Callimachus
(3rd
century BC)
Poet who was
born in Africa, in Cyrene (today's Libya), and who taught in Eleusina near
Athens. For 20 years he was the chief librarian of the famous library in Alexandria.
Callimachus is said to have written over 800 books. Of of the best known ones
is Pinakes, a catalogue over the works in the library. Thus, he became the
first literary criticist. Some of his poems have survived, and they are typically
short and beautiful.
"This grave a father's hopes doth hide."
Callimachus, Epitaph
