Εντευκτήριο (Θεσσαλονίκη), αρ.28-29, Φθινόπωρο - Χειμώνας 1994.
- Επτά Ημέρες (Καθημερινής), 25/9/1994.
- Διαβάζω362, 4/1996.
- Επτά Ημέρες (Καθημερινής)ΚΑ', "Τα Ελληνικά Νόμπελ", 1997.
- Διαβάζω372, 3/1997, σ.47-65.
- Ελίτροχος12, ?νοιξη-Καλοκαίρι 1997, σ.57-105.
- Νέα Εστία141, 15/4/1997, ετ.ΟΑ', αρ.1674-1675.
Για περισσότερα στοιχεία βλ. Vitti Mario, Βιβλιογραφία Οδυσσέα Ελύτη (1971-1992). Αθήνα, Εταιρεία Συγγραφέων, 1993, Δασκαλόπουλος Δημήτρης, Βιβλιογραφία Οδυσσέα Ελύτη (1971-1992). Αθήνα, Εταιρεία Συγγραφέων, 1993, Δασκαλόπουλος Δημήτρης, «Βιβλιογραφικά Οδυσσέα Ελύτη (1993-1997)», Νέα Εστία141, 1η & 15/4/1997, ετ.ΟΑ΄, αρ.1674-1675, σ.611-635 και Σταυροπούλου Έρη, «Οδυσσέας Ελύτης: Επιλογή Βιβλιογραφίας», Διαβάζω362, 4/1996, σ.78-83.
Εργογραφία
(πρώτες αυτοτελείς εκδόσεις)
Ι.Ποίηση
- Προσανατολισμοί. Αθήνα, 1936. (ανάτυπο από το περ. Τα Νέα Γράμματα1 , 11/1935, σ.585-588).
- Οι κλεψύδρες του αγνώστου. Αθήνα, 1937. (ανάτυπο από τα "Επτά νυχτερινά
επτάστιχα", Μακεδονικές Ημέρες5 (Θεσσαλονίκη), 1-2/1937, σ.1-3.
- Προσανατολισμοί. Αθήνα, Πυρσός, 1940.
- Ήλιος ο Πρώτος μαζί με τις Παραλλαγές πάνω σε μιαν αχτίδα. Αθήνα, Ο Γλάρος, 1943.
- Το ?ξιον Εστί. Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1959.
- Έξη και μια τύψεις για τον ουρανό. Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1960.
- ?σμα ηρωικό και πένθιμο για το χαμένο ανθυπολοχαγό της Αλβανίας. Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1962.
- Θάνατος και ανάστασις του Κωνσταντίνου Παλαιολόγου. Αθήνα, 1971.
- Ο Ήλιος ο ηλιάτορας. Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1971.
- Το φωτόδεντρο και Η δέκατη τέταρτη ομορφιά. Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1971.
- Το Μονόγραμμα. Famagouste (Chypre), Les Editions de l' Oiseau, 1971 (πρώτη έκδοση
στην Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1972).
- Τα ρω του έρωτα. Αθήνα, Αστερίας, 1972.
- Ο Φυλλομάντης. Αθήνα, Αστερίας, 1973.
- Τα ετεροθαλή. Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1974.
- Villa Natacha. Θεσσαλονίκη, τραμ, 1973.
- Η καλωσύνη στις λυκοποριές. Espana, Dimitri, 1977.
- Μαρία Νεφέλη. Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1978.
- Τρία ποιήματα με σημαία ευκαιρίας. Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1982.
- Ωδή στη Σαντορίνη. Με ένα σχέδιο του Γεράσιμου Στέρη. Αθήνα, Αρχείο Θηραϊκών Μελετών - Συλλογή Δημήτρη Τσίτουρα, 1984.
- Ημερολόγιο ενός αθέατου Απριλίου. Αθήνα, Ύψιλον/βιβλία, 1984.
- Ο μικρός ναυτίλος. Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1985.
- Ιουλίου λόγος. Αθήνα, 1991.
- Τα ελεγεία της οξώπετρας. Προμετωπίδα Κώστα Πανιαρα. Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1991.
- Η ποδηλάτισσα. Εικόνες Ελένη Καλοκύρη. Δημήτρης Καλοκύρης. Αθήνα, Βιβλιοπωλείο της Εστίας, 1991.
- Δυτικά της λύπης. Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1995.
- Εκ του πλησίον. Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1998.
ΙΙ.Μεταφράσεις
- Paul Eluard. Ποιήματα - Εισαγωγή και απόδοση Οδυσσέα Ελύτη. Αθήνα, τυπ.Σεργιάδη, 1936. (ανάτυπο των «Paul Eluard · Ποιήματα Ι-ΙΧ», Τα Νέα Γράμματα2, 3/1936, σ.232-236 και «Paul Eluard · (Une seule vision variee a l? infini)», Τα Νέα Γράμματα2, 3/1936, σ.227-232)
- Paul Eluard. Από το «Δημόσιο Ρόδο». Ελληνική απόδοση Οδυσσέα Ελύτη. Αθήνα, τυπ.
