ALCAEUS, an eminent Grecian lyric poet, was born at Mitylenc, in the island of Lesbos, an island remarka ble in ancient times for the fertility of its soil, the excel lence or its wines, the beauty of its women, and the ce lebrity of its musicians and poets. This author flourish ed about 600 years before Christ, and was contempo rary with Pittacus, tyrant of Mitylene, and with the celebrated Sappho. Strabo, xiii. 617.
Alcacus may justly be ranked among the number of those unfortunate authors, who once filled the civilized world with their fame, and of whom, to our regret, time has preserved little more than their names. Besides the cultivation of poetry, he practised music, and devo ted himself to the military profession. Ilis exertions, in the two first-mentioned capacities, seem however to have been more praise-worthy, at least more successful, than his conduct as a warrior ; for Herodotus informs us, that he threw away his arms and fled, in a battle gained over the Lesbians by the Athenians, who alter wards suspended his armour in the temple of Minerva. at (Herod. I. v. e. 95.) Ile appears to have lived in constant enmity with Pittacus, whom he haras sed with the most bitter invectives ; but, upon being taken prisoner by the tyrant, he was treated with much clemency, and set at liberty. Val. Mix. 1. iv. e. 6. ex tern. 6.
The productions of this poet, which we have reason to believe were pretty numerous, have all perished, except ing a few fragments. They are said to have been wan tonly destroyed, along with many other exquisite mor sels of antiquity, by the Greek ecclesiastics of the early ages, whose sordid envy of such inimitable models of composition prompted them to annihilate, what they despaired of being able to equal ; and who endeavoured to conceal their true motives under the mask of moral purity and religions zeal. See Moore's Rem. on Ana
creon, p. 24. et. seq.
Aleacus appears to have been one of the most accom plished lyric poets of all antiquity. He composed many amatory and bacchanalian songs, in the style and charac• ter of the times Liberum, et Musas, Vcneremqne, et illi Senmer II:erentem nuerum canebat.
But these compositions seem to have been merely the effusions of hilarity in convivial moments ; for Athenmus reports, that his songs were produced when the poet was under the influence of the jolly god. (Deipnos,I. x.) His natural disposition of mind directed his serious thoughts to subjects of a more sublime and interesting nature ; and his Muse appears to have been more con genially occupied in denouncing vengeance on the herds of the tyrants of Greece, and in supporting the cause of morality and \ u toe. See Hare!. carol. ii. 13. Quint. Inst. X. I.
The works of Alcaeus were very highly esteemed by the ancients. Horace, the prince of Roman lyric poets, SCCIIIS to I,avc been inch:Lted to him for ses eral of his most beautilul odes, and frequently alludes to him hi tt lilts of admiration. (a)