This book began as a doctoral dissertation for the Ph.D. in Classical Philology at Harvard University. I most gratefully acknowledge the help and encouragement of my readers for that dissertation: Gloria Ferrari Pinney, who gave me a new eye for metaphor and whose work continues to inspire me to be both more rigorous and more imaginative, and Charles P. Segal, who led me to new ways of reading texts and made manifest for me what it means to have a command of Greek literature. I enjoyed fruitful conversations about various subjects with Douglas Frame, Leonard Muellner, and Dr. Ingo Pini. I must thank above all two colleagues. First, Greg Nagy, the best of all dissertation directors, amazes me with his intellectual power and generosity and has been an unfailing source of encouragement, support, and inspiration. And Casey Dué, my colleague and good friend, kindly read through a draft of the entire book and made many helpful suggestions; her brilliance inspires me and reinvigorates my love of Greek literature. Any blame for the contents herein attaches solely to me, of course.