CLASSICS 1B03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Robert Frost, Argonautica
26 Jan 2017
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Lived and worked in alexandria, egypt: cultural center of greek world in hellenistic period: 323 bce 30, alexandria took over athens. Mousaion (museum) built by ptolemies: dedicated to muses, for worship, muses: govern all sorts of thinking, became research institute. Library; an important part of the mousaion: copies of all (cid:494)classic(cid:495) texts, burned down, everything lost, authenticity. Poets of the time were scholars; engaged in skilled competition. Hellenistic: academic game, obscure knowledge: literacy: composing in writing, not just orally, careful in word selection, edit. Was once head librarian at alexandria: prestigious position. Against epic poetry: thought style was contrived, far removed from contemporary concerns; irrelevant. Preferred to keep it shorter, more succinct, original: trim out all excess, robert frost (cid:494)i took the road less travelled by(cid:495, confirming his idea with poetry (not telling, divine element. Was at odds with apollonius (came out on top: took over head librarian. A lot of work to draw elements/material from.
