Apollonius of Rhodes

“ Moreover, it is more probable that the words following "some say" in tile second "life" are a remnant of the original life than a conjectural addition, because the first "life" is evidently incomplete, nothing being said about the end of Apollonius' career.
The principal event in his life, so far as we know, was the quarrel with his master Callimachus, which was most probably the cause of his condemnation at Alexandria and departure to Rhodes. ”

“ He lived about 240 years before the christian era, and composed a commentary on Euclid, whose pupils he attended at Alexandria. He wrote treatises on conic sections, eight of which are now extant; and he first endeavoured to explain the causes of the apparent stopping and retrograde motion of the planets, by cycles and epicycles, or circles within circles. The best edition of Apollonius is Dr. Halley’s, Oxford, folio, 1710.――A poet of Naucratis in Egypt, generally called Apollonius of Rhodes, because he lived for some time there. ”

“ He reappears in Greece, visits Chios and Rhodes, still in the character of a reformer, and lands at Alexandria, having long wished to study Egyptian science, which was so much spoken of at that time, in the very land of its birth. There it was that Vespasian, who was aiming at the supreme power, conferred with him on the art of governing, and that Apollonius incurred the jealous hatred of Euphrates, a man who had been one of his earliest admirers, but who had now become the confidential adviser of Vespasian, wishing him to restore the old Roman commonwealth. ”

“ One is in Greek, and has survived under the name, not of Adam, but of Apollonius (of Tyana) , the famous thaumaturge of the first century. The latest editor of it. Abbé F. Nau (in Patrologia Syriaca, i. 2, Appendix, 1907) , is of opinion that it may really be attributed to Apollonius or his circle, and that it was transferred from his book to that of Adam; but his case is a weak one: the text is full of Christian touches, and the evidence that it was originally under Adam's name is earlier in date than any that can be produced for Apollonius. ”

“ THE author of this poem was the son of Silleus and Illeus. He was born at Alexandria in Egypt, and educated under Callimachus. He received the name of Rhodius, or the Rhodian, either from his mother, whose name was Rhoda, or, more probably, from the city Rhodes. During his stay in this place he finished his Argonautic poem, and founded a school of rhetoric. Ptolemy Euergetes, in whose reign our poet flourished, two hundred and forty-four years before Christ, recalled him from his retirement at Rhodes, and appointed him successor to Eratosthenes in the care of the Alexandrian library. ”

“ Thence Apollonius returned to Greece (v. 18) , four years having elapsed since his landing at Athens from Lesbos (v. 19) .95
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From Piræus our philosopher sails for Chios (v. 21) , thence to Rhodes, and so to Alexandria (v. 24) . At Alexandria he spends some time, and has several interviews with the future Emperor Vespasian (v. 27-41) , and thence he sets out on a long journey up the Nile as far as Ethiopia beyond the cataracts, where he visits an interesting community of ascetics called loosely Gymnosophists (vi. 1-27) . ”

“ As he spoke this, he beheld a young man opposite, looking earnestly at him. He was a robust, hard-favoured fisherman, clad in a coarse frock. Apollonius, driven by his distresses, humbly besought this man's assistance, even with tears starting from his eyes. "Pity me," said he, "whomsoever thou art; pity a man stripped of all by shipwreck; one, to whom better days have been familiar, and who is descended from no ignoble family. But that you may know whom you succour, understand that I am a prince of Tyre, and that my name is Apollonius. ”

“ Thence sailing to Pentapolis, the old King Altistrates received them with delight. He lived with his son, and daughter, and grandchild, a whole year in happiness. After that, he died, full of years, bequeathing the kingdom to his son and daughter.
As Apollonius walked one day upon the sea-shore, he recollected the kind-hearted fisherman who succoured him after his shipwreck, and he ordered him to be seized and brought to the palace. The poor fisherman, perceiving himself under the escort of a guard of soldiers, expected nothing less than death. ”

