Modern knowledge of ancient Greek epigrams is largely based on works surviving in multi-author anthologies. The earliest known dateable anthology of epigrams is the Attic Epigrams collected by Philochorus in the late fourth century BC. This, and the second-century collection of Theban epigrams collected by Aristodemus of Thebes, were collected on a geographical basis, and were perhaps largely or entirely made up of epigrams found in local inscriptions;[1] later collections were instead arranged by author or subject.[2]
Known anthologies include:
- Attic Epigrams by Philochorus, late fourth century BC[3]
- Soros, 3rd century BC, collection in which there were epigrams of Posidippus of Pella[4]
- On the inscriptions to be found in cities, of Polemon of Athens, 2nd century BC[3]
- Theban Epigrams (Θηβαϊκὰ ἐπιγράμματα) of Aristodemus of Thebes: second century BC; contained multiple books and included commentary[3]
- Peri epigrammaton (Περὶ ἐπιγραμμάτων, "About epigrams") of Neoptolemus of Paros[5]
- Garland of Meleagros (Στέφανος τοῦ Μελεάγρου), of Meleager of Gadara, about 90–80 BC. Meleager's introductory poem names 47 poets; works by other authors are known to have been included. About 4,000 lines from this collection are included in the Palatine Anthology.[6]
- Garland of Philippus (Στέφανος τοῦ Φιλίππου τοῦ Θεσσαλονικέως), by Philippus of Thessalonica, mid-1st century AD.[7]
- Diogenianus, ἐπιγραμμάτωνἈνθολόγιον mentioned by the Suda. Diogenianus worked during the reign of Hadrian, and the collection perhaps contained epigrams from the first and second centuries AD.[8]
- Musa Puerilis (Μοῦσα Παιδική), anthology of Straton of Sardis, 2nd century, with pederastic content[9]
- The Sylloge of Palladas, 6th century collection of epigrams and epic fragments[10]
- Cycle of Agathias, second half of sixth century AD. Seven books of epigrams by Agathias and his contemporaries.[11]
- Sylloge Parisina: 13th century manuscript of 114 epigrams, derived from Cephalas' anthology.[12] The source of this manuscript may be an early abridgement of Cephalas' anthology, predating the Palatine Anthology.[13]
- Sylloge Euphemiana (about 890)[14]
- Syllogae minores, a series of smaller collections from various sources, among which are Sylloge Parisina and Sylloge Euphemiana already mentioned above
- Anthology of Cephalas – compiled by Constantine Cephalas in the last decades of the ninth century; most important sources include the Garlands of Meleager and Philip, the Anthology of Diogenian, the Sylloge of Pallada and the Cycle of Agathias[15]
- Palatine Anthology (Anthologia Palatina) – Byzantine anthology completed after 944, mostly a copy of Cephalas' anthology alongside other collections of epigrams and some longer poems.[16]
- Anthology of Planudes (Anthologia Graeca Planudea) Maximus Planudes, completed between 1299 and 1301, based on two manuscript copies of the anthology of Cephalas.[17]
- Greek Anthology (Anthologia Graeca): Term currently used for the collection of epigrams and poems of the Palatine and the Planudean Anthologies,[18] as well as from other sources[19]
References edit
- ^ Maltomini, Francesca (2019). "Greek Anthologies from the Hellenistic Age to the Byzantine Era: A Survey". A Companion to Ancient Epigram. pp. 211–212.
- ^ Maltomini, Francesca (2019). "Greek Anthologies from the Hellenistic Age to the Byzantine Era: A Survey". A Companion to Ancient Epigram. p. 224.
- ^ a b c Maltomini, Francesca (2019). "Greek Anthologies from the Hellenistic Age to the Byzantine Era: A Survey". A Companion to Ancient Epigram. p. 212.
- ^ Gutzwiller, Kathryn J. (2005). The New Posidippus: A Hellenistic Poetry Book. Oxford University Press. p. 7. ISBN 0199267812.
- ^ Harper, Charles Anthon (1853). A manual of Greek literature:from the earliest authentic periods to the close of the Byzantine era. p. 81.
- ^ Maltomini, Francesca (2019). "Greek Anthologies from the Hellenistic Age to the Byzantine Era: A Survey". A Companion to Ancient Epigram. p. 216.
- ^ Maltomini, Francesca (2019). "Greek Anthologies from the Hellenistic Age to the Byzantine Era: A Survey". A Companion to Ancient Epigram. p. 217.
- ^ Maltomini, Francesca (2019). "Greek Anthologies from the Hellenistic Age to the Byzantine Era: A Survey". A Companion to Ancient Epigram. p. 218.
- ^ Hine, Daryl (2001). Puerilities: Erotic Epigrams of the Greek Anthology. Princeton University Press. p. ix.
- ^ Lauxtermann, Marc D. (2003). Byzantine Poetry from Pisides to Geometres: Texts and Contexts. p. 100.
- ^ Maltomini, Francesca (2019). "Greek Anthologies from the Hellenistic Age to the Byzantine Era: A Survey". A Companion to Ancient Epigram. p. 219.
- ^ The Greek anthology : from Meleager to Planudes. Oxford : Clarendon Press ; New York : Oxford University Press. 1993. p. 217.
- ^ The Greek anthology : from Meleager to Planudes. Oxford : Clarendon Press ; New York : Oxford University Press. 1993. p. 253.
- ^ Lauxtermann, Marc D. (2003). Byzantine Poetry from Pisides to Geometres (PDF). VÖAW. p. 83. ISBN 3-7001-3150-X. Retrieved September 10, 2011.
{{cite book}}:|work=ignored (help) - ^ Lauxtermann, Marc D. (2003). Byzantine Poetry from Pisides to Geometres: Texts and Contexts. pp. 86–88.
- ^ Lauxtermann, Marc D. (2003). Byzantine Poetry from Pisides to Geometres: Texts and Contexts. pp. 83–84.
- ^ Maltomini, Francesca (2019). "Greek Anthologies from the Hellenistic Age to the Byzantine Era: A Survey". A Companion to Ancient Epigram. p. 222.
- ^ Anthony Grafton; Glenn W. Most; Salvatore Settis (2010). The Classical Tradition. Harvard University Press. p. 410. ISBN 9780674035720. Retrieved September 2, 2011.
- ^ The Greek anthology : from Meleager to Planudes / Alan Cameron, Oxford : Clarendon Press ; New York : Oxford University Press, 1993, ISBN 0-19-814023-1