GREEK POETS
Creative Writing around the world Biographies by Romanian, Greek, Korean, French , Moroccan and Spanish students. School -year 2018/2019
Biography written by Salvador Calleja Sources : https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantino_Cavafis#/media/File:Konstantinos_Kavafis.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantine_P._Cavafy
CONSTANTINE P. CAVAFY Cavafy was born in 1863 in Alexandria, Egypt, to Greek parents. His father was a prosperous importer-exporter who had lived in England in earlier years and acquired British nationality. After his father died in 1870, Cavafy and his family settled for a while in Liverpool.
In 1876, his family faced financial problems and in 1882, disturbances in Alexandria caused the family to move again.
Cavafy wrote 154 poems, while dozens more remained incomplete or in sketch form. He is considered the most important Greek poet of the last 2000 years. There are mythological references in his work.
THEMES: Uncertainty about the future, sensual pleasures, the moral character and psychology of individuals, homosexuality, and a fatalistic existential nostalgia During his lifetime, he refused to formally publish his work so he shared it through local newspapers and magazines, or he printed it out himself and gave it away to anyone interested. Ithaka is his most famous poem
He died of cancer of the larynx in 1933, his 70th birthday. Since his death, Cavafy's reputation has grown. His poetry is taught in school in Greece and Cyprus, and in universities around the world.
Biography research Resources: www.wikipedia.org / www.classicspanishbooks.com / www.spanisharts.com
Hesiod
life Hesiod was a Greek poet generally thought by scholars to have been active between 750 and 650 BC. his father came from Cyme in Aeolis (on the coast of Asia Minor, a little south of the island Lesbos) and crossed the sea to settle at a hamlet, near Thespiae in Boeotia, named Ascra
Facts
Works
Hesiod is generally regarded as the first written poet in the Western tradition to regard himself as an individual persona with an active role to play in his subject. Ancient authors credited Hesiod and Homer with establishing Greek religious customs Modern scholars refer to him as a major source on Greek mythology, farming techniques, early economic thought. He is sometimes considered history's first economist, archaic Greek astronomy and ancient time-keeping Various legends accumulated about Hesiod
Three works have survived which are attributed to Hesiod by ancient commentators: Works and Days, Theogony, and Shield of Heracles. Other works attributed to him are only found now in fragments. He viewed the world from outside the charmed circle of aristocratic rulers, protesting against their injustices in a tone of voice that has been described as having a "grumpy quality redeemed by a gaunt dignity
Hesiodic Works and Days Translated by Gregory Nagy 1
Muses of Pieria, you who make glory [kleos] with your songs,
2
come and tell of Zeus, making a song about your father,
3
on account of whom there are mortals both unworthy of talk and worthy,
4
both worth speaking of and not—all on account of great Zeus.
5Easily he gives power, and just as easily he ruins the powerful. 6
Easily he diminishes the distinguished, and magnifies the undistinguished.
7
Easily he makes straight the crooked and withers the overweening
8
—Zeus, the one who thunders on high, who lives in the highest abode.
Prepared by Yamna
Kostis Palamas (Greek: Κωστής Παλαμάς; 13 January [O.S. 8 January] 1859 – 27 February 1943) was a Greek poet who wrote the words to the Olympic Hymn. He was a central figure of the Greek literary generation of the 1880s and one of the cofounders of the so-called New Athenian School (or Palamian School, or Second Athenian School) along with Georgios Drosinis, Nikos Kampas, and Ioannis Polemis.
The Olympic Hymn Ancient immortal spirit, honorable father Of the Beautiful, the Great and the True, Come down, reveal yourself and shine In the glory of your earth and heaven. In racing, in wrestling and stone-throwing Shine in the heat of noble contest, Crown youth with the undying branch And make their bodies strong and worthy. Fields and mountains and seas shine with you Like a great purple and white temple And to this temple they come as pilgrims, Ancient immortal spirit, all the races of the earth.
Biography written by Poppy and Lola Biography Research Sources : https://www.biography.com/people/homer-9342775 https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hom%C3%A8re http://agora.qc.ca/thematiques/mort/dossiers/homere http://blog.univ-angers.fr/mythologiegrecque/2015/04/09/introduction-a-la-vie-dhomere/
Homer Early Life: He was born sometimes between the 12th and 8th centuries BC in Lonnie his parents were called Mélès, he was born in Izmir Turkey and his mother was born Créthéis.
Family Life It is not possible to supply a biography for Homer in the accepted sense of a life history. Since he lived before cultures began recording history, there is no authentic record of who he was, when and where he was born, how long he lived, or even if he was actually responsible for the two epic poems for which he is known.
Read more: https://www.notablebiographie 3 Interesting s.com/He- Facts: -Homer was an ancient Greek poet credited Ho/Homer.html#ixzz5iE4OrcN G for writing Europe’s first known literature. Homer's poem Iliad tells the story of the Trojan War, including the battle of Troy. The name Homer sounds like Greek words meaning “hostage” or “blind”, which may have influenced the characterization of Homer as a former slave that became a blind bard.
Questions : Who is the hero in Homer's poem the Iliad? Did homer have a wife? What was Homers first poem?
Works The most famous poems he wrote were The Iliad and The Odyssey. This is a famous quote from the Illiad : « Sing, Goddess, Achilles’ rage, Black and murderous, that cost the Greeks Incalculable pain, pitched countless souls Of heroes into Hades’ dark, And left their bodies to rot as feasts For dogs and birds, as Zeus’ will was done. »
End of life: Homer died in Ios, Grèce in -740 His tomb is also in Ios, Greece.
The Wheel Of God - Poem by Sophocles
In many a turning of the wheel of God My fate revolves and changes all its mood; E'en as the moon's face never keepeth still For but two nights in one position fixed, But from its hiding-place first comes as new, With brightening face, and thenceforth waxeth full; And when it gains its noblest phase of all, Wanes off again, and comes to nothingness.
Biography written by Nicodim Melisa & Sava Cristina Colegiul National, Alexandru Ioan Cuza, Galati, Romania
Biography Research Sources : https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophocles https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-wheel-of-god/
Sophocles
Early Life: -497/496 BCE,Colunus,Attica; -member of the rural deme(small community) of Hippeios Colonus in Attica; -Was born into a wealthy family(his father was an armour manufacturer) and was highly educated;
Photo / portrait
Family Life -Sophocles once lured a boy outside to have sex and afterwards the boy left with Sophocles’ cape,while the boy’s own cape was left with
Sophocles’.
Works -Among Sophocles' earliest innovations was the addition of a third actor, which further reduced the role of the chorus and created greater opportunity for character development and conflict between characters. -Sophocles' work is also known for its deeper development of characters than earlier playwrights.
Interesting Facts: Sophocles was the most celebrated playwright in the dramatic competitions He competed in 30 competitions, won 24, and was never judged lower than second place.
End of life: 406/405 BCE (aged 90–92) Athens
March Task : biography writing Creative Writing Around The World School –Year 2018/2019