Approaches to Homer

APPROACHES TO HOMER ANCIENT & MODERN Editor Robert J. Rabel Contributors Jonathan S. Burgess, Donald Lateiner, Elizabeth Minchin, James V. Morrison, Rick M. Newton, Robert J. Rabel, Hanna M. Roisman, Ruch Scodel, William C. Scott, Donna F. Wilson The Classical Press of Wales First published in 2005 by The Classical Press ofWales 15 Rosehill Terrace, Swansea SAl 6JN Tel: +44 (0)1792 458397 Fax: +44 (0) 1792 464067 www.dassicalpressofwales.co.uk Distributor in the United States ofAmerica: The David Brown Book Co. PO Box 511, Oakville, CT 06779 Tel: + 1 (860) 945-9329 Fax: + 1 (860) 945-9468 © 2005 The contributors All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. ISBN l-905125-04-6 A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Typeset by Andrew Buckley, Clunton, Shropshire Printed and bound in the UK by Gomer Press, Llandysul, Ceredigion, Wales The Classical Press ofWah, an independent venture, was founded in 1993, initially to support the work ofc lassicists and ancient historians in Wales and their collaborators from fimher afield. More recently it has published work initiated by scholan internationally. While retaining a special l.oyalty to "Miles and the Celtic countries, the Press welcomes scholarly contributions from allparts ofthe world. 'The symbol of the Press is the Red Kite. This bird, once widespread in Britain, was reduced by 1905 to some five individuals co.n6ned to a small area known as 'The Desert of Wales' - the upper Tywi valley. Geneticists rcpon that the stock was saved from terminal inbreeding by the arrival ofone stray female bird from Germany. Afi:er much careful protection, the Red Kite now thrives - in Wales and beyond. CONTENTS Page Introduction Robert J Rabel vii 1. Demodokos' 'Iliad' and Homer's 1 Donna E Wilson (Brooklyn College) 2. The patterning of the similes in Book 2 of the Iliad 21 William C Scott (Dartmouth College) 3. Homer on autobiographical memory: the case of Nestor 55 be reproduced, stored in a retrieval Elizabeth Minchin (The Australian National University) r means, electronic, mechanical, : prior permission of the publisher. 4. Similes for Odysseus and Penelope: mortality, divinity, identity 73 James V Morrison (Centre College) 5. Telemakhos' one sneeze and Penelope's two laughs the British Library (Odyssey 17.541-50, 18.158-68) 91 Donald Lateiner (Ohio Wesleyan University) 6. Old men and chirping cicadas in the Teichoskopia 105 mdysul, Ceredigion, Wales Hanna M Roisman (Colby College) 7. The death ofAchilles by rhapsodes 119 Jonathan S. Burgess (University ofToronto) 8. The Ciconians, revisited (Homer, Odyssey 9.39-66) 135 Rick M Newton (Kent State University) 9. Odysseus' ethnographic digressions 147 :s founded in 1993, initially to support Ruth Scodel (University of Michigan) { their collaborators ftom farther afield. 1temationally. While retaining a special 10. The art of creative listening in the Odyssey 167 !es scholarly contributions ftom allparts Robert J Rabel (University of Kentucky) Index 189 spread in Britain, was reduced by 1905 to Desert of Wales' - the upper Tywi valley. Index locorum 197 ,ding by the arrival ofooe stray female bird )W thrives - in Wales and beyond. V 3 HOMER ON AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL MEMORY: THE CASE OF NESTOR Elizabeth Minchin To what ex.tent was an oral poet like Homer aware of the reliance he placed on memory, as he performed stories from his traditional repertoire? What was the extent of his understanding of the workings of memory? We might conclude that he attributed some ofhis talent for storytelling to the Muse of epic song, to whom he appealed for inspiration ac the outset of each epic and, in the Iliad at least, at frequent points in its course. 1 But it is highly likely that he and no doubt other singers before him had thought a great deal about the workings of memory and were well aware that, Muse or no Muse, their own memories could either serve chem well or let them down badly. We have abundant evidence for these singers' preoccupation with memory. In a number of ways and at a number of levels in his ·songs Homer acknowledges its nature, its power - and its value. We see this concern on the very surface of the poems. We observe, for example, that the heroes of the Iliad, most notably Hektor, are anxious for the future. They are anxious that their names should live on; and that their deeds and triumphs be remembered by generations to come.2 In the course of the Odyssey, on the other hand, Homer's characters, in particular Odysseus and Penelope, look back in time; they dwell on the pain so often associ ated with memories of things past. 3 But, as Odysseus and Penelope learn, it can ultimately be a source of pleasure to turn one's mind back to one's troubles - once they are over.4 Furthermore, we observe that in Homer's world, just as in ours, people employed - or perhaps we might say they institutionalized - a range of stratagems designed co prompt memory, in order co reduce the burden placed on it and to increase its effectiveness. Think of the burial mounds of heroes to which Homer on occasion refers, or of the gifts which they exchange with so much ceremony.5 The role of these grave markers or these gifts is clearly, as Ruth Scodel has argued, to cue memories, whether of individuals or of significant moments from times past.6 55 Elizabeth Minchin Homer, therefore, as a representative of this particular oral tradition, often remarks on or alludes to the activities of reminding, remembering, forgetting, and its opposite, the inability to forget. This present study is a first attempt at assessing the poet's understanding of the workings of memory and co compare it with our own. I shall concentrate in this first instance on autobiographical memory. It is an aspect of memory which appears to be one of the poet's (and, perhaps, the tradition's) special interests, since at a number of points in the epics his characters engage in personal reminiscence and find a certain satisfaction in doing so. The principal focus of the discussion will be Nestor, the old warrior who, in his appearances in both the Iliad and the Odyssey, is characterized by his readiness to share lengthy and detailed reminiscences of his earlier years. The frequency, the length, and the content of these reminiscences, as we shall see, shape the way we perceive him. In order to compare the understanding of poets in this oral tradition with our own, I have turned to a number of recent studies of memory and its functions in everyday activities, including the work of Daniel Schacter, who draws together, very usefully, wide-ranging research into the practical aspects of memory.7 Homer tells us (IL 1.250-2) that Nestor is remarkably old: all his age peers have died, as have some of their sons;8 but Nestor is still alive and full of energy, as we observe at each of his appearances in the narrative. There is something very appealing about this portrait of someone who is in fact too old for the rough and tumble of battle but who simply cannot retire; he is still eager to participate in whatever way he can - and he· does so by contributing accumulated knowledge based on years of experience. On a number of critical occasions in the Iliad-story, Nestor comes forward to advise his companions. And he backs up his advice, as older people are wont to do, with a story from his early days. Let us look at four such instances. Ar the beginning of the Iliad Achilleus and Agamemnon are quarrelling bitterly, Nestor intervenes; he tells them to give up their anger and put an end to their disagreement; and he reminds them that in days past, as a much younger man, he gave advice to people far more distinguished than they could ever be - and these people at that time heeded his advice:9 o.i..:J..a. Jtt9w0'· aµcpw M 'V£W't£PW fotov £µ£LO' fic>TJ yap n:oi;' tyro rot o.pttoow ~£ :11:Ef) i,µtv o.vc>pamv wµD,TJOO, KOL oii JT;O'tE µ' oY. y' o.9EpL~OV. OU yap Jt(l) toLouc; toov avepac; OU()£ tc>wµm, otov IlELpL9o6v t£ .6.puavta 'tE, :nmµtva AO&v, Kawfo ,;' 'E;ac>L6v 'tE rot o.vd9eov IlOA'UcpT)µOV, 0l]crfo ,;' ALytihl]'V, btL£l!C€AOV o.0avatOI.OV Homer on autobiographical memory: the case ofNestor f chis particular oral tradition, o b . JCat µtv to'i:ow tycb µE0oµl:>.wv EK ml>..ou i:>..0<bv, des of reminding, remem enn~, tT)A.60Ev £!; &1tlT)<; ya(ric;· Kat.foavto yup al).o(· . , to forget. This present s~udy ts ical µax6µT)v Kat' Eµ' Cl'UtOV Eyw· KelVOLC1L <>'liv oO tt<; tderstanding of the workings of t&v ot vuv ~poto( EWW emx06vtot µaxrottO' n I shall concentrate in chis fuse teal µev' µE1J pouA.l\wv ~VLEV rtEl0ovi:6 tE µu81p· lt. is an aspect of memory which Ot.A.(l 1tl8e08E ical ilµµec;, btEL l'tElOE00at aµEwov· perhaps, the tradition's) special Yet be persuaded. Both of you are younger than I am. 1 the epics his characters engage Yes, and in my time l have dealt with better men than ;ain satisfaction in doing so. ~e you are, and never once did they disregard me.

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