Anakreon (English spelling)

An ancient Greek lyric poet. Born in Teos in Asia Minor. He left his hometown due to the Persian invasion and founded the town of Abdera with the town's citizens. He was later invited to the court of Polycrates, the tyrant of Samos, where he taught poetry and music to his son. After the tyrant was killed, he was welcomed by the tyrant of Athens, and was subsequently invited to the palaces of various royal families and nobles, where he was well-known and loved by the town's citizens. Most of his poems were light-hearted, singing of wine, beautiful boys, maidens, and love. Blessed with rich emotion and keen sensitivity, this elegant poet was widely loved, as can be seen from the fact that a statue of him was erected on the Acropolis in Athens and from the fact that he had many admirers and imitators in later generations. Several hundred fragments of his poems remain, and more than 60 short poems that were created in later generations by imitating his rhythm came to be known as Anacreontheia (Anacreonian), and had a great influence on later poets.

[Toshio Ohtake]

"Selections of Greek Lyric Poetry, translated by Go Moichi (Iwanami Bunko)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

古代ギリシアの叙情詩人。小アジアのテオス生まれ。ペルシアの侵略によって故郷を去り、市民とともにアブデラの町を建設した。そののち、サモス島の僭主(せんしゅ)ポリクラテスの宮廷に招かれ、その息子に詩歌や音楽を教えた。この僭主が殺されると、アテネの僭主に迎えられ、そののちも各地の王侯貴族の館(やかた)に招かれて、名声も高く、市民からも親しまれていた。彼の詩は、大部分が酒、美少年、乙女、恋を歌った軽快なもので、豊かな情緒と鋭い感受性に恵まれたこの風流詩人が広く愛されていたことは、アテネのアクロポリスに彼の像が建てられたことや、後世にも多くの愛好者、模倣者を出したことからもうかがわれる。彼の詩は断片が百数十編残っており、その韻律を模倣して後代につくられた短詩60編余が、アナクレオンテイア（アナクレオン風）の名で伝わり、後の詩人たちにも大きな影響を与えた。

［大竹敏雄］

『呉茂一訳『ギリシア抒情詩選』（岩波文庫）』

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例