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Abstract:

The selection includes fragments of songs by Alcaeus of Mylitene concerning wine and drinking party (symposion). Most of Alcaeus’ songs, as well as much of the rest of the archaic Greek lyric, were originally composed to be performed at symposia. It is in fragments of Alcaeus’ poems that we find one the earliest poetic reflections of this kind of ritualised drinking party. The Greek text (reproduced mainly from E.-M. Voigt’s edition) is accompanied with a Russian translation and a detailed commentary intended for intermediate and advanced students of the ancient Greek language and literature.