Callimaco e la voce del cane

Abstract

In Callimachus' Iamb. 2 one of the targets of the poet's criticism is said to have "the voice of the dog". What did Callimachus mean by that expression is under discussion. A survey of the metaphorical uses of the dog and his barking ("hylaktein", "bayzein") in the ancient Greek literature seems to suggest that Callimachus' aim was to criticize the bitterness of Filone's style as well as his lack of persuasiveness and authority.