Crinagoras of Mytilene
Encyclopedia
Crinagoras of Mytilene, also known as Crinogoras, sometimes spelt as Krinagorasis or Krinagoras (name in Greek: ο Κριναγόρας, 70 BC-18) was a Greek
Epigram
matist and ambassador, who lived in Rome as a court poet.
. Crinagoras was born and raised in the capital, which was the same name as the island. He had at least one known brother called Eucleides.
and Strabo mentions Crinagoras as a man of some distinction. According to inscriptions found in Mytilene, Crinagoras was sent as an ambassador on behalf of the capital to Rome
in 45 BC and 26 BC.
In the reign of the first Roman Emperor
Augustus
, he lived in the court as a poet. During his time in Rome, he wrote several epigrams, which refer to Augustus’ reign. He also wrote poems dedicated to the Roman Gods. Crinagoras, in his work, is perceived to have a true poetic spirit.
. In these epigrams, Crinagoras blames himself for the hanging of wealthy patrons and several epigrams are small presents to children of his Roman noble friends. He sent an epigram addressed to Augustus’ nephew Marcus Claudius Marcellus
, which with the epigram had a copy of the poems written by Greek poet Callimachus
and later Crinagoras had sent Marcellus another epigram on his return from the war with the Cantabri
. Other epigrams that Crinagoras has sent to was prince and future emperor Tiberius
, congratulating him on his military victories in Armenia
and Germany
and to Augustus’ niece Antonia Minor
. In other epigram, Crinagoras speaks of a sea voyage that he undertook from Asia
to Italy
, visiting Cyclades
and Corfu
on the way.
However, the most well known epigram that Crinagoras wrote was the epigram (below), that is considered to the eulogy of Ptolemaic
Greek
Princess and Roman Client Queen of Mauretania
, Cleopatra Selene II.
Crinagoras had written the above epigram, assuming that an eclipse had occurred at the time of Selene’s death at sunset. However there is a possibility, that Crinagoras was using a simple poetic metaphor
for her death playing on a lunar aspect of Selene’s name.
Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece is a civilization belonging to a period of Greek history that lasted from the Archaic period of the 8th to 6th centuries BC to the end of antiquity. Immediately following this period was the beginning of the Early Middle Ages and the Byzantine era. Included in Ancient Greece is the...
Epigram
Epigram
An epigram is a brief, interesting, usually memorable and sometimes surprising statement. Derived from the epigramma "inscription" from ἐπιγράφειν epigraphein "to write on inscribe", this literary device has been employed for over two millennia....
matist and ambassador, who lived in Rome as a court poet.
Early life
Crinagoras came from an eminent family from the Greek Island of MytileneMytilene
Mytilene is a town and a former municipality on the island of Lesbos, North Aegean, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Lesbos, of which it is a municipal unit. It is the capital of the island of Lesbos. Mytilene, whose name is pre-Greek, is built on the...
. Crinagoras was born and raised in the capital, which was the same name as the island. He had at least one known brother called Eucleides.
Rome
He was a contemporary of the Greek Geographer StraboStrabo
Strabo, also written Strabon was a Greek historian, geographer and philosopher.-Life:Strabo was born to an affluent family from Amaseia in Pontus , a city which he said was situated the approximate equivalent of 75 km from the Black Sea...
and Strabo mentions Crinagoras as a man of some distinction. According to inscriptions found in Mytilene, Crinagoras was sent as an ambassador on behalf of the capital to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
in 45 BC and 26 BC.
In the reign of the first Roman Emperor
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
Augustus
Augustus
Augustus ;23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14) is considered the first emperor of the Roman Empire, which he ruled alone from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD.The dates of his rule are contemporary dates; Augustus lived under two calendars, the Roman Republican until 45 BC, and the Julian...
, he lived in the court as a poet. During his time in Rome, he wrote several epigrams, which refer to Augustus’ reign. He also wrote poems dedicated to the Roman Gods. Crinagoras, in his work, is perceived to have a true poetic spirit.
