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the prosecution of physical science； it cannot be profitable for art。 It can
only produce a literary age； as it did in the Ptolemaic era； a generation of
innumerable court…poets； artificial epigrammatists； artificial idyllists；
artificial dramatists and epicists； above all； a generation of critics。 Or
rather shall we say； that the dynasty was not the cause of a literary age； but
only its correlative？ That when the old Greeks lost the power of being
free； of being anything but the slaves of oriental despots； as the Ptolemies
in reality were； they lost also the power of producing true works of art；
because they had lost that youthful vigour of mind from which both art
and freedom sprang？ Let the case be as it will； Alexandrian literature need
not detain us longthough； alas！ it has detained every boy who ever
trembled over his Greek grammar； for many a weary year； and； I cannot
help suspecting； has been the main cause that so many young men who
have spent seven years in learning Greek； know nothing about it at the end
of the seven。 For I must say； that as far as we can see； these Alexandrian
pedants were thorough pedants； very polished and learned gentlemen； no
doubt； and； like Callimachus； the pets of princes： but after all； men who
thought that they could make up for not writing great works themselves；
by showing； with careful analysis and commentation； how men used to
write them of old； or rather how they fancied men used to write them； for；
consider； if they had really known how the thing was done； they must
needs have been able to do it themselves。 Thus Callimachus； the
favourite of Ptolemy Philadelphus； and librarian of his Museum； is the
most distinguished grammarian； critic； and poet of his day； and has for
pupils Eratosthenes； Apollonius Rhodius； Aristophanes of Byzantium； and
a goodly list more。 He is an encyclopaedia in himself。 There is nothing
the man does not know； or probably； if we spoke more correctly； nothing
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he does not know about。 He writes on history； on the Museum； on
barbarous names； on the wonders of the world； on public games； on
colonisation； on winds； on birds； on the rivers of the world； and ominous
subjecta sort of comprehensive history of Greek literature； with a careful
classification of all authors； each under his own heading。 Greek
literature was rather in the sere and yellow leaf； be sure； when men
thought of writing that sort of thing about it。 But still； he is an
encyclopaedic man； and； moreover； a poet。 He writes an epic； 〃Aitia；〃 in
four books； on the causes of the myths； religious ceremonies； and so forth…
…an ominous sign for the myths also； and the belief in them； also a Hecate；
Galataea； Glaucusfour epics； besides comedies； tragedies； iambics；
choriambics； elegies； hymns； epigrams seventy…threeand of these last
alone can we say that they are in any degree readable； and they are courtly；
far…fetched； neat； and that is all。 Six hymns remain； and a few fragments
of the elegies： but the most famous elegy； on Berenice's hair； is
preserved to us only in a Latin paraphrase of Catullus。 It is curious； as
the earliest instance we have of genuinely ungenuine Court poetry； and of
the complimentary lie which does not even pretend to be true； the flattery
which will not take the trouble to prevent your seeing that it is laughing in
your face。
Berenice the queen； on Ptolemy's departure to the wars； vows her
beautiful tresses to her favourite goddess； as the price of her husband's
safe return； and duly pays her vow。 The hair is hung up in the temple：
in a day or two after it has vanished。 Dire is the wrath of Ptolemy； the
consternation of the priests； the scandal to religion； when Conon； the
court…astronomer； luckily searching the heavens； finds the missing tresses
in an utterly unexpected placeas a new constellation of stars； which to
this day bears the title of Coma Berenices。 It is so convenient to believe
the fact； that everybody believes it accordingly； and Callimachus writes an
elegy thereon； in which the constellified； or indeed deified tresses； address
in most melodious and highly…finished Greek； bedizened with concetto on
concetto； that fair and sacred head whereon they grew； to be shorn from
which is so dire a sorrow； that apotheosis itself can hardly reconcile them
to the parting。
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Worthy； was not all this； of the descendants of the men who fought at
Marathon and Thermopylae？ The old Greek civilisation was rotting
swiftly down； while a fire of God was preparing； slowly and dimly； in that
unnoticed Italian town of Rome； which was destined to burn up that dead
world； and all its works。
Callimachus's hymns； those may read who list。 They are highly
finished enough； the work of a man who knew thoroughly what sort of
article he intended to make； and what were the most approved methods of
making it。 Curious and cumbrous mythological lore comes out in every
other line。 The smartness； the fine epithets； the recondite conceits； the bits
of effect； are beyond all praise； but as for one spark of life； of poetry； of
real belief； you will find none； not even in that famous Lavacrum Palladis
which Angelo Poliziano thought worth translating into Latin elegiacs；
about the same time that the learned Florentine； Antonio Maria Salviano；
found Berenice's Hair worthy to be paraphrased back from Catullus' Latin
into Greek； to give the world some faint notion of the inestimable and
incomparable original。 They must have had much time on their hands。
But at the Revival of Letters； as was to be expected； all works of the
ancients； good and bad； were devoured alike with youthful eagerness by
the Medicis and the Popes； and it was not； we shall see； for more than one
century after； that men's taste got sufficiently matured to distinguish
between Callimachus and the Homeric