A Lesson for the King: Sotades’ Invective against Ptolemy (fr. 1 and 16 Powell) and Callimachus’ “Epigram” 1 Pfeiffer

Thumbnail Image

Files

Kwapisz_Symbolae_Philologorum_Posnaniensium_XIX.pdf (145.09 KB)

Date

2009

Authors

Advisor

Editor

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Wydawnictwo Poznańskiego Towarzystwa Przyjaciół Nauk

Title alternative

Abstract

The paper discusses the fable-like form of Callimachus’ Epigram 1 Pfeiffer and of Sotades’ fragmentary Invective against Ptolemy, and suggests that the former poem may contain an allusion to the latter. In the light of this reading, both poems are to be viewed as playfully encouraging the Ptolemies’ incestuous marriage.
The present discussion develops Roberto Pretagostini’s proposal of reconstructing Sotades’ invective against Ptolemy as beginning with fr. 16 and ending with fr. 1 Powell, and his suggestion that Callimachus, fr. 75.4–5 Pfeiffer contains an allusion to Sotades’ poem. An examination of Callimachus’ Epigram 1 shows on the one hand that it can be read as a jocular comment on the Ptolemies’ marriage, and on the other that its form is conventional and typical of the early Greek fable. Since Sotades’ invective appears to share these characteristics, it is argued that Epigram 1 is another instance of when Callimachus alludes to Sotades.

Description

Sponsor

Keywords

callimachus, sotades, Hellenistic poetry, ancient fable

Citation

Symbolae Philologorum Posnaniensium, 2009, nr XIX, pp. 85-94

Seria

ISBN

978-83-232-2153-1

ISSN

0302-7384

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/10593/4544

DOI

Title Alternative

Rights Creative Commons

Creative Commons License

Collections

Symbolae Philologorum Posnaniensium, 2009, nr XIX