Hellenistic Literature Notes

Hellenistic Period Overview

  • 323 BC (death of Alexander the Great) - 31 BC (battle at Actium).

  • Four main dynastic kingdoms:

    • Antigonids: Macedon and Greece, capital Pella (306-168 BC).

    • Seleucids: Thrace to India, capital Antioch (312-64 BC).

    • Attalids: Asia Minor, capital Pergamum (283-130 BC).

    • Ptolemies: Egypt, capital Alexandria.

  • Rulers were patrons of arts and learning.

Alexandrian Rulers and Culture

  • Ptolemy I ‘Soter’ (323-283 BC).

  • Ptolemy II ‘Philadelphus’ (283-246 BC).

  • Ptolemy III ‘Euergetes’ (240-221 BC).

  • Ptolemy IV ‘Philopator’ (221-204 BC).

  • Establishment of dynastic cults and self-projection as Greek.

Alexandria as a Center of Learning

  • Museum: dedicated to arts and learning.

  • Alexandrian Library: center of learning.

  • 297 BC: Demetrius of Phalerum arrives in Alexandria from Athens.

  • Acquisition of books via purchases and transcriptions.

  • Activity in the Library:

    • Cataloging and recording of texts: Callimachus’ Pinakes.

    • Studying, analyzing, and editing texts, producing scholarly editions of the classics.

Key Figures

  • Hellenistic Scholars/Librarians:

    • Zenodotus of Ephesus.

    • Callimachus of Cyrene (active from c. 285 down to 246/5).

    • Apollonius of Rhodes (c.270-245 BC).

    • Eratosthenes of Cyrene (245-204 BC).

    • Aristophanes of Byzantium (204/1-189/6 BC).

    • Aristarchus of Samothrace (153-145 BC).

  • Specialization in the Arts:

    • New Comedy: Pioneered by Menander.

    • Basic plot: boy wants girl, obstacles, boy gets girl.

    • Formulaic plots, emphasis on interplay between characters and audience manipulation.

    • Homer remained the basis for elementary education.

  • Key Figures in Hellenistic Literature:

    • Callimachus of Cyrene (285-46): Aitia, Iambi, Hecale, Hymns to Gods.

    • Theocritus of Syracuse (active in 270s): Idyls, inventor of bucolic genre.

    • Aratus of Soli (315-240s B.C.): Phaenomena.

    • Apollonius of Rhodes (active ca. 270-245 BC): Argonautica.

    • The Greek Anthology: Collection of shorter poems.

Trends and Poetics

  • General Trends:

    • Evolution of koinē Greek.

    • Learned, obscure, self-conscious poetry.

    • Clever, witty, elitist, allusions to earlier writers.

    • Interest in aetiological stories and local cults/rituals.

  • Callimachus’ Poetics:

    • Slender Muse: Subtly crafted, intellectually challenging.

    • Untrodden paths: Original subjects, non-traditional styles.

    • Narrow road: Short poems.

  • Theocritus Idyll 17:

    • Panegyric of Ptolemy II, Philadelphus (reigned 285-247 BC), likely written in 273 BC.

    • Comparison of Ptolemy to heroes and gods.

    • Celebration of Ptolemy's virtue, wealth, and power.

  • Asclepiades A.P. 5.20