Chapter 4. Single Speeches and Variations on the Battlefield The first three chapters focused on the extended one-on-one conversations in the Odyssey and the Iliad. We have seen that the Odyssey makes much more extensive use of one-on-one conversation than the Iliad does, and indeed, the Iliad… Read more
Chapter 5. Group Contexts I—Assemblies Let us begin this discussion of assembly patterns with a basic question. What is an assembly? How can we recognize a given scene as an assembly rather than as simply a group of people talking, or a council, or an embassy? The… Read more
Chapter 6. Group Contexts II—Athletic Games, Laments This chapter differs somewhat from the previous chapters in its organization and goals. Chapters 1-5 discussed various forms of lengthening and elaboration that occur in connection with repeating conversational types (one-on-one conversations, single speeches, and formal assemblies). The conversational types… Read more
Conclusions Each chapter of this book has examined the aesthetic and poetic effects of a different type of conversation. In the first two chapters, we saw that one-on-one conversations in the Odyssey consistently highlight the conflict that the main characters in the poem feel between revealing themselves… Read more
Appendix I Breakdown of direct speeches in the Iliad and the Odyssey by turn type and by type of speech introductory formula The following two tables categorize and total i) the speeches and ii) the speech introductions in the Iliad and the Odyssey book by book. Read more
Appendix II All participles that appear in reply formulas of the type τὸν/τὴν [participle] προσέφη [nominative name/epithet] The verses that contain participles other than ἀπαμειβόμενος with the main verb προσέφη are given below in order of frequency of the participle. Initial half-verses that appear three… Read more
Appendix III Full-verse context-specific introductory formulas All context-specific speech introductory formulas that occur at least three times in the Homeric epics (presented in order of frequency, with most frequent first) are given below. [1] Implied subjects whose names would be… Read more
Appendix IV Full-verse speech concluding formulas All speech concluding formulas that occur at least three times in the Homeric epics (presented in order of frequency, with most frequent first) are given below. The main verb (other than or in addition to “so s/he spoke” is highlighted. Read more
Bibliography I. Editions of Homer, lexica, and other reference works Chantraine, P. 1990, 1984. Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue Greque 1-2, 3-4. Paris. Cunliffe, R. J. 1988. A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect. 2nd ed. Norman. Dunbar,… Read more
Chapter 3. Allegorical Modulations Soubtiles couvertures de belles matieres soubzfictions delitables et morales. Christine de Pizan, Avision Better chastity, the invisible flowerthat rocks atop the stalks of silence,the difficult diamond of the holy saintsthat filters desires, satiates time,… Read more
