In the previous posts, we considered descriptions of male and female hair, and rituals associated with hair. In this post we consider epithets related to hair. We referred to Milman Parry Studies in the Epic Technique of Oral Verse-Making: I. “Homer and Homeric Style” for a definition and description of epithets: In my study of the traditional epithet in Homer, I dealt with those formulas in the Iliad and in the Odyssey which… Read more
In the previous posts in this series we looked at descriptions of hair for males and for females. This time we look at some examples of how hair features in ritual events as depicted in the texts. Ritual offering of hair Achilles and his companions cut their hair and offer it in commemoration at the funeral of Patroklos: In the midst of them his comrades bore Patroklos [135] and covered… Read more
But the mane [khaitā] of the other one, my kinswoman Hagesikhora, blossoms [epantheō] on her head like imperishable gold [khrusos]. … She is Hagesikhora. But whoever is second to Agido in beauty, let her be a Scythian horse running against a Lydian one. … It is true: all the royal purple 65 in the world cannot resist. No fancy snake-bracelet, made of pure gold, no headdress from Lydia, the kind… Read more
How did the ancient Greeks view hair? There are many passages in which it is mentioned or described, and this series of blog posts will explore different aspects of how it is featured in some of the texts. In this first post, we are looking at physical descriptions of men’s hair. Right from the beginning of the Iliad we see the hair of Achilles featured as part of the action… Read more