Cynaethus
Encyclopedia
Cynaethus or Cinaethus of Chios
was a rhapsode
, a member of the Homeridae
, sometimes said to have composed the Homeric Hymn
to Apollo
.
The main source of information on Cynaethus is a Scholium
to Pindar
's second Nemean ode. This tells us that the school of Cynaethus was prominent among the Homeridae and put out many of their own compositions under Homer
's name, Cynaethus himself composing the Hymn. He was the first to recite the Homer
ic poems at Syracuse
, which he did during the 69th Olympiad
(504-501 BC). It was once argued that the dating made no sense because the Homeric poems must have reached Syracuse much earlier. However, the original date corresponds well to a probable date of composition of the Homeric Hymn to Apollo, 522 BC.
No doubt basing himself on this or a similar text, Eustathius of Thessalonica
names Cynaethus as the first to disseminate the Homeric poems and as a forger of Homeric verses.
Chios
Chios is the fifth largest of the Greek islands, situated in the Aegean Sea, seven kilometres off the Asia Minor coast. The island is separated from Turkey by the Chios Strait. The island is noted for its strong merchant shipping community, its unique mastic gum and its medieval villages...
was a rhapsode
Rhapsode
A rhapsode or, in modern usage, rhapsodist, refers to a classical Greek professional performer of epic poetry in the fifth and fourth centuries BC . Rhapsodes notably performed the epics of Homer but also the wisdom and catalogue poetry of Hesiod and the satires of Archilochus and others...
, a member of the Homeridae
Homeridae
The Homeridae were a family, clan or professional lineage on the island of Chios claiming descent from the legendary Greek epic poet Homer.The origin of the name seems obvious: in classical Greek the word should mean "children of Homer". An analogous name, Asclepiadae, identified a clan or guild of...
, sometimes said to have composed the Homeric Hymn
Homeric Hymns
The Homeric Hymns are a collection of thirty-three anonymous Ancient Greek hymns celebrating individual gods. The hymns are "Homeric" in the sense that they employ the same epic meter—dactylic hexameter—as the Iliad and Odyssey, use many similar formulas and are couched in the same dialect...
to Apollo
Apollo
Apollo is one of the most important and complex of the Olympian deities in Greek and Roman mythology...
.
The main source of information on Cynaethus is a Scholium
Scholium
Scholia , are grammatical, critical, or explanatory comments, either original or extracted from pre-existing commentaries, which are inserted on the margin of the manuscript of an ancient author, as glosses. One who writes scholia is a scholiast...
to Pindar
Pindar
Pindar , was an Ancient Greek lyric poet. Of the canonical nine lyric poets of ancient Greece, his work is the best preserved. Quintilian described him as "by far the greatest of the nine lyric poets, in virtue of his inspired magnificence, the beauty of his thoughts and figures, the rich...
's second Nemean ode. This tells us that the school of Cynaethus was prominent among the Homeridae and put out many of their own compositions under Homer
Homer
In the Western classical tradition Homer , is the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, and is revered as the greatest ancient Greek epic poet. These epics lie at the beginning of the Western canon of literature, and have had an enormous influence on the history of literature.When he lived is...
's name, Cynaethus himself composing the Hymn. He was the first to recite the Homer
Homer
In the Western classical tradition Homer , is the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, and is revered as the greatest ancient Greek epic poet. These epics lie at the beginning of the Western canon of literature, and have had an enormous influence on the history of literature.When he lived is...
ic poems at Syracuse
Syracuse, Italy
Syracuse is a historic city in Sicily, the capital of the province of Syracuse. The city is notable for its rich Greek history, culture, amphitheatres, architecture, and as the birthplace of the preeminent mathematician and engineer Archimedes. This 2,700-year-old city played a key role in...
, which he did during the 69th Olympiad
Olympiad
An Olympiad is a period of four years, associated with the Olympic Games of Classical Greece. In the Hellenistic period, beginning with Ephorus, Olympiads were used as calendar epoch....
(504-501 BC). It was once argued that the dating made no sense because the Homeric poems must have reached Syracuse much earlier. However, the original date corresponds well to a probable date of composition of the Homeric Hymn to Apollo, 522 BC.
No doubt basing himself on this or a similar text, Eustathius of Thessalonica
Eustathius of Thessalonica
Archbishop Eustathius of Thessalonica was a Greek bishop and scholar. He is most noted for his contemporary account of the sack of Thessalonike by the Normans in 1185, for his orations and for his commentaries on Homer, which incorporate many remarks by much earlier researchers.- Life :After being...
names Cynaethus as the first to disseminate the Homeric poems and as a forger of Homeric verses.