Ειδύλλια

by Theocritus

"Ειδύλλια" by Theocritus is a collection of bucolic poems written in the 3rd century BC. These pastoral works transport readers to the ancient Greek countryside, where shepherds and goatherds meet in shady groves to exchange songs and stories. The most famous idyll tells of Daphnis, a legendary cowherd who vowed eternal faithfulness to his first love. When Love seeks revenge by testing his devotion, Daphnis faces a choice between constancy and desire, leading to tragic consequences mourned by wild creatures and divine figures alike.