Σεργιάδη, 1936. (ανάτυπο από το «Paul Eluard - Από το Δημόσιο Ρόδο», Τα Νέα Γράμματα2,
11/1936, σ.854-860.
- Pierre Jean Jouve. Ποιήματα - Εισαγωγή και απόδοση Οδυσσέα Ελύτη. Αθήνα, τυπ. Σεργιάδη, 1938. (ανάτυπο από τα «Pierre Jean Jouve - Ποιήματα Ι-ΧΧVΙΙ», Τα Νέα Γράμματα4, 10-12/1938, σ.761-773 και «Pierre Jean Jouve», Τα Νέα Γράμματα4, 10-12/1938, σ.754-760)
- Ζαν Ζιρωντού. Νεράιδα - Ονειρόδραμα σε τρεις πράξεις. Μετάφραση Οδυσσέα Ελύτη. Αθήνα, Εταιρεία Σπουδών Σχολής Μωραΐτη, 1973.
- Μπέρτολντ Μπρεχτ. Ο κύκλος με την κιμωλία στον Καύκασο - Θρύλος σε πέντε πράξεις. Μετάφραση Οδυσσέα Ελύτη. Αθήνα, Εταιρία Σπουδών Νεοελληνικού Πολιτισμού και Γενικής Παιδείας, 1974.
- Δεύτερη Γραφή , Arthur Rimbaud - Comte de Lautreamont - Paul Eluard - Pierre Jean Jouve - Giuseppe Ungaretti - Federico Garcia Lorca - Vladimir Maiakovski. Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1976.
- Σαπφώ. Ανασύνθεση και απόδοση Οδυσσέας Ελύτης. Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1984.
- Ιωάννης - Η Αποκάλυψη - Μορφή στα νέα ελληνικά Οδυσσέας Ελύτης. Αθήνα, Ύψιλον/βιβλία, 1985.
- Κριναγόρας - Μορφή στα ελληνικά Οδυσσέας Ελύτης. Αθήνα, Ύψιλον/βιβλία, 1987.
Ζ- αν Ζενέ,.Οι Δούλες. Αθήνα, Ύψιλον/Βιβλία, 1994.
ΙΙΙ.Δοκίμιο - Πεζά - Λευκώματα
- Ανοιχτά χαρτιά. Αθήνα, Αστερίας, 1974.
- Ο ζωγράφος Θεόφιλος. Αθήνα, Αστερίας, 1973.
- Η μαγεία του Παπαδιαμάντη. Αθήνα, Ερμείας, 1976.
- Σηματολόγιον. Αθήνα, Ερμείας, 1977.
- Αναφορά στον Ανδρέα Εμπειρίκο. Θεσσαλονίκη, τραμ, 1978.
- Το δωμάτιο με τις εικόνες - Κείμενο Ευγένιος Αρανίτσης. Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1986.
- Ιδιωτική οδός. Αθήνα, Ύψιλον/βιβλία, 1989.
- Τα δημόσια και τα ιδιωτικά. Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1990.
- Οδυσσέας Ελύτης. ?νδρος, Μουσείο Σύγχρονης Τέχνης. Ίδρυμα Βασίλη και Ελίζας Γουλανδρή, 1992.
- Εν λευκώ. Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1992.
- Οδυσσέας Ελύτης. Αθήνα, Ίκαρος, 1996.
- Ο κήπος με τις αυταπάτες. Αθήνα, Ύψιλον/βιβλία, 1995.
Για αναλυτικότερα στοιχεία βλ. Vitti Mario, Βιβλιογραφία Οδυσσέα Ελύτη (1971-1992). Αθήνα, Εταιρεία Συγγραφέων, 1993, Δασκαλόπουλος Δημήτρης, Βιβλιογραφία Οδυσσέα Ελύτη (1971-1992). Αθήνα, Εταιρεία Συγγραφέων, 1993 και Δασκαλόπουλος Δημήτρης, «Βιβλιογραφικά Οδυσσέα Ελύτη (1993-1997)», Νέα Εστία141, 1 & 15/4/1997, ετ.ΟΑ΄, αρ.1674-1675, σ.611-635.
Το
Odysseus Elytis ? Biography
Descendant of an old family of Lesbos, he was born in Heraclion (Candia)
on the island of Crete, November 2, 1911. Some time later his family settled permanently
in Athens where the poet finished his secondary school studies and later visited
the Law School of the Athens University. His first appearance as a poet in 1935
through the magazine "Nea Grammata" ("New Culture") was saluted as an important
event and the new style he introduced - though giving rise to a great many reactions
- succeeded in prevailing and effectively contributing to the poetical reform
commencing in the Second World War's eve and going on up to our days.
In 1937 he visited the Reserve Officer's Cadet School in Corfu. Upon
the outbreak of the war he served in the rank of Second Lieutenant, first at the
Headquarters of the 1st Army Corps and then at the 24th Regiment, on the advanced
fire line. During the German occupation and later, after Greece was liberated,
he has been unabatedly active, publishing successive collections of poetry and
writing essays concerning contemporary poetry and art problems.§
He has twice been Programme Director of the Greek National Radio Foundation
(1945-46 and 1953-54), Member of the National Theatre's Administrative Council,
President of the Administrative Council of the Greek Radio and Television Service
as well as Member of the Consultative Committee of the Greek National Tourist's
Organisation on the Athens Festival. In 1960 he was awarded the First State Poetry
Prize, in 1965 the Order of the Phoenix Brigade and in 1975 he was proclaimed
Doctor Honoris Causa of the Philosophical School of the Thessaloniki University
and Honorary Citizen of the Town of Mytilene.
