LITERATURE OF ANCIENT GREECE. 181 himself called Abdera, " The fair settlement of the Teians *". About this time, or at least not long- after, Polycrates became tyrant of Samos ; for Thucydides places the height of his power under Cambyses, who began to reign in Olymp. 62. 4. b. c. 529. Polycrates was, according to the testimony of Herodotus, the most enterprising and magnificent of all the Grecian tyrants. His wide dominion over the islands of the JEgsean Sea, and his intercourse with the rulers of foreign countries (as with Amasis, king of Egypt), supplied him with the means of adorning his island of Samos, and his immediate retinue, with all that art and riches could at that time effect. He embellished Samos with exten- sive buildings, kept a court like an oriental prince, and was surrounded by beautiful boys for various menial services ; and he appears to have considered the productions of such poets as Ibycus, and especially Anacreon, as the highest ornament of a life of luxurious enjoyment. Anacreon, according to a well known story of Herodotus, was still at the court of Polycrates, when death was impending over him ; and he had probably just left Samos, when his host and patron was murdered by the treacherous and sanguinary Oroetes (Olympiad 64. 3. b. c. 522). At this time Hippias, the son of Pisistratus, ruled in Athens ; and his brother Hipparchus shared the government with him. The latter had more taste tor poetry than any of his family, and he is particularly named in connexion with institutions relating to the cultivation of poetry among the Athenians. Hipparchus, according to a Platonic dialogue which bears his name, sent out a ship with fifty oars, to bring Anacreon to Athens ; and here Anacreon found several other poets, who had then come to Athens in order to adorn the festivals of the city, and, in particular, of the royal family. Meanwhile Anacreon devoted his muse to other distinguished families in Athens ; among others he is supposed to have loved the young Critias, the son of Dropides, and to have extolled this house distinguished in the annals of Athens t. At this time the fame of Anacreon appears to have reached its highest
- In Strabo xiv. p. 644. A fragment in Schol. Odyss. viii. 293. (fragment 132.
cd. Bergk,) also refers to the Sintians in Thrace, as likewise does an epigram of Anacreon (Anthol. Palat. viii. 226) to a brave warrior, who had fallen in the defence of his native city Abdera. f Plato, Charmid. p. 157 E. Schol. yEschyl.Prom. 128. This Critias was at that time (Olymp. 64) about sixteen years old; for he was born in Olymp. 60 ; and this agrees with the fact, that his grandson Critias, the statesman, one of the thirty tyrants of Athens, was, according to Plato Tim. p. 216, eighty years younger than his grandfather. Consequently, the birth of the younger Critias falls in Olymp. 80, which agrees perfectly with the recorded events of his life. The Critias born in Olymp. 60, is however called a son of the Dropides, who is stated to have been a friend of Solon, and to have succeeded him in the office of Archon in Olymp. 46. 4. ii. c. 593. It seems impossible to escape from these chronological difficulties, ex- cept Ly distinguishing this Dropides, and his son Critias, to whom Solon's verses refer (E/Vt^svai Kpirln Tvw'orQiX' wargof kitovuv, &c), trom the Dropides and Critias in Anacreon's time. Upon this supposition the dates of the persons of this family would stand thus : Dropides, born about Olymp. 36 ; Critias ■xv^bfyit Olymp. 44 ; Dropides. the grandson, Olymp. 52 ; Ciitias, the grandson, Olymp. GO ; Calla'schrus, Olymp. 70 ; Critias the tyrant, Oiymp. 80.
