See also: Simonide

Simonide (in Greek old Σιμωνίδης / Simônídês ) born with Céos in 556, died with Agrigente in 467 was a lyric poet Greek.

Biography

Born in Céos, it goes then to Athens, probably on the invitation of the Tyran Hipparque. It ties there a friendship with Thémistocle. It is then invited in Thessalie by the Aleuades, then goes back to Athens where the medic Guerres provide him the subject of Thrène S and from epitaph S. It obtains 56 victories with the contests of Dithyrambe S and in 489, gains over Eschyle the crown for an elegy made up in the honor of died of Marathon. According to Hérodote (VII, 228), he is also the author of the elegiac Distique engraved on a stone with the Thermopyles, commemorating celebrates it battles:

ὦ ξεῖν', ἀγγέλλειν Λακεδαιμονίοις ὅτι τῇδε
κείμεθα τοῖς κείνων ῥήμασι πειθόμενοι
“Foreign, announces to people of Lacédémone
That we lie here, obeying its words. ”
(transl. Brownish Philippe)

He passes to have invented the Art of memory.

In 476, it is invited to the court of Hiéron of Syracuse, where it will be followed by its nephew Bacchylide and Pindare. Died ten years later, it is buried with Agrigente.

Work

The tradition makes of Simonide the first poet have sung men, and not of the hero or gods. It would have also been the first to claim money for its towards, particularly for its épinicie S (celebration of an athletic victory). It seems to be more attached to rent the gods there than the athlete himself. Thus, the silent partner of a épinicie, a boxer, judging that Simonide was inspired more by the Dioscures that of its personal exploit, regulates to him only half of the sum agreed, requesting asresser to him from Dioscures for the remainder. The majority of the épinicies were lost, and only of the fragments were preserved.

Simonide is a poet very appreciated in Antiquity. Xénophon and Plato thus frequently quotes it, and Denys d' Halicarnasse gives it like model of simplicity in its stylistic Composition .

See too

Related articles

• lyricism monodic: Alcée de Mytilène, Anacréon, Sappho

• lyricism choral: Alcman, Stésichore, Ibycos

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