During the years 1948-1952 and 1969-1972 he settled in Paris. There,
he listened to philology and literature lessons in the Sorbonne and got acquainted
with the pioneers of the world's avant-garde (Reverdy, Breton, Tzara, Ungaretti,
Matisse, Picasso, Chagall, Giacometti). Starting from Paris he travelled and visited
subsequently Switzerland, England, Italy and Spain. In 1948 he was the representative
of Greece at the "International Meetings of Geneva", in 1949 at the Founding Congress
of the "International Art Critics Union" in Paris and in 1962 at the "Incontro
Romano della Cultura" in Rome.
In 1961, upon an invitation of the State Department, he traveled through
the U.S.A.; and - upon similar invitations - through the Soviet Union in 1963
and Bulgaria in 1965.
Elytis' poetry has marked, through an active presence of over forty
years, a broad spectrum. Unlike others, he did not turn back to Ancient Greece
or Byzantium but devoted himself exclusively to today's Hellenism, of which he
attempted - in a certain way based on psychical and sentimental aspects - to build
up the mythology and the institutions. His main endeavour has been to rid his
people's conscience from remorses unjustifiable, to complement natural elements
through ethical powers, to achieve the highest possible transparency in expression
and to finally succeed in approaching the mystery of light, "the metaphysic of
the sun" - according to his own definition. A parallel way concerning technique
resulted in introducing the "inner architecture", which is clearly perceptible
in a great many works of his; mainly in the Axion Esti - It Is Worthy.
This work - thanks to its setting to music by Mikis Theodorakis - was to be widely
spread among all Greeks and grew to be a kind of the people's new gospel. Elytis'
theoretical ideas have been expressed in a series of essays under the title
(Offering) My Cards To Sight. Besides he applied himself to translating poetry
and theatre as well as creating a series of collage pictures. Translations of
his poetry have been published as autonomous books, in anthologies or in periodicals
in eleven languages.
Literature
"Orientations" (1940)
"Sun - The First" (1943)
"An Heroic And Funeral Chant For The Lieutenant Lost In Albania" (1946)
"To Axion Esti" - "It Is Worthy" (1959)
"Six Plus One Remorses For The Sky" (1960)
"The Light Tree And The Fourteenth Beauty" (1972)
"The Sovereign Sun" (1972)
"The Trills Of Love" (1973)
"The Monogram" (1973)
"Step-Poems" (1974)
"(Offering) My Cards To Sight" (1974)
"The Painter Theophilos" (1973)
"Second Writing" (1976)
"The Magic Of Papadiamantis" (1976)
"Signalbook" (1977)
"Maria Nefeli" (1978)
"Selected poems" Ed. E. Keeley and Ph. Sherrard (1981)
"Three Poems under a Flag of Convenience" (1982)
"Diary of an Invisible April" (1984)
"The Little Mariner" (1988)
"What I Love. Selected Poems" (1986)
"Krinagoras" (1987)
"The Elegies of Oxopetras" (1991)
Reference Works
- Mario Vitti: Odysseus Elytis. Literature 1935-1971 (Icaros 1977)
- Tasos Lignadis: Elytis' Axion Esti (1972)
- Lili Zografos: Elytis - The Sun Drinker (1972); as well as the special issue
of the American magazine Books Abroad dedicated to the work of Elytis (Autumn
1975. Norman, Oklahoma, U.S.A.)
- Odysseus Elytis: Anthologies of Light. Ed. I. Ivask (1981)
- A. Decavalles: Maria Nefeli and the Changeful Sameness of Elytis' Variations
on a theme (1982)
- E. Keeley: Elytis and the Greek Tradition (1983)
- Ph. Sherrard: Odysseus Elytis and the Discovery of Greece, in Journal of Modern
Greek Studies, 1(2), 1983
- K. Malkoff: Eliot and Elytis: Poet of Time, Poet of Space, in Comparative Literature,
36(3), 1984 A. Decavalles: Odysseus Elytis in the 1980s, in World Literature Today,
62(l), 1988
Translations
- Poesie. Procedute dal Canto eroico e funebre per il sottotenente caduto in Albania.
