Page "Theognis of Megara" Paragraph 19

Sympotic topics covered by Theognis include for example wine, politics, friendship, war, life's brevity, human nature, wealth, love and so on.

Distinctions are frequently made between " good " () and " bad " (), a dichotomy based on a class distinction between aristocrats and " others ", typical of the period but usually implicit in the works of earlier poets such as Homer —" In Theognis it amounts to an obsession ".

The verses are addressed to Cyrnus and other individuals of unknown identity, such as Scythes, Simonides, Clearistus, Onomacritus, Democles, Academus, Timagoras, Demonax and Argyris and " Boy ".

Poems are also addressed to his own heart or spirit, and deities such as Zeus, Apollo, Artemis, Castor and Pollux, Eros, Ploutos, the Muses and Graces.