An Anonymous Epigram from the Greek Anthology

    I found something! Well, something I didn't know about.


    From the Loeb Classical Library's Greek Anthology:


    Quote

    ANONYMOUS: I, THE pencil, was silver when I came from the fire, but in thy hands I have become golden likewise. So, charming Leontion, hath Athena well gifted thee with supremacy in art, and Cypris with supremacy in beauty.

    For those interested, here's the Internet Archive link to the Greek Anthology. Joshua 's discovery is #324.

    The section the epigram is in is the Planudean Appendix:

    Quote

    EPIGRAMS OF THE PLANUDEAN ANTHOLOGY NOT IN THE PALATINE MANUSCRIPT The Anthology of Planudes is in seven Books, the contents of which are as follows : I. Declamatory and Descriptive Epigrams ; II. Satirical Epigrams ; III. Sepulchral Epigrams ; IV. Epigrams on monuments, statues, etc. ; V. Christodorus' description of the statues in the gymnasium of the Zeuxippus (= Anth. Pal., Book II.), and a collection of Epigrams from the Hippodrome in Constantinople ; VI. Dedicatory Epigrams ; Vil. Amatory Epigrams. As will be seen, while the other Books contain only a small number of Epigrams not included in the Palatine MS., almost the whole of Book IV. is absent from the latter, and we can only conclude that a Book of the Anthology of Cephalas was missing in the MS. of which the Palatine MS. is a transcript.

    It seems the compiler of the appendix was similar to Diogenes Laertius in bringing together disparate sources so it might be impossible to have context. The epigram may have been literally on a pencil found somewhere.


    Here's also an interesting post on Leontion from the British Museum.

    Thank you for following up on that, Don; I was up far too late last night.


    I also found that British Museum article, and I found the illustrations very interesting. Elli wrote an article a few years back on what she believes was the misidentification of Epicurus in Raphael's School of Athens. I think at some point I'll write an article or make a video arguing the other side in that debate, looking at Diogenes Laertius, the Nuremburg Chronicle, and De Claris Mulieribus for clues.

    Quote from JJElbert

    Thank you for following up on that, Don; I was up far too late last night.


    I also found that British Museum article, and I found the illustrations very interesting. Elli wrote an article a few years back on what she believes was the misidentification of Epicurus in Raphael's School of Athens. I think at some point I'll write an article or make a video arguing the other side in that debate, looking at Diogenes Laertius, the Nuremburg Chronicle, and De Claris Mulieribus for clues.

    you mean you think there are clues that the pudgy guy with the head wreath is Epicurus? Or was intended to be him? Don't bite off too many projects at one time but that is one I hope you'll be able to follow up on because if there are relevant source materials it would be interesting.

    I'd be curious to pursue it at any rate. But you're right, it won't be a priority. Maybe a video on the "state of play" would be the way to go about it. I didn't record last night by the way, so Tuesday will be the next opportunity.

    1 - Yes I think Jstor has some level of free plan most of the time -- 5 articles at a time, or something like that (?)


    2 - So just to be clear on your earlier comment, the issue you noticed is that there may be some evidence that the wreathed figure was intended to be Epicurus? I am thinking i am much more interested in hearing your poetry than seeing you get diverted on that, but if you could summarize in a sentence of two what you think may be there I would love to file that away in my mind too ;)