Early Greek Poets' Lives

279 Pages·2010·2.38 MB·English

Early Greek Poets’ Lives
Maarit Kivilo - 978-90-04-19328-4
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Mnemosyne
Supplements
Monographs on Greek and
Roman Language and Literature
Editorial Board
G.J. Boter
A. Chaniotis
K.M. Coleman
I.J.F. de Jong
T. Reinhardt
VOLUME 322
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Early Greek Poets’ Lives
Te Shaping of the Tradition
By
Maarit Kivilo
LEIDEN • BOSTON
2010
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Kivilo, Maarit.
Early Greek poets' lives : the shaping of the tradition / by Maarit Kivilo.
p. cm. – (Mnemosyne supplements : monographs on Greek and Roman language and
literature ; 322)
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 978-90-04-18615-6 (hardback : alk. paper)
1. Poets, Greek–Biography–History and criticism. 2. Greek prose literature–History and
criticism. 3. Greece–Biography–History and criticism. 4. Classical biography–History and
criticism. 5. Hesiod. 6. Stesichorus. 7. Archilochus. 8. Hipponax, f. 540-537 B.C. 9. Terpander.
10. Sappho. I. Title. II. Series.
PA3043.K58 2010
881'.0109–dc22
[B]
2010017664
ISSN 0169-8958
ISBN 978 9004 18615 6
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CONTENTS
Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix
Abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi
Chapter One. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Chapter Two. Hesiod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
. Te tradition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
. Origin and family of Hesiod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
. Genealogies of Hesiod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
. Hesiod’s life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
. Te story of Hesiod’s death . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
. Te works of Hesiod and on Hesiod. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
. Te date of Hesiod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
. Formulaic themes and Orphic/Pythagorean infuences in
Hesiod’s tradition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
. Two modern views on the tradition of Hesiod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
. Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Chapter Tree. Stesichorus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
. Te tradition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
. Stesichorus’ family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
. Stesichorus’ home and travels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
. Stesichorus’ poetry and music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
. Blindness, Helen, and the Palinode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
. Stesichorus and politics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
. Stesichorus’ name and his death . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
. Te date of Stesichorus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
. Te connections with the Pythagorean tradition . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
. Formulaic elements in the tradition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
. Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Chapter Four. Archilochus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
. Te tradition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
. Archilochus’ family and his friends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
. Archilochus’ home, journeys, and contests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
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vi contents
. Archilochus’ encounter with the Muses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
. Te oracles in the tradition of Archilochus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
. Archilochus and the cult of gods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
. Lycambes and his daughters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
. Te death of Archilochus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
. Te cult of Archilochus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
. Ancient criticism of Archilochus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
. Te date of Archilochus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
. Traditional elements in Archilochus’ biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
. Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Chapter Five. Hipponax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
. Te tradition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
. Hipponax’ origin, home town and family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
. Hipponax’ inventions and the story of Iambe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
. Te quarrel with Boupalus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
. Te death of Hipponax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
. Ancient criticism and editions of Hipponax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
. Te date of Hipponax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
. Formulaic themes in Hipponax’ tradition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
. Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Chapter Six. Terpander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
. Te tradition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
. Terpander’s home and origin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
. Terpander in Sparta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
. Te citharodes of Lesbos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
. Te death of Terpander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
. Terpander’s poetry and music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
. Te date of Terpander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
. Formulaic themes in Terpander’s tradition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
. Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Chapter Seven. Sappho . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
. Te tradition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
. Ancient portraits and appearance of Sappho. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
. Sappho’s home and family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
. Sappho and Phaon, her exile and death . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
. Sappho’s reputation, circle, and rivals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
. Sappho’s inventions and music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
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contents vii
. Te ancient editions of Sappho’s poetry, and the treatises on
her life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
. Te date of Sappho . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
. Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Chapter Eight. Te formation of biographical traditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
. Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
. Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
. Formulaic themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Chapter Nine. Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Tis book is a slightly revised version of a doctoral thesis submitted to
Oxford University in the Summer of . Te manuscript was closed
in substance in March ; since then I have not attempted any sys-
tematic revision. I am endlessly grateful to my supervisor Dr. Nicholas
Richardson for all his help, and his continued support of my work well
beyond my D.Phil. supervisions. I should mention that he read and com-
mented on more versions of this text than either of us would like to
remember. I am also grateful for advice, criticism and encouragement
from Prof. Oliver Taplin and Dr. Mait Kõiv, and for help in various mat-
ters from Dr. Ivo Volt. I would also like to thank Brill Academic Pub-
lishers, in particular Caroline van Erp for her patience and help in the
preparation of this book. I am also grateful to the anonymous reviewer
for helpful criticism and detailed suggestions. I would like to acknowl-
edge the substantial fnancial support during my doctoral studies from
Oxford University Press (Clarendon Scholarship) and Magdalen College
(Jan Hruska Scholarship); also the Cultural Endowment of Estonia, the
Estonian World Council, and the Estonian Students Fund in the U.S.A.
