Karakantza, Efimia D., ed. 2010. “Reflecting on the Greek Epic Cycle.” Special issue, Classics@ 6. http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:hlnc.jissue:ClassicsAt.Issue06.Reflecting_on_the_Greek_Epic_Cycle.2010.
The core of this issue of Classics@ comes from a conference held in Ancient Olympia on 9–10 July 2010, which was co-organized by the Center for Hellenic Studies (Harvard University) and the Centre for the Study of Myth and Religion in Greek and Roman Antiquity (University of Patras). The goal of the conference was to explore problems concerning the surviving fragments of the Greek Epic Cycle that have heretofore been neglected.
As the Greek Epic Cycle is so often overshadowed by the more illustrious Homeric epics, the organizers of the conference thought that the epic fragments needed to be brought to the fore as literary works in their own right. Not surprisingly, some papers addressed issues related to the Homeric epics, but the majority concentrated on the cyclic poems either as a wealth of data relating to other genres or as a genre in its own right, featuring its own characteristics.
Issue 6 of Classics@ presents the papers of the conference in a revised form, taking into account the constructive discussions that followed their presentation. Moreover, each paper is open to further revision by each author, since every Classics@ volume is not static but dynamic, inviting interaction from readers as participants. This very issue will appear in a new edition at a later point when the editor, in consultation with her advisors, determines that there is sufficient new material to offer or that the existing arguments nnaeed to be revisited. The editor of issue 6 and her advisor wish to stress that every Classics@ issue offers research-in-progress and aims at encouraging collegial debate. It is hoped that this e-publication, appearing less than five months after the original conference, exemplifies the state of the art in current scholarship on the Epic Cycle.
Contents
Gregory Nagy, “Aristarchus and the Epic Cycle.” [PDF version]
Malcolm Davies, “Folk-tale Elements in the Cypria.” [PDF version]
Jim Marks, “Inset Narratives in the Epic Cycle.” [PDF version]
Efimia D. Karakantza, “Eating from the Tables of Others: Sophocles’ Ajax and the Greek Epic Cycle.” [PDF version]
Menelaos Christopoulos, “Casus belli: Causes of the Trojan War in the Epic Cycle.” [PDF version]
Evanthia Tsitsibakou-Vasalos, “Stesichorus’ Ἰλιου Περσις and the Epic Tradition.” [PDF version]
For questions, comments, or proposals for contributions, contact the editor.