This video recording was originally shown at an international conference held at Baku, November 27–28, 2015. In this video Professor Gregory Nagy explores the myths relating to The Lives of Homer. “This inquiry centers on the surviving texts of ‘Life of Homerʼ narrative traditions, to which I refer simply as Lives of Homer. These Lives, I argue, can be read as sources of historical information about the reception of Homeric poetry.… Read more
In this episode, “The Song of Moses, The Shield of Achilles, and ox-vision Hera,” Gregory Nagy and Keith Stone discuss: A new book by Keith Stone: Singing Moses’s Song: A Performance-Critical Analysis of Deuteronomy’s Song of Moses The Shield of Achilles in Iliad 18 and in myths about the life of Homer The meaning of epithets associated with Hera and Athena, which are sometimes translated into English as “ox-eyed’/’owl-eyed’, or better… Read more
In his book Homeric Questions, Gregory Nagy explains his choice of title as follows: The title of this work is marked by the word Questions, in the plural. It takes the place of the expected singular, along with a definite article, associated with that familiar phrase, “the Homeric Question.” Today there is no agreement about what the Homeric Question might be. Perhaps the most succinct of many possible formulations is this… Read more
In this episode, Gregory Nagy and Keith Stone respond to comments and questions from the community about the relationships between: poetry and prose, Homeric and Hesiodic traditions, justice and vegetal images In particular they discuss an Attic red-figure column-krater (c. 450 BCE) that features Apollo, Artemis, and a sacred palm tree. Image: (from left to right) Artemis holding an oinochoe; Apollo holding a laurel branch and a phiale, about to… Read more
To visit Greece is an experience filled with emotions. Long ago, I traveled to the beautiful island of Aegina. The isle is in the Saronic Gulf, not far from Athens. The vision of the temple of Aphaia is amazing. I dedicate this post to Myrmidon, who is our talented Friday Café host, because the island of Aegina is where Myrmidons liked to train. According to Hesiod (Hesiod F 205… Read more