Antimach Kolofonsky

Came from Colophon or Claros . According to the Chronicle of Apollodorus , the heyday of his work fell on the end of the 5th century (about 404-403 BC) ^[2] . The most famous works of Antimachus were the epic poem Thebes, on the mythological plots of Thebes cycle ( Seven against Thebes , the campaign of the epigones ), and the elegy Lida, named after the deceased beloved. In this work, the poet consoles himself in his sufferings, comparing them with similar tragedies of ancient heroes ^[3] .

Very significant in volume (probably 24 books), Thebaid, judging by the surviving fragments, began with the abduction of Europe and the more rare myth of its concealment in a cave ^[4] . In the poem “Lida” written by the elegiac distich, Antimach combined the love component with the mythological one, thereby transforming the ancient elegia genre from a song of comfort and edification into a lyrical book poem ^[5] . In addition, his work “The Tablets” ^[6] is mentioned, and the epigram “Armed Aphrodite” is also attributed to him. In the scholia to Homer, Antimachus is indicated as the publisher of his poems ^[7] .

The pretentiousness of the syllable, the abundance of metaphors, the use of rare words and references to little-known myths did not contribute to the success of Antimachus' works among the general public, but were highly appreciated by representatives of the scientific direction of Alexandrian poetry. Many Alexandrian grammars gave him second place after Homer in the canon of epic poets ^[8] . Other classifiers assigned him a place in the top ten immediately after Paniasid ^[9] . A great admirer of Antimachus was Plato , who even sent his disciple Heraclides of Pontius to Colophon to collect poetry of this poet ^[10] . His fans were Posidippus and Asklepiad Samos , who called “Lida” “the joint work of Antimach and Muses” ^[11] .

Connoisseurs of a slender and clear style, on the contrary, treated Antimach coolly. The Quintillian indicates that his syllable is distinguished by its strength and importance ( vis et gravitas ), but lacks grace and real feeling, and in addition, this author does not know the techniques of composition ^[8] .

In fact, when the height of a syllable in some poet is achieved artificially, then there is a lot of far-fetched and pompous because of the frequent use of metaphors, as in Antimach.

- Proclus the Diadoch . Commentary on Timaeus. I, 63.

Also of low opinion about Antimach was Catullus ^[12] . Horace in the Epistle to the Pisces, as an example of excessive stretching of the narrative, mentions a certain poet who began the story of the return of Diomedes from the very history of Calydon hunting ^[13] . Scholia calls the name of Antimachus to this verse, and adds that “he stretched the material so that he filled them 24 books, without bringing his leaders to Thebes” ^[7] .

Several historical jokes about this poet have been preserved. Plutarch reports that once Antimachus competed in the presence of Lysander with another poet - Nikerat from Heracles. Each read his poem entitled "Lysandria," and the Spartan, who had a vague idea of ​​poetry, gave the victorious wreath to Nikerat. The annoyed Antimachus destroyed his work, and young Plato , admiring his poems, consoled the loser, telling him that for those unable to understand such poetry, their misunderstanding is just as evil as blindness is for the blind ^[14] .

Cicero , referring to Demosthenes , writes that once Antimach read to the public one of his works, and the listeners, tired of its length, parted, so that only Plato remained. “It doesn't matter,” said Antimach, “I will continue reading.” One Plato costs more than one hundred thousand others ” ^[15] .

Hermesianact mentions Antimachus in his list of unhappy love stories:

And Antimachus was smitten with love for Lydian Lydia,
He wandered for a long time in the region where the Pactol gilded,
And at the end of her, falling asleep a dead body
Dry ashes, poured tears and groans from longing.
He came to the high Colophon, filled with wailing scrolls
Revered poems, and then he put to rest from work.

- Catalog of lovers, 41–46

According to Dion Cassius , the emperor Adrian , being a fan of the dark and archaic style, put Antimach in first place among the epics: “he overthrew Homer and introduced instead him Antimachus, which many did not even know by name before” ^[16] . In imitation of his idol, the emperor wrote a rather dark work in meaning: “Katahany” (Taunts) ^[17] .

Antimachus had a strong influence on Hellenistic and Roman poetry, creating the genre of mythological elegy. The elegy “To Bittide” by Filet Kossky and “Leontion” Hermesianakt were created according to his samples. The innovation was that myths were grouped not according to the historical-geographical or genealogical principle, as among the Cyclists , but according to the content (in this case, unhappy love stories). It is believed that Antimach developed the myth of Medea 's love for Jason , introducing new subjects into the literature, in particular, the motive for the euthanasia of the serpent, drawn from him by Valery Flaccus and the creators of the late Greek “Argonautics” (III – IV centuries). In the field of epic, the work of Antimachus was a transitional stage from cyclical poetry to the learned Hellenistic epic, of which he was the direct predecessor and inspirer. Antholy was mentioned more than once in the scholars of Apollonius of Rhodes , and it is assumed that the lyrical myth of Medea owes its influence. Researchers of the 19th century have repeatedly tried to find out whether the Thebes of Antimach was among the sources of the same poem named Stacius , but because of the insignificance of the fragments that have reached us, it was not possible to come to a certain conclusion ^[18] .

Small fragments are preserved from the works of Antimach. They were published in the collections of Stoll (1845), Bergka ( Poetae Lyrici Graeci , 1882), Klinkel ( Fragmenta epicorum Graecorum , 1877). Current edition: Matthews VJ Antimachus of Colophon, text and commentary. Leiden: Brill, 1996. ISBN 90-04-10468-2

• Hellenic poets of the 8th – 3rd centuries BC e. (fragments of Thebaids, pp. 203–206) - M .: Ladomir, 1999 - ISBN 5-86218-237-3
• Ancient Greek elegy (p. 175). - SPb .: Aleteyya, 1996. - ISBN 5-85233-003-26 (wrong)

• The history of Greek literature. T. III. Literature of the Hellenistic and Roman periods. - M.: Publishing House of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, 1960
• Tsybenko O. Antimakh from Colophon // Hellenic poets of the VIII — III centuries. BC e. - M .: Ladomir, 1999 - ISBN 5-86218-237-3
• Chistyakova N.A. Ancient Greek elegy // Ancient Greek elegy. - SPb .: Aleteyya, 1996. - ISBN 5-85233-003-26 (wrong)