| Front | Dithyramb |
|---|---|
| Back | Greek Choric hymn accomponied by music and describing the Adventures of Dionysus The dithyramb (Ancient Greek: διθύραμβος, dithyrambos) was an ancient Greek hymn sung and danced in honour of Dionysus, the god of wine and fertility; the term was also used as an epithet of the god:[1] Plato, in The Laws, while discussing various kinds of music mentions "the birth of Dionysos, called, I think, the dithyramb."[2] Plato also remarks in the Republic that dithyrambs are the clearest example of poetry in which the poet is the only speaker.[3] However, in The Apology Socrates went to the dithyrambs with some of their own most elaborate passages, asking their meaning but got a response of, "Will you believe me?" which "showed me in an instant that not by wisdom do poets write poetry, but by a sort of genius and inspiration; they are like diviners or soothsayers who also say many fine things, but do not understand the meaning of them."[4] Plutarch contrasted the dithyramb's wild and ecstatic character with the paean.[5] According to Aristotle, the dithyramb was the origin of Athenian tragedy.[6] A wildly enthusiastic speech or piece of writing is still occasionally described as dithyrambic.[ |
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