Sexual life in ancient Greece : with thirty-two full-page plates

Lyric POETRY

her poems of the rape of Chrysippus by Laius, in another of the love of Apollo for Carnos (frags. 6 and 7).

According to Athenzus Stesichorus, “ Who was to no small extent a sexualist,” also wrote this kind of poem, which was already named in antiquity “a ‘song about boys’”’. (Ath., xii, 601@). But none of them is preserved.

Bacchylides (frag. 13) mentions among the works of peace the occupations of youths in the gymnasia, feasts, and the bursting forth of songs about boys.

“ Skolia”’ was the name given to the drinkingsongs, which were sung after the meal, when wine loosened men’s tongues, chiefly by the guests in order, and composed ex tempore. Such an improvization runs as follows : “ I would that I could become a lyre of ivory ; then the boys would carry me to the Dionysian dance ” (Skolion, 19).

The poetical remains of Bion of Smyrna, a younger contemporary of Theocritus, are trifling. From his poem on Lycidas I mention the lines: “I have sung of another than Lycidas, but my song then sounded like a lamentable stammer; I sang of the marvels of Eros and Lycidas, the beautiful and now my love-song would resound loftily and glorious.”

In another poem (ix) he addresses Hesperus, the evening star: ‘“‘ Evening Star, which art the golden light of the lovely Child 0’ the Foam, dear Evening Star, which art the holy jewel of the blue blue night, even so much dimmer than the moon as brighter than any other star that shines, hail, gentle friend, and while I go a-serenading my shepherd love show me a light instead of the moon, for that she, being new but yesterday, is all too quickly set. I be no thief nor highwayman—’tis not for that I'm abroad to-night—but a lover ; and lovers deserve all aid.”

Lastly, the eighth poem is a list of famous

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