Conclusion Over the course of this book, we have gained a sense of the particular choices made by the Homeric poets in forming their vegetal images. We have seen that the relevant images draw on some of the most striking characteristics of the Greek flora—the sudden, exceptionally diverse blooms of the Greek spring. And by accessing these phenomena, the Homeric poets were able to draw their listeners’… Read more
Plates Plate 1. Spring blooms at the ancient site of Epidaurus, 30 March 2015. Photo by the author. Plate 2. Spring blooms at the ancient site of Eleusis, 31 March 2015. Photo by the author. Plate 3. Spring bloom on the slopes of the ancient site of Mycenae, 10 March 2009. Photo by the author. Plate 4. Narcissus… Read more
Appendix. The Semantics of ἄνθος and ἀνθέω A number of the passages discussed in this book incorporate the noun ἄνθος, which is commonly translated “flower.” [1] Linguists have however expressed doubts over the semantics of the lexeme: some have suggested that it originally carried a more abstract meaning, such as “surface” or “that which bursts forth.” Therefore, in spite of the usual… Read more
Bibliography Adkins, A. W. H. 1983. “Orality and Philosophy.” In Language and Thought in Early Greek Philosophy, ed. K. Robb, 207–227. La Salle, IL. Adler, A. 1928. Suidae Lexicon. Vol. 1. Leipzig. Ahl, F., and H. M. Roisman. 1996. The Odyssey Reformed. Ithaca. Aitchison, J. M. 1963. “Homeric ἄνθος.” Glotta 41.3/4:271–278. … Read more
4. The Characterization of Agamemnon in the Iliad 4.1 Introduction A vivid picture of what Agamemnon’s character was like for the Odyssey poet and his core audience emerged from our discussion in the last chapter, and it joins the portrait we began to see develop already in Chapter 2. We have noted that Agamemnon is known within Homer’s tradition as a character who dies a shameful… Read more
5. The Traditional Characterization of Agamemnon What has emerged from a consideration of Agamemnon’s appearances in person, name, or through retrospective narrative, is the tenor of his characterization in the Iliad and Odyssey. As I have noted throughout the foregoing chapters, Agamemnon’s involvement in other story patterns, such as that contained in the Odyssey, provides helpful background for understanding Agamemnon’s characterization in the Iliad. In this chapter,… Read more
Appendix. Colometry and Formulae Oral-traditional tale-telling includes embedded cues to the larger back stories that begin at the level of cola and formulae. They are the first level of consideration in any search for characterization in Homer. [1] In colometry, “words,” to borrow Foley’s description, from particles to longer lexical (i.e. formulaic) components, are preserved whole. [2]… Read more
Bibliography Adkins, W. H. 1982. “Values, Goals, and Emotions in the Iliad.” Classical Philology 77:292–326. Alden, M. 2001. Homer Beside Himself: Para-narratives in the Iliad. Oxford. ———. 2012. “The Despised Migrant (Il. 9.648 = 16.59).” In Homeric Contexts: Neoanalysis and the Interpretation of Oral Poetry, ed. F. Montanari, A. Rengakos, and C. Tsagalis, 115–131. Berlin. … Read more
Preface Elenei, soţiei mele scumpe But Athena daughter of Zeus made himTaller and broader to look at; and from his headShe sent down curly locks, like the flower of the hyacinth.As when some man pours gold around silver,A skilled man, whom Hephaestus and Pallas Athena taughtEvery kind of craft—he achieves graceful works—So she poured grace on his head and… Read more
Introduction The images of flowers, trees, and other plants that we find in the poetry of a given region represent particular responses to a particular flora with particular characteristics familiar to those who live in that region. Therefore, if we are to achieve a proper understanding of the operations of such images and of the ways in which they would have been received by audiences and readers,… Read more