Trad. Mario Vitti (Roma. Il Presente. 1952)
- 21 Poesie. Trad. Vicenzo Rotolo (Palermo. Istituto Siciliano di Studi Bizantini
e Neoellenici. 1968)
- Poemes. Trad. Robert Levesque (1945)
- Six plus un remords pourle ciel. Trad. F. B. Mache (Fata Morgana. Montpellier
1977)
- Korper des Sommers. Ubers. Barbara Schlorb (St. Gallen 1960)
- Sieben nachtliche Siebenzeiler. Ubers. Gunter Dietz (Darmstadt 1966)
- To Axion Esti - Gepriesen sei. Ubers. Guinter Dietz (Hamburg 1969)
- The Axion Esti. Trans. Edmund Keeley and G. Savidis (Pittsburgh, U.S.A. 1974)
- The Sovereign Sun. Trans. Kinom Friar (Philadelphia, U.S.A. 1974)
From Nobel Lectures, Literature 1968-1980, Editor-in-Charge Tore Frangsmyr,
Editor Sture Allen, World Scientific Publishing Co., Singapore, 1993
This autobiography/biography was written at the time of the award and later
published in the book series Les Prix Nobel/Nobel Lectures. The information is
sometimes updated with an addendum submitted by the Laureate. To cite this document,
always state the source as shown above.
Odysseus Elytis died on March 18, 1996.
The above text cited Nov 2004 from The Nobel Foundation URL below
MYTILINI (Ancient city) LESVOS
Alcaeus, (Alkaios). A famous lyric poet of Mitylene, in Lesbos,
an elder contemporary of Sappho. Towards the end of the seventh century B.C.,
as the scion of a noble house, he headed the aristocratic party in their contests
with the tyrants of his native town, Myrsilus, Melanchrus, and others. Banished
from home, he went on romantic expeditions as far as Egypt. When the tyrants were
put down, and his former comrade, the wise Pitta cus, was called by the people
to rule the State, he took up arms against him also as a tyrant in disguise; but,
attempting to force his return home, he fell into the power of his opponent, who
generously forgave him. Of his further life nothing is known. His poems in the
Aeolic dialect, arranged in ten books by the Alexandrians, consisted of hymns,
political songs (which formed the bulk of the collection), drinking songs, and
love songs, of which we have but a few unsatisfactory fragments. In the opinion
of the ancients, his poems were well constructed, while their tone was in harmony
with the lofty passion and manly vigour of his character. The alcaic strophe,
so much used by his admirer and not unworthy imitator, Horace, is named after
him.
This text is from: Harry Thurston Peck, Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities. Cited Nov 2002 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
Lyric Poetry: . . . In Lesbos the Aeolian lyric was brought to its highest perfection by Alcaeus of Mitylene (about 600), and by his contemporary Sappho, also a Lesbian, and teacher of the poetess Erinna.
Alcaeus (Alkaios), of Mytilene, in the island of Lesbos, the earliest of the Aeolian
lyric poets, began to flourish in the 42nd Olympiad when a contest had commenced
between the nobles and the people in his native state. Alcaeus belonged by birth
to the former party, and warmly espoused their cause. In the second year of the
42nd Olympiad (B. C. 611), we find the brothers of Alcaeus, namely, Cicis and
Antimenidas, fighting under Pittacus against Melanchrus, who is described as the
tyrant of Lesbos, and who fell in the conflict. Alcaeus does not appear to have
taken part with his brothers on this occasion: on the contrary, he speaks of Melanchrus
in terms of high praise (Fr. 7). Alcaeus is mentioned in connexion with the war
in Troas, between the Athenians and Mytilenaeans for the possession of Sigeum
(B. C. 606). Though Pittacus, who commanded the army of Mytilene, slew with his
own hand the leader of the Athenians, Phrynon, an Olympic victor, the Mytilenaeans
were defeated, and Alcaeus incurred the disgrace of leaving his arms behind on
the field of battle; these arms were hung up as a trophy by the Athenians in the
temple of Pallas at Sigeum. His sending home the news of this disaster in a poem,
addressed to his friend Melanippus (Fr. 56, seems to shew that he had a reputation
for courage, such as a single disaster could not endanger; and accordingly we
find him spoken of by ancient writers as a brave and skilful warrior. He thought
that his lyre was best employed in animating his friends to warlike deeds, and
his house is described by himself as furnished with the weapons of war rather
than with the instruments of his art. During the period which followed the war
about Sigeum, the contest between the nobles and the people of Mytilene was brought
to a crisis; and the people, headed by a succession of leaders, who are called
tyrants, and among whom are mentioned the names of Myrsilus, Megalagyrus, and
the Cleanactids, succeeded in driving the nobles into exile. During this civil
war Alcaeus engaged actively on the side of the nobles, whose spirits he endeavoured
to cheer by a number of most animated odes full of invectives against the tyrants;
and after the defeat of his party, he, with his brother Antimenidas, led them
again in an attempt to regain their country. To oppose this attempt Pittacus was
unanimously chosen by the people as aisumnetes (dictator) or tyrant. He held his
office for ten years (B. C. 589-579), and during that time he defeated all the
efforts of the exiled nobles, and established the constitution on a popular basis;
and then he resigned his power.
Notwithstanding the invectives of Alcaeus against him, Pittacus is
said to have set him at liberty when he had been taken prisoner, saying that "
forgiveness is better than revenge". Alcaeus has not escaped the suspicion of
being moved by personal ambition in his opposition to Pittacus. When Alcaeus and
Antimenidas perceived that all hope of their restoration to Mytilene was gone,
they travelled over different countries. Alcaeus visited Egypt and he appears
to have written poems in which his adventures by sea were described. Antimenidas
entered the service of the king of Babylon, and performed an exploit which was
celebrated by Alcaeus. Nothing is known of the life of Alcaeus after this period;
but from the political state of Mytilene it is most probable that he died in exile.
