Influence Philitas of Cos

the narrative of philetas rodolfo amoedo, 1887



a 3rd century bc coin depicts co-rulers of ptolemaic egypt: ptolemy ii philadelphus (left), patron , ex-pupil of philitas; , philadelphus sister , wife arsinoe ii, possibly ex-pupil.

philitas important intellectual figure in years of hellenistic civilization. gained instant recognition in both poetry , literary scholarship, and, far known, first person called poet scholar (ποιητὴς ἅμα καὶ κριτικός, poiētḕs [h]áma kaì kritikós). tutor philadelphus assumed have had great influence on development of mouseion @ alexandria, scholarly institution included famous library of alexandria. statue erected of him, possibly @ mouseion @ cos, , work explicitly acknowledged classic both theocritus , callimachus.

his reputation scholarship endured @ least century. in athens, comic playwright strato made jokes assumed audiences knew philitas vocabulary, , vocabulary criticized more century later influential homeric scholar aristarchus of samothrace in against philitas (Πρὸς Φιλίταν, pròs philítan). geographer strabo described him 3 centuries later simultaneously poet , critic .

philitas first writer works represent combination of qualities regarded hellenistic: variety, scholarship, , use of homeric sources in non-epic works. directly influenced major hellenistic poets callimachus , apollonius of rhodes. poetry mentioned or briefly quoted callimachus , other ancient authors, , poetic reputation endured @ least 3 centuries, augustan poets identified name great elegiac writing. propertius linked him callimachus following well-known couplet:

the 1st-century ad rhetorician quintilian ranked philitas second callimachus among elegiac poets. philitas influence has been found or suspected in wide range of ancient writing; longus 2nd century ad novel daphnis , chloe contains character named after him. wrote seems have disappeared within 2 centuries, though, unlikely writer later 2nd century bc read few of lines.