The Cambridge Companion to Homer

Description

The two Homeric poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey, have long been considered masterpieces, and their influence on subsequent Greek and Western literature has been immense. An international team of experts discusses the poems, their background and composition, and subsequent reception to the present day. Each chapter features contemporary critical insights and closes with a guide to further reading on the topic.

Robert Fowler is Henry Overton Wills Professor of Greek, University of Bristol. He is the author of The Nature of the Early Greek Lyric (University of Toronto Press, 1987). He has also edited Early Greek Mythology Vol 1 (Oxford University Press, 2001).

'The 22 contributors to this important book represent a healthy diversity of views but share fundamental assumptions. All engage closely with the text of Homer, and take the epics seriously as literature. ... one of the most distinguished of the Cambridge Companions series, and will be essential reading for every student.' The Anglo-Hellenic Review 'Every chapter proves rewarding. ... this is a magnificent achievement. It is the indispensable vade mecum for the student of Homer. Every school library should have a copy. Everybody in tertiary education should own one.' Journal of Classics Teaching '... skilfully arranged and unfailingly lucid.' Times Literary Supplement 'The volume's organization, in five main sections, is strong and clear, and the writing throughout is lucid, vigorous, and accessible.' Translation and Literature 'Written by an international team of scholars ... the first port of call for students at all levels, with introductions to important subjects and suggestions for further exploration.' http://w3.u-grenoble3.fr/homerica/actualites/livres.html '... the Cambridge Companion bids fair to provide the best companionship for non-specialist readers of Homer. It covers the basic technical issues underlying current research and also provides thoughtful guides to reading the poems, especially in the context of English literature. ... A learned and humane collection ...' Journal of Hellenic Studies 'The Cambridge Companion to Homer comprises a collection of stimulating and informative essays by a distinguished panel of contemporary scholars. Student's at all levels will profit much from this volume.' Robert J. Rabel, University of Kentucky