Institutio Oratoria

Of the nine lyric poets [*]( The five not mentioned here are Aleman, Sappho, Ibycus, Anacreon and Bacchylides. ) Pindar is by far the greatest, in virtue of his inspired magnificence, the beauty of his thoughts and figures, the rich exuberance of his language and matter, and his rolling flood of eloquence, characteristics which, as Horace [*](Od. IV. ii. 1. ) rightly held, make him

The greatness of the genius of Stesichorus [*]( Stesichorus of Himera in Sicily ( flor. circ. 600 B.C.), wrote in lyric verse on many legends, more especially on themes connected with the Trojan war. ) is shown by his choice of subject: for he sings of the greatest wars and the most glorious of chieftains, and the music of his lyre is equal to the weighty themes of epic poetry. For both in speech and action he invests his characters with the dignity which is their due, and if he had only been capable of exercising a little more restraint, he might, perhaps, have proved a serious rival to Homer. But he is redundant and diffuse, a fault which, while deserving of censure, is nevertheless a defect springing from the very fullness of his genius.

Alcaeus has deserved the compliment of being said to make music with quill of gold [*]( Hor Od. xiii. 26. Alcaeus of Mitylene ( circa 600 B.C.). ) in that portion of his works in which he attacks the tyrants of his day and shows himself a real moral force. He is, moreover, terse and magnificent in style, while the vigour of his diction resembles that of oratory. But he also wrote poetry of a more sportive nature and stooped to erotic poetry, despite his aptitude for loftier themes.

Simonides [*]( Simondes of Ceos. 556–468 B.C., famous for all forms of lyric poetry, especially funeral odes. ) wrote in a simple style, but may be recommended for the propriety and charm of his language. His chief merit, however, lies in his power to excite pity, so much so, in fact, that some rank him in this respect above all writers of this class of poetry.

The old comedy is almost the only form of poetry which preserves intact the true grace of Attic diction, while it is characterized by the most eloquent freedom of speech, and shows especial power in the denunciation of vice; but it reveals great force in other departments as well. For its style is at once lofty, elegant and graceful, and if we except Homer, who, like Achilles among warriors,