Simmias of Thebes: Poems

“Simmias of Thebes:—Philosopher, pupil of Socrates. He wrote On Wisdom … On ‘Music’ … and other works of philosophy.” Suidas Lexicon: “Simmias:—of Thebes; twenty-three Dialogues of his are extant in one Book, .. On Epic Poetry .. The Nature of the Beautiful. ” Diogenes Laertius Lives of the Philosophers: “Socrates. You are an extraordinary person with your speeches, Phaedrus, quite wonderful. I really think that of all the speeches composed during your lifetime, more owe their existence to you than to anyone else, whether they be of your own making or made, somehow, because you would have it so —I except Simmias of Thebes, but otherwise you are easily first —, and now again it seems you have been the cause of still another.”

Plato Phaedrus

elegies

Simmias of Thebes on Sophocles:1

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Thee the singer to the dance, Sophocles child of Sophillus, the Tragic Muse's Cecropian2 star, whose locks were so often crowned with the crooked Acharnian ivy that blooms amid the altar and the stage, a tomb holdeth thee now and a little plot of earth; but the over-measure of thy life still sees in thy immortal pages.3

Palatine Anthology:

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Simmias of Thebes on Sophocles:

Creep gently, ivy, gently, as thou lavishest thy green tresses o'er the tomb of Sophocles, and all about be the flower of the rose blooming, and the doting mother of grapes with the embrace of her lush tendrils; because of the wise-hearted nimbleness of wit which the delicious singer did train in the school both of the Muses and of the Graces.4

Palatine Anthology:

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Simmias of Thebes on Plato the Philosopher

Here lies the divine man Aristocles,5 who surpassed the world in temperance and justice; and if any man hath ever had great praise of all men for wisdom, that most of all hath he, and getteth no envy.6

Palatine Anthology:

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1 ascription doubtful; given by some editors to Simmias of Rhodes; the second is rather Alexandrian in tone, but both may well fall, in any case, within the scope of this book （cf. e.g. the Chaeronea epitaphs）

2 Athenian

3 cf. Suid. Κέκροψ, Ἀχαρνείτης, βλαισός, θυμέλη

4 cf. Suid. ἄμμιγα, πινυτός

5 Plato's real name

6 cf. Diog. L. 3. 43