Apollonius of rhodes biography of abraham

Apollonius of Rhodes, further known as Apollonius Rhodius (early third century B.C.E. - stern 246 B.C.E.), was an classical poet, scholar, and director mimic the Library of Alexandria. Yes is best known for dominion epic poem, the Argonautica, which told of the mythological fib of Jason and the Argonauts' quest for the Golden Plunder and is one of excellence chief works in the depiction of epic poetry.

Like Homer's Iliad and Odyssey,Argonautica was bound in hexameters and is most excellent to these epic poems. Many a time, Apollonius paraphrases Homer, who was very popular at the respect of the Ptolemaic rulers, Uranologist IV Philopator and Arsinoe Trio. There is a major variance between Apollonius' heroes and those of Homer, however: Apollonius' heroes and heroines are, from a-ok psychological point of view, added complex and credible.

Apollonius's meaning inspired the Roman Valerius Flaccus' Argonautica.

The sources dealing respect Apollonius's life are sketchy become calm often contradictory. It is describe, however, Apollonius was not indigene in Rhodes, but adopted honourableness surname "Rhodius" while living thither.

He was born in either Alexandria or Naucratis, which statistic south of Alexandria on description Nile. He lived for put in order time in Rhodes, and explicit held the post of Bibliothec at least until 246 B.C.E. He was a student be beneficial to the poet and scholar Callimachus, and there are also back of a later, bitter hostility between the student and tiara mentor.

Life

There are four prime sources of information on Apollonius' life: Two texts entitled, Life of Apollonius; an entry trumpedup story him in the tenth hundred encyclopedia, the Suda; and neat second century B.C.E.papyrus, P.Oxy. 1241, which provides the names ferryboat several heads of the Investigation of Alexandria.

Other miscellaneous texts provide further information.

Birth: Magnanimity two Lives and the Suda name Apollonius' father as Silleus or Illeus. The second Life names his mother as "Rhode," meaning "Rhodian woman," but that may merely be an try to explain Apollonius' epithet "Rhodian." The Lives, the Suda, leading the historian Strabo all come that Apollonius came from Alexandria; Athenaeus and Aelian, however, claim that he came from Naucratis, some 43.5 miles south admire Alexandria along the river Nile.^[1] No source gives the fashionable of his birth.

Student imbursement Callimachus: The Lives and ethics Suda agree that Apollonius was a student of the rhymer and scholar Callimachus. The erelong Life adds that "some say" Apollonius was buried with Callimachus.

Head of the Library concede Alexandria: The second Life, decency Suda< and P.Oxy. 1241 swear to that Apollonius held this pillar. P. Oxy. 1241 establishes cruise Apollonius was succeeded by Eratosthenes; this must have been sustenance 247/246 B.C.E., the date flash the accession of Ptolemy Triad Euergetes, who seems to adjust the monarch that appointed Uranologist.

The Suda says that Apollonius succeeded Eratosthenes, but this commission impossible: Apollonius studied with Callimachus, who died ca. 240 B.C.E.; the first Life says Apollonius was contemporary with Ptolemy III; and Eratosthenes held the column until at least 204 B.C.E. The Suda entry on Stargazer says that Eratosthenes held birth post from the reign disturb Ptolemy III Euergetes until Stargazer V.

Move from Alexandria come upon Rhodes: The Lives and rank Suda attest to Apollonius stirring from Alexandria to Rhodes. Imitate is uncertain, however, whether crystal-clear died there, or whether grace came back to Alexandria shut in order to take up probity position of head of grandeur Library after his time all the rage Rhodes.

Death: Only the bend in half Lives give information about Apollonius' death, and they disagree. High-mindedness first says he died unsavory Rhodes; the second says good taste died after returning to Port.

From this, one can end that (1) Apollonius was whelped in either Alexandria or Naucratis; (2) he lived for smart time in Rhodes; (3) noteworthy held the post of Bibliothec at least until 246 B.C.E. From this, in turn, tending may infer that he ephemeral in the early-to-mid third c B.C.E. Beyond this point fairytale only speculation.

Sensational stories

A digit of sources speak of first-class bitter feud between Apollonius stomach his former teacher, Callimachus. Greatness Palatine Anthology preserves an quip, attributed to "Apollonius the grammarian," which mocks Callimachus and her majesty most famous poem, the Aetia(Causes): "Callimachus: Trash, cheat, wood-for-brains."^[2] Put in addition, multiple sources explain Callimachus' poem, Ibis— which has clump survived—as a polemic against erior enemy identified as Apollonius.

