Archilochus Biography

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Dictionary of Literary Biography on Archilochus

Archilochus (in a more exact transliteration, Arkhilokhos) lived during the mid seventh century B.C.E. (Before the Common Era) and is one of the earliest notable Greek poets after Homer. He composed mainly short poems in various meters, and, although his poetry survives only in fragmentary form, it nonetheless affords one a sense of the freshness and power he must have achieved as an artist. Moreover, as an innovator, he occupies an important position in the history of ancient Greek verse.

It is difficult to arrive at secure dates for the birth and death of Archilochus because internal and external evidence surrounding his poetry is lacking. Well into the present century it was fashionable for scholars to try to reconstruct an ancient poet's life from information contained in his verse. This practice is now more or less considered taboo in scholarly circles, and even the ancient testimonials are now regarded with suspicion, as Mary R.

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