L'Arato perduto

Only scanty fragments of Aratus’ minor works are extant; on the contrary, relevant information can be found in numerous ancient testimonia. Several ancient sources attest to Aratus’ scholarly work on Homer and all of them are here discussed: accordingly, an edition of theOdysseyis attributed to him with certainty; the attribution of a similar work on theIliadis doubtful. From other sources a new hypothesis may be advanced concerning Fr. 83, 84 (= Fr 85)Supplementum Hellenisticum, which offer different versions of the opening lines of thePhaenomena. In the light of the testimonia, Aratus’ authorship of both versions appears to be possible.