Pindar

Definition: Pindar was the greatest Greek lyric poet. He was born about 522 at Cynoscephalae, near Thebes, in Boeotia. He probably died in 443 B.C. at Argos. Because he was so valued in antiquity, much of his poetry survives at least in quotations. Pindar is valuable for the information contained in his poetry on the ancient games and Greek mythology.

It is possible that Pindar's family was Spartan, but he was Boeotian, home also of the epic poet Hesiod. Boeotia was considered somewhat backwards. This influence may explain Pindar's conservatism, although he studied music (stringed instruments and the aulos 'flute') at the center of Greek culture, in Athens.

Pindar is said to have been a contemporary of the poet Corinna who beat him in poetic competition. Pindar, however, won first place in the dithyrambic competition at the Great Dionysia in c. 497/6.

Pindar's 44 epinicia or victory odes are divided into Olympic, Pythian, Isthmian, and Nemean.

For details on the transmission of the text of Pindar, see "The Pindar Scholia," by Mary R. Lefkowitz. The American Journal of Philology, Vol. 106, No. 3 (Autumn, 1985), pp. 269-282.

Also see: "Autobiographical Fiction in Pindar", by Mary Lefkowitz. Harvard Studies in Classical Philology, Vol. 84, (1980), pp. 29-49

and

"An Early Fifth-Century Athenian Revolution in Aulos Music," by Robert W. Wallace. Harvard Studies in Classical Philology, Vol. 101, (2003), pp. 73-92.

Pindar is on the list of Most Important People to Know in Ancient History.