Reviews

Bacchylides: Complete Poems by Adam M. Parry, Bacchylides, Robert Fagles, Cecil Maurice Bowra

msand3's review against another edition

3.0

This collection contains odes, dithyrambs, ecomia, and various small fragments. Whereas Pindar’s odes are long works that tie together various myths to athletic victories with some political commentary thrown in, Bacchylides prefers to write short episodic odes that are more focused. I have no idea if Callimachus read or appreciated his work, but I get the feeling that Bacchylides would be the kind of poet he would admire. The longer, complete odes don’t have the epic feeling of Pindar, and the shorter poems and fragments lack the flashes of brilliance found in other ancient fragments. Overall, it was an enjoyable if not altogether memorable read.