Apollonius of Rhodes (Apollonios Rhodios) (270 BC? – unknown, after 245 BC), Hellenistic Greek epic poet and scholar of the Library of Alexandria, during the reigns of Ptolemy II and Ptolemy III, and a chief librarian of the Library of Alexandria. He is best known for his Argonautika, a literary epic retelling the ancient story of Jason and the Argonauts' quest for the Golden Fleece. Centuries: 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC Decades: 320s BC 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC 280s BC 270s BC - 260s BC 250s BC 240s BC 230s BC 220s BC 275 BC 274 BC 273 BC 272 BC 271 BC - 270 BC - 269 BC 268 BC 267... Centuries: 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC Decades: 290s BC 280s BC 270s BC 260s BC 250s BC - 240s BC - 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC 200s BC 190s BC Years: 250 BC 249 BC 248 BC 247 BC 246 BC - 245 BC - 244 BC 243 BC... The term Hellenistic (established by the German historian Johann Gustav Droysen) in the history of the ancient world is used to refer to the shift from a culture dominated by ethnic Greeks, however scattered geographically, to a culture dominated by Greek-speakers of whatever ethnicity, and from the political dominance... This article or section contains inappropriate citations. ... Head of Ptolemy II Philadelphus (309-246 BC), with Arsinoë II. Ptolemy II Philadelphus (309-246 BC), was of a delicate constitution, no Macedonian warrior-chief of the old style. ... Ptolemy III Euergetes I, (Ptolemaeus III) (Evergetes, Euergetes) (246 BC-222 BC). ... Jason (Greek: Ιάσων, Etruscan: Easun) is a hero of Greek mythology who led the Argonauts in the search of the Golden Fleece. ... Jason returns with the golden Fleece on an Apulian red-figure calyx krater, ca. ...

What is known of Apollonius' life comes from two accounts taken from scholia. Alexandrian by birth, Apollonius was drawn to the center of Hellenistic scholarship, the Library of Alexandria, where he became a student of Callimachus. Callimachus almost exclusively wrote epigrams and other short works, while Apollonius became interested in epic poetry. Their difference of opinions over the appropriate length and style for poetry led to a long and bitter literary feud, which may have been exacerbated after Ptolemy II chose Apollonius over his teacher Callimachus for the prestigious post of chief librarian. References to this feud appear in both poets’ surviving work, in the form of direct and vicious insults: Apollonius wrote an epigram calling Callimachus “trash” and a “blockhead,” and another calling the writing of Callimachus’ Aitia an “original sin, and among Callimachus' own contributions to the feud was a curse poem (‘’katadesmos’’) called The Ibis, which does not survive, though Ovid wrote his own imitation. From references in scolia, it is known that The Ibis attacked Apollonius as tasteless, vulgar, and a plagarist. Scholium (tr~bXtoe), the name given to a grammatical, critical and explanatory note, extracted from existing commentaries and inserted on the margin of the manuscript of an ancient author. ... This article or section contains inappropriate citations. ... Callimachus (ca. ... An epigram is a short poem with a clever twist at the end or a concise and witty statement. ... The epic is a broadly defined genre of poetry, and one of the major forms of narrative literature. ... Head of Ptolemy II Philadelphus (309-246 BC), with Arsinoë II. Ptolemy II Philadelphus (309-246 BC), was of a delicate constitution, no Macedonian warrior-chief of the old style. ... Genera Threskiornis Pseudibis Thaumatibis Geronticus Nipponia Bostrychia Theristicus Cercibis Mesembrinibis Phimosus Eudocimus Plegadis Lophotibis Ibises are a group of long-legged wading birds in the family Threskiornithidae. ... Engraved frontispiece of George Sandyss 1632 London edition of Publius Ovidius Naso (Sulmona, March 20, 43 BC â€“ Tomis, now Constanta AD 17) Roman poet known to the English-speaking world as Ovid, wrote on topics of love, abandoned women, and mythological transformations. ...

