Ibycus

Wikipedia EN

Ibycus (/ˈɪbɪkəs/; Greek: Ἴβυκος; fl. 2nd half of 6th century BC) was an Ancient Greek lyric poet, a citizen of Rhegium in Magna Graecia, probably active at Samos during the reign of the tyrant Polycrates and numbered by the scholars of Hellenistic Alexandria in the canonical list of nine lyric poets. He was mainly remembered in antiquity for pederastic verses, but he also composed lyrical narratives on mythological themes in the manner of Stesichorus. His work survives today only as quotations by ancient scholars or recorded on fragments of papyrus recovered from archaeological sites in Egypt, yet his extant verses include what are considered some of the finest examples of Greek poetry. The following lines, dedicated to a lover, Euryalus, were recorded by Athenaeus as a famous example of amorous praise:

Εὐρύαλε Γλαυκέων Χαρίτων θάλος, Ὡρᾶν καλλικόμων μελέδημα, σὲ μὲν Κύπρις ἅ τ' ἀγανοβλέφαρος Πειθὼ ῥοδέοισιν ἐν θρέψαν.

The rich language of these lines, in particular the accumulation of epithets, typical of Ibycus, is shown in the following translation:

Euryalus, offshoot of the blue-eyed Graces, darling of the lovely-haired Seasons, the Cyprian and soft-lidded Persuasion nursed you among rose-blossoms.

This mythological account of his lover recalls Hesiod's account of Pandora, who was decked out by the same goddesses (the Graces, the Seasons and Persuasion) so as to be a bane to mankind—an allusion consistent with Ibycus's view of love as unavoidable turmoil.

As is the case with many other major poets of ancient Greece, Ibycus became famous not just for his poetry but also for events in his life, largely the stuff of legend: the testimonia are difficult to interpret and very few biographical facts are actually known.

Latin > English (Lewis & Short)

Ībycus: i, m., = Ἴβυκος.
I A Greek lyric poet of Rhegium, celebrated on account of the cranes which he called upon as witnesses of his murder, Cic. Tusc. 4, 33, 71; Stat. S. 5, 3, 152; Aus. Idyll. de Hist. 12, 12. —
II A poor man, otherwise unknown, Hor. C. 3, 15, 1.

Latin > French (Gaffiot 2016)

Ībўcus, ī, m. (Ἴβυκος), poète lyrique grec : Cic. Tusc. 4, 71 || nom d’homme : Hor. O. 3, 15, 1.

Latin > German (Georges)

Ībycus, ī, m. (Ἴβυκος), ein griechischer Lyriker aus Rhegium, Zeitgenosse des Hipponax und Anakreon, lebte um 540 v. Chr. zu Samos, bekannt dadurch, daß er Kraniche zu Zeugen seiner Ermordung anrief, Cic. Tusc. 4, 71. Stat. silv. 5, 3, 152. – Dav. Ībycīus, a, um (Ἰβύκειος), ibycisch, des Ibykus, metrum, Serv. de cent. metr. 461, 15. 22. 24.

Translations

be: Івік; ca: Íbic; cs: Ibykos; da: Ibykos; de: Ibykos; el: Ίβυκος; en: Ibycus; eo: Ibiko; es: Íbico; eu: Ibykos; fi: Ibykos; fr: Ibycos; gl: Íbico; hy: Իբիկոս; it: Ibico; ja: イビュコス; ko: 이뷔코스; la: Ibycus; lv: Ibiks; mwl: Íbico; nl: Ibycus; no: Ibykos; pl: Ibykos; pt: Íbico; ro: Ibicos; ru: Ивик; scn: Ibico; sr: Ибик; sv: Ibykos; uk: Ібік; zh: 伊比库斯