Download or read book Lykophron s Alexandra Rome and the Hellenistic World written by Simon Hornblower and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2018-05-25 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume takes as its subject one of the most important Greek poems of the Hellenistic period: the Alexandra attributed to Lykophron, probably written in about 190 BC. At 1474 lines and with a riddling narrative and a preponderance of unusual vocabulary it is a notoriously challenging prospect for scholars, but it also sheds crucial light on Greek religion (in particular the role of women) and on foundation myths and myths of colonial identity. Most of the poem purports to be a prophecy by the Trojan princess, Kassandra, who foretells the conflicts between Europe and Asia from the Trojan Wars to the establishment of Roman ascendancy over the Greek world in the poet's own time. The central section narrates in the future tense the dispersal of returning Greek heroes throughout the Mediterranean zone, and their founding of new cities. This section culminates in the Italian wanderings and foundational activity of the Trojan refugee Aineias, Kassandra's own kinsman. Following Simon Hornblower's detailed full-length commentary on the Alexandra (OUP 2015; paperback 2017), this monograph asserts the poem's importance as not only a strongly political work, but also as a historical document of interest to cultural and religious historians and students of myths of identity. Divided into two Parts, the first explores Lykophron's geopolitical world, paying special attention to south Italy (perhaps the bilingual poet's own area of origin), Sicily, and Rhodes; it suggests that the recent hostile presence of Hannibal in south Italy surfaces as a frequent yet indirectly expressed concern of the poem. The thematic second Part investigates the Alexandra's relation to the Sibylline Oracles and to other apocalyptic literature of the period, and argues for its cultural and religious topicality. The Conclusion puts the case for the 190s BC as a turning-point in Roman history and contends that Lykophron demonstrates a veiled awareness of this, especially of certain peculiar features of Roman colonizing policy in that decade.
Download or read book Lykophron s Alexandra Rome and the Hellenistic World written by Simon Hornblower and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2018 with total page 279 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The 'Alexandra' attributed to Lykophron is a notoriously difficult poem but one that sheds crucial light on Greek religion, foundation myths, and myths of colonial identity. This book asserts its importance as a strongly political and historical document, and argues that the probable decade of its composition was a turning-point in Roman history.
Download or read book Lykophron Alexandra written by Lykophron and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2022-11-03 with total page 193 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'In requital for one man's sin, all Greece/ shall mourn the empty tombs of ten thousand of its children'. These lines from a powerful but neglected Greek poem, Lykophron's Alexandra, were admiringly imitated by Virgil. Priam's beautiful daughter, prophetic Kassandra, foresees her rape in Athena's temple by the hateful Greek Ajax at Troy's fall, and warns of disastrous returns (nostoi) for all the Greek 'heroes'. But Troy will rise again as Rome, founded by Trojan refugees. The Alexandra (also known as Kassandra) narrates Mediterranean foundation myths as failed Greek nostoi, and culminates in 'prophecies-after-the-event' of Roman rule over land and sea. This pseudonymous poem, a generic mix but closest to tragedy, is an ingeniously constructed masterpiece. It is ascribed to a third-century BCE tragedian, but was probably written c.190, when Rome had defeated Carthaginian Hannibal and was poised to humble the Seleukid king Antiochos III. The Alexandra anticipates, by over two millennia, modern Trojan War novels which adopt bitterly disillusioned female perspectives.
Download or read book Alexandra written by Lycophron and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 651 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Alexandra attributed to Lykophron is a minor poetic masterpiece. At 1474 lines, it is one of the most important and notoriously difficult Greek poems dating from the Hellenistic period (most likely the early second century BC). Most of the poem purports to be a prophecy by the mythical Trojan princess, Kassandra, the most beautiful of the daughters of King Priam, and her prophecy ranges from the Trojan War to the Roman defeat of Macedon in 197 BC, which took place in the poet's own time. The poem's importance arises from the light which it sheds on Greek religion (in particular the role of women), on foundation myths and myths of colonial identity, and on local - especially Italian - cults and cult places. The difficulty of the poem stems from its unusual vocabulary - many words of ancient Greek are found only in this poem - and the riddling and indirect way in which most of the many mythological characters are introduced. As well as providing the Greek text in full and its English translation, this volume provides the first ever full-length commentary in English on the poem.
