Callinus

Callinus of Ephesus ( Ancient Greek: Καλλῖνος ) was a Greek poet of the Archaic period. He lived BC about the middle of the 7th century and is referred to as the " founder " of the elegy.

Callinus lived at a time when the Greeks of Asia Minor were often harassed by the Hittite successor states. From his work only a few fragments survive. In the longest of which (21 verses ) he calls a group of young men to fight against the enemy. For this purpose he uses the language of the Homeric epic.

Social position

The social position Callinus can only be inferred indirectly, as no biographical data are preserved. The sovereign dealing with the epic language of Homer and the use of elegiac couplets ( a meter, which in ancient Greece, found at symposia use ) suggest a higher level of education. The longest fragment preserved in the elegy seems to belong in the context of a symposium. The fact that symposia were exclusively male aristocrats reserved, makes it likely that also Callinus was a so-called " Aristos ". Furthermore, he seems to have been an experienced and established member of the community, as opposed to the issues raised by him youths.