THE PUN AND THE MOON IN THE SKY: ARATUS' ΛΕΠΤΗ ACROSTIC*. (20th November 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hanses, Mathias
• Is Part Of: Classical quarterly. Volume 64:Number 2(2014:Nov.)
• Page Start: 609
• Page End: 614
• Publication Date: 2014-11-20
• Subjects: Classical philology -- Periodicals; Classical literature -- Periodicals; 880
• DOI: 10.1017/S0009838814000184
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0009-8388

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="text-abstract"> <title> <x content-type="archive" xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p>Aratus has been notorious for his wordplay since the first decades of his reception. Hellenistic readers such as Callimachus, Leonidas, or 'King Ptolemy' seem to have picked up on the pun on the author's own name at <italic>Phaenomena</italic> 2, as well as on the famous λεπτή acrostic at <italic>Phaen.</italic> 783–6 that will be revisited here. Three carefully placed occurrences of the adjective have so far been uncovered in the passage, but for a full appreciation of its elegance we must note that Aratus has set his readers up to notice a fourth.</p> </abstract>