Why Is Theocritus Important To The Hellenistic World?
Previous to the Hellenistic world as was known, everything had been under the shadow of Athens which catered all sources before that to them. It was not until after the rise of the Macedonians, most importantly Alexander, that would bring about a change in the literature that characterized the world. Theocritus, whose experience and relationships enable him to complete his works, displays this shift in his series of bucolic poetry entitled Idylls. Within these almost thirty poems we are introduced to the emergence of kingship as the leading form of governing power, the idea of magic and the gods versus scientific discovery, and the longing for the world to be as it was in the comparison of the new cities to the old polis systems. Theocritus’s
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main goal was to show the importance of these themes throughout Hellenistic history by veiling them under the guise of a “grass is greener on the other side” mentality. The overarching kingship that would become the staple form of governing power in the Hellenistic world is presented by Theocritus in Idyll 17: In Praise of Ptolemy. This poem sets the tone that would describe the rulers of the empire, most specifically about Ptolemy II Philadelphus. “But among mortals, let Ptolemy be reckoned first, first and last and in between, for he is supreme among men… The Father granted him equal honor with the Immortal gods, and a golden throne stands for him in Zeus’ palace” (pg. 54 lines 3-4, 15-17). This poem speaks of the great connections that Ptolemy held dear including his ties to Heracles and Alexander, two great men that were honored for their valor. Just as Alexander wished to be seen as a god, Ptolemy’s birth was likened to that of Apollo’s, linking him and the kingly powers he held further to god-like qualities. The similarities of Ptolemy’s kingship to that of the Egyptians of whose land he inherited were quite present in the imagery of him. Theocritus mentions that Ptolemy has a reach and hold over many nations and peoples who respect but also fear him. Not only that, but the world itself bows to his power. “Indeed the world’s entire sea and land and all its roaring rivers acknowledge Ptolemy’s sway” (pg. 57 lines 91-92). We can see that the kings of the Hellenistic world were praised far above any regular man and were on the same level as the gods. Their riches were innumerable and their generosity could not be matched. Understanding the power that Ptolemy and other kings like him is easily gained through the reading of Idyll 17, as it shows the great love the people like Theocritus had for their kings.
Prior to Alexander the Great, Greece ran almost strictly on a democratic system that was implemented by Athens and its hold that it had over much of the ancient Greece world. With the exception of Sparta that had two kings to run their military-driven polis, Greece was essentially a land where voting as important and necessary to their lives. With the entrance of Alexander on the playing field, the notion of democracy practically died with Athens. Alexander became the king of Macedon after the passing of his father Philip II and at his young age he was able to take the world by storm. Alexander’s reign was characterized by strength in numbers, victories at almost every battle undertook, and an ego to remind the world of his legacy for decades to come. Alexander became the Persian king and eventually expanded his empire to be the largest one known to mankind, his tenacity in politics and battle lead him to great successes. Such that his kingship went directly to his head, and he ruled in the fashion of a Persian king. No longer would he be considered a king of the people, he was a god-like figure. Magic played a prominent role in the lives of the common people of the Hellenistic world as well as in Theocritus’s work, but most specifically in Idyll 2: The Sorceress. This particular work tells the oddly ordinary tale of Simaetha created a love potion of sorts to punish her old lover Delphis. It is sad in the sense that Simaetha is hurting so dearly that she is desperate only for the man who scorned her and it is solely his touch that can revitalize her. “As Delphis brought me pain, so in revenge at Delphis I burn these bay leaves… So too may the flesh of Delphis shrivel in the flames” (pg. 7 lines 23-24, 26). Simaetha also calls on the goddesses and women of legend to help solve her problems. This notion that the gods were involved in the affairs of man is not only prevalent in the poem, it is one of the many ways those in the Hellenistic world sought to solve problems and have their questions about life answered. The curse by which Simaetha places on Delphis has haunting similarities to the curse tablets found invoking the chthonic gods to exact their revenge.
Despite the power of the kings, the Hellenistic era still saw a massive cloud of unrest that hung over the people, because of this the great thinkers of the time were desperate to find answers to the new questions and scenarios that plagued them. It was in this time that the mystery cults and science became prominent, although two very different ideas, both sought to find answers in a turbulent world. Gnosticism, which can be thought of as “intellectual wandering”, believed that salvation depended on knowledge instead of ritual and they sought out their “true self”. The mystery cults involved the gods and man, and typically revolved around the idea of making a journey. These journeys were characterized by traveling to the Underworld and back to the world of the living. In Idyll 15: The Women at the Festival, we see the Festival of Adonis which was held in celebration of his return from the Underworld echoing the popular mystery cults at the time.
