Topic for Discussion

In Focus: Iliad 9, lines 524–528

|524 This is how [houtōs] we [= I, Phoenix] learned it, the glories [klea] of men [andrōn] of an earlier time [prosthen], |525 who were heroes [hērōes], whenever one of them was overcome by tempestuous anger. |526 They could be persuaded by way of gifts and could be swayed by words. |527 I totally recall [me-mnē-mai] how this was done—it happened a long time ago, it is not something new—… Read more

In Focus: Homeric Hymn to Herakles 4–6

|4 He [= Hēraklēs] used to travel all over the boundless earth and all over the sea, |5 veering from his path and wandering off, all because of the missions assigned to him by Eurystheus the king. |6 He [= Hēraklēs] performed many reckless things on his own, and he suffered many such things in return. (trans. Gregory Nagy, Hour 22 Text D, The Ancient Greek Hero in 24 Hours)… Read more

Under discussion: Did Odysseus return to Troy?

~ A guest post by Laura Ford ~ Did Odysseus return to Troy after his initial departure? And if so, why? The Iliad, which ends before the fall of Troy, gives us no information about the sack of the city or the departure of the Greeks. But there are some scanty details offered in the Odyssey and in the summaries of the poems of the epic cycle. In Odyssey 3… Read more

In Focus: Iliad 19, lines 76–138

|76 Then Agamemnon, the king of men, spoke up at their meeting, |77 right there from the place where he was sitting, not even standing up in the middle of the assembly. |78 “Near and dear ones,” said he, “Danaan [= Achaean] heroes, attendants [therapontes] of Arēs! |79 It is a good thing to listen when a man stands up to speak, and it is not seemly |80 to speak in relay after him. [9] It would… Read more

Under Discussion: O Absent Signifier!

~ A guest post by Jacqui Donlon ~ If you have been cruising around the Forum lately watching the home page videos or participating with the visiting scholars, you would have heard this phrase quite a lot. Absent signifier. I first heard this term in the HeroesX discussion board posts from Lenny Mueller. Now that I have started reading more of Douglas Frame’s work, I see it there. It is… Read more