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"Theocritus, Bion and Moschus" (1922)

 

Illustrated by William Russell Flint

 

 

"Theocritus, Bion and Moschus" (1922), as published across two volumes by The Medici Society Limited (London), includes an adaptation

of works attributed to the Greek Bucolic poets that had been translated by Andrew Lang from the texts of Wordsworth (in the case of

Theocritus) and Ziegler (in respect of Bion and Moschus).

 

A brief description of the lives of the poets is provided through references to ancient sources - those appear below.

 

Life of Theocritus (from "Suidas")

 

Theocritus, the Chian. But there is another Theocritus, the son of Praxagoras and Phillina or

as some say of Simichus. He was a Syricusan, or, as others say, a Coan settled in Syracuse.

He wrote the so-called "Bucolics" in the Dorian dialect. Some attribute to him the following

works:- "The Proetidae", "The Pleasure of Hope", "Hymns", "The Heroines", "Dirges",

"Ditties", "Elegies", "Iambics", "Epigrams". Be it known that there are three Bucolic poets:

this Theocritus, Moschus of Sicily, and Bion of Smyrna, from a village called Phlossa.

 

 

Life of Theocritus (usually prefixed to the "Idyls")

 

Theocritus the Bucolic poet was a Syracusan by extraction, and the son of Simichidas, as he

says himself, "Simichidas, pray whither through the noon dost thou drag thy feet?" ("Idyl VII").

Some say that this was an assumed name, for he seems to have been snub-nosed and that

his father was Praxagoras, and his mother Philinna. He became the pupil of Philetas and

Asclepiades, of whom he speaks ("Idyl VII"), and flourished about the time of Ptolemy Lagus.

He gained much fame for his skill in bucolic poetry. According to some, his original name

was Moschus, and Theocritus was a name later assumed.

 

 

Bion

 

Bion was born in Smyrna, one of the towns which claimed the honour of being Homer's

birthplace. If we could believe a possible apocryphal verse of the dirge by Moschus, it might

be thought that Theocritus survived Bion. The same dirge tells us that Bion was poisoned

by certain enemies, and that while he left to others his wealth, to Moschus he left his

minstrelsy.

 

 

Moschus

 

Our only certain information about Moschus is contained in his own Dirge for Bion. He

speaks of his verse as ''Ausonian Song', and of himself as Bion's pupil and successor.

It is plain that he was acquainted with the poems of Theocritus.

 

 

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Original Cover for Volume I of ''Theocritus, Bion and Moschus'' (1922), illustrated by William Russll Flint

 

 

To the left, we show a rare Dust Jacket for Volume I of the First Edition of Russell Flint's

interpretation of "Theocritus, Bion and Moschus" published in 1922.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the right, we show the illustrated Title Page for Volume I,

'The Idyls of Theocritus', and on the far-right, that for

Volume II, 'The Idyls of Bion and Moschus'.

 

 

 

Title Page for Volume I of ''Theocritus, Bion and Moschus'' (1922), illustrated by William Russll Flint

Title Page for Volume II of ''Theocritus, Bion and Moschus'' (1922), illustrated by William Russll Flint        

William Russell Flint's suite of illustrations published in "Theocritus, Bion and Moschus" (1922)  included 20 colour images presented as tipped-in plates. Prepared prior

to World War I, the effects of The Great War caused a delay of nearly a decade to the publication.

 

That same suite was also published one year earlier by Artur Wolf Verlag (Wien) in a German language Limited Edition in ''Idyllen des Klassischen Altertums'' based

upon a translation prepared by Ernst Roenau. Interestingly, the Artur Wolf Verlag variant carried no monotone illustration by Russell Flint on the Title Page, but rather, a

monotone illustration depicting Cherion and Jason as a solo preliminary design - that illustration being the same that had appeared on the Title Page for the 1912

First Edition of ''The Heroes; or, Greek Fairy Tales for My Children''. ''Idyllen des Klassischen Altertums'' (1921) is one of the rare examples among vintage illustrated

books where the initial publication of a suite from an English-speaking artist has occurred in another language the year prior to the English language First Edition.

 

 

Our Greeting Cards and Fine Art Posters showing William Russell Flint's

artwork for the First Edition of "Theocritus, Bion and Moschus" (1922)

 

 

Greeting Card sample showing a William Russell Flint illustration from ''Theocritus, Bion and Moschus'' (1922)

 

Front of Greeting Card

(with envelope)

 

 

For connoisseurs of Russell Flint's work, we have prepared sets of 20 Greeting Cards (approximately 7x5" on

premium acid-free card stock) displaying colour images from his designs for "Theocritus, Bion and Moschus"

and on the left and right, we show an example of how these Greeting Cards appear.

 

 

 

 

Code: WRF TBM CS(20)
Price: US$100.00

Greeting Card sample showing the rear tipped-on information regarding the profiled illustration, William Russell Flint and ''Theocritus, Bion and Moschus'' (1922)

 

Rear of Greeting Card

(with envelope)

 
 

When presented on Greeting Cards, these images are prepared as tipped-on plates - in 'hommage' to the hand-crafted approach typical of

prestige illustrated publications produced in the early decades of the 20th Century. Each card is hand-finished and the images are presented

on Ivory card stock with an accompanying envelope. The rear of each card carries information about William Russell Flint, this wonderful suite

and the profiled illustration - we have left the interior of the cards blank so that you may write your own personal message.

