- Skolion
Skolion (pl. skolia), also scolion (pl. scolia), were songs sung by invited guests at banquets in
ancient Greece . Often extolling the virtues of the gods or heroic men, skolia were improvised to suit the occasion and accompanied by alyre , which was handed about from singer to singer as the time for each scolion came around [“Poetry”, "Encyclopedia Britannica," (1911).] . "Capping" verses were exchanged, "by varying, punning, riddling, or cleverly modifying" the previous contribution [ [http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/bmcr/2005/2005-05-18.html Christian Werner, review of Derek Collins, "Master of the Game: Competition and Performance in Greek Poetry." "Bryn Mawr Classical Review" 2005.05.18] ] .Skolia are often referred to as “banquet songs”, “convivial songs”, or “drinking songs”. The term also refers to poetry composed in the same form [ [http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skolia “Scolia”, "Wolnej Encyklopedia."] ] . In later use, the form was used in a more stately manner for chorus poetry in praise of the gods or heroes.
Terpander is said to have been the inventor of this poetic form, although that is doubtful. Instead, he may have adapted it for musical accompaniment. That these skolia were written, not only by poets like Alcaeus,Anacreon ,Praxilla , Simonides, but also bySappho and byPindar [ [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0009-840X%28196106%292%3A11%3A2%3C111%3APS%3E2.0.CO%3B2-K D. S. Robertson, "Pindar's Skolia." Review of B. A. van Groningen, "Pindare au Banquet." "The Classical Review," New Ser., Vol. 11, No. 2 (Jun., 1961), pp. 111-115.] ] , shows in what high esteem skolia were held by the Greeks. "The gods of Olympos sang at their banquets" [Herbert Weir Smyth , "Greek Melic Poets," (1900); New York, Biblo and Tannen (1963), p. xcviii.] .The Skolion of Seikilos, dated between 200
BCE and 100 CE, found with the original music in the ancient Greek notation, is thought to be the oldest complete example of ancient Greek music [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxXHLXkdO8c&watch_response "The Song of Seikilos", "You Tube."] ] [ [http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/5696/comments "Skolion of Seikilos", "The Session"] ] .References
Literature
* Richard Reitzenstein, "Epigramm und Skolion, Ein Beitrag zur Geschichte der Alexandrinischen Dichtung." Giessen (1893); Olms, Hildesheim (1970).
*
Herbert Weir Smyth , "Greek Melic Poets," (1900); New York, Biblo and Tannen (1963) ISBN 0819601209* [http://www.apaclassics.org/AnnualMeeting/05mtg/abstracts/Jonesg.html Gregory Jones, "Non-Elite Origins of the Attic Skolia and the Birth of Democracy", "Abstracts of Papers for the Annual Meeting," American Philological Association (APA) (2005)]
See also
*
Ancient Greece
*Nine lyric poets
*Greek chorus External links
* [http://www.attalus.org/old/athenaeus15.html#c49 Attic scolia, quoted by Athenaeus] at attalus.org
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