title: Sources and Models of the Zoological Excursus in George of Pisidia’s Hexaemeron. Part 1: Aithyia, Ibis, Spider
metadata.name: dc.contributor.author
metadata.value: Zeltchenko, Vsevolod V.
metadata.lang: -
metadata.name: dc.date.accessioned
metadata.value: 2024-12-03T17:29:59Z
metadata.lang: -
metadata.name: dc.date.available
metadata.value: 2024-12-03T17:29:59Z
metadata.lang: -
metadata.name: dc.date.issued
metadata.value: 2024-03
metadata.lang: -
metadata.name: dc.identifier.citation
metadata.value: Zeltchenko V. V. Sources and Models of the Zoological Excursus in George of Pisidia’s Hexaemeron. Part 1: Aithyia, Ibis, Spider. Philologia Classica 2024, 19 (1), 121–133. https://doi.org/10.21638/spbu20.2024.108
metadata.lang: en_GB
metadata.name: dc.identifier.other
metadata.value: https://doi.org/10.21638/spbu20.2024.108
metadata.lang: -
metadata.name: dc.identifier.uri
metadata.value: http://hdl.handle.net/11701/48094
metadata.lang: -
metadata.name: dc.description.abstract
metadata.value: This article opens a series devoted to investigating the sources of the ample zoological excursus
  (vv. 916–1223) in the Hexaemeron by George of Pisidia, a 7th-century Byzantine poet.
  Since the two attempts to find a general formula for George of Pisidia’s treatment of his models
  have led to directly opposite results (according to Max Wellmann, the poet distanced himself
  from pagan zoologists; according to Luigi Tartaglia, on the contrary, he drew material
  from them, favouring Aelian), it seems that the question of the poem’s sources should be addressed
  by a step-by-step examination of passages, paying attention to such evidence as the
  coincidence of minor details or words. In v. 1116 the unusual metaphor “aithyia, bending its
  winged cloud” (in the sense of “spreading its wings”) makes one think of an (unconscious?)
  association with Arat. Phaen. 918–920, where “a stretching cloud” is mentioned in the catalogue
  of storm’s signs in immediate juxtaposition to the flapping of the wings of seabirds. In
  vv. 1117–1124 (the self-cleansing of the ibis) the reference to Galen is not a mere metonymy
  (= “the most skillful physician”), as interpreters have hitherto thought, but points to the poet’s
  source: in the Galenic corpus this story is attested three times, and the passage closest to
  George of Pisidia’s account is [Galen.] Introd. 1.2. In vv. 1154–1159 (the structure of the web)
  the confused sequence of the stages of the spider’s work (first concentric circles, then radial
  threads), that contradicts both reality and (which is more important) the ancient tradition going
  back to Book IX of Historia animalium, seems to betray the influence of John Philoponus
  (De opif. mundi, p. 257, 24 sqq. Reinhardt). In Philoponus’ text this sequence is justified by the
  fact that his rhetorical passage describes, strictly speaking, not the web itself, but a drawing of
  it made by a “diligent geometer”.
metadata.lang: en_GB
metadata.name: dc.language.iso
metadata.value: en
metadata.lang: en_GB
metadata.name: dc.publisher
metadata.value: St Petersburg State University
metadata.lang: en_GB
metadata.name: dc.relation.ispartofseries
metadata.value: Philologia Classica;Volume 19; Issue 1
metadata.lang: -
metadata.name: dc.subject
metadata.value: George of Pisidia
metadata.lang: en_GB
metadata.name: dc.subject
metadata.value: Hexaemeron
metadata.lang: en_GB
metadata.name: dc.subject
metadata.value: ancient and Byzantine zoology
metadata.lang: en_GB
metadata.name: dc.subject
metadata.value: Aratus
metadata.lang: en_GB
metadata.name: dc.subject
metadata.value: Galen
metadata.lang: en_GB
metadata.name: dc.subject
metadata.value: John Philoponus
metadata.lang: en_GB
metadata.name: dc.title
metadata.value: Sources and Models of the Zoological Excursus in George of Pisidia’s Hexaemeron. Part 1: Aithyia, Ibis, Spider
metadata.lang: en_GB
metadata.name: dc.type
metadata.value: Article
metadata.lang: en_GB
resources.filename: 08.pdf
resources.url: https://dspace.spbu.ru/bitstream/11701/48094/1/08.pdf
resources.format: Adobe PDF
resources.size: 722,61 kB