Early in his career, Apollonius gave a public reading of an early draft of the Argonautika. Given a poor reception by Callimachus and his supporters, Apollonius left Alexandria for Rhodes, where he revised his Argonautika. While on Rhodes, Apollonius won fame and respect, allowing him to return to his more respectful peers at the Library of Alexandria (by 270 BC – 265 BC). As a sign of love and gratitude for the city that had adopted him, he changed his style of address to Apollonios Rhodios, Apollonius of Rhodes. As one of the most respected scholars of Alexandria, Apollonius served as childhood tutor for Ptolemy III Euergetes in addition to his other responsibilites. He was appointed head of the Alexandrian Library, succeeding Zenodotus. Though some sources claim he served as chief librarian until his death, he most likely retired in 246 BC/245 BC, and Ptolemy III Euergetes appointed Eratosthenes as his replacement. Apollonius then retired to Rhodes, where he remained until his death at an unknown date. Rhodes, Greek Ρόδος (pron. ... Centuries: 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC Decades: 320s BC 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC 280s BC 270s BC - 260s BC 250s BC 240s BC 230s BC 220s BC 275 BC 274 BC 273 BC 272 BC 271 BC - 270 BC - 269 BC 268 BC 267... Centuries: 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC Decades: 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC 280s BC 270s BC - 260s BC - 250s BC 240s BC 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC Years: 270 BC 269 BC 268 BC 267 BC 266 BC - 265 BC - 264 BC 263 BC... Ptolemy III Euergetes, (Ptolemaeus III) (Evergetes, Euergetes) (reigned 246 BC-222 BC) is sometimes called Ptolemy III Euergetes I. (Ptolemy VIII also titled himself Euergetes: the Beneficent; but he is usually known, then and since, as Ptolemy Physcon: Belly. ... The Royal Library of Alexandria was once the largest in the world. ... Zenodotus, Greek grammarian and critic, pupil of Philetas of Cos, was a native of Ephesus. ... Centuries: 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC Decades: 290s BC 280s BC 270s BC 260s BC 250s BC - 240s BC - 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC 200s BC 190s BC Years: 251 BC 250 BC 249 BC 248 BC 247 BC - 246 BC - 245 BC 244 BC... Centuries: 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC Decades: 290s BC 280s BC 270s BC 260s BC 250s BC - 240s BC - 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC 200s BC 190s BC Years: 250 BC 249 BC 248 BC 247 BC 246 BC - 245 BC - 244 BC 243 BC... Eratosthenes (Ερατοσθένης) Eratosthenes (Ερατοσθένης) (276 BC - 194 BC) was a Hellenistic mathematician, geographer and astronomer. ...

Argonautika

Main article: Argonautika

The Argonautika differs in some respects from traditional or Homeric Greek epic, though Apollonius certainly used Homer as a model. The Argonautika is much shorter than Homer’s epics, with four books totaling less than 6,000 lines, while the Iliad runs to more than 15,000. Apollonius may have been influenced here by Callimachus’ brevity, or by Aristotle’s demand for "poems on a smaller scale than the old epics, and answering in length to the group of tragedies presented at a single sitting" (Poetics), which is true of the Argonautika. The Iliad (Ancient Greek Ιλιάς, Ilias) tells part of the story of the siege of the city of Ilium, i. ... Aristotle (Ancient Greek: AristotélÄ“s 384 – March 7, 322 BCE) was an ancient Greek philosopher, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. ...

Apollonius’ epic also differs from the more traditional epic in its weaker, more human protagonist Jason and in its many discursions into local custom, aeitiology, and other popular subjects of Hellenistic poetry. Apollonius also chooses the less shocking versions of some myths, having Medea, for example, merely watch the murder of Apsyrtos instead of murdering him herself. The gods are relatively distant and inactive throughout much of the epic, following the Hellenistic trend to allegorize and rationalize religion. Heterosexual loves such as Jason’s are more emphasized than homosexual loves such as that of Herakles and Hylas are less discussed, another trend in Hellenistic literature. Many critics regard the love of Medea and Jason in the third book as the Argonautica’s best written and most memorable episode. Medea by Evelyn De Morgan. ... For the son of Alexander the Great, see Heracles (Macedon). ... Two Argonauts before a hunt. ... This article or section should be merged with Jason. ...

Opinions on the exact merit of the poem have been divided, with Longinus' and Quintilian's considering it mediocre. Other sources ranging from the Encyclopedia Britannica to many Roman poets, whose own epics were influenced by Apollonius, hold higher opinions.

Selected References

• Editio princeps (Florence, 1496).
• Merkel-Keil (with scholia, 1854).
• Seaton (1900).
• This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
• Green, Alexander to Actium: The political evolution of the Hellenistic age (1990), particularly Ch. 11 and 13.
• Longinus (De Sublime, p. 54, 19)
• Quintilian (Institutio Oratoria, x. 1, 54)
• Aristotle (Poetics)

English translations: Verse: In classical scholarship, editio princeps is a term of art. ... Encyclopædia Britannica, the 11th edition The Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition (1910–1911) is perhaps the most famous edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica. ... The public domain comprises the body of all creative works and other knowledge—writing, artwork, music, science, inventions, and others—in which no person or organization has any proprietary interest. ... Aristotles Poetics aims to give an account of poetry. ...

• Greene (1780).
• Fawkes (1780).
• Preston (1811).
• Way (1901).
• Green (1989).

Prose by Coleridge (1889).

• Auguste Couat, La Poésie alexandrine
• Franz Susemihl, Geschichte der griechischen Litteratur in der Alexandrinerzeit
• This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.

Encyclopædia Britannica, the 11th edition The Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition (1910–1911) is perhaps the most famous edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica. ... The public domain comprises the body of all creative works and other knowledge—writing, artwork, music, science, inventions, and others—in which no person or organization has any proprietary interest. ...

External links

• Works by Apollonius of Rhodes at Project Gutenberg