us that even famous philosophers learned from poets For example like Sidney Aristotle also makes poetry superior to history through these words Poetry therefore is a higher thing than history for poetry tends to express the universal history the particular Sidney says poetry was the first teacher of mankind because it used stories and imagination That is why poetry has great antiquity Poets as the First Teachers of Nations Sidney calls poets the first educators of the world In ancient societies poets taught people how to live a good life They showed ideas of courage honesty love and justice through stories Sidney says that poets made people better before laws were written He calls the poets The first light-givers to ignorance He gives the idea that poets helped form civilizations Kings and leaders were praised in poems Brave acts were remembered through verse This shows that poetry played a central role in early human life and culture Poetry in Ancient Civilizations Sidney proves the antiquity of poetry by referring to ancient civilizations He mentions Greece Rome and other ancient cultures In Greece poets like Homer were respected as wise men Homer s poems were not just stories but lessons of life Sidney also refers to ancient religious texts He points out that even the Bible contains poetry The Psalms of David are written in poetic form This shows that poetry was used even for sacred purposes According to Sidney this proves that poetry is not new or inferior but ancient and honorable Universality of Poetry Among All Nations Sidney says poetry is universal It exists in every country and language Even uncivilized or simple societies have songs and stories People naturally express feelings in poetic form Sidney says that poetry is loved by children common people and learned scholars alike It crosses boundaries of class culture and time Whether it is a shepherd s song or a king s praise poem poetry exists everywhere This universality proves that poetry is natural to human beings Poetry as a Natural Human Instinct Sidney believes poetry comes from human nature itself People enjoy rhythm stories and imagination That is why poetry appears naturally in all societies Even before formal education people create songs and tales Sidney argues that poetry pleases the mind while teaching lessons He writes Poesy therefore is an art of imitation to teach and delight Because of this natural pleasure poetry spreads easily and lasts long Its universal presence proves its importance and power Hence in An Apology for Poetry Sidney clearly proves that poetry is both ancient and universal It existed before philosophy and history It taught early people moral and social values Poetry is found in all nations and loved by all kinds of people