“ Let us now return to Apollonius. After a lapse of fourteen years, he again made his appearance at the house of Stranguilio and Dionysias, in the city of Tharsus: no sooner had the former beheld him, than he strode about like a madman. “Woman,” said he, addressing his wife, “what wilt thou do now? Thou hast said that Apollonius was shipwrecked and dead. Behold, he seeks his daughter; what answer shall we make?” “Foolish man,” returned she, “let us resume our mourning, and have recourse to tears. He will believe that his child died a natural death.” As she said this, Apollonius entered. ”

“ I have found what I had lost; my child, my only daughter." Hearing his exclamations, the attendants ran in, and with them the prince Athanagoras. They discovered the enraptured king weeping upon his daughter's neck. "See, see," said he, "this is she whom I lamented. Half of my soul! now will I live." Participating in their master's happiness they all wept.
Apollonius now divested himself of his mourning dress, and attired himself in regal habiliments. "Oh, my lord," said his followers, "how much your daughter resembles you. ”

“ Then, entering into a more detailed account of her adventures, she related what she had endured from the wretched pimp, and how the Almighty had protected her.
Athanagoras, fearing lest another might demand her in marriage, threw himself at the king's feet, and modestly intimating how instrumental he had been in promoting their happy reunion, besought him to bestow his child upon him. “I cannot deny you,” returned Apollonius, “for you have alleviated her sorrows, and been the means of my present and future happiness. Take her. ”

“ I am thy wife, the daughter of King Altistrates; and thou art of Tyre; thou art Apollonius, my husband and Iord. Thou wert the beloved one who instructed me. Thou wert the ship-wrecked man whom I loved with pure and fond regard.” Apollonius awakening at the mention of these well-known circumstances, recollected his long-lost lady. He fell upon her neck, and wept for joy. “Blessed be the Most High, who hath restored me my wife and daughter.” “But where,” said she, “is our daughter?” Presenting Tharsia, he replied, “Behold her.” ”

“ Then came a dark flush over his pale cheeks and his slender figure rose to its full height. He buttoned his coat quickly, and drew the strap of his cap firmly under his chin. "If I stay," he said to the councilman, as he turned to go, "remember my father, my brother's wife and the children." The councilman was taken aback. The young man's "if I stay" sounded like "I shall stay." A presentiment came over the friend that here was something that had to do with the salvation of Apollonius' soul. But the expression on Apollonius' face was no longer one of suffering ”

“ I would, moreover, pray you to take charge of her nurse, Ligoridis, whose unremitting fidelity deserves a better reward.” With such words, he gave the child up to them, accompanied by large presents of gold and silver, and valuable raiment. He then took an oath that he would neither cut his beard, or hair, or nails, until his daughter were bestowed in marriage. Grieving at the rashness of the vow, Stranguilio took the infant, and promised to educate it with the utmost care; and Apollonius, satisfied with the assurance, went on board his vessel, and sailed to other countries. ”

“ You ought to live and be glad.” Apollonius, irritated at the girl’s pertinacity, arose and pushed her from him with his foot. She fell and cut her cheek, from which the blood flowed copiously. Terrified at the wound she had received, she burst into tears, and exclaimed, “0 thou eternal Architect of the heavens! look upon my afflictions. Born amid the waves and storms of the ocean, my mother perished in giving life to her daughter. Denied rest even in the grave, she was deposited in a chest, with twenty gold sestertia, and thrown into the sea. ”

“ Then addressing the servants bestowed upon him, he commanded them to bear away the presents he had received to an hostelry; but the girl, who became apprehensive of losing her lover, looked sorrowfully at her parent, and said, “Best king and father, does it please you that Apollonius, whom we have so lately enriched, should leave us? The goods we have given him will be purloined by wicked men.” The king admitted this, and assigned him apartments in the palace, where he lived in great honour. ”

“ But it is not the Mantuan poet only, who has fetched from this storehouse the most precious materials. Valerius Flaccus, who has made choice of the same subject with the Rhodian, has discovered through every part of his work a singular predilection for him. He is allowed to have imitated the style of Virgil with tolerable success; but he is indebted for the conduct of his poem chiefly to Apollonius. ”

