Humanitext Reader

Callimachus · Iambs §2.1

Solon's Sending of an Envoy to Chilon

Passage 3 of 22 · Greek

Summary

The opening fragment of Callimachus's second Iambus, mentioning Solon sending an envoy to Chilon, accompanied by an ancient scholium on the metrical shortening of the name.

§2.1Σόλων· ἐκεῖνος δ’ ὡς Χίλων’ ἀπέστειλεν.
Solon; and he sent [someone] to Chilon.
"Χίλῶν. . εὕρηται καὶ ἐν συστολῇ παρὰ Καλλιμάχῳ, οἷον Σόλων κτλ. "
"'Chilon'... is also found in shortening in Callimachus, such as 'Solon' etc."

Notes

  1. 2.1ὡς — Prepositional usage of ὡς with an accusative (here Χίλων’) to indicate direction toward a person ("to Chilon").
  2. 2.1συστολῇ — Referring to "systole" (shortening) in metrics, where a naturally long vowel or syllable is treated as short. The ancient commentator points out this shortening in the first syllable of the name Chilon.

Cite this passage

Callimachus, Iambs §2.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0533.tlg007.humanitext-grc1:2.1

Please note the AI-draft status of the translation and the date accessed.

Translation, notes and summary are AI-generated drafts, revised through reader feedback.