Greek Lyrics translated by Richard Lattimore

 

Greek Lyrics
Various Poets
Translated by Richard Lattimore
7th - 6th C. BC
The Well-Educated Mind Poetry

⭐⭐⭐

This is the fourth book or title on TWEM poetry list. It is a short book that contains short poems or fragments of poems, also known as "lyrics," from Ancient Greek poets who wrote between the mid seventh to end of the sixth century B.C. 

Lattimore incorporates twenty-six poets, including Solon, Xenóphanes, Sappho, and Pindar, some of the more well known. The poems are listed by poet, and the translator included a short introduction about each writer. I found the translation to be very readable. 

It is helpful to know or be familiar with Ancient Greek history and myths, especially about the Trojan War and Greek gods because many of the poems are about these topics. Some are only a few lines and others are a lot longer. 

I tried to find some favorites, but I had a lukewarm experience. But for the sake of choosing, I liked Anácreon of Teos:

Life is lovely. But the lifetime that remains for me is little. For this cause I mourn. The terrors of the Dark Pit never leave me. For the house of Death is deep down underneath; the downward journey to be feared, for once I go there I know well there's no returning.  

There were some other semi-interesting or entertaining ones, as well, though I am not so fond of ancient writings.  In TWEM, Susan Wise Bauer recommends only the poems of Solon, Sappho, and Pindar, but I read every single one of the poets and poems listed. So there. 

My next read is more Odes by Pindar. Several were included in this Lattimore collection; but this time I will follow Bauer's recommended number of poems because Odes is quite long, and my goal is just to get through it this first time.