ALCAEUS
Lire

Strabo Geography: Mytilene has two harbours, of
which the southern is landlocked and = affords
anchorage for fifty triremes, and the northern
spacious and deep and protected by a breakwater.
Both are danked by a small island upon which part
of the city is built. This city is well equipped with
every convenience. Among famous Mytileneans of
more ancient times are Pittacus, one of the Seven
Sages, and the poet Alcaeus and his brother Anti-
menidas! ... In those days, as the result of dis-
sensions, the city was ruled from time to time by
tyrants, who form the theme of the Political Songs,
as they are called, of Alcaeus. The aforesaid
Pittacus, being one of their pad did not escape
the abuse of Alcaeus any more than the rest,
Myrsilus, Melanchrus, the ΩΝ and. others,
although the poet was not free himself of the impu-
tation “of playing the revolutionary, while Pittacus
made use of the monarchy only as a means of over-
throwing arbitrary power and gave the city back its
self-government as soon as his object was achieved.

Diogenes Laertius Lives of the Philosophers [on
Pitt: acus]: This man was associated with the brothers
of Aleaeus in the overthrow of Melanchrus despot
of Lesbos? In the war between Mytilene and

wh» gives the date as Ol. 42 ince. 612 GOO); A. himself was
too young, ef. fr. 75

390