 

Should you wish to order a reproduction print of one or more of these images, we have provided some options below. Each of our Fine Art

Posters is prepared with archival quality papers and inks - and also accompanied by information about William Russell Flint, this suite and

the profiled illustration.

 

To purchase, simply click on the appropriate "Add to Cart" button and you will be taken through to our Shopping Cart secured through PayPal.

Multiple purchases will be consolidated by that feature and shipping and handling costs to any destination in the world are accommodated by

our flat-rate fee of US$20 for every US$200 worth of purchases.

 

Of course, should you wish to discuss some customised options, we welcome your contact on any matter through email - our address is ThePeople@SpiritoftheAges.com.

 

In the meantime, enjoy perusing these wonderful images from William Russell Flint.

Fine Art Poster sample showing a William Russell Flint illustration from ''Theocritus, Bion and Moschus'' (1922)

 

An example of one of our Fine Art Posters

in a superb 12x18" format

     

 

The colour illustrations by William Russell Flint for the

First Edition of "Theocritus, Bion and Moschus" (1922)

 

 

William Russell Flint - 'Sweet, meseems, is the whispering sound of yonder pine tree, goathed, that murmureth by the wells of water' from ''Theocritus, Bion and Moschus'' (1922) William Russell Flint - 'She too came, the sweetly smiling Cypris, craftily smiling she came, yet keeping her heavy anger' from ''Theocritus, Bion and Moschus'' (1922) William Russell Flint - 'Ah, lovely Amaryllus, why no more, as of old, dost thou glance through this cavern after me, nor callest me, they sweetheart, to thy side' from ''Theocritus, Bion and Moschus'' (1922) William Russell Flint - 'Clearista, too, pelts the goatherd with apples as he drives past his she-goats, and a sweet word she murmurs' from ''Theocritus, Bion and Moschus'' (1922)  

Theocritus

Idyl I

 

Sweet, meseems, is the whispering

sound of yonder pine tree, goatherd,

that murmureth by the wells of water

 

 

Theocritus

Idyl I

 

She too came, the sweetly smiling Cypris, craftily

smiling she came, yet keeping her heavy anger

 

Theocritus

Idyl III

 

Ah, lovely Amaryllus, why no more,

as of old, dost thou glance through this

cavern after me, nor callest me, thy

sweetheart, to thy side

 

 

Theocritus

Idyl V

 

Clearista, too, pelts the goatherd with

apples as he drives past his she-goats,

and a sweet word she murmurs

 
 

Fine Art Poster (12x18'')

Code: WRF TBM C1 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

 

Fine Art Poster (14x14')

Code: WRF TBM C2 (14x14)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

 

Fine Art Poster (12x18'')

Code: WRF TBM C3 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

 

Fine Art Poster (14x14')

Code: WRF TBM C4 (14x14)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

 

 
William Russell Flint - 'To hear this makes her jealous of me, by Paean, and she wastes with pain, and springs madly from the sea' from ''Theocritus, Bion and Moschus'' (1922) William Russell Flint - 'They all call thee a 'gipsy,' gracious Bombyca, and 'lean,' and 'sunburnt,' 'tis only I that call the 'honey-pale'' from ''Theocritus, Bion and Moschus'' (1922) William Russell Flint - 'The nymphs all clung to his head, for love of the Argive lad had flattered the soft hearts of all of them' from ''Theocritus, Bion and Moschus'' (1922) William Russell Flint - 'She caught up her robes, and forth she rushed, quicker than she came' from ''Theocritus, Bion and Moschus'' (1922)  

Theocritus

Idyl VI

 

To hear this makes her jealous of me,

by Paean, and she wastes with pain,

and springs madly from the sea

 

 

Theocritus

Idyl X

The Reapers

 

They all call thee a 'gipsy,' gracious

Bombyca, and 'lean,' and 'sunburnt,'

'tis only I that call thee 'honey-pale'

 

 

Theocritus

Idyl XIII

Hylas and Heracles

 

The nymphs all clung to his hand, for

love of the Argive lad had fluttered the

soft hearts of all of them

 

Theocritus

Idyl XIV

 

She caught up her robes, and forth she

rushed, quicker than she came

 

 
 

Fine Art Poster (12x18'')

Code: WRF TBM C5 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

 

Fine Art Poster (12x18'')

Code: WRF TBM C6 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

 

Fine Art Poster (14x14')

Code: WRF TBM C7 (14x14)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

 

Fine Art Poster (12x18'')

Code: WRF TBM C8 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

 

 
William Russell Flint - 'Hiero, like the mighty men of old, girds himself for fights, and the horse-hair crest is shadowing his helmet' from ''Theocritus, Bion and Moschus'' (1922) William Russell Flint - 'Then sang they all in harmony, beating time with woven paces, and the house rang round with the bridal song' from ''Theocritus, Bion and Moschus'' (1922) William Russell Flint - 'Taunting me, thus she spoke: ''Get thee gone from me! Wouldst thou kiss me, thou - a neatherd?''' from ''Theocritus, Bion and Moschus'' (1922) William Russell Flint - 'Love stood on a pedestal of stone above the waters. An lo, that statue leapt and killed that cruel one' from ''Theocritus, Bion and Moschus'' (1922)  

