Pausanias Description of Greece 1.2.3

[3] So even in his time poets lived at the courts of kings, as earlier still Anacreon consorted with Polycrates, despot of Samos , and Aeschylus and Simonides journeyed to Hiero at Syracuse . Dionysius, afterwards despot in Sicily had Philoxenus at his court, and Antigonus, ¹ ruler of Macedonia , had Antagoras of Rhodes and Aratus of Soli . But Hesiod and Homer either failed to win the society of kings or else purposely despised it, Hesiod through boorishness and reluctance to travel, while Homer, having gone very far abroad, depreciated the help afforded by despots in the acquisition of wealth in comparison with his reputation among ordinary men. And yet Homer, too, in his poem makes Demodocus live at the court of Alcinous, and Agamemnon leave a poet with his wife. Not far from the gates is a grave, on which is mounted a soldier standing by a horse. Who it is I do not know, but both horse and soldier were carved by Praxiteles.

[3] I say-this-because [ gar] even in his time [= the era of Euripides] poets [ poiētai] could live in the company of kings, as earlier still Anacreon resided in the company of Polycrates, tyrant of Samos; also, Aeschylus and Simonides were sent to Hieron at Syracuse. Residing in the company of Dionysius, tyrant in Sicily at a later period, was Philoxenos, and, residing in the company of Antigonos, 13

ruler of Macedonia, were Antagoras of Rhodes and Aratos of Soloi. As for Hesiod and Homer, they either did not have the good fortune of residing in the company of kings or else purposely neglected doing so, Hesiod because of his countryside ways [ agroikiā] and reluctance to travel, while Homer, having traveled very far and wide, considered the aid provided by the powerful in the acquisition of wealth to be less important than his fame [ doxa] among the hoi polloi. And yet Homer, too, in what he composed [ poieîn], makes Demodokos live in the compnay of Alkinoos, and [he makes] Agamemnon leave behind [when the king departed for Troy] a poet [ poiētēs] to attend his wife. Not far from the gates is a tomb [ taphos], on which is positioned a soldier [ stratiōtēs] standing by a horse. Who it is I do not know, but both horse and soldier were carved by Praxiteles.