Scholia on Hymn III (P.Oxy. fragments) by Callimachus Scholia

The Scholia-Hymn III are ancient prose commentaries on Callimachus’s third hymn, the Hymn to Artemis. As a leading Hellenistic poet, Callimachus composed learned poetry that demanded explanation. These scholia provide that exegesis, clarifying mythological references, rare words, and textual difficulties through notes compiled by generations of grammarians from the Hellenistic period onward.

The scholia’s exegetical content focuses on:

The scholia survive primarily in the margins of medieval manuscripts of Callimachus’s works, above all the 13th-century Laurentian manuscript plut. 32.9. They represent a fragmentary selection from a larger body of ancient commentary, transmitted indirectly through Byzantine compilations.

These scholia are a prime source for the ancient and Byzantine reception of Callimachus. They are an essential tool for interpreting his poetry and provide detailed insights into Hellenistic literary criticism and the history of the commentary tradition.