Who Sang “the Harmodios”?
Who Sang “the Harmodios”?
Abstract
Scholars have usually treated the skolia celebrating Harmodios and Aristogeiton as reflecting composition near Hipparchos’ murder (514/3 B. C.), yet the songs betray traditions that developed significantly later. By the 420s, when Aristophanes indicates that the songs were popular, different versions of “the Harmodios” existed. One version, sung in the first person, likely reflects the views of those who saw certain democratic leaders as metaphorical “tyrants.” Other versions praised the current Athenian regime or served simply as hymns honoring the “tyrannicides.” The skolia reflect conditions of the later fifth century more than those around the time of the assassination.
Keywords
Harmodios | Aristogeiton | tyranny | skolia | isonomia | demokratia
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