La tartaruga di Ermes: l’Inno ad Apollo di Callimaco come manifesto di una nuova ‘poetica del piacere’

Abstract

This article focuses on the implications inherent to the use of the word χέλυς (‘lyre’) at line 16 of Callimachus’ Hymn to Apollo with regard to both the Hymn to Apollo itself and the rest of Callimachus’ Hymns. Since the most famous source, and the one in which the χέλυς plays a prominent role, is the Homeric hymn to Hermes, it makes sense to surmise that this is the text Callimachus chose as his model. In this poem, not only does Hermes invent the lyre, but he also teaches his brother Apollo how to play it. The idea of music and poetry sponsored by Hermes centers upon grace and pleasantness. This idea seems to espoused also by Callimachus, whose account of Apollo’s achievements is markedly different from that we read in the Homeric hymn to Apollo. Since the same grace and pleasantness characterize the account of other deities’ deeds throughout the Hymns, we may say that Callimachus made Hermes’ idea of poetry his own.

Keywords

• Callimachus
• Apollo
• Hymn to Apollo
• χέλυς
• lyre
• Homeric hymn to Hermes