Communication, Love, and Death in Homer and Virgil: An Introduction (Oklahoma Series in Classical Culture, Volume 54)

Kindle created from retail EPUBHomer’s Iliad and Odyssey and Virgil’s Aeneid are three of themost important—and influential—works of Western classicalliterature. Although they differ in subject matter and authorship,these epic poems share a common purpose: to tell the “deeds both ofmen and of the gods.”Written in an accessible style and ideally suited for classroomuse, Communication, Love, and Death in Homer and Virgiloffers a unique comparative analysis of these classic works.As author Stephen Ridd explains, the common themes ofcommunication, love, and death respond to “deeply ingrained humanneeds” and are therefore of perennial interest. Presenting selectpassages from the original Greek and Latin texts—translated hereinto modern English—Ridd explores in detail how the characterswithin the poems communicate on these subjects with one another aswell as with the reader. Individual chapters focus on subjects suchas the traditions of singing and storytelling, relationshipsbetween sons and mothers, the role of Helen of Troy and her ties tothe men in her life, and communication with the dead. Throughouthis analysis, Ridd treats the three poems on an equal basis,revealing similarities and differences in their handling ofprevalent themes.By introducing readers to a new way of reading these abidingclassics, Communication, Love, and Death in Homer andVirgil enhances our appreciation of the imaginative world ofancient Greek and Roman epic poetry.