Alcaeus (c. 620 BC�6th century BC) was a Greek lyric poet credited with inventing the Alcaic verse. A contemporary of Sappho, he was born into the aristocracy of Mytilene, the main city of Lesbos, and was involved with the current political disputes and feuds. The date of his death is not known.
Aware of Alcaeus�s neglect due to being overshadowed by Sappho�s fame, R J Dent began translating Alcaeus�s poems and fragments. The result is a selection of poems from a long-neglected body of work, now made available in English for the first time in over fifty years.
