Himnos

by Callimachus, Diego Honorato Errázuriz (Editor)

De las exiguas referencias biográficas que nos han llegado sobre Calímaco (nacido en Cirene, Libia) entre el 320 y el 305 a.C., el hecho más significativo es, sin duda, su establecimiento en la Alejandría Ptolemaica en torno al 285 a.C, donde no tardó en ocupar un cargo de importancia en la famosa biblioteca de Alejandría La vida y la obra poética de Calímaco están íntimamente unidas a la ciudad de Alejandría. Estamos frente a un poeta urbano que desarrolló toda su ingente actividad como poeta de la corte, en medio de la biblioteca y los gramáticos del Museo. La influencia de Calímaco como teórico literario y poeta fue extraordinaria en el periodo latino y medieval hasta comienzos del siglo XIII. Son numerosos los poetas romanos que vieron en el alejandrino un modelo de perfección poética: Ennio y otros "poetae novi" como Catulo, Propercio, Tibulo y Ovidio admiraron e imitaron al poeta docto por excelencia.

Genres: Poetry, Classics

264 pages, Paperback

First published October 12, 2012

About the author

Callimachus (310/305–240 BCE) (Greek: Καλλίμαχος, Kallimakhos) was a poet, critic, and scholar at the Library of Alexandria. He was a native of the Greek colony of Cyrene, Libya.

Reviews

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

This edition of the hymns of Callimachus contains expert scholarship, including a detailed introduction, maps, brief introductions to each hymn, the Greek text of all six hymns, prose translations of each hymn, and extensive notes. The book was clearly intended for scholars, as I often found myself treading deep water in the introduction and endnotes. Some knowledge of Greek would have been helpful, as there are many instances of untranslated Greek words, but I could still understand the context. The hymns only comprise about 30 pages of this book. The rest is much-appreciated scholarship.

As for Callimachus’ hymns, they work as succinct origin narratives for some important gods and myths. I especially enjoyed the story of Tiresias’ blinding in the hymn to Athena. I only wish that more of Callimachus’ work survived beyond his hymns and epigrams, the latter of which I am reading in the Loeb edition.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for a module on the Greek Gods in Literature. Interesting enough - The Hymns to Demeter and Artemis are particular favourites - and the interpretation is certainly better than the Loeb one. There's just something a little uninspiring about the other hymns - very different to the Homeric Hymns. Interesting.

[Lydia Collado · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entretinguts els himnes la veritat

[Kit · Rating 4 out of 5]

The apparatus for and analysis of this book are excellent. The translations may leave a little to be desired by the general reader of poetry, but the prose of them is clear and elucidates the content of their originals. A great primary source for anyone interested in this influential poet.