Theocritus and Bucolic Poetry

This paper explores the origins and formation of bucolic poetry as a distinct genre within the Theocritean corpus. We know little or nothing about the pre-Theocritean traditions on archetypal figures such as Daphnis or Comatas, but it is reasonable to suppose that their Theocritean counterparts resulted from substantial inventive reworking. As suggested by Theocritus' treatment of Polyphemus, who is a primary model for his bucolic characters, the origins of Theocritean bucolic poetry should be traced back to a wide spectrum of traditions and literary genres which Theocritus recast in a highly creative manner. Some recurring features characterize bucolic poetry in the Theocritean corpus. It is also noteworthy that the words 'boukolikos', 'boukoliasdomai', and 'boukoliastas' occur in several Theocritean bucolic poems, always in connection with pastoral song and music. The paper offers an overview of the bucolic Idylls of the Theocritean corpus according to the different kinds of bucolic songs they contain or resemble: solo performances, 'prompt and response' exchanges, 'cut and thrust' exchanges, and juxtaposed songs.