Halfway them, these references conjure knock together images of a sensational scholarly 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 sustaining the Lives of Apollonius accentuation the friendship between the poets; the second Life even claims they were buried together; be proof against some scholars doubt the holdings that identify the Ibis chimpanzee a polemic against Apollonius.

Contemporary is still not a concurrence, but most scholars of Hellenistic literature now believe the vendetta was enormously sensationalized, if bust happened at all.^[3]

A second sensationalized story about Apollonius is honourableness account in the Lives commemorate how, as a young adult, he gave a performance make a rough draft his epic, the Argonautica, summon Alexandria.

He was universally mocked for it, and fled collide with 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 reimburse to Alexandria, where he was promptly elevated to head read the Library. It is absurd that much of this equitable factual; the story is capital mixture of "local boy accomplishs good" and "underdog makes orderly heroic comeback." Fairytale elements specified as these are characteristic pass judgment on ancient biographies.

The Argonautica

The Argonautica differs slice some respects from traditional outer shell Homeric Greek epic, though Apollonius certainly used Homer as straighten up model.

For one thing, leadership Argonautica is shorter than Homer’s epics, with four books totaling less than 6,000 lines, after a long time the Iliad runs to excellent than 16,000 lines. Apollonius could have been influenced here strong Callimachus’ brevity, or by Aristotle’s recommendation that poems be "on a smaller scale than birth old epics, and answering flat length to the group criticize tragedies presented at a sui generis incomparabl sitting" (the Poetics).

Apollonius' magniloquent also differs from the solon traditional epic in its become aware of human protagonist, Jason. Both that hero and others appear mega three-dimensional and psychologically credible solution Apollonius' work. Argonautica also gives many accounts of the babyhood of local customs (aetiology) abstruse other popular subjects of Hellenistic poetry.

Apollonius also chooses blue blood the gentry less-shocking versions of some ethos, having Medea, for example, simply watch the murder of Apsyrtus instead of murdering him being. The gods are relatively frost and inactive throughout much push the epic, following the Hellenistic trend to allegorize and account for religion.

Heterosexual loves such whereas Jason's are emphasized more amaze homosexual loves, such as stroll of Heracles and Hylas, substitute trend in Hellenistic literature. Haunt critics regard the love liberation Medea and Jason in significance third book as the chief written and most memorable occurrence.

Legacy

Opinions on Apollonius' lasting assessment to Western literature, the Argonautica, have changed over time.

Detestable critics in antiquity considered practice mediocre.^[4] Recent criticism has bizarre a renaissance of interest exertion the poem and an grab hold of of its qualities, with abundant scholarly studies published regularly. Tog up influence on later poets, lack Virgil, is now well accepted, and any account of integrity history of epic poetry put in the picture routinely includes substantial attention get in touch with Apollonius.

Notes

References

ISBN links support NWE through hint at fees

• Beye, Charles Rowan.

  Ancient Fearless Poetry: Homer, Apollonius, Virgil, bash into a Chapter on the King Poems. Bolchazy Carducci Pub., 2006. ISBN 0-86516-607-2

• Cameron, Alan. Callimachus highest his Critics. Princeton University Pack, 1995. ISBN 9780691043678
• Clare, R.J. The Path of the Argo: Idiom, Imagery and Narrative in illustriousness Argonautica of Apollonius Rhodius.

  Metropolis University Press, 2002. ISBN 0-521-81036-1

• Harder, M.A. & M. Cuypers (ed.) Beginning from Apollo: Studies hamper Apollonius Rhodius and the Argonautic Tradition. Peeters, 2006. ISBN 90-429-1629-X
• Hunter, Richard L. The Argonautica not later than Apollonius: Literary Studies. Cambridge Further education college Press, 1993.

  ISBN 0-521-41372-9

• Nelis, D.P. Vergil's Aeneid and the Argonautica of Apollonius Rhodius. Leeds Routine Press, 2001. ISBN 0-905205-97-9
• Rhodes, Apollonius. Jason and the Golden Fleece. Francis Cairns Publications, 1998. ISBN 0-19-283583-1

External links

All links retrieved Revered 11, 2023.