Simonides - Simonides (English spelling)

An ancient Greek lyric poet. Born on the island of Ceos in the Aegean Sea. He was active as a poet from a young age and gained fame. He was invited to the court of Hipparchus, the tyrant of Athens, along with Anacreon and others, and repeatedly won choral singing contests. After Hipparchus' death, he stayed with the noble family of Scopadas in Thessaly, and praised the family's victories in chariot races. During the Persian Wars, he returned to Athens and composed songs praising the fallen in various battles, such as those at Marathon and Thermopylae, as well as songs of thanksgiving for victories. After the Persian Wars, he was invited by Hiero, the tyrant of Syracuse, to Sicily, where he died and was buried in Akragas (Agrigento). His poetry was diverse, ranging from hymns, choral songs, victory songs, elegies, banquet songs, and epitaphs, but apart from a considerable number of epitaphs, only a few quotations and papyrus fragments remain. His elegant style and refined phrasing have been the subject of admiration since ancient times. His poem, which sings of Danae, who was put into a box and cast away into the ocean together with the young Perseus, is striking in its contrast between the raging nature and the powerless humans, and between the mother frightened of a terrible fate and the peacefully sleeping child. His words, "Poetry is a painting that speaks," aptly describe his style.

[Michio Oka]

"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。エーゲ海のケオス島の出身。若いときから詩人として活躍し、名声を博した。アナクレオンなどとともにアテネの僭主(せんしゅ)ヒッパルコスの宮廷に招かれ、合唱隊歌の競演でたびたび優勝したが、ヒッパルコスの死後テッサリアの貴族スコパダス家に滞在し、戦車競技における一族の勝利をたたえた。ペルシア戦争の際アテネへ戻り、マラトンやテルモピレーなど数々の合戦の戦死者をたたえる歌や戦勝を感謝する歌をつくった。ペルシア戦争ののちシラクサの僭主ヒエロンに招かれてシチリアへ赴き、そこで死んでアクラガス（アグリジェント）に葬られた。彼の詩は、賛歌、合唱隊歌、競技祝勝歌、挽歌(ばんか)、宴歌、碑銘詩など多方面に及んだが、かなりの数の碑銘詩を除き、わずかの引用とパピルス断片しか残っていない。その優美な文体と洗練された語句は古くから人々の嘆賞の的であった。幼いペルセウスとともに箱に入れられ大海へ流されたダナエを歌う詩は、荒れ狂う自然と無力の人間、恐ろしい運命におびえる母親と安らかに眠る幼児の対照が印象的である。「詩は語る絵画である」という彼のことばは作風をよく言い表している。

［岡　道男］

『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