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Apollonius Rhodius, His Figures, Syntax, and Vocabulary: A Dissertation Presented to the Board of University Studies of the Johns Hopkins University ... Doctor of Philosophy, 1890
Excerpt from Apollonius Rhodius, His Figures, Syntax, and Vocabulary
Among the poets Of the Alexandrian period, Apollonius Rhodius is, with the single exception Of Theocritus, the most important. He possesses in a marked degree the faults Of his age; but he was endowed with a genius higher and more original than most of his contemporaries. The period at which he lived was one Of minute, laborious learning, Of pettiness of thought and extreme elaboration Of language, Of imitation almost servile. Wealth Of erudition was combined with poverty Of invention. The bounds of literary effort were rigidly fixed by a narrow interpretation Of ancient models.' Callimachus, the most in?uential poet Of his day, and the reputed master of Apollonius, had pronounced the composition Of a suc cessful epic in the Homeric style no longer possible, and the common Opinion frowned upon such an attempt as presumptuous. In defiance Of this sentiment, Apollonius conceived the purpose of composing such an epic, and this became the ambition of his life. The earlier portion Of the work, written and published in boy hood, met with a scornful and humiliating reception; but the labor Of long years passed in retirement at Rhodes won for him at last the recognition Of his contemporaries. He returned to Alexandria, was appointed librarian of the great library Of the Ptolemies, and in Old age filled the position and enjoyed the honors Of his predecessor, towards whom he had exhibited the proverbial bitterness Ofa literary feud.
Among the poets Of the Alexandrian period, Apollonius Rhodius is, with the single exception Of Theocritus, the most important. He possesses in a marked degree the faults Of his age; but he was endowed with a genius higher and more original than most of his contemporaries. The period at which he lived was one Of minute, laborious learning, Of pettiness of thought and extreme elaboration Of language, Of imitation almost servile. Wealth Of erudition was combined with poverty Of invention. The bounds of literary effort were rigidly fixed by a narrow interpretation Of ancient models.' Callimachus, the most in?uential poet Of his day, and the reputed master of Apollonius, had pronounced the composition Of a suc cessful epic in the Homeric style no longer possible, and the common Opinion frowned upon such an attempt as presumptuous. In defiance Of this sentiment, Apollonius conceived the purpose of composing such an epic, and this became the ambition of his life. The earlier portion Of the work, written and published in boy hood, met with a scornful and humiliating reception; but the labor Of long years passed in retirement at Rhodes won for him at last the recognition Of his contemporaries. He returned to Alexandria, was appointed librarian of the great library Of the Ptolemies, and in Old age filled the position and enjoyed the honors Of his predecessor, towards whom he had exhibited the proverbial bitterness Ofa literary feud.
37 pages, Paperback
Published August 24, 2018
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