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Please help to identify which word the phrase "largest of the ancient world" modifies

As a result of the destruction of the library at Alexandria, largest of the
ancient world, later generations lost all the books.

I thought it to be Alexandria but the answer says library, which makes sense. I thought the phrase modifies the nearest noun which is Alexandria.

Thanks

BW2/3 · Accepted Answer

It is the library.

Sgofpl · Answer

Can you please explain?. I am not getting it how it will modify "library".

Avangi · Answer

SgofplPlease help to identify which word the phrase "largest of the ancient world" modifies

As a result of the destruction of the library at Alexandria, largest of the ancient world, later generations lost all the books.

I thought it to be Alexandria but the answer says library, which makes sense. I thought the phrase modifies the nearest noun which is Alexandria.

Going strictly on intuition, I'd say if you wanted people to take "Alexandria" as the antecedent, you'd say, "largest city of the ancient world." In other words, the reader has to do some "figuring." largest what? largest library or largest Alexandria? The reader would reject "Alexandria" as being an absurd choice because he would know that among all the "Alexandria's" in the ancient world, only this one would be the subject of such a discussion. You might say the issue is context driven.

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