The maturing of lyric throughout the ancient world has influenced the way musical compositions are produced today, especially through the varying literary meters. Contrary to the popular epic style of works, both lyric and elegiac poetry portray the poet’s personality and true colors, while simultaneously expressing individualized opinions. A major characteristic present in these is the usage of the first-person perspective. It began to be acknowledged as a vital portion of a narrative, while also promoting increased individualism, especially in creative works. The subject matter of the works generally circled around the traditional occasions and traditions of amateurs, as seen in many social events of the time, such as the after-dinner singing in Athens. The songs were short in length with simple lyrics, easy enough to comprehend so all could be a part of the celebration and a feeling of togetherness. The term lyric is a generic title for many different categories of poetry. Two popular variations of lyrical compositions are melic and elegiac, both being accompanied by an instrument of some sort. The works sung individually or with a chorus, accompanied by the aulos, were called melic. Extremely similar to a flute, the aulos was a double-reeded instrument, holding a sound similar to that of the bagpipes. Singing was also common when paired with the lyre in melic works. On the other hand, elegiacs were a form of literature written in hexameter alternated with a spontaneous shorter line. These couplets assisted with the development of vital lyrical factors and processes. Many poets combined dactylic and iambic rhythms to form epodes, which was one of the most lyrically popular ways to create a proper piece. Depending on the situation and meter in which the pieces were written, some were sung individually rather than in a group, such as those works written by Sappho and Alcaeus, or with a choir. Iambics, contain a continuous cycle of four long and short syllables, usually had a satirical subject matter, and were not normally sung. A popular poet by the name of Archilochus utilized all these meters, varying with each work. The works made to be utilized in a choral function held an extremely complicated structure. This was due to the lack of traditionality in the stanzas and how each line had a unique form. Singing was attributed mainly to the great gods or the celebration of powerful winners in games. One of the earliest poets in the category that’s work has survived was Alcman of Sparta. He produced popular works depicting mythological myths, sparking a major development in religious celebration. The symposia, popular female gatherings, used an interesting vernacular variation to present their poetry through song. Many lyrical masterpieces have derived from events such as these, especially from the island of Lesbos. Religious devotional songs were composed with this as well, although they never succeeded in the brilliance of other writers, such as Pindar and Bacchylides. Greek literature, specifically in lyric, has come a long way since its extremely influential introduction.
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