Among the nine principal lyric poets of Greece some ancient writers
assign the first place, others the second, to Alcaeus. His writings present to
us the Aeolian lyric at its highest point. But their circulation in Greece seems
to have been limited by the strangeness of the Aeolic dialect, and perhaps their
loss to us may be partly attributed to the same cause. Two recensions of the works
of Alcaeus were made by the grammarians Aristarchus and Aristophanes. Some fragments
of his poems which remain, and the excellent imitations of Horace, enable us to
understand something of their character.
His poems, which consisted of at least ten book, were called in general
Odes, Hymns, or Songs (aismata). Those which have received the highest praise
are his warlike or patriotic odes referring to the factions of his state stasiotika
or dichostasiastika, the "Alcaei minaces Camoenae" of Horace. Among the fragments
of these are the commencement of a song of exultation over the death of Myrsilus
(Fr. 4), and part of a comparison of his ruined party to a disabled ship (Fr.
2), both of which are finely imitated by Horace. Many fragments are preserved,
especially by Athenaeus (x.), in which the poet sings the praises of wine (Fr.
1, 3, 16, 18, 20). Muller remarks, that "it may be doubted whether Alcaeus composed
a separate class of drinking songs (sumpotika);... it is more probable that he
connected every exhortation to drink with some reflection, either upon the particular
circumstances of the time, or upon man's destiny in general". Of his erotic poems
we have but few remains. Among them were some addressed to Sappho; one of which,
with Sappho's reply, is preserved by Aristotle (Rhet. i. 9; Fr. 38; Sappho, fr.
30), and others to beautiful youths. Most of his remaining poems are religious
hymns and epigrams. Many of his poems are addressed to his friends individually.
The poetry of Alcaeus is always impassioned. Not only with him, but
with the Aeolic school in general, poetry was not a mere art, but the plain and
warm outpouring of the writer's inmost feelings.
The metres of Alcaeus were generally lively, and his poems seem to
have been constructed in short single strophes, in all of which the corresponding
lines were of the same metre, as in the odes of Horace. He is said to have invented
the well-known Alcaic strophe.
His likeness is preserved, together with that of Pittacus, on a brass coin of
Mytilene in the Roval Museum at Paris, which is engraved by Visconti.
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Oct 2005 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
Alpheus Mytilenaeus (Alpheios Mutilenaios), the author of about twelve epigrams in the Greek Anthology, some of which seen to point out the time when he wrote. In the seventh epigram (Jacobs) he refers to the state of the Roman empire, as embracing almost all the known world; in the ninth he speaks of the restored and flourishing city of Troy; and in the tenth he alludes to an epigram by Antipater Sidonius. Now Antipater lived under Augustus, and Troy had received great favours from Julius Caesar and Augustus. (Strab. xiii. p. 889.) Hence it is not improbable that Alpheus wrote under Augustus. It is true that in the fourth epigram he addresses a certain Macrinus, but there is no reason to suppose that this was the emperor Macrinus. Another difficulty has been started, on the ground that other. the eleventh epigram was inscribed, as we learn from Pausanias (viii. 52.3), on the statue of Philopoemen in Tegea, and that it is very improbable that such a statue should have stood without an inscription till the time of Alpheus. But the simple fact is, that no reason can be discovered for attributing this epigram to Alpheus. (Jacobs, Anthol. Graec. xiii. p. 839.)
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Oct 2005 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
Christophorus, Patricius, a native of Mytilene, whose time is unknown, wrote in Iambic verse a Menologium, or history of the saints, arranged according to the saints' days in each month. The MS. was formerly in the Palatine Library, but is now in the Vatican, Cod. 383, No. 7. There are also MISS. of the whole or part of the work at Venice, Moscow, and Paris. It is cited more than once in the Glossarium of Meursius.
Musician, who won at the Panathenaic Games in 456 B.C.
Phrynnis or Phrynis (Phrunis). A writer of dithyrambic verse, born at Mitylene, but a resident of Athens about the time of the Peloponnesian War. He is said to have added two strings to the heptachord, and to have been the first to conquer at the musical contests introduced into the Panathenaea by Pericles
Crinagoras (Krinagoras), a Greek epigrammatic poet, the author of about fifty epigrams in the Greek Anthology, was a native of Mytilene, among the eminent men of which city he is mentioned by Strabo, who speaks of him as a contemporary (xiii.). There are several allusions in his epigrams, which refer to the reign of Augustus, and on the authority of which Jacobs believes him to have flourished from B. C. 31 to A. D. 9. We may also collect from his epigrams that he lived at Rome (Ep. 24), and that he was richer in poems than in worldly goods (Ep. 33). He mentions a younger brother of his, Eucleides (Ep. 12). From the contents of two of his epigrams Reiske inferred, that they must have been written by a more ancient poet of the same name, but this opinion is refuted by Jacobs. Crinagoras often shews a true poetical spirit. He was included in the Anthology of Philip of Thessalonica.
