Two Notes on Greek Poetry

Extract

In an interesting paper read some time ago to the Cambridge Philological Society (summarized in the Cambridge University Reporter of Feb. 16, 1932), H. J. M. Milne analysed the first Ode of Sappho (ποικιλόθρον' ⋯θάνατ' 'AΦροδίτα) and showed that it is constructed according to those principles of poetical form which we should expect to find in the work of so delicate a Greek artist. If more of these lyrics had survived in their entirety, the task of expounding the technique of Greek poetry would be simpler than it is, because naturally the principles are more easily grasped in a short lyric than in epic or drama.