Page:History of the Literature of Ancient Greece (Müller) 2ed.djvu/206

184 184 HISTORY OF THE reins, could guide you in the course round the goal. Still you wander about the pastures, and bound lightly round them, for there has been no dexterous hand to tame you." But such loves as these are far dif- ferent from the deep seriousness with which Sappho confesses her pas- sion, and they can only be judged by those relations between the sexes which were universally established among the Ionians at that time. In the Ionic states of Asia Minor, as at Athens, a freeborn maiden was brought up within the strict limits of the family circle, and was never allowed to enter the society of men. Thence it happened that a separate class of women devoted themselves to all those arts which qualified them to enhance the charm of social life — the Hetserse, most of them foreigners or freed women, without the civic rights which belonged to the daughter of a citizen, but often highly distinguished by the elegance of their demeanor and by their accomplishments. Whenever, there- fore, women are mentioned by Ionic and Attic writers, as taking part in the feasts and symposia of the men, and as receiving at their dwell- ing the salutations of the joyous band of revellers, — the Comus, — there can be no doubt that they were Hetrerse. Even at the time of the orators *, an Athenian woman of genuine free blood would have lost the privileges of her birth, if she had so demeaned herself. Hence it follows, that the women with whom Anacreon offers to dance and sing, and to whom, after a plenteous repast, he addresses a song on the Pectis f, are Hetserse, like all those beauties whose charms are cele- brated by Horace. Anacreon 's most serious love appears to have been for the " fair Eurypyle ;" since jealousy of her moved him to write a satirical poem, in which Artemon, the favourite of Eurypyle, who was then passing an effeminate and luxurious life, is described in the mean and necessitous condition in which he had formerly lived +. Anacreon here shows a strength and bitterness of satirical expression resembling the tone of Archilochus; a style which he has successfully imitated in other poems. But Anacreon is content with describing the mere sur- face, that is, the outward marks of disgrace, the slavish attire, the low- bred demeanor, the degrading treatment to which Artemon had been exposed ; without (as it appears) touching upon the intrinsic merit or demerit of the person attacked. Thus, if we compare Anacreon with the iEolic lyric poets, he appears less reflective, and more occupied with external objects. For instance, wine, the effects of which are described by Alcceus with much depth of feeling, is only extolled by Anacreon as a means of social hilarity. Yet he recommends moderation in the use of it, and disapproves of the excessive carousings of the Scythians, which led to riot and brawling §. The ancients, indeed (probably with § 14. f In Hephsest. p. 59. fr. 16. Bergk. + In Athen. xii. p. 533. E. fr. 19. Bergk. § In Athen. x. p. 427. A. fr. 02. Bergk. Similarly Horace I. 27. 1. sq.
 * Demosth. Nerar. p. 1352,Reiske, and elsewhere ; Isseus de Pyrrhi Hered.p. 30.