Menelaus in the Archaic Period - Not Quite the Best of the Achaeans

While there have been many studies devoted to the heroes of Homeric epic, the figure of Menelaus has remained notably overlooked. This volume is the first book-length study of the Homeric character, taking a multidisciplinary approach to his depiction in the archaic Greek world through detailed analysis of literary, visual, and material evidence.

List of contents

• Introduction: Methods and Terms


• The 'Homeric Question'


• Orality, Traditional Referentiality, and Neoanalysis


• Homeric Intertextuality and Methodologies of Allusion


• Theories of Homeric Character Depiction


• Overview of Part I: Homer


• Overview of Part II: Votaries, Painters, and Poets


• Part I. Homer


• 1: The Iliad


• The Language of Menelaus


• The Story of Menelaus


• 2: The Odyssey


• Introduction: Menelaus Returned Home


• Pylos


• Sparta


• Proteus and the Apotheosis of Menelaus


• The Departure of Telemachus


• Envoi


• Part II. Votaries, Painters, and Poets


• 3: Why Menelaus? Alcman, Sappho, Stesichorus, [Hesiod], and the Cycle


• Alcman


• 'Cyclic' Epic Fragments: Cypria


• Little Iliad; Ilioupersis


• Nostoi


• The Hesiodic Catalogue of Women


• Sappho frr. 16 17


• Stesichorus: Helen, Palinode, Ilioupersis, Nostoi


• Conclusion


• 4: Menelaus in Archaic Art


• Introduction: Heroic Narrative in Archaic Art


• Menelaus and Helen


• Menelaus without Helen


• Naming Menelaus a Hero in Archaic Art


• 5: The Cult of Menelaus and Helen at Therapne


• Introduction


• Literary Testimonia to the Cult of Menelaus


• Material Evidence for the Cult of Menelaus and Helen at Therapne


• Inscriptions and the Cult of Menelaus


• 6: Menelaus *E*ü*uß¿¿¿: Simonides and the End of the Story


• Simonides' 'Plataea Elegy'


• Conclusion: The End of the Story


• Endmatter


• Appendix: Menelaus Genealogy

About the author

Anna R. Stelow is a researcher in ancient Greek literature at the University of Virginia. Her interests include Homer and archaic Greek poetry and heroic narrative in archaic Greek art.

Summary

While there have been many studies devoted to the heroes of Homeric epic, the figure of Menelaus has remained notably overlooked. This volume is the first book-length study of the Homeric character, taking a multidisciplinary approach to his depiction in the archaic Greek world through detailed analysis of literary, visual, and material evidence.

Additional text

By rescuing Menelaus from relative obscurity, Stelow has given the world a truly revelatory insight into the works of Homer, which is quite a task considering the plethora of books written about it. With a thorough 30-page bibliography and extensive footnotes, this is a landmark study which will surely be appreciated by the only Achaean hero in Homer's poems who is still alive somewhere.

Product details

• Authors: Anna R. Stelow, Anna R. (Researcher in the Department of C Stelow, Anna R. (Researcher in the Department of Classics Stelow
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 31.05.2020
• EAN: 9780199685929
• ISBN: 978-0-19-968592-9
• No. of pages: 376
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > Classical linguistics / literary studies; Ancient Greece, LITERARY CRITICISM / Ancient & Classical, ART / History / Ancient & Classical, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Archaeology, History of Art, Ancient World, Literary studies: classical, early & medieval, Archaeology by period / region, Ancient (Classical) Greek, Literary studies: ancient, classical and medieval, Classical style, History of art: ancient & classical art,BCE to c 500 CE, BCE to c 500 CE, BCE period – Protohistory, Classical Greek & Roman archaeology