The Rape of Helen of Coluthus by Coluthus of Lycopolis

Author:Coluthus of Lycopolis [Lycopolis, Coluthus of]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Ancient Classics
Publisher: Delphi Classics
Published: 2020-12-17T00:00:00+00:00

The Biography

Byzantine coin of Anastasius I (c. 431-518), who was Emperor from 491 to 518. We know very little about Coluthus’ life, apart from that he lived during the rein of this Byzantine ruler, who came to the throne at the age of 61, after being chosen by the wife of his predecessor, Zeno.

Introduction to Coluthus by A. W. Mair

CONTENTS

I. The Life of Colluthus

II. The Text

III. Bibliography

I. The Life of Colluthus

For the life of Colluthus we have the following authorities:

1. Suidas s.v. Κόλουθος “of Lycopolis in the Thebais [in Egypt: Ptolemy IV.5.62, Strabo 812] epic poet, who lived [or ‘flourished,’ γεγονώς] in the times of the emperor Anastasius [i.e. Anastasius I, emperor 491‑518], wrote Calydoniaca in six books, and Encomia in epic verse, and Persica.” So Eudocia (Villoisin, Anecd. Gr. I p271).

2. A life of Colluthus in cod. Ambrosianus Q 5 sup.: “Coluthus of Lycopolis in the Thebais, epic poet, lived, according to Suidas, in the time of Anastasius, surnamed Brachinûs, who succeeded Zeno as emperor in Constantinople, and after whom reigned Justinus the Thracian, after whom again the emperor was divus (ὁ θεῖος) Justinianus, who delivered Italy from the servitude of the Goths through Belisarius — Justinian being the nephew of Justinus — a little over a thousand years ago. He wrote Calydoniaca in epic verse in six books and Encomia and Persica. To him is also ascribed the present poem, the Rape of Helen, a poem familiar and well known in Apulia, where also the poetry of the Homeric Quintus [the Post-Homerica — τῶν μέθ’ Ὅμηρον λόγοι of Q. Smyrnaeus or Calaber] was first discovered in the temple p536 of St. Nicolas of Cassuli [Casoli] outside Hydrumtumº [Otranto] and which its recoverer, the sainted Bessarion, archbishop of Nicaea, cardinal-bishop of Tusculum [Frascati], communicated to all concerned. And this also which was hidden, shall now be public property.”

Notes. — (1) Zeno was emperor of the East at Constantinople from A.D. 474 to 491. He was succeeded by Anastasius I who reigned 491‑518. He in turn was succeeded by Justinus I who reigned 518‑527. He is called “the Thracian” because he was a native of Thrace. He again was succeeded by his nephew Justinian who reigned 527‑565. For Belisarius see Gibbon, chap. xli.

(2) Bessarion (1395?‑1472), a native of Trapezus (Trebizond), was a pupil of Plethon in the Peloponnese, became Cardinal and Patriarch of Constantinople, died in 1472 at Ravenna. In 1446 the Pope committed to him the oversight of the Greek monasteries of the Basilian Order to which, before leaving the East, Bessarion belonged.

[NOTE: Cf. Ecthesis Chronica ed. Lambros, London 1902, p6 ἦλθον ἅπαντες ἐν Κωνσταντινουπόλει . . . ὁ Νικαίας Βησσαρίων . . . ὁ φιλόσοφος Γεμιστὸς καὶ ἄλλοι ἐκ τῶν ἀρχιέρεων οὐκ ὀλίγοι. Ibid. p7 ὁ γὰρ Βησσαρίων ἦν πολὺς ἑνὶ τῷ λέγειν καὶ ἄκρος φιλόσοφος· γέγονε γὰρ καὶ γαρδινάλιος, ἔχων τιμὴν καὶ δόξαν οὐ τὴν τυχοῦσαν· ἠγάπησε γὰρ τὴν δόξαν τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἢ τοῦ θεοῦ.]

The Italian monasteries of this Order were in the South of Italy. This circumstance led in 1450 to the discovery by Bessarion in the monastery of St.

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