ation of the feelings； habits； and superstitions of the rural population of Greece in the earlier ages。 Respecting the date of Hesiod nothing certain can be affirmed。 Modern writers usually suppose him to have flourished two or three generations later than Homer。
The commencement of Greek lyric poetry as a cultivated species of composition dates from the middle of the seventh century before the Christian era。 No important event either in the public or private life of a Greek could dispense with this accompaniment； and the lyric song was equally needed to solemnize the worship of the gods； to cheer the march to battle； or to enliven the festive board。 The lyric poetry； with the exception of that of Pindar； has almost entirely perished； and all that we possess of it； consists of a few songs and isolated fragments。
The great satirist ARCHILOCHUS was one of the earliest and most celebrated of all the lyric poets。 He was a native of the island of Paros； and flourished about the year 700 B。C。 His fame rests chiefly on his terrible satires； composed in the Iambic metre。 in which he gave vent to the bitterness of a disappointed man。
TYRTAEUS and ALCMAN were the two great lyric poets of Sparta； though neither of them was a native of Lacedaemon。 The personal history of Tyrtaeus； and his warlike songs which roused the fainting courage of the Spartans during the second Messenian war； have already been mentioned。 Alcman was originally a Lydian slave in a Spartan family； and was emancipated by his master。 He lived shortly after the second Messenian war。 His poems partake of the character of this period； which was one of repose and enjoyment after the fatigues and perils of war。 Many of his songs celebrate the pleasures of good eating and drinking； but the more important were intended to be sung by a chorus at the public festivals of Sparta。
ARION was a native of Methymna in Lesbos； and lived some time at the court of Periander； tyrant of Corinth； who began to reign B。C。 625。 Nothing is known of his life beyond the beautiful story of his escape from the sailors with whom he sailed from Sicily to Corinth。 On one occasion； thus runs the story； Arion went to Sicily to take part in a musical contest。 He won the prize； and； laden with presents； he embarked in a Corinthian ship to return to his friend Periander。 The rude sailors coveted his treasures； and meditated his murder。 After imploring them in vain to spare his life； he obtained permission to play for the last time on his beloved lyre。 In festal attire he placed himself on the prow of the vessel； invoked the gods in inspired strains； and then threw himself into the sea。 But many song… loving dolphins had assembled round the vessel； and one of them now took the bard on its back。 and carried him to Taenarum； from whence he returned to Corinth in safety； and related his adventure to Periander。 Upon the arrival of the Corinthian vessel； Periander inquired of the sailors after Arion； who replied that he had remained behind at Tarentum； but when Arion； at the bidding of Periander； came forward； the sailors owned their guilt； and were punished according to their desert。 The great improvement in lyric poetry ascribed to Arion is the invention of the Dithyramb。 This was a choral song and dance in honour of the god Dionysus； and is of great interest in the history of poetry； since it was the germ from which sprung at a later time the magnificent productions of the tragic Muse at Athens。
ALCAEUS and SAPPHO were both natives of Mytilene in the island of Lesbos； and flourished about B。C。 610…580。 Their songs were composed for a single voice； and not for the chorus； and they were each the inventor of a new metre； which bears their name； and is familiar to us by the well…known odes of Horace。 Their poetry was the warm outpouring of the writers' inmost feelings； and present the lyric poetry of the AEolians at its highest point。
Alcaeus took an active part in the civil dissensions of his native state； and warmly espoused the cause of the aristocratical party； to which he belonged by birth。 When the nobles were driven into exile； he endeavoured to cheer their spirits by a number of most animated odes； full of invectives against the popular party and its leaders。
Of the events of Sappho's life we have scarcely any information； and the common story that； being in love with Phaon and finding her love unrequited； she leaped down from the Leucadian rock； seems to have been an invention of later times。
ANACREON was a native of the Ionian city of Teos。 He spent part of his life at Samos； under the patronage of Polycrates； and after the death of this despot he went to Athens at the invitation of Hipparchus。 The universal tradition of antiquity represents Anacreon as a consummate voluptuary； and his poems prove the truth of the tradition。 His death was worthy of his life； if we may believe the account that he was choked by a grape…stone。
