2. The Labors of Herakles: Time [1] In the last chapter we saw Tydeus, one of the original Seven against Thebes, being held up as a model for his son, Diomedes, to emulate. At key points in Diomedes’ maturation in the epic the name of his father is invoked, first before he proves himself in battle and later when he shows himself a man of… Read more
3. Homer’s Oedipus Complex: Form [1] In the last chapter we saw how Herakles, while rarely mentioned explicitly in the Iliad, nevertheless casts a long shadow over the events of the epic. Haunting Achilles’ every move, Herakles stands as the hero from a bygone age. His singular actions had not only brought Zeus’ order to the world of men, but also had brought about Troy’s… Read more
4. Doubling Down On Strife [1] In the first three chapters of this book, we have avoided attempts to reconstruct lost Theban epics in favor of identifying where Theban material occurs in Homer and exploring the ways in which Homer re-presents that material by putting it at the service of his narratives. In Chapter 1 we examined Homer’s most explicit engagement with Thebes, via a… Read more
5. Theban Palimpsests [1] Strife that gives birth to strife prosmnatai (‘wins over’) reason.Ἔρις ἔριν τίκτουσα προσμνᾶται λόγον. Suda s.v. Eris; Mantissa Proverbiorum 1.60 This proverb on strife, preserved in both the Suda and the Mantissa Proverbiorum, is unusually cryptic for a maxim. The verb προσμνᾶται is not attested anywhere else but clearly relies on a metaphor of wooing; [2]… Read more
Appendix 1B: Historical and Legendary Hostages, continued {246–259} Case Number At Time of Exaction Period of Detention Termination of Hostageship Sex Age Number Affiliation Selection Time Place Treatment 1 F nubile X child of donor X X R Impregnated X 2 X παῖδες X X X X R Threatened Rescued 3 M τέκνα X Aeneas’ grandsons X X R Adopted X 4… Read more
Appendix 1C: Rhetorical References to Hostages {261} Herein are the rhetorical and non-personal references to ὅμηρος and obsides found in the works cited in the bibliography. Sources: “Hostage” Josephus, J.A. 11.303 marriage Diodorus 19.24.2 money Polybius 1.68.3 baggage Plutarch, Moralia 54A sympathy Plutarch, Cato Minor 30.4 marriage Cicero, Pro Caelio 32.78 prosecutions Cicero, Pro Cluentio 66.188 dead sons Cicero, In Catilinam 4.5.9 opinion (sententia) Cicero, In Catilinam 4.2.3 Cicero’s son… Read more
Appendix II.A: The Legend of Cloelia {263–270} The war between the infant Roman Republic and the Etruscan king Lars Porsenna became the setting for three episodes which attracted the fancy of the Roman literary establishment, and surely also that of the undocumented public at large, for generations: Horatius Cocles swimming the Tiber in full arms, Mucius Cordus thrusting his hand into the fire, and the maiden Cloelia escaping from hostageship. Read more
Acknowledgements To my beloved children Aspasia, Dimitris, and Athina Who had to learn how to fall Before learning how to fly They all fly now, with elegance and kindness … In the long years devoted to the research and writing of this book on Oedipus, I came to realize that I cannot really distinguish between the people who supported… Read more
Note on Translations and Editions of Oedipus Tyrannus I quote Lloyd-Jones’ translation of Oedipus Tyrannus used throughout, unless otherwise indicated. The edition of the original text is by Lloyd-Jones & Wilson (1990), for I had nearly completed my book when the edition/commentary by Finglass (2018) appeared. However, I adopt the newer edition in places where I disagree with Lloyd-Jones & Wilson, changing the translation accordingly. … Read more
