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Aristotle's Hymn to Virtue

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 February 2009

C. M. Bowra
C. M. Bowra
Affiliation:
Wadham College, Oxford
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Extract

The remarkable poem in which Aristotle addresses ‘Αρετά and honours the memory of his dead friend Hermias is fortunate in being well preserved. The complete text is given by Athenaeus XV 696a and by Diogenes Laertius V 27, and these authorities are now supplemented by the papyrus of Didymus’ Commentary on Demosthenes, which leaves few of the textual problems in need of a solution. But the poem still raises some questions. It is not clear what kind of poem it was; its literary antecedents and affinities have not been fully studied; its contents still call for some remarks. In spite of Wilamowitz's brilliant treatment and Jaeger's acute comments it is puzzling enough to justify a few words of discussion.

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
The Classical Quarterly , Volume 32 , Issue 3-4 , July 1938, pp. 182 - 189
Copyright
Copyright © The Classical Association 1938

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References

page 182 note 1 Fr. 4 Diehl.

page 182 note 2 Berliner klassiker Texte I ed. Diels-Schubart, , pp. 25–27Google Scholar.

page 182 note 3 Aristotleles und Athen, II, pp. 404–412.

page 182 note 4 Aristotle, Eng. Trans., pp. 108–109 and 118–119.

page 182 note 5 Diehl II p. 131, Maas, P., Epidaurische Hymnen, pp. 148–149Google Scholar.

page 182 note 6 I.G. II 3, 1280.

page 184 note 1 Cf. Wilamowitz, , Griechische Vtrskunst, pp. 439Google Scholar and 528.

page 184 note 2 A similar combination may be seen in two Otherotber poems which look as if they too had come under Ariphron's spell. The Paean of Licymnius and Aristonus’ Hymn to Hestia both begin with the metrical form which looks like an Anapaestic Dipody followed by an Iambic Tripody. Since both continue with ‘Dactylo-epitrites’, it looks as if they followed the same general principles as Ariphron. Otherwise the combination is rare.

page 184 note 3 Pindar, , Nem. IV 84Google Scholar is not relevant since the words βασɩλεσɩѵ ίσοδαίμοѵα ϕτα mean ‘a man equal in fortune to kings’.

page 185 note 1 Cf. Färber, H., Die Lyrik in der Kunsttheorie der Antike II, pp. 45–49Google Scholar.

page 185 note 2 Berliner hlassiker Texte, V II, pp. 56–62Google Scholar.