anthology

This doesn't survive to this day, but it was the basis of later anthologies: by Philippus, Strato, Diogenianus under the Romans; by Agathias in the 500s under Byzantium; and the greatest compilation was that by Constantinus Cephalas around 900. It was ousted by a poorer reworking of his by Maximus Planudes around 1300, which was printed in the West in 1494 by a refugee from the fall of Constantinople.

The anthologies of Cephalas and Planudes hold some 3700 works between them, of variable quality, but preserving many of the best short Greek poetry.

The full edition of Cephalas, the famous Palatine Anthology, was not printed until 1776.

An*thol"o*gy (#), n. [Gr. , fr. flower gathering; flower + to gather.]

1.

A discourses on flowers.

2.

A collection of flowers; a garland.

3.

A collection of flowers of literature, that is, beautiful passages from authors; a collection of poems or epigrams; -- particularly applied to a collection of ancient Greek epigrams.

4. Gr. Ch.

A service book containing a selection of pieces for the festival services.

© Webster 1913.