But what was passing around them?
The grand events of a spirit-stirring war; occurrences likely to impress themselves, as the mystical legends of former times had done, upon their memory; besides which, a retentive memory was deemed a virtue of the first water, and was cultivated accordingly in those ancient times.

Ballads at first, and down to the beginning of the war with Troy, were merely recitations, with an intonation.

Then followed a species of recitative, probably with an intoned burden.

Tune next followed, as it aided the memory considerably.
"It was at this period, about four hundred years after the war, that a poet flourished of the name of Melesigenes, or Moeonides, but most probably the former.

He saw that these ballads might be made of great utility to his purpose of writing a poem on the social position of Hellas, and, as a collection, he published these lays, connecting them by a tale of his own.