# Rhodius Apollonius

## Biography

Apollonius of Rhodes, known in Latin as Rhodius Apollonius, was a distinguished ancient Greek epic poet and grammarian who flourished in the 3rd century BC. Born around 295 BC, likely in Alexandria, Egypt, he is most renowned for his epic poem, the Argonautica. This work recounts the mythical journey of Jason and the Argonauts in their quest for the Golden Fleece. Apollonius served as a prominent scholar and, for a period, as the head of the prestigious Library of Alexandria. His poetry, while deeply influenced by Homer, also innovated the epic genre by presenting a more human and vulnerable protagonist in Jason, departing from the larger-than-life heroes of earlier tradition. Though details of his life remain somewhat speculative, sources indicate a period of residency or retirement in Rhodes, from which he derived his epithet. He also engaged in scholarly critiques of Homeric texts.

## Books

- [The Argonautica](https://samolit.com/books/96753)