The Resurrection of Homer in Imperial Greek Epic: Quintus Smyrnaeus' Posthomerica and the Poetics of Impersonation

A new interpretation of Quintus Posthomerica, the first account to combine literary and cultural-historical understanding of the most important Greek epic written at the height of the Roman Empire, suggests that Quintus emerges as a key poet in the history of epic and Homeric reception. The book challenges traditional views of Quintus' status as a poet and re-evaluates his contribution to the literary and identity politics of imperial society.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 400 pages
Publication date: 10 March 2022
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

This book offers a groundbreaking new interpretation of Quintus Posthomerica, the first account to combine a literary and cultural-historical understanding of what is widely considered the most important Greek epic written at the height of the Roman Empire. In Emma Greensmith's pioneering analysis, Quintus emerges as a pivotal poet in the history of epic and Homeric reception. Writing as if he is Homer himself, and occupying the space between the Iliad and the Odyssey, Quintus constructs a new poetics of the interval. At every level, from its philology to its plotting, the Posthomerica manipulates the language of affiliation, succession, and repetition not just to articulate its own position within the inherited epic tradition but also to contribute to the literary and identity politics of imperial society. This book fundamentally alters our understanding of the role of epic and Homer in Greco-Roman culture and re-evaluates Quintus' status as a poet in entirely new ways.

Weight: 648g
Dimension: 151 x 228 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781108820653
Edition number: New ed