Hybrias
Sign in to saveAlso known as Hybrias of Crete
Hybrias () (fl. 6th century BC) was a Cretan mercenary and lyric poet. He was the author of a highly esteemed skolion (drinking song) called the "Spear-song", which has been preserved by Athenaeus, Eustathius of Thessalonica, and the Analecta Veterum Poetarum Graecorum.
Quotes
- “Ἔστι μοι πλοῦτος μέγας δόρυ καὶ ξίφοςκαὶ τὸ καλὸν λαισήιον, πρόβλημα χρωτός·τούτῳ γὰρ ἀρῶ, τούτῳ θερίζω,τούτῳ πατέω τὸν ἁδὺν οἶνον ἀπ᾿ ἀμπέλω,τούτῳ δέσποτα μνοιΐας κέκλημαι.τοὶ δὲ μὴ τολμῶντ᾽ ἔχειν δόρυ καὶ ξίφος καὶ τὸ καλὸν λαισήιον, πρόβλημα χρωτός,πάντες γονὺ πεπτηῶτες ἀμὸν> κυνέοντι δεσπόταν καὶ μέγαν βασιλῆα φωνέοντι.”
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Encyclopedic overview
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Hybrias () (fl. 6th century BC) was a Cretan mercenary and lyric poet. He was the author of a highly esteemed skolion (drinking song) called the "Spear-song", which has been preserved by Athenaeus, Eustathius of Thessalonica, and the Analecta Veterum Poetarum Graecorum.
In this piece, Hybrias proclaimed himself a great warrior: "I have great wealth – a spear, a sword and a fine shield to save my skin. With these I plough, I reap, I tread the sweet grapes and am called master of my serfs. All those that dare not hold the spear and sword and fine shield to save their skin, all bow and kiss my knee, calling me master and great king".
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Hybrias” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.