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Under Ptolemy II Philadelphus, who ruled Egypt in the middle of the third century B.C.E., Alexandria became the brilliant multicultural capital of the Greek world. Theocritus's poem in praise of Philadelphus-at once a Greek king and an Egyptian pharaoh-is the only extended poetic tribute to this extraordinary ruler that survives. Combining the Greek text, an English translation, a full line-by-line commentary, and extensive introductory studies of the poem's historical and literary context, this volume also offers a wide-ranging and far-reaching consideration of the workings and representation of poetic patronage in the Ptolemaic age. In particular, the book explores the subtle and complex links among Theocritus's poem, modes of praise drawn from both Greek and Egyptian traditions, and the subsequent flowering of Latin poetry in the Augustan age. As the first detailed account of this important poem to show how Theocritus might have drawn on the pharaonic traditions of Egypt as well as earlier Greek poetry, this book affords unique insight into how praise poetry for Ptolemy and his wife may have helped to negotiate the adaptation of Greek culture that changed conditions of the new Hellenistic world. Invaluable for its clear translation and its commentary on genre, dialect, diction, and historical reference in relation to Theocritus's Encomium, the book is also significant for what it reveals about the poem's cultural and social contexts and about Theocritus' devices for addressing his several readerships. COVER IMAGE: The image on the front cover of this book is incorrectly identified on the jacket flap. The correct caption is: Gold Oktadrachm depicting Ptolemy II and Arsinoe (mid-third century BCE; by permission of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston).

Ptolemy II Philadelphus, King of Egypt --- Theocritus --- Ptolemy --- Ptolemaeus --- Ptolemy II Philadelphus --- Poetry --- LITERARY CRITICISM / Ancient & Classical. --- alexandria. --- ancient egypt. --- ancient greece. --- aristophanes. --- arsinoe ii. --- art. --- augustan poetry. --- classical studies. --- clouds. --- egypt. --- encomium. --- genre studies. --- greek culture. --- greek poetry. --- greek world. --- hellenism. --- hellenistic poetry. --- hellenistic world. --- heracles. --- homeric hymn. --- hymn. --- king. --- latin poetry. --- literary criticism. --- monarchy. --- mythology. --- patronage. --- patrons. --- pharaoh. --- pharaonic traditions. --- philadelphus. --- pithom stele. --- poetic meter. --- poetic tribute. --- poetry. --- poets. --- praise. --- ptolemaic dynasty. --- ptolemy ii. --- reign. --- ruler. --- theocritus. --- third century. --- zeus.

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Combining literary and philosophical analysis, this study defends an utterly innovative reading of the early history of poetics. It is the first to argue that there is a distinctively Socratic view of poetry and the first to connect the Socratic view of poetry with earlier literary tradition. Literary theory is usually said to begin with Plato's famous critique of poetry in the Republic. Grace Ledbetter challenges this entrenched assumption by arguing that Plato's earlier dialogues Ion, Protagoras, and Apology introduce a distinctively Socratic theory of poetry that responds polemically to traditional poets as rival theorists. Ledbetter tracks the sources of this Socratic response by introducing separate readings of the poetics implicit in the poetry of Homer, Hesiod, and Pindar. Examining these poets' theories from a new angle that uncovers their literary, rhetorical, and political aims, she demonstrates their decisive influence on Socratic thinking about poetry. The Socratic poetics Ledbetter elucidates focuses not on censorship, but on the interpretation of poetry as a source of moral wisdom. This philosophical approach to interpreting poetry stands at odds with the poets' own theories--and with the Sophists' treatment of poetry. Unlike the Republic's focus on exposing and banishing poetry's irrational and unavoidably corrupting influence, Socrates' theory includes poetry as subject matter for philosophical inquiry within an examined life. Reaching back into what has too long been considered literary theory's prehistory, Ledbetter advances arguments that will redefine how classicists, philosophers, and literary theorists think about Plato's poetics.

Aesthetics, Ancient --- Authority in literature --- Greek poetry --- -Poetics --- -Poetry --- Greek literature --- History and criticism --- -Theory, etc --- History --- -Technique --- Authority in literature. --- Aesthetics, Ancient. --- Poetics --- Theory, etc. --- History and criticism&delete& --- Theory, etc --- Greek poetry - History and criticism - Theory, etc. --- Poetics - History - To 1500. --- A Preface to Paradise Lost. --- Against the Sophists. --- Allegory. --- Ambiguity. --- Archilochus. --- Biographical criticism. --- Concept. --- Counterexample. --- Criticism. --- Crito. --- Demodocus (Odyssey character). --- Didacticism. --- Dogma. --- Eloquence. --- Epic poetry. --- Euthyphro (prophet). --- Explanation. --- Falsity. --- Fiction. --- Fifth-century Athens. --- G. (novel). --- Generosity. --- Genre. --- Hermeneutics. --- Hesiod. --- Hippias Major. --- Hippias. --- Homer. --- Homeric scholarship. --- Iliad. --- Imagery. --- Inference. --- Iris Murdoch. --- Irony. --- Knowledge. --- Literary criticism. --- Literary fiction. --- Literary theory. --- Literature. --- Metaphor. --- Mimesis. --- Moral authority. --- Morality. --- Muse. --- Narrative. --- New Criticism. --- Notion (ancient city). --- Odes (Horace). --- Odysseus' scar (Auerbach). --- Odysseus. --- Oracle. --- Peleus. --- Phemius. --- Philosopher. --- Philosophy and literature. --- Philosophy. --- Pindar. --- Plato. --- Platonism. --- Poet. --- Poetic tradition. --- Poetics (Aristotle). --- Poetics. --- Poetry. --- Political poetry. --- Post-structuralism. --- Principle of charity. --- Prodicus. --- Protagoras. --- Reason. --- Relativism. --- Rhapsode. --- Rhetoric. --- S. (Dorst novel). --- Satire. --- Skepticism. --- Socrate. --- Socratic method. --- Socratic. --- Sophist. --- Storytelling. --- Suggestion. --- Superiority (short story). --- Supplication. --- Swarthmore College. --- Symptom. --- Telemachus. --- The Death of the Author. --- Theogony. --- Theory of Forms. --- Theory. --- Thought. --- Trojan War. --- Uncertainty. --- Veracity (Mark Lavorato novel). --- Verisimilitude (fiction). --- Verisimilitude. --- William Shakespeare. --- Works and Days. --- Xenophanes.