During the Ptolemaic reign, Alexandria's writers served the royal court. They wrote poetry in praise of the Ptolemaic kings' wives.
Among the most famous of these works is Kalemakhos's poem in praise of Queen Berenice the Second's wisp of hair. The queen had promised to present a wisp of hair to the gods if Ptolemy the Third Euergetes returned safely from the war. After Berenice presented the wisp to the temple of Arsinoe-Aphrodite, fulfilling her promise, the wisp mysteriously disappeared. Conon, the palace's astrologer, discovered Berenice's wisp among the stars.
The poem became known as Berenice's Wisp of Hair and is considered to be very beautiful poetry. The poet did not forget to praise the queen suitably. In one part, the wisp states that the honor it received by being placed among the stars did not stop it from feeling the sorrow of parting with that head from which it often absorbed filling fragrance .
Among the most famous of these works is Kalemakhos's poem in praise of Queen Berenice the Second's wisp of hair. The queen had promised to present a wisp of hair to the gods if Ptolemy the Third Euergetes returned safely from the war. After Berenice presented the wisp to the temple of Arsinoe-Aphrodite, fulfilling her promise, the wisp mysteriously disappeared. Conon, the palace's astrologer, discovered Berenice's wisp among the stars.
The poem became known as Berenice's Wisp of Hair and is considered to be very beautiful poetry. The poet did not forget to praise the queen suitably. In one part, the wisp states that the honor it received by being placed among the stars did not stop it from feeling the sorrow of parting with that head from which it often absorbed filling fragrance .
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