Bacchylides of Ceos (Βακχυλίδης ὁ Κεῖος) was a Greek lyric poet of the 5th century BCE, the nephew of the poet Simonides and a contemporary and rival of Pindar [1][2]. Active at the court of the Syracusan tyrant Hieron I, he composed for public festivals and athletic victors, relying on aristocratic and civic patronage [1][3]. Evidence suggests a period of exile in the Peloponnese, possibly following political change [1][2].

His works, largely lost after antiquity, were rediscovered on Egyptian papyri in the late 19th century [1][3]. The surviving corpus consists primarily of epinician odes (victory odes) and dithyrambs (choral hymns to Dionysus), characterized by clear narrative and vivid imagery [1][2][3].

Bacchylides is a major figure among the canonical nine lyric poets of ancient Greece. His rediscovery provides a crucial counterpoint to Pindar, illuminating their shared patronage context and differing styles [1][2]. His poetry offers valuable insights into the social, religious, and political values of the early Classical period [1][3].

Sources 1. Encyclopædia Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bacchylides 2. Perseus Digital Library: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0028 3. World History Encyclopedia: https://www.worldhistory.org/Bacchylides/