PANAGIOUDA (Village) MYTILINI
(Lesches) or Lescheus (Lescheus). A Cyclic poet, a native of Mitylene or Pyrrha, in the island of Lesbos, and considerably later than Arctinus. The best authorities concur in placing him in the time of Archilochus, or about B.C. 708-676. Hence the account which we find in ancient authors, of a contest between Arctinus and Lesches, can only mean that the latter competed with the earlier poet in treating the same subjects. His poem, in four books, which was attributed by many to Homer, and, besides, to very different authors, was called the "Little Iliad" (Ilias Mikra), and was clearly intended as a supplement to the great Iliad. It is learned from Aristotle that it comprised the events before the fall of Troy, the fate of Aiax, the exploits of Philoctetes, Neoptolemus, and Odysseus, which led to the taking of the city, as well as the account of the destruction of Troy itself; which statement is confirmed by numerous fragments. The last part of this (like the first part of the poem of Arctinus) was called the "Destruction of Troy"(Iliou Persis), from which Pausanias makes several quotations with reference to the sacking of Troy and the partition and carrying away of the prisoners.
This text is from: Harry Thurston Peck, Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities. Cited Oct 2002 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
Lesches, Lescheus, one of the so-called cyclic poets, the son of Aeschylinus, a native of Pyrrha, in the neighbourhood of Mytilene (Paus. x. 25, 5), and thence also called a Mytilenean or a Lesbian. He flourished about the 18th Olympiad; and therefore the tale, which is related about a contest between him and Arctinus, who lived about the beginning of the Olympiads, is an anachronism. This tradition is explained by the fact that Lesches treated, at least to some extent, the same events in his Little Iliad (Ilias he elasson or Ilias mikra), which were the subject of Arctinus's Aethiopis. The little Ilias, like all the other cyclic poems, was ascribed to various poets -to Homer himself, to Thestorides of Phocaea (Herod. Vit. Hom. 16), to the Lacedaemonian Cinaethon, and Diodorus of Erythrae. The poem consisted of four books, according to Proclus, who has preserved an extract from it. It was evidently intended as a supplement to the Homeric Iliad; consequently it related the events after the death of Hector, the fate of Ajax, the exploits of Philoctetes, Neoptolemus, and Ulysses, and the final capture and destruction of Troy (Arist. Poct. 23, Bekk.), which part of the poem was called The Destruction of Troy (Iliou persis). There was no unity in the poem, except that of historical and chronological succession. Hence Aristotle remarks that the little Iliad furnished materials for eight tragedies, whilst only one could be based upon the Iliad or Odyssey of Homer. The extracts which Proclus gives of the poem of Lesches are interwoven with those from the Aethiopis of Arctinus. It is not to be presumed, as Miiller shows (Hist. of Greek Lit. vi. 3), that either poet should have broken off in the middle of an event, in order that the other might fill up the gap. The different times at which they lived is sufficient proof to the contrary, and there are fragments extant which show that Lesches had treated of those events also which in Proclus's extract are not taken from him, but from Arctinus. (Comp. Welcker, der Epische Cydus, pp. 272, 358, 368.)
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Oct 2006 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
MYTILINI (Ancient city) LESVOS
Dicaearchus (Dikaiarchos). A native of Messana in Sicily. He was a scholar of Aristotle's, and is called a Peripatetic philosopher by Cicero (De Off. ii. 5); but, though he wrote some works on philosophical subjects, he seems to have devoted his attention principally to geography and statistics. His chief philosophical work was two dialogues on the soul, each divided into three books, one dialogue (Korinthiakoi) being supposed to have been held at Corinth, the other at Mitylene (Lesbiakoi). In these he argued against the existence of the soul. The greatest performance, however, of Dicaearchus was a treatise on the geography, politics, and manners of Greece, which he called Bios Hellados, "The Life of Greece," a title imitated by Varro in his Vita Populi Romani. All the philosophical writings of Dicaearchus are lost. His geographical works have shared the same fate, except a few fragments. We have remaining one hundred and fifty verses of his Anagraphe tes Hellados, or "Description of Greece," written in iambic trimeters; and also two fragments of the Bios Hellados, one containing a description of Boeotia and Attica, and another an account of Mount Pelion. Dicaearchus's maps were extant in the time of Cicero (Ep. ad Att. vi. 2). Cicero was very fond of the writings of Dicaearchus, and speaks of him in terms of warm admiration (Ad Att. ii. 2). In one of the extant fragments Dicaearchus quotes Posidippus, and must therefore have been alive in B.C. 289.
This text is from: Harry Thurston Peck, Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities. Cited Sept 2003 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
The Mytileneans whom Paches had sent to Athens as the most guilty are put to death, the walls of the city pulled down, the ships seized, and the whole of Lesbos except the territory of Methymna given to Attic cleruchs, to whom the Lesbians as tenants paid a yearly rental.
In B.C. 310, he went to Mitylene, where he set up a school.
Claudius Marcellus, consul B.C. 51, though he had offended Caesar by his action as to the magistrate at Comum, and had been with Pompey in Epirus, had been since Pompey's defeat living at Mitylene unmolested. It was on his recall that Cicero delivered the speech in the senate.