On the other end of the spectrum, science gained new ground in the Hellenistic world.
In fact, it was so successful due to the combination of Greek, Barbarian, and Hellenic sciences. One of the many Alexandrias (this time in Egypt) became the science capital of the world due to the riches and resources that the Ptolemies had. In Alexandria the Library and the Museum were dedicated to rescue and preserve all the ancient Greek literature, as well as provide a place of research to answer the questions that the world needed to know. Alexandria saw many advances such as hydraulics, new forms of mathematics, and even a then rejected heliocentric model of the …show more content…
universe.
Nevertheless, the most prominent and reoccurring theme in many of Theocritus’s poetry is that of the idealization of the rural/pastoral life over that of the now urbanized world of the Hellenistic period. Throughout many of the poems, we are introduced to goatherds who are full of life and song as the god Pan would have them. “Damoetas began to play on the flute, and Daphnis on the pipe, and at the sound the calves began straight away to frisk on the soft grass. There was neither victory here, nor defeat” (pg. 24 lines 43-45). The ending line in Idyll 6: Damoetas and Daphnis rang true to the desire that Theocritus had, it was to return to a life that was not full of hatred and confusion, in fact it was a life so peaceful there was no need for victory.
In Idyll 15: The Women at the Festival Theocritus uses the travels and conversation of two women to portray the horrible living conditions in which a common person would be in during the Hellenistic period.
The two women live in Alexandria and on their way comment on the status of the streets, “Ye gods, what a crush! How can we get through this rabble? We’ll be late. They’re like ants - impossible to count” (pg. 45 lines 44-45). The crowded cities were not a foreign concept to those living the in the Hellenistic world, in fact so many people who had originally longed to leave their polis for a large city yearned for the calm and quiet life they once had. Ptolemy’s palace was just a facade for the world, it was full of riches and beautifully crafted tapestries to hide from the crumbling city surrounding
it.
Theocritus uses fantastical imagery to show the way he wished the world could be. He had the same longing to find answers to his questions in a world that was continually mysterious not only to him, but to the rest of the population. His “the grass is greener on the other side” mentality is prevalent in most of his poetry, he uses the stress-free lives of goatherds to promote this notion. Yet, Theocritus was still true to his patron as it was one of the most important relationships a person in the Hellenistic world could have, his praise for Ptolemy and others was leagues above how they may have truly ruled. Theocritus sought to show the Hellenistic world in its barest form, exposing the roots of the beliefs of those who inhabited it.
main goal was to show the importance of these themes throughout Hellenistic history by veiling them under the guise of a “grass is greener on the other side” mentality. The overarching kingship that would become the staple form of governing power in the Hellenistic world is presented by Theocritus in Idyll 17: In Praise of Ptolemy. This poem sets the tone that would describe the rulers of the empire, most specifically about Ptolemy II Philadelphus. “But among mortals, let Ptolemy be reckoned first, first and last and in between, for he is supreme among men… The Father granted him equal honor with the Immortal gods, and a golden throne stands for him in Zeus’ palace” (pg. 54 lines 3-4, 15-17). This poem speaks of the great connections that Ptolemy held dear including his ties to Heracles and Alexander, two great men that were honored for their valor. Just as Alexander wished to be seen as a god, Ptolemy’s birth was likened to that of Apollo’s, linking him and the kingly powers he held further to god-like qualities. The similarities of Ptolemy’s kingship to that of the Egyptians of whose land he inherited were quite present in the imagery of him. Theocritus mentions that Ptolemy has a reach and hold over many nations and peoples who respect but also fear him. Not only that, but the world itself bows to his power. “Indeed the world’s entire sea and land and all its roaring rivers acknowledge Ptolemy’s sway” (pg. 57 lines 91-92). We can see that the kings of the Hellenistic world were praised far above any regular man and were on the same level as the gods. Their riches were innumerable and their generosity could not be matched. Understanding the power that Ptolemy and other kings like him is easily gained through the reading of Idyll 17, as it shows the great love the people like Theocritus had for their kings.
