Resemblance and Reality in Greek Thought: Essays in Honor of Peter M. Smith (Routledge Monographs in Classical Studies)

Resemblance and Reality in Greek Thought follows the construction of reality from Homer into the Hellenistic era and beyond. Not only in didactic poetry or philosophical works but in practically all genres from the time of Homer onwards, Greek literature has shown an awareness of the relationship between verbal art and the social, historical, or cultural reality that produces it, an awareness that this relationship is an approximate one at best and a distorting one at worst. This central theme of resemblance and its relationship to reality draws together essays on a range of Greek authors, and shows how they are unified or allied in posing similar questions to classical literature. Resemblance and Reality in Greek Thought: Essays in Honor of Peter M. Smith- Front Cover 1 Resemblance and Reality in Greek Thought: Essays in Honor of Peter M. Smith 2 Title Page 6 Copyright Page 7 Paideia 8 Contents 10 List of figures 12 Contributors 13 Introduction: Resemblance and reality as interpretive lens 18 Notes 25 References 25 PART I: Greek poetry: Verbal resemblance as incomplete reality 26 Chapter 1: Mētis on a mission: Unreliable narration and the perils of cunning in Odyssey 9 28 Acknowledgments 43 Notes 43 References 46 Chapter 2: Little things mean a lot: Odysseus’ scar and Eurycleia’s memory 48 Acknowledgments 60 Notes 60 References 61 Chapter 3: Failure of the textual relation: Anacreon’s purple ball poem (PMG 358) 63 The text 65 The setting 65 The poem 66 Acknowledgments 75 Notes 75 References 77 Chapter 4: Reality, illusion, or both? Cloud-women in Stesichorus and Pindar 82 Acknowledgments 93 Notes 93 References 95 Chapter 5: Neither beast nor woman: Reconstructing Callisto in Callimachus’ Hymn to Zeus 97 Rhea’s birth-bed 98 Callisto in a catalog 100 Rhea’s bath 103 Tensions resolved 104 Acknowledgments 106 Notes 106 References 109 PART II: Greek tragedy: Reality, expectation, tradition 112 Chapter 6: Necessity and universal reality: The use of χρή in Aeschylus 114 ΧΡΗ: Universal, divinely sanctioned reality 115 Clytemnestra and χρή 119 Χρή in the Prometheus Bound: An alternate tradition 123 Conclusion 129 Notes 129 References 131 Appendix 132 Chapter 7: The arms of Achilles: Tradition and mythmaking in Sophocles’ Philoctetes 133 Acknowledgments 144 Notes 144 References 145 Chapter 8: The “Bad Place”: The horrific house of Euripides’ Heracles 147 Introduction 147 The house in Heracles 149 Horror and the bad place 153 References 157 Chapter 9: The “Hymn to Zeus” (Agamemnon 160–83) and reasoning from resemblances 158 The character of the chorus 158 Fitting the crime 160 Anger and agency 164 Conclusion 165 Notes 167 References 169 PART III: Greek prose: Reality and appearances 172 Chapter 10: Stereotypes as faulty resemblance: Humorous deception and ethnography in Herodotus 174 Pisistratus, Phya, and the Athenians (1.59–64) 175 Amasis, the footbath, and the bow (2.172–3) 178 Democedes, Atossa, and Darius (3.129–38) 183 Conclusion 186 Notes 187 References 190 Chapter 11: The rational religion of Xenophon’s Socrates 193 Xenophon’s more conventional Socrates 195 The argument from design (Memorabilia 1.4 and 4.3) 199 Divine law (Memorabilia 4.4) 203 Positive law or natural law? 205 Can the unwritten law conflict with written law? 207 Conclusion 209 Acknowledgments 212 Notes 212 References 214 Chapter 12: Wives, subjects, sons, and lovers: Phthonos and resemblance in Xenophon’s Cyropaedia 216 Notes 226 References 226 Chapter 13: Performing Plato’s Forms 228 Performing gender 228 Philosopher-queens 231 Appearance and reality 234 Engendering good: Saving the theory of Forms 240 Performing humanity 243 Deconstructions 245 Transmigrations 248 Acknowledgments 251 Notes 252 References 253 Epilogue: Echoes of resemblance and reality in Latin literature 254 Chapter 14: Thigh wounds in Homer and Vergil: Cultural reality and literary metaphor 256 Introduction 256 Background of the thigh-wound motif 256 The reality of thigh wounds 258 Thigh wounds in Homeric epic 259 Thigh wounds in Vergil’s Aeneid 265 Conclusion 268 Notes 268 References 273 General index 276 Index locorum 280 This Volume Of Essays Follows The Construction Of Reality From Homer Into The Hellenistic Era And Beyond. Not Only In Didactic Poetry Or Philosophical Works But In Practically All Genres From The Time Of Homer Onwards, Greek Literature Has Shown An Awareness Of The Relationship Between Verbal Art And The Social, Historical, Or Cultural Reality That Produces It, An Awareness That This Relationship Is An Approximate One At Best And A Distorting One At Worst. This Central Theme Of Resemblance And Its Relationship To Reality Draws Together Essays On A Range Of Greek Authors, And Shows How They Are Unified Or Allied In Posing Similar Questions To Classical Literature-- Paideia / By Sue Guiney -- Introduction: Resemblance And Reality As Interpretive Lens / By Arum Park And Mary Pendergraft -- Part One: Poetry: Verbal Resemblance As Incomplete Reality: Chapter 1: Metis On A Mission: Unreliable Narration And The Perils Of Cunning In Odyssey 9 / By Peter Aicher -- Chapter 2: Little Things Mean A Lot: Odysseus' Scar And Eurycleia's Memory / By Jeffrey Beneker -- Chapter 3: Failure Of The Textual Relation: Anacreon's Purple Ball Poem (pmg 358) / By T.h.m. Gellar-goad -- Chapter 4: Reality, Illusion, Or Both? Cloud-women In Stesichorus And Pindar / By Arum Park -- Chapter 5: Neither Beast Nor Woman: Reconstructing Callisto In Callimachus' Hymn To Zeus / By Keyne Cheshire -- Part Two: Greek Tragedy: Reality, Expectation, Tradition -- Chapter 6: Necessity And Universal Reality: The Use Of Xph In Aeschylus / By David C.a. Wiltshire -- Chapter 7: The Arms Of Achilles: Tradition And Mythmaking In Sophocles' Philoctetes / By Sheila Murnaghan -- Chapter 8: The Bad Place: The Horrific House Of Euripides' Heracles / By Derek Smith Keyser -- Chapter 9: The Hymn To Zeus (agamemnon 160-83) And Reasoning From Resemblances / By Edwin Carawan -- Part Three: Greek Prose: Reality And Appearances -- Chapter 10: Stereotypes As Faulty Resemblance: Humorous Deception And Ethnography In Herodotus / By Mark C. Mash -- Chapter 11: The Rational Religion Of Xenophon's Socrates / By David Johnson -- Chapter 12: Wives, Subjects, Sons, And Lovers: Phthonos And Resemblance In Xenophon's Cyropaedia / By Norman Sandridge -- Chapter 13: Performing Plato's Forms / By Patrick Lee Miller -- Epilogue: Echoes Of Resemblance And Reality In Latin Literature -- Chapter 14: Thigh Wounds In Homer And Vergil: Cultural Reality And Literary Metaphor / By D. Felton. Edited By Arum Park. Includes Bibliographical References And Indexes.