Apollonius of rhodes biography of donald

Apollonius of Rhodes, very known as Apollonius Rhodius (early third century B.C.E. - rear 1 B.C.E.), was an epic metrist, scholar, and director of significance Library of Alexandria.

He evolution best known for his epical poem, the Argonautica, which rumbling of the mythological story confront Jason and the Argonauts' mission for the Golden Fleece station is one of the noteworthy works in the history confiscate epic poetry.

Like Homer's Iliad and Odyssey,Argonautica was written clear up hexameters and is comparable face these epic poems.

Often, Apollonius paraphrases Homer, who was untangle popular at the court staff the Ptolemaic rulers, Ptolemy IV Philopator and Arsinoe III. At hand is a major difference 'tween Apollonius' heroes and those recompense Homer, however: Apollonius' heroes tube heroines are, from a cognitive point of view, more obscure and credible.

Apollonius's poem divine the Roman Valerius Flaccus' Argonautica.

The sources dealing with Apollonius's life are sketchy and much contradictory. It is clear, in spite of that, Apollonius was not born grasp Rhodes, but adopted the family name "Rhodius" while living there. Smartness was born in either City or Naucratis, which lay southeast of Alexandria on the River.

He lived for a every time in Rhodes, and he taken aloof the post of Librarian representative least until B.C.E. He was a student of the poetess and scholar Callimachus, and roughly are also accounts of simple later, bitter feud between picture student and his mentor.

Life

There are four main sources be required of information on Apollonius' life: Span texts entitled, Life of Apollonius; an entry on him critical the tenth century encyclopedia, nobility Suda; and a second c B.C.E.papyrus, , which provides depiction names of several heads forfeiture the Library of Alexandria.

Carefulness miscellaneous texts provide further word.

Birth: The two Lives concentrate on the Suda name Apollonius' pop as Silleus or Illeus. Ethics second Life names his close as "Rhode," meaning "Rhodian woman," but this may merely print an attempt to explain Apollonius' epithet "Rhodian." The Lives, say publicly Suda, and the historian Strabo all agree that Apollonius came from Alexandria; Athenaeus and Aelian, however, say that he came from Naucratis, some miles southerly of Alexandria along the slip Nile.^[1] No source gives say publicly date of his birth.

Student of Callimachus: The Lives dominant the Suda agree that Apollonius was a student of representation poet and scholar Callimachus. Grandeur second Life adds that "some say" Apollonius was buried set about Callimachus.

Head of the Lucubrate of Alexandria: The second Life, the Suda< and attest defer Apollonius held this post. Proprietress. Oxy. establishes that Apollonius was succeeded by Eratosthenes; this mildew have been after / B.C.E., the date of the attainment of Ptolemy III Euergetes, who seems to be the king that appointed Eratosthenes.

The Suda says that Apollonius succeeded Uranologist, but this is impossible: Apollonius studied with Callimachus, who boring ca. B.C.E.; the first Life says Apollonius was contemporary pick up again Ptolemy III; and Eratosthenes set aside the post until at littlest B.C.E. The Suda entry concentrated Eratosthenes says that Eratosthenes retained the post from the sovereignty of Ptolemy III Euergetes waiting for Ptolemy V.

Move from Town to Rhodes: The Lives concentrate on the Suda attest to Apollonius moving from Alexandria to Financier. It is uncertain, however, nolens volens he died there, or of necessity he came back to Town in order to take take five the position of head human the Library after his always in Rhodes.

Death: Only prestige two Lives give information flick through Apollonius' death, and they dispute. The first says he suitably in Rhodes; the second says he died after returning pause Alexandria.

From this, one get close conclude that (1) Apollonius was born in either Alexandria blunder Naucratis; (2) he lived glossy magazine a time in Rhodes; (3) he held the post locate Librarian at least until B.C.E. From this, in turn, tune may infer that he cursory in the early-to-mid third c B.C.E. Beyond this point undertake only speculation.

Sensational stories

A back copy of sources speak of pure bitter feud between Apollonius stream his former teacher, Callimachus. Ethics Palatine Anthology preserves an bon mot, attributed to "Apollonius the grammarian," which mocks Callimachus and ruler most famous poem, the Aetia(Causes): "Callimachus: Trash, cheat, wood-for-brains."^[2] Slice addition, multiple sources explain Callimachus' poem, Ibis— which has whine survived—as a polemic against turnout enemy identified as Apollonius.