Theocritus

Idyl XVI

 

Hiero, like the mighty men of old, girds

himself for fight, and the horse-hair

crest is shadowing his helmet

 

 

Theocritus

Idyl XVIII

 

Then sang they all in harmony, beating time

with woven paces, and the house rang

round with the bridal song

 

Theocritus

Idyl XX

 

Taunting me, thus she spoke: "Get thee

gone from me! Wouldst thou kiss me,

thou - a neatherd?"

 

Theocritus

Idyl XXIII

The Vengeance of Love

 

Love stood on a pedestal of stone above the

waters. And lo, that statue leapt and killed

that cruel one

 

 
 

Fine Art Poster (12x18'')

Code: WRF TBM C9 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

 

Fine Art Poster (14x14')

Code: WRF TBM C10 (14x14)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

 

Fine Art Poster (12x18')

Code: WRF TBM C11 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

 

Fine Art Poster (14x14')

Code: WRF TBM C12 (14x14)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

 

 
William Russell Flint - 'Then marvelled the king himself, and his son, the warlike Phyleus, ... when they beheld the exceeding strength of the son of Amphitryon' from ''Theocritus, Bion and Moschus'' (1922) William Russell Flint - 'Now Pentheus from a lofty cliff was watching all ... Autonoe first beheld him, ... and, rushing suddenly, with her feet dashed all confused the mystic things of Bacchus the wild' from ''Theocritus, Bion and Moschus'' (1922) William Russell Flint - ''Tis for thee to caress thy kine, not a maiden unwed' from ''Theocritus, Bion and Moschus'' (1922) William Russell Flint - '''Woe, woe for Cypris,'' the mountains are all saying, and the oak-trees answer, ''Woe for Adonis''' from ''Theocritus, Bion and Moschus'' (1922)  

Theocritus

Idyl XXV

Heracles the Lion-Slayer

 

Then marvelled the king himself, and his son,

the warlike Phyleus, ... when they beheld the

exceeding strength of the son of Amphitryon

 

 

Theocritus

Idyl XXVI

 

Now Pentheus from a lofty cliff was watching all ...

Autonoe first beheld him, ... and, rushing suddenly,

with her feet dashed all confused the mystic things

of Bacchus the wild

 

 

Theocritus

Idyl XXVI

 

'Tis for thee to caress thy kine, not

a maiden unwed

 

Bion

Idyl I

The Lament for Adonis

 

''Woe, woe for Cypris,'' the mountains

are all saying, and the oak-trees

answer, ''Woe for Adonis''

 
 

Fine Art Poster (14x14')

Code: WRF TBM C13 (14x14)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

 

Fine Art Poster (14x14')

Code: WRF TBM C14 (14x14)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

 

Fine Art Poster (12x18')

Code: WRF TBM C15 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

 

Fine Art Poster (12x18')

Code: WRF TBM C16 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

 

 
William Russell Flint - 'The herdsman bore off Helen, upon a time, and carried her to Ida, sore sorrow to Śnoe' from ''Theocritus, Bion and Moschus'' (1922) William Russell Flint - 'Hesperus, olden lamp of the lovely daughter of the foam, ... hail, friend, and as I lead the revel to the shepherd's hut, in place of the moonlight lend me thine' from ''Theocritus, Bion and Moschus'' (1922) William Russell Flint - 'Come, dear playmates, maidens of like age wth me, let us mount the bull here and take our pastime, ... how mild he is, and dear, and gentle to behold, and no whit like other bulls' from ''Theocritus, Bion and Moschus'' (1922) William Russell Flint - 'And she too is Sicilian, and on the shores by Aetna she was wont to play' from ''Theocritus, Bion and Moschus'' (1922)  

Bion

Idyl II

The Love of Achilles

 

The herdsman bore off Helen, upon

a time, and carried her to Ida, sore

sorrow to Śnoe

 

 

Bion

Fragments XI

 

Hesperus, golden lamp of the lovely daughter of the

foam, ... hail, friend, and as I lead the revel to the

shepherd's hut, in place of the moonlight lend me

thine

 

 

Moschus

Idyl II

Europa and the Bull

 

Come, dear playmates, maidens of like

age with me, let us mount the bull here

and take our pastime, ... how mild he

is, and dear, and gentle to behold, and

no whit like other bulls

 

 

Moschus

Idyl III

The Lament for Bion

 

And she too is Sicilian, and on the

shores by Aetna she was wont

to play

 
 

Fine Art Poster (12x18')

Code: WRF TBM C17 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

 

Fine Art Poster (14x14')

Code: WRF TBM C18 (14x14)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

 

Fine Art Poster (12x18')

Code: WRF TBM C19 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

 

Fine Art Poster (14x14')

Code: WRF TBM C20 (14x14)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

 

 
                       

 

 

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