Hymns and Epigrams

CALLIMACHUS of Cyrene, 3rd century B.C., became after 284 B.C. a teacher of 'grammar', and poetry at Alexandria where he was made a librarian in the "University' and prepared a catalogue of the books in its library. He died about the year 240. Of his large published output, only 6 hymns, 63 epigrams, and fragments survive (Loeb Nos. 421, 129). The hymns are very learned and artificial in style; the epigrams are good (they are also in the Loeb Greek Anthology volumes). LYCOPHRON of Chalcis in Euboea was a contemporary of Callimachus in Alexandria where he became supervisor of the comedies included in the new library. He wrote a treatise on these and composed tragedies and other poetry. We possess Alexandra or Cassandra where-in Cassandra foretells the fortune of Troy and the besieging Greeks. This poem is a curiosity -- a showpiece of knowledge of obscure stories, names, and words. ARATUS of Soli in Cilicia, c. 315-245 B.C., was a didactic poet at the court of Antigonus Gonatas of Macedonia, where he wrote his famous Phaenomena (Appearances). He visited Antiochus I of Syria but returned to Macedonia. His work is an imitation of Eudoxus' prosework on astronomy, and cicero, germanicus Caesar, and Avieenius translated it into Latin; Cicero's survives in fragments only; the other versions are more complete, Avienius; being a paraphrase