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Osim Ilijade i Odiseje, pod Homerovim imenom sačuvan je i zbornik Himni. Najstarije, nama u celini poznate, grčke himne pisane su u heksametrima. Obeležene su, zajedno sa mnogo mlađim pesmama, kao: ΄Ομηρικοι υμνοι – homerske himne i sačuvane su u zborniku koji je, verovatno, nastao tek u doba helenizma.
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Od Aristotelove Poetike, recimo, pa naovamo, u kontekstu proučavanja književnosti može se pratiti napor koji teži da složenu strukturu svetske književnosti podvrgne ”pravilnijoj”, preciznijoj podeli, i time sam diskurs o književnosti predstavi kao sistemski i pojmovno koherentan naučni korpus. A onda se u jednom trenutku pojavi i takvo jedno shvatanje, jednostavno do uvredljivosti, po kojem se celokupna svetska književnost, zapravo, može podeliti na njena dva osnovna, izvorna toka: na Ilijadu i Odiseju.
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This paper presents two notes relating to Jason’s prayer to Apollo before the launch of the Argo in Apollonius’ Argonautica (1.415–419). In both cases, I examine what may be termed the “subtextual” facets of the passage: textual data that are significant—productive of meaningful interpretation—and yet hardly apparent on a surface-level reading of the poem. The first note concerns the changing total number of crewmembers aboard the Argo, an evolving figure which Apollonius encourages the reader to track as the narrative progresses. The second proposes a new acrostic that “completes” the ΑΚΤΙΑ acrostic that Selina Stewart recently discovered in Jason’s prayer. In each case, I draw different conclusions from these subliminal data, which have ramifications for questions of gender and inclusivity in Jason’s crew and the role of the gods in the poem. Both readings, however, are a testament to the careful design and unity of purpose that runs through the epic.
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Andreas Frangias is one of the most important Greek post-war writers. He published four novels that cover the second half of the 20th century. Three of the four novels take place in the urban surrounding of a big city that could be any European city of the same period, which makes them and their messages universal. The aim of this paper is to examine if and in what way the cities and the houses influence their inhabitants and if and how the inhabitants influence the houses. These interconnections obviously occupied the attention of Frangias, since even the titles of the first two novels announce them. We will examine the condition of people and their houses, as well as the whole city in three important after-war periods for Greece – immediately after WWII, after the civil war of 1945-49 and in the ’80s, when the whole society was already overwhelmed with a consumerist mentality and strongly controlled by the invisible authority. It is of our interest to find out which influences are stronger and more evident. Do the psychological and emotional condition and the economical situation of the inhabitants influence their surroundings, do their surroundings influence them or are both of these true? Are these influences the same in each period? What are the messages or perhaps warnings that Frangias might have wanted to pass on to us through these interconnections?
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Research on the “Socratic problem” has lately posed a strong challenge for the belief that anything of considerable importance might be ascertained about the historical Socrates beyond some basic facts about him. Sceptics today argue that the Socratic problem is a pseudo-issue, fundamentally because they consider both Plato’s and Xenophon’s reports about him as examples of the so-called sokratikos logos, a genre not meant to represent Socrates with historical accuracy. Th is essay is an attempt to provide some novel methodological considerations that avert a radically sceptical conclusion about the Socratic problem. It fi rst argues that we need to focus on the trial of Socrates and compare Plato’s and Xenophon’s accounts of it, through exploring the dissimilarity of their authorial intentions and of their views of Socrates in general, and assess the compatibility of their accounts with our historical knowledge of contemporary Athens. As a fi rst part of such a comparison, this essay analyses Xenophon’s authorial intentions and argues that in view of some basic facts about Socrates, our knowledge of the era and the circumstances of the trial, Xenophon’s account is not plausible historically. On the basis of its shortcomings, it outlines some theoretical criteria that a historically reliable account must meet. It suggests that Plato’s Apology complies with these criteria, but assigns the task of exploring its historical plausibility to further study.
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The aim of the study, which is a continuation of this type of research (based on Greek literary sources of the Presocratic era), is to determine the meanings of the concept of mneme – “memory” in the works of Aeschylus and Sophocles, as well as to determine the function it plays in a given place. Linguistic and literary analysis of 12 instances of a noun mneme in Aeschylus (3) and Sophocles (9) shows that this concept reveals hitherto unknown semantic shades. Aeschylus gives mneme a new meaning of “worship” (in Suppliants). He also uses the already known: intellectual “power of memory” and for the first time in the history of Greek literature identifies “memory” with the mother of all muses – Mnemosyne (in Prometheus Bound). More often mneme appears in the works of Sophocles, which results from the functions performed there. After all, the intellectual “power of memory” and “memories” as the effects of its actions allow the characters to: (1) do well (and thus keep the moral order), (2) get to know the truth about ourselves (to recognize our own identity) changing the course of dramatic action as part of the peripeteia (the case of Oedipus), (3) lead (as the driving force) to destruction of heroes (Jocasta, Oedipus), (4) drive the action (as “thought”), (5) serve as a moral compass (in a new semantic shade “attention”, in Oedipus at Colonuss), (6) store a resource (memories) as a deposit in collective memory as a warning for posterity. And finally, for the first time in history, the concept of mneme as a tool of mimesis is used in Oedipus Rex in the new sense: “the ability to (re)create” (inspired by Mnemosyne) or otherwise: “poetic art of reconstruction” of dramatic events. Defined meanings (semantic shades) of mneme can be divided into 2 groups. The first group includes those that take rational value: “power / ability to remember”, “thought”, “attention”), while the other holds the expressive meanings: “worship, honour, commemoration”, “(re)creative, poetic reconstruction”. It seems that the Greek tragedians were aware of the role that mneme can play in their works: whether in the depiction of the characters, or as an element that drives the action, or in recalling, in various ways, the past and its cultivation.
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Study on the concept of mneme – “memory” in the plays of Euripides is a continuation of our research (based on the works of Greek tragedians), whose aim is not only to establish meanings, especially new ones, but also to define the role that this concept plays in the works of Euripides. Linguistic and literary analysis of 8 instances of a noun mneme shows that this concept reveals hitherto unknown semantic values and it also performs functions that are important for the plot. Among the meanings of mneme there are five new ones: (1) “testimony, proof” (Suppliant Women), whose role is a ‘media’ message to guarantee the preservation of memory about Theseus’ feats among descendants, (2) “account, balance” (Heracles), rational argument, which the hero must use in a critical situation caused by divine power, (3) specific “history”, which creates the plot (Ion), (4) “reason, rightness” (Iphigenia at Aulis), i.e. evidence of predominance of the woman over the man (in terms of character), (5) “image”, twice in this sense (Iphigenia at Aulis): 1. as a panorama, vivid memory of panegyric and cognitive nature (Greek expedition), 2. as scenes from Iphigenia’s childhood cited in order to change the decision of Agamemnon. In addition to the new ones, Euripides also uses known meanings: mneme with negation, i.e. the lack of “mentions, memories” (= concealment) becomes an important element of the plot of Helen, guaranteeing its happy ending; in turn mneme as Kreon’s “thought” is a tool for mastering feelings and influencing the development of stage events. All meanings defined by Euripides can be divided into two groups. The first group includes meanings that have rational value: (1) “account, balance”, (2) “thought”, (3) “reason, rightness”. In the other group there are expressive meanings: (1) “testimony, proof”, (2) “mention, memory”, (3) “history”, (4) “image”. Undoubtedly, Euripides not only broadened the semantic scope of the concept of mneme, introducing its new values, but creatively used them in his plays, whether to describe the main characters, or as an element influencing the action, or finally as a testimony of the past that is important for the plot.
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Ekphrasis is one of the forms that the Greek tragic dramatists used in their plays. From a dramaturgical point of view it was a very important element of play strictly connected with the conventions of the ancient theater. The examples taken from the Euripidean tragedy will be used to demonstrate the ways the ancient Greek tragedians applied ekphrasis in their works. Their review will start with descriptions, which can be conventionally called the ekphrasis of the theatrical “mask”. The term mask is understood here not sensu stricto as a part of actor’s costume, but as having a reference to what it hides. This type of ekphrasis may be found in visually inaccessible to the public of the Greek theater face of dramatis personae that is hidden behind the mask. It concealed facial expressions, so important to understand the action of the drama itself, as well as the role played by the actor. It is impossible to overestimate the importance of this dramaturgical element as a non-verbal means of communication which harmonizes with the text of play and its action and is crucial to perceive the intended meaning of the actors’ words.
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One of the dramatic ekphrasis forms is the ekphrasis of stage design. It describes what is usually made visible, at least partially, to the public, drawing its attention to important elements of scenography that played a significant role in the performance. Therefore it was necessary to make the spectators aware of those elements. They were used by all three tragedians: Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides. The article focuses on selected ekphrases of scenography taken from three Euripidean tragedies: Iphigenia in Tauris, Ion, Alcestis, and on their role in the structure of drama.
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After the death of Socrates, anecdotes and distorted stories about the philosopher’s family life and the unbearable character of his wife, Xanthippe, circulated in the general quasi literary circle. These stories were willingly read in subsequent epochs. Eventually, they preserved the model of the hellcat wife in the shape of Xanthippe, to which we still eagerly refer to. But did Socrates’ wife really deserve such a bad opinion? Is it possible for such a rating to be given by the desultory information we owe to Plato (Phaed. 60a) and Xenophon (Mem. II 2, Conv. II 10)? When attempting to defend the Xanthippe, an important source turned out to be a letter from Pseudo-Xenophon (vel Pseudo-Aeschines), which allowed us to look at the philosopher’s wife as his pupil, leading life according to Socrates’ teachings and surrounded by the care of his friends (Epist. XXI, Hercher 1873: 624).
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In this paper were collected and discussed the passages of Plato’s dialogues, which present information about everyday life, social and political system and education of the ancient Spartans. In the last part of this paper the characterization of Megillos was presented, the only representative of Sparta, who is introduced by Plato in his Laws as a discussion participant. The aim of this paper is the answer to the question what view of Sparta and its citizens emerges from the works of Athenian philosopher.
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The oral form of transmission of the early Greek epics allowed for the free shaping of content by the poet, whose task was to create a coherent narrative, intelligible for all the listeners, while maintaining its key feature – authenticity. This, however, lead to variability in content due to the desire to supplement, that is to show detailed presentations of events or to adapt these to local traditions. Incongruities in content between individual customary versions of these stories are illustrated in relics of vase painting. This article discusses the iconography of scenes associated with the Doloneia, book 10 of the Iliad, in reference to the contents of the epic. Based on a few examples still extant, a formal analysis was conducted on the themes of the main structure and secondary characters shown in Greek illustrations from the Archaic and Classical periods, as well as of southern Italic examples, allowing us to show how versions of the story formed at a given time and to reflect on the changes introduced.
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The article focuses on the Martial’s poems no. 18, 22 and 63 from the Book 4 of epigrams. These poems unite in a cycle of epigrams with a common motif of an apostrophe to water appearing in the last line of each epigram. Although this cycle has been previously disputed in an article by Mark A. P. Greenwood (‘Talking to Water’: An Epigram-Cycle in Martial, Book 4 (4.18; 4.22; 4.63), RhM 141 (1998), 367–372), the author finds it necessary to reassess the epigrams. As a result of these analyses the author discovers the links and the differences between the poems that have not been noted before. Furthermore the article presents the possible connections between the cycles and suggests that they form a complex structure, a whole web, inside the Book 4. Concluding, the author puts forward a hypothesis that perhaps this special arrangement of epigrams (complied with the principle of cohesion and variety) exceeds the boundaries of Book 4.
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The subject of reflection in this article are antique topoi, whose transmission and reception can be observed in contemporary Italian drama. This topic is discussed on the example of RaffaeleViviani’s play entitled Pescatori (Fishermen), in which you can distinguish the presence of two topoi: a young man and an old man. Moreover, the aim of the article is to look at these topoi in the context of the world of the value of ancient culture, the echo of which also seems to resonate in the song. Taking into account, however, that the issue of connections between the dramaturgy of the Neapolitan writer and the specific elements of the Greek tragedy is an extremely broad problem, this study is merely a delineation of this subject and an indication for further directions of research.
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This is the first Polish translation of Porphyry’s of Tyre text done by Ewa Osek. Except for the translation, the book contains the Greek text, a comprehensive introduction to the content of the work, a description of manuscripts and editions, as well as extensive and comprehensive comments on the translated text. Appendix and indexes are also included in the book.
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The article discusses the metapoetic import of Idyll 15. The tapestries and the Adonis song evidence a metapoetic significance, as well as the votive offerings described in this song. In addition, throughout the poem, the association of cloths and poetry is encouraged. The poem functions as a “metapoetic manifesto” designed to indicate the poetic qualities defended by Theocritus. At the same time, it promotes itself as an example of the refined literature and art promoted by the Ptolemaic court and by Arsinoe, and introduces a recognition and appraisal of Arsinoe as responsible for the patronage and promotion of these forms of art.
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This article presents the translations of literary works from Modern Greek to Slovak language. For this purpose a brief description of political, social and historical events is needed, not only in Slovakia, but also in the Czech Republic, in order to understand the circumstances behind the production of translations from Modern Greek Literature into Slovak. The article provides a brief overview of existing translations from Modern Greek language, focusing on book translations.
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In our presentation we problematize the interpretation of Sophocle’s Oedipus-king text as a major representation of the tragic irony, to argue a different, even opposite, view on Sophocle’s philosophy. The hypothesis we support focuses on the inner blindness of Oedipus, as a source of suffering and existential failure.
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This paper discusses My Life in the Dromokaiteion by the Greek poet Romos Philyras (1898-1942). Reading the text within the scope of the medical humanities, brings out Philyras’ work as an early example of pathography or autopathography. The story revolves around the poet’s admission to the psychiatric hospital and how he experienced his days there. He describes his emotions, the hospital environment, other patients, their treatment and the nursing staff. Philyras’ text is a first-person narrative on how people with mental health problems see their new social setting, but also how doctors and nurses see patients. My Life in the Dromokaiteion is an autobiographical account which eloquently describes not only the distance between the nursing staff and patients, but also the distance between inside society (the patients of the hospital) and outside society.
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The article shows that Odysseus in Sophocles’ Ajax and Philoctetes is at the centre of a redefinition of the concept of “nobility”. This figure has been seen to promote a new definition of the concept, but previous analyses tended to focus only on one or the other of the two plays, as Odysseus appeared too dissimilar to be considered from the same viewpoint. A closer analysis reveals that he defends the same values and is endowed with the same non-élite features in both plays. Among those values is the idea that nobility has nothing to do with descent, but with the ability at proving helpful to the whole social group. The perception other characters have of Odysseus, however, changes between the first and the second play. This change can be linked to the evolution of Athenian society. With the development of democracy, non-élite citizens redefined concepts such as eugeneia.
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