Download or read book Lykophron Alexandra written by Lycophron and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2017 with total page 656 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Alexandra attributed to Lykophron is a minor poetic masterpiece. At 1474 lines, it is one of the most important and notoriously difficult Greek poems dating from the Hellenistic period (most likely the early second century BC). As well as providing the Greek text in full and its English translation, this volume provides the first ever full-length commentary in English on the poem.
Download or read book Lykophron Alexandra written by Lykophron and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2022-10-06 with total page 175 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Traditionally ascribed to the early third-century BCE tragedian Lykophron, the Alexandra is a powerful Greek poem by an unknown author, probably written c. 190, when Rome had defeated Hannibal and the Carthaginians and was poised to humble the Seleukid king Antiochos III. The poem is an ingeniously constructed masterpiece, a generic mix with elements of tragedy, epic, and history. Priam's beautiful daughter, the prophetic Kassandra, foresees her rape in Athena's temple by the hateful Greek warrior Ajax after Troy's fall, and warns of disastrous returns (nostoi) for all the Greek 'heroes'. But Troy will rise again as Rome, founded by Trojan refugees. Alexandra (another name for Kassandra), narrates these Mediterranean foundation myths, adopting a bitterly disillusioned female perspective, but culminating in prophecies of Roman rule over land and sea.
Download or read book The Hellenistic Age written by Peter Green and published by Modern Library. This book was released on 2008-05-13 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Hellenistic era witnessed the overlap of antiquity’s two great Western civilizations, the Greek and the Roman. This was the epoch of Alexander’s vast expansion of the Greco-Macedonian world, the rise and fall of his successors’ major dynasties in Egypt and Asia, and, ultimately, the establishment of Rome as the first Mediterranean superpower. The Hellenistic Age chronicles the years 336 to 30 BCE, from the days of Philip and Alexander of Macedon to the death of Cleopatra and the final triumph of Caesar’s heir, the young Augustus. Peter Green’s remarkably far-ranging study covers the prevalent themes and events of those centuries: the Hellenization of an immense swath of the known world–from Egypt to India–by Alexander’s conquests; the lengthy and chaotic partition of this empire by rival Macedonian marshals after Alexander’s death; the decline of the polis (city state) as the predominant political institution; and, finally, Rome’s moment of transition from republican to imperial rule. Predictably, this is a story of war and power-politics, and of the developing fortunes of art, science, and statecraft in the areas where Alexander’s coming disseminated Hellenic culture. It is a rich narrative tapestry of warlords, libertines, philosophers, courtesans and courtiers, dramatists, historians, scientists, merchants, mercenaries, and provocateurs of every stripe, spun by an accomplished classicist with an uncanny knack for infusing life into the distant past, and applying fresh insights that make ancient history seem alarmingly relevant to our own times. To consider the three centuries prior to the dawn of the common era in a single short volume demands a scholar with a great command of both subject and narrative line. The Hellenistic Age is that rare book that manages to coalesce a broad spectrum of events, persons, and themes into one brief, indispensable, and amazingly accessible survey.
Download or read book The Alexandra of Lycophron written by Charles McNelis and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2016 with total page 268 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This monograph is a literary study of Lycophron's Alexandra. Individual chapters are designed to be accessible and explore major aspects of the poem, including not only its imagery and style, but also its treatment of the gods, heroes, and the Trojan War.
