Alcaeus (620?-? bc), Greek poet, who invented the Alcaic stanza. He was born on the island of Lesbos (now Lésvos). Alcaeus became a leader against the Lesbian tyrant Pittacus; Alcaeus was banished, but after being pardoned, he returned to Lesbos. Of the ten books of his odes, only a few fragmentary poems still exist. These poems, all composed in the Aeolic dialect, are concerned with his grief over the state of Lesbos, his hatred of tyrants, and his own misfortunes. In some of the poems he praises love and wine. The Alcaic stanza was later adapted to Latin lyric poetry by Horace.