Callimachus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Callimachus
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Papyrus fragment from the Aetia of Callimachus
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| Born | c. 310 BC Cyrene, Ptolemaic Kingdom |
| Died | c. 240 BC Alexandria, Ptolemaic Kingdom |
| Period | Hellenistic period |
| Genre | Aetiology, Epigram, Iambus, Hymn, Epyllion |
| Notable works | Aetia Hecale |
Callimachus (Ancient Greek: Καλλίμαχος, romanized: Kallimachos) was an important ancient Greek poet. He was also a scholar and a librarian. Callimachus lived in Alexandria around 310 to 240 BC.
He wrote more than 800 literary works. Sadly, most of his writings are now lost.
Contents
Who Was Callimachus?
Callimachus was born in Cyrene. This city was in ancient Libya. His family was well-known and important.
He later moved to Alexandria, Egypt. Alexandria was the capital city of the Ptolemaic kings. There, he received his education.
His Life and Work
Callimachus first worked as a schoolteacher in Alexandria. Later, he gained the support of King Ptolemy II Philadelphus. This king ruled Egypt at the time.
Callimachus then got a job at the famous Library of Alexandria. This library was one of the biggest and most important libraries in the ancient world. At the library, he created the Pinakes. This was a huge list of all Greek literature. It was like the first library catalog! He likely lived until the time of King Ptolemy III Euergetes.
What He Wrote
Callimachus wrote a lot, both prose (like stories) and poetry. But only a small part of his poems still exist today.
His main works include:
- The Aetia: This was a four-book poem. It explained the origins or reasons behind things.
- Six religious hymns: These were poems praising gods.
- About 60 epigrams: These are short, clever poems.
- A collection of satirical iambs: These were poems that made fun of things.
- A narrative poem called Hecale: This poem told a story.
Callimachus had a unique style. He preferred writing shorter poems. He did not like writing long epic poetry, which was very popular then. He believed in quality over quantity for his poems.
Why He Was Important
Callimachus and his ideas about poetry were very important. Many Roman poets looked up to him. These poets lived later, during the late Republic and early Empire.
Famous Roman poets like Catullus, Horace, Vergil, Propertius, and Ovid saw Callimachus's work as a main example. They learned from his style.
Today, experts who study ancient Greece see him as one of the most important Greek poets. He changed Greek poetry for his time. His style later influenced all of modern literature through Roman poetry.
Images for kids
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19th-century artistic rendering of the Library of Alexandria, where Callimachus compiled the Pinakes
See also
In Spanish: Calímaco (poeta) para niños
