Nicander

Nicander ( Νίκανδρος, also Nikander ) (* 197 BC in Colophon, Ionia; ? † 130 BC in Pergamum? ) Was a Greek physician, grammarian and poet. He lived under the king Attalos II and at the court of Attalus III.

Of his numerous works only two complete poems and fragments of writings on the vegetable farming ( Georgics ), about beekeeping ( Melissurgika ) and the snake Customer ( Ophiaka ) are obtained. Fully narrated are the didactic poems:

• Theriaka ( 958 verses about bites and stings of poisonous animals such as snakes and scorpions, and their treatment), and
• Alexipharmaka (630 verses about taken by mouth poisons of plant, animal and mineral origin, as well as disease and antidotes).

The two Versdichtungen based on the writings of venom researcher Apollodorus of Alexandria and stand in the poetic tradition of Hesiod. In turn they took apparently affect Aemilius Macer and Lukan and Quintus of Smyrna. In both poems the teacher intention occurs significantly behind formalist aesthetics and rhetorical language arts. Contrast changes Nikander between tense and rather scientific and sober passages, imprinted neologisms in order to assure the audience 's own language skills and decorates primarily the animal plenty of descriptions.

Among his poems no longer extant there were also Metamorphoses ( Heteroioumena ), which was incorporated Ovid in his work. Also in the collection of transformation Share of Antoninus Liberalis contained some. According to the German National Library, it would be likely that the two epic poet and author of didactic poems Nicander ( Colophonius ) and Nicander ( Epicus ) of Colophon are two mutually distinguishable persons. However, the work assignment is partially uncertain.