And fnally, thanks to my friends and family for their loving support
throughout this project.
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ABBREVIATIONS
BMCR Bryn Mawr Classical Review: http://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/.
1
CAH Te Cambridge Ancient History (First edition). Ed. by
J.B. Bury, S.A. Cook, et al. Cambridge, –
2
CAH Te Cambridge Ancient History, nd edition. Ed. by
J. Boardman, I.E.S. Edwards, et al. Cambridge, –
CEG Carmina Epigraphica Graeca. Vol. I: Saeculorum VIII–V
a.Chr.n. Ed. by P.A. Hansen. Berlin, 
CGF Comicorum Graecorum Fragmenta, ed. G. Kaibel. Berlin, 
CIG Corpus Inscriptionum Graecarum, ed. A. Boeckh. Berlin,
–
DGRBM Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, ed.
by William Smith. London, –
DGRG A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography, ed. by William
1
Smith. London,  ( )
EM Etymologicum magnum genuinum. Symeonis etymologicum
una cum Magna grammatica, vol. i, ii. Ediderunt Franciscus
Lasserre, Nicolaus Livadaras. Rome, 
FGE Further Greek Epigrams, ed. by D.L. Page. Cambridge, 
GL Grammatici Latini ex recensione Henrici Keilii. Leipzig, –
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HE Te Greek Anthology. Hellenistic Epigams, edited by
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IG Inscriptiones Graecae, Berlin, –.
L the catalogue of legendary responses to oracles in Fontenrose,
J.E. Te Delphic oracle, its responses and operations, with a
catalogue of responses. Berkeley, 
LSJ A Greek-English Lexicon. Compiled by Henry George Liddell
and Robert Scott, revised and augmented throughout by Sir
Henry Stuart Jones with the assistance of Roderick McKenzie
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supplement. Oxford, 
MSG Musici scriptores Graeci. Recognovit, prooemiis et indice
instruxit Carolus Janus; SupplementumMelodiarum reliquiae.
Leipzig, 
OCD nd ed. Te Oxford Classical Dictionary, nd edition. Ed. by
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OCD rd ed. Oxford Classical Dictionary, third revised edition, ed. by
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4
PLG Poetae Lyrici Graeci, ed. T. Bergk. Pars I: Pindari carmina,
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. Pars III: Poetae Melici, Leipzig, 
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xii abbreviations
PMG Poetae Melici Graeci, ed. D.L. Page. Oxford, 
PMGF PoetarumMelicorum Graecorum fragmenta, ed. M. Davies.
Oxford, 
POxy Te Oxyrhynchus Papyri. Ed. by B.P. Grenfell, A. Hunt, et al.
London, –
PW the catalogue of oracles in Parke, H.W. and Wormell, D.E.W.
Te Delphic Oracle, Vol.  and . Oxford, 
Q the catalogue of quasi-historical responses to oracles in
Fontenrose, J.E. Te Delphic oracle, its responses and
operations, with a catalogue of responses. Berkeley, 
RE Paulys Realencyclopädie der classischen Altertumswis-
senschaf. Neue Bearbeitung, herausg. von G. Wissowa.
Stuttgart, –
SLG Supplementum Lyricis Graecis. Poetarum lyricorum Graecorum
fragmenta quae recens innotuerunt ed. D. Page. Oxford, 
SOL Suda On Line: Byzantine Lexicography, in http://www.stoa.org/
sol/
SVF Stoicorum veterum fragmenta coll. Ioannes ab Arnim. Vol. I:
Zeno et Zenonis discipuli, Leipzig . Vol. II: Chrysippi
fragmenta. Logica et Physica. Leipzig, 
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