Philitas of Cos

Philitas of Cos
Bronze head of bearded man with furrowed brow and unruly hair
Bronze of Philitas, The Philosopher (c. 250–200 BC)[1]
Native name
Φιλίτας ὁ Κῷος
Bornc. 340 BC[2]
Diedc. 285 BC (age 55)[3]
OccupationScholar and poet
NationalityPtolemaic Kingdom
GenreElegiac, epigram, epyllion
SubjectGlossary, Homer
Literary movementAlexandrian school of poetry
Notable worksDemeter
Disorderly Words
Literature portal

Philitas of Cos (/fɪˈlaɪtəs/; Greek: Φιλίτας ὁ Κῷος, Philītas ho Kōos; c. 340 – c. 285 BC), sometimes spelled Philetas (/faɪˈliːtəs/; Φιλήτας, Philētas; see Bibliography below), was a Greek scholar, poet and grammarian during the early Hellenistic period of ancient Greece.[4][5] He is regarded as the founder of the Hellenistic school of poetry, which flourished in Alexandria after about 323 BC.[5] Philitas is also reputed to have been the tutor of Ptolemy II Philadelphus and the poet Theocritus.[5] He was thin and frail; Athenaeus later caricatured him as an academic so consumed by his studies that he wasted away and died.[6][7]

Philitas was the first major Greek writer who was both a scholar and a poet.[4] His reputation continued for centuries, based on both his pioneering study of words and his verse in elegiac meter. His vocabulary Disorderly Words described the meanings of rare literary words, including those used by Homer. His poetry, notably his elegiac poem Demeter, was highly respected by later ancient poets. However, almost all his work has since been lost.[7]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Stewart was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Span-23 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Span-24 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Bulloch-4 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b c "Philitas of Cos | Greek poet". Encyclopedia Britannica.
  6. ^ Chisholm 1911.
  7. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Bing was invoked but never defined (see the help page).