Download or read book Hellenistic Tragedy written by Agnieszka Kotlinska-Toma and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2014-11-20 with total page 341 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ancient Greek tragedy is ubiquitously studied and researched, but is generally considered to have ended, as it began, in the fifth century BC. However, plays continued to be written and staged in the Greek world for centuries, enjoying a period of unprecedented popularity and changing significantly from the better known Classical drama. Hellenistic drama also heavily influenced the birth of Roman tragedy and the development of other theatrical forms and literature (including comedies, mime and Greek romance). Hellenistic Tragedy: Texts, Translations and a Critical Survey offers a comprehensive picture of tragedy and the satyr play from the fourth century BCE. The surviving fragments of this dramatic genre are presented, alongside English translations and critical analysis, as well as a survey of the main writers involved and an exploration of the genre's formation, later influence and staging. Key features of the plays are analysed through extant texts and other evidence, including plots based on contemporary political themes, mythical subjects and Biblical themes, and features of metre and language. Practical elements of Hellenistic performance are also discussed, including those which have become the hallmarks of ancient theatre: actors' costumes of long robes, kothurnoi and high onkos-masks, the theatre building and the closed stage on the logeion. Piecing together a synthetic picture of Hellenistic tragedy and the satyr play, the volume also examines the key points of departure from earlier drama, including the mass audience, the mutual influence of Greek and Eastern traditions and the changes inside the genre which prove Hellenistic drama was an important stage in the development of the European theatre.
Download or read book The Greek World After Alexander 323 30 BC written by Graham Shipley and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2014-03-18 with total page 601 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Greek World After Alexander 323–30 BC examines social changes in the old and new cities of the Greek world and in the new post-Alexandrian kingdoms. An appraisal of the momentous military and political changes after the era of Alexander, this book considers developments in literature, religion, philosophy, and science, and establishes how far they are presented as radical departures from the culture of Classical Greece or were continuous developments from it. Graham Shipley explores the culture of the Hellenistic world in the context of the social divisions between an educated elite and a general population at once more mobile and less involved in the political life of the Greek city.
Download or read book A Companion to Greek Literature written by Martin Hose and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2015-10-12 with total page 572 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A Companion to Greek Literature presents a comprehensive introduction to the wide range of texts and literary forms produced in the Greek language over the course of a millennium beginning from the 6th century BCE up to the early years of the Byzantine Empire. Features contributions from a wide range of established experts and emerging scholars of Greek literature Offers comprehensive coverage of the many genres and literary forms produced by the ancient Greeks—including epic and lyric poetry, oratory, historiography, biography, philosophy, the novel, and technical literature Includes readings that address the production and transmission of ancient Greek texts, historic reception, individual authors, and much more Explores the subject of ancient Greek literature in innovative ways
Download or read book The Roman Republic and the Hellenistic Mediterranean written by Joel Allen and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2019-06-18 with total page 280 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Presents a history of the Roman Republic within the wider Mediterranean world, focusing on 330 to 30 BCE Broad in scope, this book uniquely considers the history of the Roman Republic in tandem with the rich histories of the Hellenistic kingdoms and city-states that endured after the death of Alexander the Great. It provides students with a full picture of life in the ancient Mediterranean world and its multitude of interconnections—not only between Rome and the Greek East, but also among other major players, such as Carthage, Judaea, and the Celts. Taking a mostly chronological approach, it incorporates cultural change alongside political developments so that readers get a well-balanced introduction to the era. The Roman Republic and the Hellenistic Mediterranean: From Alexander to Caesar offers great insight into a momentous era with chapters on Alexanders in Asia and Italy; Mediterranean Cosmopolitanism; The Path of Pyrrhus; The Three Corners of Sicily; The Expanding Roman Horizon; Hercules and the Muses; The Corinth-Carthage Coincidence; The Movements of the Gracchi; The New Men of Rome and Africa; The Conspiracies of Cicero and Catiline; The World According to Pompey; Roman Alexanders; and more. It also looks at the phenomenon of excessive violence, particularly in the cases of Marius, Sulla, and Mithridates. The final chapter covers the demise of Cleopatra and examines how the seeds planted by Octavian, Octavia, and Antony sprouted into full Hellenistic trappings of power for the centuries that followed. Situates the development of Rome, after the death of Alexander the Great, in the context of significant contemporaneous regimes in Asia Minor, the Levant, and Egypt Provides students with insight into how various societies respond to contact and how that contact can shape and create larger communities Highlights the interconnectedness of Mediterranean cultures Strikes a balance between political, geopolitical, and cultural inquiries Considers how modes of international diplomacy affect civilizations Includes helpful pedagogical features, such as sources in translation, illustrations, and further readings Roman Republic and the Hellenistic Mediterranean is an excellent book for undergraduate courses on the Roman Republic, the Hellenistic World, and the ancient Mediterranean.
