Posts Tagged by Thebais

During my research talk one week ago (02/23/2012), I discussed the outcomes of a study I have conducted at the CHS on a specific epic fragment. In this post I wish to present, in a condensed form, some of these points by fulfilling at the same time the promise I made in the previous post to touch on the Alcmeonis. The starting point is an epic fragment [1] containing the first formulation of the so-called “norm of the polyp”: The sources report the lines as anonymous, although Antigonus, by mentioning generically “the poet’” seems to imply an Homeric authorship. Such lines are included in the modern editions of the Greek epic fragments, where they are either recorded under the voice “Homerus” (fr. 3 Davies) or ascribed tentatively to the Cyclic epic Thebais (fr. 4 Berbabé = 8* West). The attribution to the Thebais may receive some support by the fact that… more