Theocritus

[thee-ok-ri-tuhs]

noun

1. flourished c270 b.c., Greek poet.

Theocritus

/ θɪˈɒkrɪtəs, θɪˌɒkrɪˈtiːən /

noun

1. ?310–?250 _bc , Greek poet, born in Syracuse. He wrote the first pastoral poems in Greek literature and was closely imitated by Virgil

Other Word Forms

• Theocritean adjective
• Theocritan adjective

Example Sentences

The first part of this story goes back to the Odyssey; the second part is told only by the third-century Alexandrian poet Theocritus; the last part could have been written by no one except the satirist Lucian, in the second century A.D.

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Homer’s vigor and power of storytelling, the pretty fancies of Theocritus, the smart cynicism of Lucian, illustrate in their degree the course of Greek literature.

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Adonis I have taken from two third-century poets, Theocritus and Bion.

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In my account I have followed the stories given by the two tragic poets and by Theocritus, rather than Pindar, one of the most difficult of poets to translate or even to paraphrase.

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I have taken this story from the third-century poet Theocritus.

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