Prior to Alexander the Great, Greece ran almost strictly on a democratic system that was implemented by Athens and its hold that it had over much of the ancient Greece world. With the exception of Sparta that had two kings to run their military-driven polis, Greece was essentially a land where voting as important and necessary to their lives. With the entrance of Alexander on the playing field, the notion of democracy practically died with Athens. Alexander became the king of Macedon after the passing of his father Philip II and at his young age he was able to take the world by storm. Alexander’s reign was characterized by strength in numbers, victories at almost every battle undertook, and an ego to remind the world of his legacy for decades to come. Alexander became the Persian king and eventually expanded his empire to be the largest one known to mankind, his tenacity in politics and battle lead him to great successes. Such that his kingship went directly to his head, and he ruled in the fashion of a Persian king. No longer would he be considered a king of the people, he was a god-like figure. Magic played a prominent role in the lives of the common people of the Hellenistic world as well as in Theocritus’s work, but most specifically in Idyll 2: The Sorceress. This particular work tells the oddly ordinary tale of Simaetha created a love potion of sorts to punish her old lover Delphis. It is sad in the sense that Simaetha is hurting so dearly that she is desperate only for the man who scorned her and it is solely his touch that can revitalize her. “As Delphis brought me pain, so in revenge at Delphis I burn these bay leaves… So too may the flesh of Delphis shrivel in the flames” (pg. 7 lines 23-24, 26). Simaetha also calls on the goddesses and women of legend to help solve her problems. This notion that the gods were involved in the affairs of man is not only prevalent in the poem, it is one of the many ways those in the Hellenistic world sought to solve problems and have their questions about life answered. The curse by which Simaetha places on Delphis has haunting similarities to the curse tablets found invoking the chthonic gods to exact their revenge.
Despite the power of the kings, the Hellenistic era still saw a massive cloud of unrest that hung over the people, because of this the great thinkers of the time were desperate to find answers to the new questions and scenarios that plagued them. It was in this time that the mystery cults and science became prominent, although two very different ideas, both sought to find answers in a turbulent world. Gnosticism, which can be thought of as “intellectual wandering”, believed that salvation depended on knowledge instead of ritual and they sought out their “true self”. The mystery cults involved the gods and man, and typically revolved around the idea of making a journey. These journeys were characterized by traveling to the Underworld and back to the world of the living. In Idyll 15: The Women at the Festival, we see the Festival of Adonis which was held in celebration of his return from the Underworld echoing the popular mystery cults at the time.
On the other end of the spectrum, science gained new ground in the Hellenistic world.
In fact, it was so successful due to the combination of Greek, Barbarian, and Hellenic sciences. One of the many Alexandrias (this time in Egypt) became the science capital of the world due to the riches and resources that the Ptolemies had. In Alexandria the Library and the Museum were dedicated to rescue and preserve all the ancient Greek literature, as well as provide a place of research to answer the questions that the world needed to know. Alexandria saw many advances such as hydraulics, new forms of mathematics, and even a then rejected heliocentric model of the …show more content…
universe.
Nevertheless, the most prominent and reoccurring theme in many of Theocritus’s poetry is that of the idealization of the rural/pastoral life over that of the now urbanized world of the Hellenistic period. Throughout many of the poems, we are introduced to goatherds who are full of life and song as the god Pan would have them. “Damoetas began to play on the flute, and Daphnis on the pipe, and at the sound the calves began straight away to frisk on the soft grass. There was neither victory here, nor defeat” (pg. 24 lines 43-45). The ending line in Idyll 6: Damoetas and Daphnis rang true to the desire that Theocritus had, it was to return to a life that was not full of hatred and confusion, in fact it was a life so peaceful there was no need for victory.
In Idyll 15: The Women at the Festival Theocritus uses the travels and conversation of two women to portray the horrible living conditions in which a common person would be in during the Hellenistic period.
The two women live in Alexandria and on their way comment on the status of the streets, “Ye gods, what a crush! How can we get through this rabble? We’ll be late. They’re like ants - impossible to count” (pg. 45 lines 44-45). The crowded cities were not a foreign concept to those living the in the Hellenistic world, in fact so many people who had originally longed to leave their polis for a large city yearned for the calm and quiet life they once had. Ptolemy’s palace was just a facade for the world, it was full of riches and beautifully crafted tapestries to hide from the crumbling city surrounding
it.
Theocritus uses fantastical imagery to show the way he wished the world could be. He had the same longing to find answers to his questions in a world that was continually mysterious not only to him, but to the rest of the population. His “the grass is greener on the other side” mentality is prevalent in most of his poetry, he uses the stress-free lives of goatherds to promote this notion. Yet, Theocritus was still true to his patron as it was one of the most important relationships a person in the Hellenistic world could have, his praise for Ptolemy and others was leagues above how they may have truly ruled. Theocritus sought to show the Hellenistic world in its barest form, exposing the roots of the beliefs of those who inhabited it.