A Perfect Day in Athens
Brimming with grand sights, celebrated cuisine and legendary nightlife, you feel spoiled for choice with one day in Athens. The secret is in not trying to do everything. Spoiled for …
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Athens: The European city that loves strangers
Locals define the Greek concept of ‘philoxenia’, which directly translates as ‘love of strangers’, as a warmth that makes foreigners feel immediately welcomed. Few cities in the world rival the …
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Theocritus: The poem of love-troubles, pleasures, and quarrels
Theocritus was born about 310 B. C. in Sicily and died later than 270; he lived and worked in Sicily, in the island of Cos, and in Alexandria. Nearly all …
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Demosthenes: Greek statesman and orator of ancient Athens
Demosthenes was born at Athens in 384 B.C. His father, a rich manufacturer, died when Demosthenes was seven years old. The boy’s guardians embezzled much of the estate, and at …
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Xenophon and his important historical works
Xenophon was an Athenian born about 425 B.C. He was taught by Prodicus, then by Socrates, whose personality and ethical views made a lasting impression. In 401 Xenophon joined the …
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Euripides: Devoting a life to dramatic composition and literary study
Tradition places the birth of Euripides on the very day of Salamis, 480 B.C. His life was devoted to dramatic composition and literary study: he possessed a library, and, avoiding …
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Thucydides: Writer of History of the Peloponnesian War
Thucydides, who composed in what are now eight books a history of the ‘Peloponnesian War’ (431-404 B.C.), was born at Athens between 470 and 455 B.C. Through his father Olorus …
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Pindar: Culmination of the Great Lyric Age
Pindar was born at Cynoscephalae, a village near Thebes in Boeotia, about 520 B. C. He began early the practice of lyrical composition: a pretty story relates that in his …
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Aristotle: Macedonian Philosopher, Founder of Lyceum
Aristotle was born in 384 B. C. at Stagira, a Greek colony on the Macedonian coast near Mount Athos. His father, Nicomachus, was the physician of Amyntas II, king of …
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Sappho: Greatest of All Woman Poets
The dates both of Sappho’s birth and of her death are unknown, but it is clear that she ‘flourished’ about 600 B. C. Her birthplace was Eresus in Lesbos, but …
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