Download or read book Greek Tragedy After the Fifth Century written by Vayos Liapis and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2019 with total page 431 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What happened to Greek tragedy after the death of Euripides? This book provides some answers, and a broad historical overview.
Download or read book A Companion to Hellenistic Literature written by James J. Clauss and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2014-01-28 with total page 578 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Offering unparalleled scope, A Companion to Hellenistic Literature in 30 newly commissioned essays explores the social and intellectual contexts of literature production in the Hellenistic period, and examines the relationship between Hellenistic and earlier literature. Provides a wide ranging critical examination of Hellenistic literature, including the works of well-respected poets alongside lesser-known historical, philosophical, and scientific prose of the period Explores how the indigenous literatures of Hellenized lands influenced Greek literature and how Greek literature influenced Jewish, Near Eastern, Egyptian, and Roman literary works
Download or read book Visual Power in Ancient Greece and Rome written by Tonio Hölscher and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2018-06-22 with total page 419 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Visual culture was an essential part of ancient social, religious, and political life. Appearance and experience of beings and things was of paramount importance. In Visual Power in Ancient Greece and Rome, Tonio Hölscher explores the fundamental phenomena of Greek and Roman visual culture and their enormous impact on the ancient world, considering memory over time, personal appearance, conceptualization and representation of reality, and significant decoration as fundamental categories of art as well as of social practice. With an emphasis on public spaces such as sanctuaries, agora and forum, Hölscher investigates the ways in which these spaces were used, viewed, and experienced in religious rituals, political manifestations, and social interaction.
Download or read book The Aesthetics of Darkness written by Evina Sistakou and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Darkness in literature manifests itself as a fascination with the evil passions of man, an emphasis on the ugly and the monstrous, an obsession with morbidity and death, a blurring of the boundaries between reality and imagination; its effect ranges from pleasure in the representation of horror to the overwhelming sense of the sublime. The premise that these trends find their most powerful expression in Romantic literature forms the basis for the exploration of darkness in Hellenistic poetry in the present study: Apollonius' Argonautica, a dark romance building around a heroic quest, is read against the background of fantasy literature and the Gothic novel; Lycophron's Alexandra, a dark remake of Kassandra's prophecy, is seen as an extreme paradigm of Gothic aesthetics; Nicander's Theriaca and Alexipharmaca, two didactic poems on snakes and their antidotes, are reviewed in the light of Romantic science and the aesthetics of Decadence. The introduction provides the theoretical framework where key notions are discussed-the fantastic, the Gothic, the grotesque, the uncanny-, whereas the afterword offers an explanation for the parallelism between the Hellenistic and the Romantic era by reference to their ideological and cultural contexts. The Aesthetics of Darkness is a comparative study which combines the 'close reading' of the Greek texts with literary criticism as well as with specific examples drawn from nineteenth century literature; by thus transcending the boundaries of conventional scholarship, the book attempts to capture the Romantic awakenings of post-Classical literature.
Download or read book The Alexandra of Lycophron written by Lycophron and published by . This book was released on 1921 with total page 220 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
