SCOLIA
The early lyric poetry of the Greeks was made up largely of songs composed for different occasions,—marriages, funerals, celebrations of victories and the like. An important class of these were "banquet songs,"—scolia, or catches, sung as the wine-cup passed around,—which every Athenian was assumed to be ready to sing.
Of these the most celebrated in ancient times was the following, attributed to Callistratus.
A SCOLION OF CALLISTRATUS
Harmodius and Aristogeiton conspired to slay Hipparchus and his elder brother Hippias, tyrant of Athens, during the procession at the Panathenaic festival in 514 B. c. Through a mistake they succeeded in killing only Hipparchus. Harmodius was put to death at once by the tyrant's guard, and Aristogeiton soon after. After the expulsion of Hippias in 510 B. c, Harmodius and Aristogeiton became the most popular of Athenian heroes, and through a false view of their act were celebrated as the deliverers of Athens.
In a wreath of myrtle I'll wear my glaive,
Like Harmodius and Aristogeiton brave,
Who, striking the tyrant down,
Made Athens a freeman's town.
Harmodius, our darling, thou art not dead! 5
Thou liv'st in the isles of the blest, 't is said,
With Achilles first in speed.
And Tydides Diomede.
