poietai

Poietai (Greek: ποιηταί) is the plural of ποιητής (poietēs), meaning "poet" or "maker" in ancient Greek. The term literally denotes makers or creators and is formed from the verb poiein, "to make" or "to create." In classical Greek usage, poietai can refer to those who compose poetry as well as to craftsmen or artists who produce works.

In ancient Greek literature, poietai are the agents who create poems, songs, or dramatic works. The designation emphasizes the craft of composition and arrangement, rather than merely the content of the work. The concept encompasses poets, dramatists, and other creative makers within the cultural sphere of antiquity.

Philosophical texts often foreground the poietēs as the craftsman who shapes a work through form, structure, and imitation. In Aristotle's Poetics, for example, the poet is viewed as a maker who organizes elements of action and language to achieve mimesis, or imitation, within a chosen genre. This makerly conception highlights poetry as a deliberate act of construction as well as composition.

Influence beyond Greek itself is substantial. The English word "poet" derives from Latin poēta, which in turn comes from Greek poietēs, reflecting the idea of poetry as a form of making. Today, poietai as a plural is mainly encountered in scholarly discussions of ancient Greek literature and is rarely used outside translations or critical works.

Related concepts include poiesis, the act of making or production, and poietic, describing the generative or creative capacity of making.