Idyl, << Y duhl, >> also spelled idyll, is a kind of pastoral poem developed by the ancient Greeks. The name comes from the Greek word for little picture. Usually of moderate length, idyls present peaceful rural scenes. They treat such themes as youth, poetry, and love. The Greek idyls of Theocritus and the Roman Eclogues of Virgil are examples of classical idyls.
In their imitation of classical poets, many English poets of the late 1500’s and the 1600’s wrote pastoral poems. One of the finest idyls written at this time is John Milton’s Lycidas. It is an elegy upon the death of a friend, Edward King.
