Simmias of Rhodes
Encyclopedia
For other persons with the same name, see Simmias
Simmias of Rhodes
, was a Greek
poet and grammarian of the Alexandrian
school, which nourished under the early Ptolemies. He was earlier than the tragic poet Philiscus of Corcyra
, whose time is about 300 BC
, at least if we accept the assertion of Hephaestion (p. 31), that the choriambic hexameter
, of which Philiscus claimed the invention, had been previously used by Simmias. The Suda
tell us, that he wrote three books of Gloss
ai (collections of obscure words), and four books of miscellaneous poems (ποιήματα διάφορα, poiemata diaphora); the latter part of the article in the Suda is obviously misplaced, and belongs to the life of Simonides of Amorgus. Of his grammatical works nothing more is known ; but his poems are frequently referred to, and some of them seem to have been epic. His Gorgo
is quoted by Athenaeus
(xi. p. 491); his Months and Apollon by Stephanus Byzantinus and a fragment of thirteen lines from the latter poem is preserved by Tzetzes (Chil. vii. 144), and has been edited by Brunck.
As an epigrammatist, Simmias had a place in the Garland of Meleager, and the Greek Anthology
contains six epigrams ascribed to him, besides three short poems of that fantastic species called carmina figurata
, that is, pieces in which the lines are so arranged as to make the whole poem resemble the form of some object; those of Simmias are entitled, from their forms, the Pteryges (Wings), the Oon (Egg), and the Pelekys (Hatchet). There are several other poems of the same species in the Anthology, such as the Syringes
(Pan Pipes), attributed to Theocritus
, the Altar of Dosiadas, and the Egg and Hatchet of Besantinus.
Simmias
Simmias may refer to:*Simmias of Thebes follower of Socrates*Simmias of Macedon general of Alexander the Great*Simmias of Rhodes poet and grammarian *Simmias of Syracuse student of philosophy...
Simmias of Rhodes
Rhodes
Rhodes is an island in Greece, located in the eastern Aegean Sea. It is the largest of the Dodecanese islands in terms of both land area and population, with a population of 117,007, and also the island group's historical capital. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within...
, was a 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....
poet and grammarian of the Alexandrian
Alexandrian
Alexandrian is either:* an adjective referring to a place called Alexandria, as in Alexandrian text-type* a person from and/or inhabiting a city called Alexandria...
school, which nourished under the early Ptolemies. He was earlier than the tragic poet Philiscus of Corcyra
Philiscus of Corcyra
Philiscus of Corcyra, or Philicus was a distinguished tragic poet, and one of the seven who formed the Tragic Pleiad, was also a priest of Dionysus, and in that character he was present at the coronation procession of Ptolemy II Philadelphus in 284 BC...
, whose time is about 300 BC
300 BC
Year 300 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Corvus and Pansa...
, at least if we accept the assertion of Hephaestion (p. 31), that the choriambic hexameter
Hexameter
Hexameter is a metrical line of verse consisting of six feet. It was the standard epic metre in classical Greek and Latin literature, such as in the Iliad and Aeneid. Its use in other genres of composition include Horace's satires, and Ovid's Metamorphoses. According to Greek mythology, hexameter...
, of which Philiscus claimed the invention, had been previously used by Simmias. The Suda
Suda
The Suda or Souda is a massive 10th century Byzantine encyclopedia of the ancient Mediterranean world, formerly attributed to an author called Suidas. It is an encyclopedic lexicon, written in Greek, with 30,000 entries, many drawing from ancient sources that have since been lost, and often...
tell us, that he wrote three books of Gloss
Gloss
A gloss is a brief notation of the meaning of a word or wording in a text. It may be in the language of the text, or in the reader's language if that is different....
ai (collections of obscure words), and four books of miscellaneous poems (ποιήματα διάφορα, poiemata diaphora); the latter part of the article in the Suda is obviously misplaced, and belongs to the life of Simonides of Amorgus. Of his grammatical works nothing more is known ; but his poems are frequently referred to, and some of them seem to have been epic. His Gorgo
Gorgo
Gorgo is a 1961 British Giant monster movie. Directed by Eugène Lourié, it tells the story of an underwater monster's capture off the coast of Ireland. The monster is taken to London to be featured as a circus attraction. The film borrows elements from other monster movies, such as Godzilla and...
is quoted by Athenaeus
Athenaeus
Athenaeus , of Naucratis in Egypt, Greek rhetorician and grammarian, flourished about the end of the 2nd and beginning of the 3rd century AD...
(xi. p. 491); his Months and Apollon by Stephanus Byzantinus and a fragment of thirteen lines from the latter poem is preserved by Tzetzes (Chil. vii. 144), and has been edited by Brunck.
As an epigrammatist, Simmias had a place in the Garland of Meleager, and the Greek Anthology
Greek Anthology
The Greek Anthology is a collection of poems, mostly epigrams, that span the classical and Byzantine periods of Greek literature...
contains six epigrams ascribed to him, besides three short poems of that fantastic species called carmina figurata
Carmina figurata
Carmen figuratum is a poem that has a certain shape or pattern formed either by all the words it contains or just by certain ones therein...
, that is, pieces in which the lines are so arranged as to make the whole poem resemble the form of some object; those of Simmias are entitled, from their forms, the Pteryges (Wings), the Oon (Egg), and the Pelekys (Hatchet). There are several other poems of the same species in the Anthology, such as the Syringes
Syrinx (disambiguation)
Syrinx is a nymph in Greek mythology. Syrinx and syringe both come from the Greek word σῦριγξ meaning "tube". The Latin/Greek-style plural of syrinx is syringes, which is also the plural of the word syringe.Syrinx may also refer to:...
(Pan Pipes), attributed to Theocritus
Theocritus
Theocritus , the creator of ancient Greek bucolic poetry, flourished in the 3rd century BC.-Life:Little is known of Theocritus beyond what can be inferred from his writings. We must, however, handle these with some caution, since some of the poems commonly attributed to him have little claim to...
, the Altar of Dosiadas, and the Egg and Hatchet of Besantinus.