Page:History of the Literature of Ancient Greece (Müller) 2ed.djvu/189

167 LITERATURE OV ANCIENT GREECE. 16? b. c. 606 (01. 43. 3) to 584 (01. 49. 1), and longer* Some time after this we again find the brothers in the neighbourhood of their native city, at the head of the exiled nobles, and trying to effect their return by force. Pittacus was then unanimously elected dictator by the people, to defend the constitution, (cucn;/^j'//r>jc'). The administration of Pit- tacus lasted, according to the accounts of ancient chronologers, from Olymp. 47. 3. (b. c. 590), to 50. 1. (b. c. 580). He was so fortunate as to overcome the exiled party, and to gain them over by his clemency and moderation, lie also (according to a well authenticated statement) was reconciled with Alceeus ; and it is probable that the poet, after many wanderings, passed his latter days in the quiet enjoyment of his home. § 3. In the midst of these troubles and perils, Alcams struck the lyre, not, like Solon, with a spirit of calm and impartial patriotism, to bewail the evils of the state, and to show the way to improvement, but to give utterance to the passionate emotions of his mind. When Myrsilus was about to establish a tyrannical government in Mytilene, Alcaeus composed the beautiful ode, in which he compares the state to a ship tossed about by the waves, while the sea has washed into the hold, ana the sail is torn by the wind. A considerable fragment of this ode has been preserved t ; and we may also form some idea of its contents from the fine imitation of it by Horace, which, however, probably falls short of the original. When Myrsilus dies, the joy of the poet knows no bounds. " Now is the time for carousing, now is the time for chal- lenging the guests to drink, for Myrsilus is dead §." 'Horace has also taken the beginning of this ode for one of his finest poems ||. After the death of Myrsilus, we find Alcreus aiming the shafts of his poetry at Megalagyrus and the Cleanactids, on account of their attempts to obtain illegal power ; although, according to Strabo, Alcseus himself was not entirely guiltless of attempts against the constitution of Myti- lene. Even when Pittacus was chosen dictator by the people, the dis- content of the poet with the political state of his country did not cease ; on the contrary, Pittacus (who was esteemed by all a wise, moderate, and patriotic statesman, and who had clearly shown his republican virtue by resigning his power after a ten years' administration) now be- came the prime object of the vehement attacks of Alcseus. He reproaches the people for having unanimously chosen the ignoble ^[ Pittacus to be tyrant over the ill-fated city ; and he assails the dictator with vitupera- the year of Nabopolassafs death; but 606 d. c, the date of the biblical chronology., is probably right. I ('arm. 1, 14. uavis referent — § Fragm. 4. Blomf. 4. Matth. '"' r«y xaxivurgda UirTstxcv, Frsigm.23. Blomf. 5. Matth.
 * The battle of Carchemish, or Circesium, appears from Bcrosus to fall in G04 u. o.,
 * Fragm. 2. Blomf. 2. Matth. cf. 3.
 * ('arm. 1. 37. Nunc est bihendum —