Aristotle was born in Stagira, at seventeen, he went to Athens and entered Plato's Academy, then went to Assos, near Troy, then went to the island of Lesbos.
He selected Athens as his place of exile, being deeply versed in Greek literature, but spent part of his time at Mitylene.
Aquillius M., consul in B. C. 101, conducted the war against the slaves in Sicily, who had a
second time revolted under Athenion. Aquillius completely subdued the insurgents,
and triumphed on his return to Rome in 100. In 98, he was accused by L. Fufius
of maladministration in Sicily; he was defended by the orator M. Antonius, and,
though there were strong proofs of his guilt, was acquitted on account of his
bravery in the war. In B. C. 88, he went into Asia as one of the consular legates
to prosecute the war against Mithridates and his allies. He was defeated near
Protostachium, and was afterwards delivered up to Mithridates by the inhabitants
of Mytilene. Mithridates treated him in the most barbarous manner, and eventually
put him to death by pouring molten gold down his throat.
Eunicus, a distinguished statuary and silverchaser of Mytilene, seems, from the order in which he is mentioned by Pliny, to have lived not long before the time of Pompey the Great. (Plin. xxxiii. 12. s. 55; xxxiv. 8. s. 19.25.)
Ariston, a celebrated silver-chaser and sculptor in bronze, born at Mytilene. His time is unknown. (Plin. xxxiii. 55, xxxiv. 19.25)
Hecataeus, a statuary and silver-chaser of some note, who seems, from the way in which he is mentioned by Pliny, to have been a native of Mytilene, and to have lived not long before the time of Pompey the Great. (Plin. H. N. xxxiii. 12. s. 55; xxxiv. 8. s. 19.25)
Lesbothemis, was a statuary of an ancient date, and probably a native of Lesbos. He is the only artist who is mentioned in connection with that island. His statue of one of the Muses holding a lyre of the ancient form (sambuke) at Mytilene, was mentioned by Euphorion in his peri Isthmion (Athen. iv. p. 182, e., xiv. p. 635, a. b.; Meineke, Euphor. Fr. 31, Anal. Alex. p. 67, Fr. 32).
650 - 569
A native of Mitylene in Lesbos, and one of the so-called Seven Sages
of Greece, was born about B.C. 650. Having obtained popularity among his countrymen
by successfully opposing the tyrant Melanchrus, he was intrusted with the command
of a fleet in a war with the Athenians concerning some territory which they had
seized in the island. In the course of this war the Athenian commander Phryno,
a man of uncommon size and strength, challenged him to single combat. Providing
himself with a net, which he concealed under his buckler, he took the first opportunity
to throw it over the head of his antagonist, and by this means gained an easy
victory. According to Strabo's account, Pittacus came into the field armed with
a castingnet, a trident, and a dagger; and it is said that from this stratagem
of the Mitylenean was borrowed the mode of fighting practised by the Roman gladiators
called retiarii. From this time Pittacus was held in high esteem among the Mityleneans,
and was intrusted with the supreme power in the State (Aristot. Polit. iii. 15).
Among other valuable presents, his countrymen offered him as much of the lands
which had been recovered from the Athenians as he chose; but he only accepted
of so much as he could measure by a single cast of a javelin; and one half of
this small portion he afterward dedicated to Apollo, saying, concerning the remainder,
that "the half is better than the whole." Cornelius Nepos says that the Mityleneans
offered him many thousand acres, but that he took only a hundred. Pittacus displayed
great moderation in his treatment of his enemies, among whom one of the most violent
was the poet Alcaeus, who frequently made him the object of his satire. Finding
it necessary to lay severe restrictions upon drunkenness, to which the Lesbians
were particularly addicted, Pittacus passed a law which subjected offenders of
this class to double punishment for any crime committed in a state of intoxication.
When he had established such regulations as seemed to him satisfactory, he resigned
his power, which he had held for ten years, and retired to private life.
Some of his famous sayings are as follows: "Power reveals the man;"
"Whatever you do, do well;" "Watch for opportunities;" "Never talk of your plans
before they are carried out." The life of Pittacus is given by Diogenes Laertius.
This text is from: Harry Thurston Peck, Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities. Cited Sept 2003 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
Life of Pittacus, by Diogenes Laertius
Pittacus of Mitylene was not only admired of men for his wisdom, but
he was also such a citizen as the island never produced again, nor, in my opinion,
could produce in time to come--not until it bears wine both more abundant and
more delicious. For he was an excellent law-giver, in his dealings with individual
citizens affable and kindly, and he freed his native land from the three greatest
evils, from tyranny, civil strife, and war.
Pittacus was a man of consequence, gentle and inclined to self-disparagement.
Consequently he was regarded by all as a man who, beyond dispute, was perfect
in respect of every virtue: for as to his legislation, he showed himself statesmanlike
and prudent, as to keeping his plighted faith strictly just, as to his distinction
in armed combat, courageous, and as to his greatness of soul in the matter of
lucre, having no trace of avarice.
