Extract

Born at Soloi in Cilicia, he was taught by the grammarian *Menecrates (2) of Ephesus, and studied at Athens, where he probably first became acquainted with *Callimachus (3) and the philosophers *Timon (2) of Phlius and *Menedemus (1). He there imbibed *Stoicism from *Zeno (2) and was introduced to *Antigonus (2) Gonatas of Macedonia, who invited him to the court at Pella. There he celebrated the king's marriage to Phila, half-sister of the Seleucid *Antiochus I, and composed a Hymn to *Pan glorifying Antigonus' victory over the Celts (277). Later he migrated to Antiochus' court in Syria, where he is said to have undertaken editions of *Homer's Odyssey and Iliad. Returning to Macedonia, he died there some time before the death of Antigonus (240/39).Aratus' best-known work, and the only one extant, is a poem entitled Phaenomena, undertaken at the suggestion of Antigonus.