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GREEK LITERATURE Greek is one of the most important Indo-European languages. As an independent branch of the original Indo-European language Greek established itself by about 2000 B.C. Even during its earliest period Greek had four local dialects as a result of the arrival of the Greek-speaking people at different periods of time. Iolic, Ionic-Attic, Arcado Cyprean and western Greek are the four dialects. Iolese was prevalent in the Lesbos region, and this is the dialect mainly used in the poetry of Homer. The Ionic and Attic dialects were prevalent in Ionia and Attica respectively. After Homer, the major portion of Greek literature was written in this dialect. The Arcado-Cyprean dialect was used in Arcadio and Cyprus. The fourth dialect was also called Doric. Naval traditions, commerce and political power contributed to the growth and development of Greek language and literature. In each dialect, even from the very beginning, literary efforts were made. Each of the four spoken languages very soon developed into a written language. But, in the very initial periods each of the spoken dialects continued its existence in the form of ballads and songs transferred from one man to another. It was Homer who gave those popular ballads an epic form and status and sowed the seeds of the great literature of Greece. The golden period of Greek literature was when the city of Athens enjoyed supreme political power. Literature during the period set the model for future generations. It was during this period that Greek achieved the best in different literary forms like tragedy, comedy, lyric, elegy, history, philosophy, oratory etc. Pindar, Aeschylus, Herodotus, Sophocles-Euripides, Aristophanes, Thucydides, Plato and Demosthenes-- these are distinguished names who were responsible for the great development of the literary forms referred to above. Greek literature passed the Alexandrian, Roman and Byzantian periods before it arrived at the modern period. It was Solomos and Valoritus and others who gave impetus and inspiration to modern Greek literature. GṚHADEVĪ. Another name of the demoness Jarā. (See under Jarā).
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