Bacchylides: Dithyrambs (Fragments)

This set gathers the fragments of dithyrambs by Bacchylides of Ceos, the lyric poet of the fifth century BC and nephew of Simonides, that lie outside the poems preserved on the great London papyrus. Most are small pieces of papyrus, often only a few letters or words per line, with a few ancient notices about the poems. Some passages can still be followed, including a reflection on fate and wealth and a scene naming the son of Amphitryon.

Bacchylides' dithyrambs, narrative songs performed by choruses at festivals, were largely unknown until the papyrus discoveries of the late nineteenth century. These scraps extend that picture and show the range of myths he treated. They are fragmentary and demand patience, but each recovered phrase adds to our knowledge of a genre that survives from few other poets.