Ὅλβoς, Κόρoς, Ὕβρις and Ἄτη From Hesiod to Aeschylus

One of the commonplaces of criticism with regard to Greek thought is that there existed a canonical tetralogy, ὄλβος, κό ος, ὕβ ις and ἄτη which was inexorably operative in human lives. Thus, Basil Gildersleeve in his comments on Pindar's thought wrote: The next point suggested by the first Olympian is the representative position of Pindar as the expounder of Greek ethics. Is Pindar speaking for himself or for his people? Many of his thoughts are not his own. They are fragments of the popular Hellenic catechism, and they became remarkable in Pindar partly by the mode of presentation, partly by the evident heartiness with which he accepts the national creed. So in v. 56, and P. 2, 28, we find a genealogy which was as popular with the Greeks as Sin and Death in the Christian system. O λβος — K ό ος — Ὕβ ις — Ἄτη. The prosperity that produces pride and fulness of bread culminates in overweening insolence and outrage and brings on itself mischief sent from heaven

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• The origins of the Greek lexicon

  Open Access•Oswald Szemerenyi•The Journal of Hellenic Studies•1974

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• Solon and Early Greek Poetry

  Open Access•Elizabeth Irwin•Solon and Early Greek Poetry•2005

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