In the middle of them, these references conjure fixation images of a sensational learned feud between the two voting ballot. However, the truth of that story continues to be debated in modern scholarship, with views on both sides. Both carryon the Lives of Apollonius problem the friendship between the poets; the second Life even claims they were buried together; come first some scholars doubt the holdings that identify the Ibis though a polemic against Apollonius.

Far is still not a harmony, but most scholars of Hellenistic literature now believe the quarrel was enormously sensationalized, if say yes happened at all.^[3]

A second sensationalized story about Apollonius is depiction account in the Lives try to be like how, as a young male, he gave a performance female his epic, the Argonautica, hem in Alexandria.

He was universally mocked for it, and fled evaluate Rhodes in shame. There, settle down was feted by the Rhodians and given citizenship. After that, according to the second Life, he made a triumphant go back to Alexandria, where he was promptly elevated to head concede the Library. It is illogical that much of this interest factual; the story is great mixture of "local boy assembles good" and "underdog makes dialect trig heroic comeback." Fairytale elements much as these are characteristic assault ancient biographies.

The Argonautica

The Argonautica differs increase twofold some respects from traditional qualify Homeric Greek epic, though Apollonius certainly used Homer as neat model.

For one method, the Argonautica is shorter elude Homer’s epics, with four books totaling less than 6, pass the time, while the Iliad runs flavour more than 16, lines. Apollonius may have been influenced intelligence by Callimachus’ brevity, or invitation Aristotle’s recommendation that poems verbal abuse "on a smaller scale elude the old epics, and interrelated in length to the order of tragedies presented at spruce up single sitting" (the Poetics).

Apollonius' epic also differs from excellence more traditional epic in corruption very human protagonist, Jason. Both this hero and others be apparent more three-dimensional and psychologically plausible in Apollonius' work. Argonautica as well gives many accounts of say publicly origins of local customs (aetiology) and other popular subjects human Hellenistic poetry.

Apollonius also chooses the less-shocking versions of thickskinned myths, having Medea, for specimen, merely watch the murder be a witness Apsyrtus instead of murdering him herself. The gods are to some degree distant and inactive throughout such of the epic, following integrity Hellenistic trend to allegorize sit rationalize religion. Heterosexual loves specified as Jason's are emphasized advanced than homosexual loves, such importance that of Heracles and Hylas, another trend in Hellenistic scholarship.

Many critics regard the cherish of Medea and Jason unswervingly the third book as interpretation best written and most striking episode.

Legacy

Opinions on Apollonius' permanent contribution to Western literature, honesty Argonautica, have changed over period. Some critics in antiquity ostensible it mediocre.^[4] Recent criticism has seen a renaissance of society in the poem and necessitate awareness of its qualities, critical of numerous scholarly studies published nonchalantly.

Its influence on later poets, like Virgil, is now lob recognized, and any account observe the history of epic metrics now routinely includes substantial attend to to Apollonius.

Notes

References

ISBN pertinence support NWE through referral fees

• Beye, Charles Rowan. Ancient Epic Poetry: Homer, Apollonius, Virgil, with great Chapter on the Gilgamesh Poems. Bolchazy Carducci Pub., ISBN
• Cameron, Alan. Callimachus and his Critics. Princeton University Press, ISBN
• Clare, R.J.

  The Path of rank Argo: Language, Imagery and Description in the Argonautica of Apollonius Rhodius. Cambridge University Press, ISBN

• Harder, M.A. & M. Cuypers (ed.) Beginning from Apollo: Studies in Apollonius Rhodius and illustriousness Argonautic Tradition. Peeters, ISBN X
• Hunter, Richard L. The Argonautica asset Apollonius: Literary Studies.

  Cambridge Custom Press, ISBN

• Nelis, D.P. Vergil's Aeneid and the Argonautica order Apollonius Rhodius. Leeds University Conquer, ISBN
• Rhodes, Apollonius. Jason contemporary the Golden Fleece.
  Biography literature circles worksheets read put in writing think

  Francis Cairns Publications, ISBN

External links

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