The groundwork for this manuscript began in 2005 while I was working on my doctoral thesis at UCLA and became intrigued with questions of architecture, particularly the permanence of monumental constructions and their status as material analogues to Homeric kleos aphthiton. Since then, the material that comprised but one part of my dissertation project has grown, with the assistance of many people, into a larger, self-contained work.

First, I wish to thank my former teachers, who inspired me with their work and passion, and continue to foster my ideas: Ann Bergren, Monica Cyrino, Robert Gurval, Michael Haslam, Katherine King, Kathryn Morgan, Sarah Morris, John Papadopoulos, and Alex Purves. My debt to these scholars and friends for their guidance and encouragement—especially Ann Bergren, the sine qua non of this project’s original form—cannot be adequately stated.

I enjoyed opportunities to present material from this project at annual meetings of the American Philological Association (Chicago, 2008) and the Classical Association of the Middle West and South (Grand Rapids, 2011; Baton Rouge, 2012), and am thankful for the comments, questions, and suggestions from presiders, panelists, and audience members, including Egbert Bakker, Jenny Clay, Andromache Karanika, Andrew Lear, Bruce Louden, Melissa Mueller, Craig Russell, and Dan Turkeltaub.

I am grateful to Ann Bergren, Robert Gurval, Kathryn Morgan, and John Papadopoulos for creating opportunities for me to present my work to the UCLA Classics Department; to Monica Cyrino, Natasha Kolchevska, and Walter Putnam for the chance to speak at UNM’s Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures; and to Philip Holt for invitations to participate in the Wyoming Humanities Council Summer Classics Institute at the University of Wyoming.

Ann Bergren, Monica Cyrino, Christopher Eckerman, Owen Goeslin, Karen Gunterman, Michael Haslam, Christopher Johanson, Katherine King, Alex Purves, Charles Stocking, and Lowry Sweeney read the manuscript (or portions thereof) at various stages of completion and offered valuable expertise and advice. Brent Vine and Tanya Ivanova-Sullivan helped me with questions about linguistics and provided me with bibliography; Katja Schroeter assisted me with translations of German; and Rajeshwari Vallury kindly looked over my translations of French. Emily Kratzer read more than one draft of the manuscript in its entirety and helped improve it immeasurably.

I extend thanks to my students, present and former, whose enthusiasm was sustaining: Scott Barnard, Daniel Bellum, Caley McGuill, Israel McMullin, Trigg Settle, and Jessica Wells.

I am deeply grateful to Casey Dué Hackney, Mary Ebbott, Jill Curry Robbins, and the entire editorial team at the Center for Hellenic Studies for their friendly guidance and commitment to seeing this project through to the end. In particular, two anonymous readers provided generous and keen observations that led me to rethink and reformulate several positions. My work is stronger and more original thanks to their criticisms and encouragements. Whatever shortcomings remain—alas!—are mine alone.

I thank my parents, Lorenzo F. Garcia and Lorraine Suazo-Garcia, for their support, encouragement, and love.

Finally, I wish to acknowledge Emily Kratzer, whose love, constant support, and ever-willingness to listen to my ramblings on Homer have sustained me these many years.