Works
Crinagoras was the author of fifty-one epigrams, which are in the Greek AnthologyGreek Anthology
The Greek Anthology is a collection of poems, mostly epigrams, that span the classical and Byzantine periods of Greek literature...
. In these epigrams, Crinagoras blames himself for the hanging of wealthy patrons and several epigrams are small presents to children of his Roman noble friends. He sent an epigram addressed to Augustus’ nephew Marcus Claudius Marcellus
Marcus Claudius Marcellus (Julio-Claudian dynasty)
Marcus Claudius Marcellus was the eldest son of Octavia Minor, sister of Augustus, and Gaius Claudius Marcellus Minor, a former consul...
, which with the epigram had a copy of the poems written by Greek poet Callimachus
Callimachus
Callimachus was a native of the Greek colony of Cyrene, Libya. He was a noted poet, critic and scholar at the Library of Alexandria and enjoyed the patronage of the Egyptian–Greek Pharaohs Ptolemy II Philadelphus and Ptolemy III Euergetes...
and later Crinagoras had sent Marcellus another epigram on his return from the war with the Cantabri
Cantabri
The Cantabri were a pre-Roman Celtic people which lived in the northern Atlantic coastal region of ancient Hispania, from the 4th to late 1st centuries BC.-Origins:...
. Other epigrams that Crinagoras has sent to was prince and future emperor Tiberius
Tiberius
Tiberius , was Roman Emperor from 14 AD to 37 AD. Tiberius was by birth a Claudian, son of Tiberius Claudius Nero and Livia Drusilla. His mother divorced Nero and married Augustus in 39 BC, making him a step-son of Octavian...
, congratulating him on his military victories in Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and to Augustus’ niece Antonia Minor
Antonia Minor
Antonia Minor , also known as Antonia the Younger or simply Antonia was the younger of two daughters of Roman politician Mark Antony and Octavia Minor. Tacitus Ann. 4.44.2 and 12.54.2 may have confused the two Antonia sisters...
. In other epigram, Crinagoras speaks of a sea voyage that he undertook from Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, visiting Cyclades
Cyclades
The Cyclades is a Greek island group in the Aegean Sea, south-east of the mainland of Greece; and a former administrative prefecture of Greece. They are one of the island groups which constitute the Aegean archipelago. The name refers to the islands around the sacred island of Delos...
and Corfu
Corfu
Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The...
on the way.
However, the most well known epigram that Crinagoras wrote was the epigram (below), that is considered to the eulogy of Ptolemaic
Ptolemaic dynasty
The Ptolemaic dynasty, was a Macedonian Greek royal family which ruled the Ptolemaic Empire in Egypt during the Hellenistic period. Their rule lasted for 275 years, from 305 BC to 30 BC...
Greek
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
Princess and Roman Client Queen of Mauretania
Mauretania
Mauretania is a part of the historical Ancient Libyan land in North Africa. It corresponds to present day Morocco and a part of western Algeria...
, Cleopatra Selene II.
- The moon herself grew dark, rising at sunset,
- Covering her suffering in the night,
- Because she saw her beautiful namesake, Selene,
- Breathless, descending to Hades,
- With her she had had the beauty of her light in common,
- And mingled her own darkness with her death.
Crinagoras had written the above epigram, assuming that an eclipse had occurred at the time of Selene’s death at sunset. However there is a possibility, that Crinagoras was using a simple poetic metaphor
Metaphor
A metaphor is a literary figure of speech that uses an image, story or tangible thing to represent a less tangible thing or some intangible quality or idea; e.g., "Her eyes were glistening jewels." Metaphor may also be used for any rhetorical figures of speech that achieve their effects via...
for her death playing on a lunar aspect of Selene’s name.
Sources
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, p. 890 at the Ancient Library
- King Juba II of Numidia and Queen Cleopatra Selene of Mauretania
- http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Bios/CrinagorasOfMytilene.html
- http://ancienthistory.about.com/library/bl/bl_text_gkanth_bio4a.htm
- http://web.archive.org/web/20091027102056/http://geocities.com/christopherjbennett/ptolemies/selene_ii.htm