View source for Hoi tou Kallimachou Kyrenaiou Hymnoi te Kai Epigrammata

{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Hoi tou Kallimachou Kyrenaiou Hymnoi te Kai Epigrammata''}}
===by Callimachus===
__NOTOC__
{{BookPageInfoBox
|imagename=CallimachusHoiTouKallimachou1755.jpg
|link=https://catalog.swem.wm.edu/Record/3679305
|shorttitle=Hoi tou Kallimachou Kyrenaiou Hymnoi te Kai Epigrammata 
|author=Callimachus
|publoc=Glasguae
|publisher=Excudebant Robertus et Andreas Foulis, academiae typographi
|year=1755
|lang=Greek with Latin preface
|pages=vii, [1], 75, [1] 
|desc=Folio (22 cm.)
|shelf=H-2
}}[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callimachus Callimachus] (310/305 BCE–240 BCE) was a Greek poet and scholar from the Hellenistic Age. He was born in Cyrene, North Africa and died in an unknown location. Callimachus had the extraordinary honor of being commissioned by Egyptian King Ptolemy II to catalogue all the books in the Library of Alexandria. His completed catalogue contained 120 volumes. The only intact poetry which survives to this day is Callimachus’s six Hymns and sixty-one short epigrams. The remainder of Callimachus’ surviving poetry is in fragments, much on papyri and therefore likely from his time in Alexandria.<ref>[http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199548545.001.0001/acref-9780199548545-e-0566 "Calli'machus”] in ''The Oxford Companion to Classical Literature'', ed. by M.C. Howatson (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011).</ref> Notable among the prose completed by Callimachus are the aforementioned catalogue of the Alexandrian Library and his foundational works on lexicography and pardoxography.<ref>[http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780192801463.001.0001/acref-9780192801463-e-377 "Callimachus"] in ''Oxford Dictionary of the Classical World'', ed. by John Roberts (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007).</ref>

This particular work from Wythe’s library contains the complete hymns and epigrams of Callimachus. The ''Hymns'' somewhat mirror the famous “Homeric Hymns,” though Callimachus did not intend his to be performed. They were meant to be read to, or recited for, an audience interested in narrative. <ref>"Calli'machus” in ''The Oxford Companion to Classical Literature''.</ref> The hymns to Zeus, Artemis and Delos highlight the gods’ birth and virtues, while those to Apollo, Athena and Demeter are dramatic “imagined ritual[s]” <ref>"Callimachus" in ''Oxford Dictionary of the Classical World''.</ref> Callimachus’s ''Epigrams'', on the other hand, cover a wide variety of “literary, erotic, dedicatory, and sepulchral themes.”<ref>Ibid.</ref>

==Evidence for Inclusion in Wythe's Library==
Listed in the [[Jefferson Inventory]] of [[Wythe's Library]] as "Callimachus. Gr. fol. Foul." This was one of the books kept by [[Thomas Jefferson]]. He later sold a copy to the Library of Congress in 1815, but it no longer exists to verify Wythe's prior ownership.<ref>E. Millicent Sowerby, ''Catalogue of the Library of Thomas Jefferson'' (Washington, D.C.: The Library of Congress, 1952-1959), 4:474 [http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015033648125;view=1up;seq=494 (no.4396)].</ref> The Foulis Press only printed one title by Callimachus, in 1755: ''Hoi tou Kallimachou Kyrenaiou Hymnoi te Kai Epigrammata.''<ref>Philip Gaskell, ''A Bibliography of the Foulis Press'', 2nd ed. (Winchester, Hampshire, England: St Paul's Bibliographies, 1986), 194.</ref> Both the [https://digitalarchive.wm.edu/handle/10288/13433 Brown Bibliography]<ref> Bennie Brown, "The Library of George Wythe of Williamsburg and Richmond," (unpublished manuscript, May, 2012) Microsoft Word file. Earlier edition available at: https://digitalarchive.wm.edu/handle/10288/13433</ref> and [http://www.librarything.com/profile/GeorgeWythe George Wythe's Library]<ref>''LibraryThing'', s. v. [http://www.librarything.com/profile/GeorgeWythe "Member: George Wythe"], accessed February 27, 2014.</ref> on LibraryThing include the Foulis publication. The Wolf Law Library purchased a copy of the same edition.

==Description of the Wolf Law Library's copy==
Bound in contemporary, or near contemporary, calf with gilt rules to boards. Spine has five raised bands defining compartments with gilt amphoras and includes a red morocco label with gilt lettering. Purchased from Black Swan Books, Inc.

Images of the library's copy of this book are [https://www.flickr.com/photos/wolflawlibrary/albums/72157637633203443 available on Flickr.] View the record for this book in [https://catalog.swem.wm.edu/Record/3679305 William & Mary's online catalog.]

==See also==
*[[George Wythe Room]]
*[[Jefferson Inventory]]
*[[Wythe's Library]]

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:George Wythe Collection at William & Mary's Wolf Law Library]]
[[Category:Greek Literature]]
[[Category:Jefferson's Books]]
[[Category:Titles in Wythe's Library]]