SIMONIDES； of the island of Ceos； was born B。C。 556； and reached a great age。 He lived many years at Athens； both at the court of Hipparchus； together with Anacreon； and subsequently under the democracy during the Persian wars。 The struggles of Greece for her independence furnished him with a noble subject for his muse。 He carried away the prize from AEschylus with an elegy upon the warriors who had fallen at the battle of Marathon。 Subsequently we find him celebrating the heroes of Thermopylae； Artemisium； Salamis； and Plataea。 He was upwards of 80 when his long poetical career at Athens was closed with the victory which he gained with the dithyrambic chorus in B。C。 477； making the 56th prize that he had carried off。 Shortly after this event he repaired to Syracuse at the invitation of Hiero。 Here he spent the remaining ten years of his life； not only entertaining Hiero with his poetry； but instructing him by his wisdom； for Simonides was a philosopher as well as a poet； and is reckoned amongst the sophists。
PINDAR； though the contemporary of Simonides； was considerably his junior： He was born either at； or in the neighbourhood of； Thebes in Boeotia； about the year 522 B。C。 Later writers tell us that his future glory as a poet was miraculously foreshadowed by a swarm of bees which rested upon his lips while he was asleep； and that this miracle first led him to compose poetry。 He commenced his professional career at an early age； and soon acquired so great a reputation； that he was employed by various states and princes of the Hellenic race to compose choral songs。 He was courted especially by Alexander； king of Macedonia； and by Hiero； despot of Syracuse。 The praises which he bestowed upon Alexander are said to have been the chief reason which led his descendant； Alexander the Great； to spare the house of the poet when he destroyed the rest of Thebes。 The estimation in which Pindar was held is also shown by the honours conferred upon him by the free states of Greece。 Although a Theban； he was always a great favourite with the Athenians； whom he frequently praised in his poems； and who testified their gratitude by making him their public guest； and by giving him 10；000 drachmas。 The only poems of Pindar which have come down to us entire are his Epinicia or triumphal odes； composed in commemoration of victories gained in the great public games。 But these were only a small portion of his works。 He also wrote hymns； paeans； dithyrambs； odes for processions； songs of maidens； mimic dancing songs； drinking songs； dirges and encomia； or panegyrics on princes。
The Greeks had arrived at a high pitch of civilization before they can be said to have possessed a HISTORY。 The first essays in literary prose cannot be placed earlier than the sixth century before the Christian aera； but the first writer who deserves the name of an historian is HERODOTUS； hence called the Father of History。 Herodotus was born in the Dorian colony of Halicarnassus in Caria； in the year 484 B。C。； and accordingly about the time of the Persian expeditions into Greece。 He resided some years in Samos； and also undertook extensive travels； of which he speaks in his work。 There was scarcely a town in Greece or on the coasts of Asia Minor with which he was not acquainted； he had explored Thrace and the coasts of the Black Sea； in Egypt he had penetrated as far south as Elephantine； and in Asia he had visited the cities of Babylon； Ecbatana； and Susa。 The latter part of his life was spent at Thurii； a colony founded by the Athenians in Italy in B。C。 443。 According to a well…known story in Lucian； Herodotus； when he had completed hia work； recited it publicly at the great Olympic festival； as the best means of procuring for it that celebrity to which he felt that it was entitled。 The effect is described as immediate and complete。 The delighted audience at once assigned the names of the nine Muses to the nine books into which it is divided。 A still later author （Suidas） adds； that Thucydides； then a boy； was present at the festival with his father Olorus； and was so affected by the recital as to shed tears； upon which Herodotus congratulated Olorus on having a son who possessed so early such a zeal for knowledge。 But there are many objections to the probability of these tales。
Herodotus interwove into his history all the varied and extensive knowledge acquired in his travels； and by big own personal researches。 But the real subject of the work is the conflict between the Greek race； in the widest sense of the term； and including the Greeks of Asia Minor； with the Asiatics。 Thus the historian had a vast epic subject presented to him； which was brought to a natural and glorious termination by the defeat of the Persians in their attempts upon Greece。 The work concludes with the reduction of Sestos by the Athenians； B。C。 478。 Herodotus wrote in the Ionic dialect； and his style is marked by an ease and simplicity which lend it an indescribable charm。
THUCYDIDES； the greatest of the Greek historians； was an Athenian； and was born in the year 471 B。C。 His family was connected with that of Miltiades and Cimon。 He possessed gold… mines in Thrace； and enjoyed great influence in that country。 He commanded an Athenian squadron of seven ships at Thasos； in 424 B