MELEAGER, a Greek epigrammatist, and the collector of the first Anthologia that is known, was the son of Eucrates, and flourished at Gadara in Palestine about 60 B.C. His collection was made from the works of forty-six authors, and was entitled Στέφανος, The Garland. The authors were Anytus, Myro, Sappho, Melanippides, Simonides, Nossis, Rhianus, Erinna, Alceus, Samilo, Leonidas, Mnasalcas, Pamphilus, Pancretes, Tymnes, Nicias, Euphemus, Damagetus, Callimachus, Euphorion, Hegisippus, Perseus, Diotimus, Menecrates, Nicanetes, Phaenus, Simmias, Parthenis, Bacchylides, Anacreon, Anthemius, Archilochus, Alexander Ætolus, Polycletus, Polystreatus, Antipater, Possidippus, Hedyles, Sicelides, Plato, Aratus, Cheremon, Phedimus, Antagoras, Theodorides, and Phanius. This collection has disappeared, but we possess 131 epigrams, which are said to have been the production of this poet. They are written principally on amorous subjects, and are remarkable for the elegance of their versification. The best editions of Meleager are that of Manso (Jena 1789), of Meinecke (Lips. 1789), and at Græfe (Lips. 1811). See Fabricius, Biblioth. Græca, tom. iv.; Prolegomena to the
1 The word he uses is incomprehensibilis, which the Vulgate renders ininterpretabilis.
2 Wardlaw rejects this with the remark, "This will not do," and adopts in preference the interpretation which refers "he liveth" to Christ; an interpretation, again, which Ebrard says "is mere nonsense." We beg to dissent from both decisions. That the interpretation which Wardlaw rejects "will do" Ebrard shows; and that the view which Ebrard denounces is not "nonsense" is sufficiently proved by Wardlaw.
3 See Chrysostom, Homil.; Calvin, Comment.; Tholuck, Comment. in loco.; Alexander's Congregational Lecture, 2d edit., p. 423; &c.
Anthologia Græca of Jacobs; Reiske in his Preface to his Anthologia Græca; Schneider in his Analecta Critica, fascic. 1; Burette, Mémoires de l'Acad. des Inscrip. xix.