“ Then immediately as the fisherman saw that the young man was lying at his feet, he with compassion raised him up, and led him with him to his house, and laid before him those provisions which he had to offer him. Still he would, as far as in his power, show him greater constancy: he then tore his coat in two, and gave [12] to Apollonius the half part, thus saying: "Take what I have to give thee, and go into the city: there is hope that thou mayest meet with one who will pity thee. ”

“ Addressing the Tharsians, he inquired, “Did I ever do an injury to any one of you?” “No, my lord,” answered they; “we are ready to die for you. This statue bears record how you preserved us from death.” “Citizens,” returned Apollonius, “I entrusted my daughter to Stranguilio and his wife: they would not restore her.” “Oh, my lord,” cried the unhappy woman, “thou hast read her fate inscribed on the monument.” The king directed his daughter to come forward; and Tharsia, reproaching her, said, “Hail, woman! Tharsia greets thee; Tharsia returned from the grave.” Dionysias trembled ”

“ The girl, happy in the permission, approached the young man, and said, “Good friend, kindness proves nobility: if it be not troublesome, tell me your name and fortunes.” “Would you inquire my name?” replied he, “I lost it in the sea; or my nobility? I left it in Tyre.” “Speak intelligibly,” said the girl; and Apollonius then related his name and adventures. When he had made an end he wept, and the king, perceiving his tears, said to his daughter, “My dear child, you did ill to inquire the name and occurrences of the young man's life. ”

“ We are rich, and of noble lineage: choose, then, which of us shall be your son-in-law.” “You come,” replied the king, “at an unseasonable time. My daughter is unable to follow her usual pursuits, and for this reason languishes on her bed. But that I may not appear to you unnecessarily to protract your uncertainty, write each of you your names, and the settlement you will make her. She shall examine them, and choose between ye.” The suitors complied, and gave the writings to the king, who read, and sealed, and then despatched Apollonius with them to the lady. ”

“ Apollonius, on the contrary, a Greek by birth, had stored his vast intellect with the religious doctrines of the whole world, from India to Spain; his life extended over a century. Like a luminous meteor he traversed the universe, in constant intercourse with kings and the powerful ones of the earth, who venerate and fear him; and if he ever meets with hostility and opposition, he triumphs over it majestically, always stronger than his tyrants, never subject to humiliations, never brought into contact with public executioners. ”

“ For Apollonius, anxious to establish his own reputation, and jealous of his master's, had depreciated those more numerous, but lighter productions, in which the Muse of Callimachus excelled; epigrams, hymns, and elegies.
It will be no improper introduction to the following poem to trace the subject of it to its source; nor can we expect to be guided through its intricacies by a safer clue, than that which the ancients have afforded us. ”

“ It is quite true that Apollonius is chaste and temperate—that he is actuated by the noble desire to know, and the still nobler desire to communicate his knowledge to mankind. He is ingenious, learned, and, generally speaking, there is a something at once lively and original in his language when he does not indulge in too long an oration—something which is admirably suited to the character of a popular reformer ”

“ Go," added he, to one of the (269>) attendants, “Go, and inquire who he is.” He followed accordingly, and beheld him equipped in the mean cloak received from the fisherman. Returning to the king, he said, “The youth is one who has suffered shipwreck.” “How do you know!” replied he. “The man said nothing,” answered the servant, “but his dress pointed out his circumstances.” “Go quickly,” returned the king, “and say that I entreat him to sup with me.” Apollonius was content, and accompanied the servant back. ”

“ It hurt him that the good man—who usually approved of everything that Apollonius wanted to do, in advance, as if the latter could not do anything that he would not be obliged to approve—received his news with odd, wondering, monosyllabic coldness. He pressed him to tell him the reason for this change. The two good men understood each other easily. After recovering from his surprise at finding Apollonius in ignorance of it, the councilman told him what he knew of his brother's mode of life and expressed the opinion that his father's house and business could not exist without Apollonius' aid. ”