Quintus of Smyrna

Quintus of Smyrna (in Greek old Κόϊντος Σμυρναῖος / Kóïntos Smurnaĩos , in Latin Quintus Smyrnæus ) is a Greek writer {{IIIe}} or 4th century.

Biography

We know very few things of its life. Its name is known for us only by the Byzantine grammairiens Eustathe de Thessalonique and Jean Tzétzès, like by the scholiastes of Homère, which call it Κόϊντος / Kóïntos or Κόϊντος ὁ Ποιητής / Kóïntos Ho Poiêtếs , i.e. “Quintus the poet”. The nickname of Calaber (the Calabrian) comes only from what the poem was found in Calabria, in the town of Otranto.

The absence of Patronyme does not take place to shock at the time imperial. Certain authors are known for us only by their cognomen , thus of Longus. In addition, the Roman influence, in particular of the Stoicism, is rather clear at Quintus: thus, Arès east depicts like a strong and sizeable god, and not like the “head with the vent” assoiffée of carnage depicted by Homère, and the Greeks with his continuation. In the same way, it places in the mouth of the soothsayer Calchas (XIII, 334 and suiv.) a homage to the Roman Empire.

He claims to be originating in Smyrna, a town of minor Asia (current Izmir in Turkey) which is one of claiming under birthplace of Homère. It describes also in its work (XII, 306-313) how he starts to write whereas he makes feed his sheep in the mountains (buttresses of the Sipyle), “at the age where its cheeks cover sleeping bag”.

Nevertheless, the two indications appear doubtful: in the first case, it is a question of being put under the patronage of Homère, while the second appears directly copied prolog of the Théogonie of Hésiode. Indeed, the work of Quintus testifies to a wide culture book, and in particular to a great familiarity with Homère, Hésiode and Apollonios of Rhodos, which makes not very plausible the image of the young shepherd.

Work

He is the author of a poem of 14 songs entitled, according to a Scholie of Iliade , Τὰ μετὰ τὸν Ὅμηρον / Tà metà tòn Homêron or Τὰ μεθ ᾽ Ὅμηρον / Tà meth' Homêron , i.e. the Continuation of Homère , sometimes called Posthomériques . It is a question of taking again Iliade where the Aède left it, after the death of Hector, and to continue the account to the bag of the city.

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