Sometimes we hear people talking about someone who immoderately praises another: "Yes, these are solid praises!" This expression is quite common, but how many people know that it came to us from the Greek language? And once it had a completely different meaning than it is now, and was not used at all in an ironic sense. Let's get acquainted with the history of this phraseological unit, and how its understanding has changed over time.
What does the “praise” in Greek mean?
Once upon a time, this word denoted lavish choral songs of praise and even dances performed in honor of the ancient god of wine, Dionysus. Since these festivities during the grape harvest were devoted to nature and its fertility, they were accompanied by so-called orgies - drinking wine, feasts and even, as some authors assert, promiscuous sexual relations of the participants. But whether this was actually so is not known for sure. We only know that admirers of Dionysus felt sacred madness during dancing, while the people sang with the hymns that were dedicated to him.
A bit of history
It is believed that the earliest praises are the choral anthems of the island of Delos. However, many of the poetic passages that have come down to us belong to the Athenians. It was from them that the expression “sing praises” came from. The meaning of this phrase in Athens was very simple. About fifty men and boys dressed as satyrs stood in a circle and sang hymns to Dionysus accompanied by a professional theater choir, and sometimes some musical instruments. Each choir was led by the so-called “luminaries”. Subsequently, in ancient Greece, criteria were even developed for what a praise is like a musical genre. First of all, the text of the choral song should have a special rhythm, be anti-static. It should be accompanied by an accompaniment of avlos, and even in the Phrygian manner. In addition, it requires a special, very solemn and pathos style. Between choirs performing praises at ancient festivals such as Dionysius and Lenaia.
Music and literature
Thus, the most ancient hymns, which were so called, were folk. But later they acquired an individual character. The earliest praise was obviously created by the poet Archilochus in honor of “Lord Dionysus,” as the text of the 7th century BC testifies. However, Herodotus attributes the palm to a certain Arion from Lesbos. So, praises are a special kind of ancient Greek music and literature, close to what is understood by a hymn and a panegyric. But this word has other meanings. Two centuries after Arion, the poet Bacchillides even brought this genre closer to a dramatic dialogue performed with choral singing. The famous poet Pindar became famous for his pathos. The prairie genre was most widely spread in the fifth century BC. He was led by poets of the so-called "new music." The most famous representatives of this direction were Timothy Miletus, Melanippid and Phyloxet from the island of Kitera. After a hundred years, the genre began to decline, and then completely lost its popularity, although the competition between the choirs who sang praises continued until the conquest of Greece by Rome.
What do philosophers say?
Although the word was popular in antiquity, its origin is not Greek. Dithyrambs - this, apparently, was one of the ancient epithets of the god of wine. The philosopher Plato in the dialogue "Laws" discusses the various meanings of musical genres. There he says as follows: "I think that the praise is the birth of Dionysus." And in his famous “Republic”, which dates back to the fourth century BC, Plato gives another interpretation of the word “praise”. He understands the meaning of this term in poetry as an exceptional way of authorial poetic self-expression, bordering on ecstasy. Plutarch speaks of the praises as a stormy speech full of enthusiasm. He contrasts the hymns written in this style with the more calm and harmonious praises of Apollo. Aristotle, however, believes that this is the basis and source of Greek tragedy. The poet Vakhilid already mentioned by us has the so-called dialogue between the singer and the choir in tragedy. Then the choir replaced another actor.
In the new story
Europe tried to return to the praises of the Renaissance. Then appeared a variety of laudatory odes to the princes of the Church and secular politicians. But already in those days they looked at such a poetic genre critically and mockingly. The praises became especially popular in the Baroque era, when the authors tried to revive the ancient festivities. This musical and poetic genre was most successful in Italy and, especially, in Germany, where the poets of Storm and Onslaught, such as Franz Schiller, were fond of it. Composer Schubert also wrote a composition on the pathos text of a similar style. And Friedrich Nietzsche even tried to create something similar to the original “Bacchic” praises, although with a satirical connotation.
The modern meaning of phraseology
The original meaning of this word is still embodied from time to time by some modern musicians, such as, for example, Igor Stravinsky. However, in most cases, these words acquired a pronounced sarcastic meaning: "Maybe I will still sing praises to you?" This phraseology began to mean immoderate and inappropriate glorification, undisguised flattery. In a sense, this is understandable, because this literary and musical genre was intended for ecstatic praise of the gods. And when he, with a light hand of the Renaissance era, began to be used to praise politicians and those in power in general, he easily became something unpleasantly pathos and far-fetched. Indeed, even in the Scriptures it is said that one should be given to God, and to “Caesar” is another. And when the politicians, stars, and the various beau monde sing praises relying on celestial creatures, is this not an outright bust? Or maybe even blasphemy. Therefore, most people do not perceive praises or despise them as outright flattery. Moreover, it is usually used in order to please the right person and get their share of the benefits.