Visiting Scholars

Visiting Scholars

Oral Poetics: The Epic Cycle, and the Metaphor of the Chariot Wheel

In this video clip, Professor Gregory Nagy discusses the epic cycle, as a body of oral poetry, and helps us to understand how the ancient Greeks viewed their tradition of composition in performance through the metaphor of the chariot wheel, the κύκλος [kuklos, ‘circle, cycle, chariot wheel’]. You can watch on our YouTube channel, or in the frame below References: Albert B. Lord: Singer of Tales Gregory Nagy: Homeric Questions… Read more

Visiting Scholars

Open House | Homeric poetry, multitextuality, and jazz, with Graeme Bird

We were pleased to welcome Professor Graeme D. Bird (Gordon College) for a special Open House Discussion. Professor Bird, who is both a classicist and jazz musician, joined members of the community for a discussion about Homeric poetry, multitextuality, and jazz. For a general introduction to Bird and his work, read “Homeric Variations: Interview with Classicist and Jazz Musician Graeme Bird”. You can watch on our YouTube channel, or in… Read more

Visiting Scholars

Open House | Charioteers, with Kevin McGrath

We were pleased to welcome Kevin McGrath, Associate in the Department of South Asian Studies at Harvard University, to discuss how charioteering and charioteers are emblematic—if not signal—of warrior song and culture in the Mahābhārata. Our discussion included reference to focus passages from the Iliad and Mahābhārata noted below, as well as McGrath’s article on Kṛṣṇa in Mahābhārata. Focus Passages & Scholarship Iliad 2. 545ff Iliad 4. 297ff Iliad 5. 239ff… Read more

Visiting Scholars,  Word Study

Audio: Casey Dué & Mary Ebbott on Iliad 10 and the Poetics of Ambush

We are pleased to share this recent audio conversation (see below) with Casey Dué and Mary Ebbott, during which they discussed their findings on the poetics of ambush in Iliad 10. During the conversation, they explain why they chose to look at Iliad 1 0 in the light of oral poetics, and examine the evidence for a night ambush as a traditional theme, and how this activity is as heroic as, for… Read more

Visiting Scholars

Open House | Penelope and Weaving, with Olga Levaniouk

We were pleased to welcome Professor Olga Levaniouk (U. of Washington) for an Open House Discussion on Penelope & Weaving. Our discussion was informed  by the descriptions of Penelope’s weaving in Scrolls 2, 19, and 24—especially the focus passages below. You can watch the recording in the frame below, or on our YouTube channel. Focus Passages Odyssey ii 85–128 [85] “Telemakhos, insolent braggart that you are, how dare you try… Read more