Theocritus

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An ancient Greek poet from Sicily, active in the 3rd century BCE, known for pioneering the pastoral and idyllic forms of verse
2. A classical Greek poet of the Hellenistic period famous for inventing the bucolic or shepherd-themed poetry genre
3. An early Hellenistic poet from Sicily renowned for creating witty, realistic depictions of rural and urban life in metrical verse

Etymology: Theocritus is the name of a Greek poet from Syracuse in Sicily, and the most surprising link is that the English word "idyll" grew out of his work. The Greek term "eidyllion" meant "little picture" or "short poem," and it became the label for the short pastoral pieces that made him famous, which is why the English word now suggests a peaceful rural scene. The name itself combines "theos," meaning "god," with "krinein," meaning "to judge, decide, or choose." It is usually glossed as "chosen by god" or "judged by god," a common pattern in ancient Greek names. Theocritus's surviving poems, which show herdsmen singing and competing, were admired by later Roman poets, and his style shaped European pastoral writing for centuries.