In the gap between the Classical period of Greek literature in the fifth century BC and the flowering of Latin literature some four hundred years later, the undisputed centreof ancient learning was the Hellenistic city of Alexandria, in modern Egypt.
The city was founded by Alexander the Great to mark his conquest of Egypt in 331 Bc and was the capital of the ptolemaic pharaohs after Alexander's death. A rich and peaceful city, it attracted the leading scholars of the age, who came to study in its famous library. Although Alexandrian literature never matched the classical greek literature from which it derived, it did have a huge influence on later Roman work.
Most influencial of all was the poet Callimachus, who advocated a move away from the rambling epic style that had gone before and concetrated insead on writing highly polished short verses, few of which now survive. This 'Alexandrian' elegance became proverbial, making a big impression on Roman poets like Catullus, although it has always been associated with dry, scholarly erudition unlike the fresh, vigorous literature that came before
No comments:
Post a Comment