When the inhabitants of Mitylene offered to Pittacus the half of the
land for which he had fought in single combat, he would not accept it, but arranged
to assign to every man by lot an equal part, uttering the maxim, "The equal share
is more than the greater." For in measuring "the greater" in terms of fair dealing,
not of profit, he judged wisely; since he reasoned that equality would be followed
by fame and security, but greediness by opprobrium and fear, which would speedily
have taken away from him the people's gift.
Pittacus acted consistently with these principles toward Croesus also,
when the latter offered him as much money from his treasury as Pittacus might
desire to take. For on that occasion, we are told, in refusing the gift he said
that he already had twice as much as he wished. And when Croesus expressed his
surprise at the man's freedom from avarice and inquired of him the meaning of
his reply, Pittacus said, "My brother died childless and I inherited his estate,
which was the equal of my own, and I have experienced no pleasure in having received
the extra amount."
The poet Alcaeus, who had been a most confirmed enemy of Pittacus
and had reviled him most bitterly in his poems, once fell into his hands, but
Pittacus let him go free, uttering the maxim: "Forgiveness is preferable to punishment."
This extract is from: Diodorus Siculus, Library (ed. C. H. Oldfather, 1989). Cited Sept 2003 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains comments & interesting hyperlinks.
Croesus was once building ships of war, we are told, with the intention
of making a campaign (560-559 BC) against the islands. And Bias, or Pittacus,
who happened to be visiting Lydia at the time and was observing the building of
the ships, was asked by the king whether he had heard of any news among the Greeks.
And when he was given the reply that all the islanders were collecting horses
and were planning a campaign against the Lydians, Croesus is said to have exclaimed,
"Would that some one could persuade the islanders to fight against the Lydians
on horseback!" For the Lydians are skilled horsemen and Croesus believed that
they would come off victorious on land. Whereupon Pittacus, or Bias, answered
him, "Well, you say that the Lydians, who live on the mainland, would be eager
to catch islanders on the land; but do you not suppose that those who live on
the islands have prayed the gods that they may catch Lydians on the sea, in order
that, in return for the evils which have befallen the Greeks on the mainland,
they may avenge themselves at sea on the man who has enslaved their kinsmen?"
Croesus, in admiration of this reply, changed his purpose at once and stopped
building the ships.
When (Croesus) he had subjugated all the Asiatic Greeks of the mainland
and made them tributary to him, he planned to build ships and attack the islanders;
but when his preparations for shipbuilding were underway, either Bias of Priene
or Pittacus of Mytilene (the story is told of both) came to Sardis and, asked
by Croesus for news about Hellas, put an end to the shipbuilding by giving the
following answer: "O King, the islanders are buying ten thousand horse, intending
to march to Sardis against you." Croesus, thinking that he spoke the truth,
said: "Would that the gods would put this in the heads of the islanders,
to come on horseback against the sons of the Lydians!" Then the other answered
and said: "O King, you appear to me earnestly to wish to catch the islanders
riding horses on the mainland, a natural wish. And what else do you suppose the
islanders wished, as soon as they heard that you were building ships to attack
them, than to catch Lydians on the seas, so as to be revenged on you for the Greeks
who dwell on the mainland, whom you enslaved?" Croesus was quite pleased
with this conclusion, for he thought the man spoke reasonably and, heeding him,
stopped building ships. Thus he made friends with the Ionians inhabiting the islands.
And also Pittacus was one of the tyrants (Reigned 589-579 B.C.). Now Alcaeus would rail alike at both Pittacus and the rest, Myrsilus and Melanchrus and the Cleanactidae and certain others, though even he himself was not innocent of revolutionary attempts; but even Pittacus himself used monarchy for the overthrow of the oligarchs, and then, after overthrowing them, restored to the city its independence. (Strabo 13.2.3)
Coes (Koes). An inhabitant of Mitylene who dissuaded Darius Hystaspis, in his Scythian expedition, from breaking up his bridge of boats over the Danube. Darius made him tyrant of Mitylene. On the outbreak of the Ionian revolt against the Persians (B.C. 501), he was stoned to death by the people of Mitylene.
In this he was seeking to serve Cammys, tyrant of Mytilene, who is an enemy of Athens and a private enemy of mine.
MYTILINI (Ancient city) LESVOS
Adaeus, or Addaeus (Adaios or Addaios), a Greek epigrammatic poet, a native most
probably of Macedonia. The epithet Makedonos is appended to his name before the
third epigram in the Vat. MS. (Anth. Gr. vi. 228); and the subjects of the second,
eighth, ninth, and tenth epigrams agree with this account of his origin. He lived
in the time of Alexander the Great, to whose death he alludes (Anth. Gr. vii.
240). The fifth epigram (Anth. Gr. vii. 305) is inscribed Addaiou Mitulenaiou,
and there was a Mitylenaean of this name, who wrote two prose wroks Peri Agalmatopoion
and Peri Diapheseos (Athen. xiii., xi.). The time when he lived cannot be fixed
with certainty. Reiske, though on insufficient grounds, believes these two to
be the same person (Anth. Graec. vi. 228, 258, vii. 51, 238, 240, 305, x. 20).
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Sep 2005 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
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