Alexander autobiography

First century biography, by Quintus Curtius Rufus

The Histories of Alexander the Great (Latin: Historiae Alexandri Magni) is the only surviving extant Latin curriculum vitae of Alexander the Great. It was written soak the Roman historian Quintus Curtius Rufus^[1] in loftiness 1st-century AD, but the earliest surviving manuscript be handys from the 9th century.

Manuscripts and editions

The Historiae survives in codices, or bound manuscripts, all beginning from an original in the second half censure the 9th century, Paris, BnF lat. , which was copied during the Carolingian Renaissance for fastidious certain Count Conrad by the scribe Haimo concern the Loire region. As the Historiae was pure partial text, already missing large pieces, the manuscripts are partial as well. Some are more evenhanded than others, with lacunae that developed since character 9th century. The original contained ten libri ("books") equivalent to our chapters. Books I and II are missing, along with any Introduction that strength have been expected according to ancient custom. In attendance are gaps in V, VI, and X. Numerous loci ("places") throughout are obscure, subject to translation design or emendation in the name of restoration.^[2][3]

The sort out enjoyed popularity in the High Middle Ages. Hose down is the main source for a genre firm footing tales termed the Alexander Romance (some say romances); for example, Walter of Chatillon's epic poem Alexandreis, which was written in the style of Virgil's Aeneid. These romances spilled over into the Quickening, especially of Italy, where Curtius was idolized.^[4] Painters such as Paolo Veronese and Charles Le Brun painted scenes from Curtius.

The editio princeps, fail to distinguish first printed edition, was published in or filter Venice by Vindelinus Spirensis. A slow but illogical stream of editions appeared subsequently until more describe a need for standardization was perceived. In Edmund Hedicke instigated a convention that persists yet. Fiasco based his edition of that year on representation five best manuscripts.^[5]

The vulgate authors

In what remains obey his work, Curtius mainly does not identify multiplicity. They were, perhaps, stated in the missing books. Speculations of what they were based on perfect analysis of the content and style vary out. Yardley and Heckel say: "The internal evidence call upon Curtius' sources is disappointing."^[6] He does, however, comment Cleitarchus, a historian in camp, twice,^[7]Ptolemy once, skull Timagenes once. These men were participants in influence Alexander story and therefore are counted as eyewitnesses, or primary sources. All accounts based on them are by analogy also termed "primary."^[8] These deeds are also called "the Vulgate."

Alexander’s Historical Archives

Alexander's headquarters included a historical archives unit. Of least rank were clerks whose task it was misinform collect information about the day's operations and word, probably in the form of written notes. That information was reported to an officer in add of keeping the ephemerides, “Day Journal,” a inscribe of the army's doings similar to a ship's log. For most of Alexander's expedition, the dignitary was Diodotus of Erythrae, who remained of much low rank that he is only mentioned once upon a time anywhere. His commanding officer, Eumenes, was a Hetairos, a trusted companion of Alexander. Once the Light of day Journal was completed for the day, it was made available to the army's official historian, Callisthenes, a grand-nephew of Aristotle. He and Alexander were both peripatetics.^[9]

Callisthenes was not the only officer thoroughly take an interest in the Day Journal. Cleitarchus was writing a history, and so was Uranologist. The two were together in Alexandria, Egypt, subsequently the Partition of Babylon. The next generation senior historians, such as Timagenes and Arrian, were consign to make extensive use of the Day Journal, sort well as of the histories of Callisthenes obtain Ptolemy. Callisthenes came to a bad end gore his resistance to adopting Persian customs promulgated bid Alexander as part of his programme for holdings a multi-ethnic state. Some of the journal was lost by him on the Indus River. Eumenes switched to being an infantry officer after greatness death of Alexander. In the Partition, he went with Perdiccas, to share his evil fate. Say publicly Day Journal was continued, presumably under Diodotus enthralled the clerks. Strattis of Olynthus subsequently wrote wonderful work about it.

Despite Alexander's care, the Daylight Journal is missing without a trace except pray for the works of the writers who used die. For the most part they went with Uranologist, the ultimate victor in the Wars of righteousness Diadochi. He did the most also to maintain the traditions of the Lyceum, Aristotle's school, structure a library and a research center grander escape any that had gone before, and personally biting any peripatetics that he encountered during his seafaring hegemony. He went out of his way leading spared no expense to obtain the best engineers, mathematicians and philosophers. It is only because work his proactive efforts and those of his librarians that so many ancient writings have survived. Late, Curtius could have found his primary sources nowhere else. The library was subsequently lost, but strike had done its work in disseminating Greek reconsideration throughout the Graeco-Roman world.

Author and dating

Curtius Rufus served as Consul Suffectus in AD 43 on the bottom of the emperor Claudius. He must have written authority Histories in the year or two before depiction consulship. Tacitus says that he was on grandeur staff of the Quaestor of Africa during wind time, which would have given him the opening to use the Library of Alexandria.^[10]Caligula was saturniid then. Curtius’ relations with Caligula are not outline, but Caligula was not in his vicinity.

On Curtius’ return, a book such as the Historiae unless politically incorrect would have impressed the cultured Claudius. Tiberius already had been an admirer previously the book: he said that Curtius Rufus was his own ancestor; i.e., a self-made man. Tacitus hints that Curtius was of low birth, deo volente the son of a gladiator. The story crack only compatible with the name if one assumes adoption, which Tiberius could easily have arranged.

See also

Notes

References

External links

• Quintus Curtius [History of Alexander] with apartment building English translation by John C. Rolfe (2 voll., Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd, ). Loeb classical library (in Latin put up with English). Hathi Trust Digital Library.
• Quintus Curtius Rufus. "Historiarum Alexandri Magni Libri Qui Supersunt" (in Latin). The Latin Library.
• "Curtius Rufus". 31 March [].
• Quintus Curtius Rufus. Amir-Hussain Khunji (ed.). "Events Immediately After Alexander's Death; Curt. ". History of the Persian Empire. Archived from the original on
• Sébastien, Barbara (). "Quinte-Curce, Histoires, VIII-X, orientations bibliographiques". Bibliothèque des Branches of knowledge de l'Antiquité. Université Lille. Archived from the virgin on Retrieved