This book began as a doctoral dissertation at the University of Missouri-Columbia, under the direction and shepherding of John Miles Foley^?, but has since been expanded and rewritten through the encouragement of numerous colleagues. I am particularly appreciative of the support of Gregory Nagy and Leonard Muellner. Casey Dué proved invaluable for her knowledge and insightful suggestions. I have also profited from suggestions for portions of this work from (known and anonymous) readers and auditors at conferences, through correspondence, and during the review process. I wish to express special gratitude to Joel Christensen, Richard Janko, Susan Langdon, Anatole Mori, Barry Powell, David Schenker, Barbara Wallach, and Ian Worthington; and here at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, to my colleagues who offered feedback, to Elisabetta Cova, Michael Mikoś, Richard Monti, David Mulroy, Kevin Muse, and Jim Shey. Thanks are also due in no small measure to the pleasant and capable editorial staff at CHS, especially to Jill Curry Robbins. A portion of my work also benefitted from a UWM Schwertfeger Family Fund grant, which I acknowledge here with gratefulness.

Finally, I want to thank my parents, Rev. Doug and Ella Porter, for their constant and unreserved love and support that has always been there for our family and gone beyond words; and to my own children, to Steven, Ted and Marissa, and Abigail, who are a source of joy. My wife Nancy, however, as in any good marriage (Proverbs 18.22), deserves praise first and last, and it is to her that I dedicate this work.

 

To Nancy

When we are in love, we love the grass,
And the barns, and the lightpoles,
And the small main streets abandoned all night.

—Robert Bly