Theocritus

American  

[thee-ok-ri-tuhs] / θiˈɒk rɪ təs /

noun

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

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Theocritus British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

• Theocritan adjective
• Theocritean adjective

Example Sentences

It marks his emergence, relatively late in life, as a translator, containing work by various Greek and Latin authors: Theocritus, Lucretius, Horace, Ovid among them.

From The Guardian • Jul. 30, 2012

Theocritus, who provides the model for Milton, didn't portray real shepherds, either.

From The Guardian • Sep. 6, 2010

The rediscovery of Vergil and Theocritus changed that.

From Time Magazine Archive

A pile of rocks In the Peloponnese, it just sat there until Theocritus, A pastoral poet, put it on the map as a literary Weekend retreat for tired Greek businessmen.

From Time Magazine Archive

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.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton