Homeric Rhythm: A Philosophical Study (Contributions to the Study of World Literature)

In a follow-up to his previous Homeric studies, noted classicist Paolo Vivante explores Homer's verse, highlighting rhythm rather than metre. Rhythmical qualities, he argues, constitute the force of the verse—for example, in the way the words take position and in the way each pause hints suspense, producing an immediate sense of time. Vivante's main concern is not with the techniques or rules of the verse-composition, but more philosophically with verse itself as a fundamental form of human expression. This study will be of interest to both students and scholars. Noted classicist Vivante explores the function of verse as a fundamental form of human expression, and argues that the force of Homer's poetry largely lies in the implicit significance of its verse-rhythm.