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Plundering and taking home precious objects from a defeated enemy was a widespread activity in the Greek and Hellenistic-Roman world. In this volume literary critics, historians and archaeologists join forces in investigating this phenomenon in terms of appropriation and cultural change. In-depth interpretations of famous ancient spoliations, like that of the Greeks after Plataea or the Romans after the capture of Jerusalem, reveal a fascinating paradox: while the material record shows an eager incorporation of new objects, the texts display abhorrence of the negative effects they were thought to bring along. As this volume demonstrates, both reactions testify to the crucial innovative impact objects from abroad may have.
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I offer a reconsideration of Zoilus’ treatise Against Homer’s Poetry. Two fragments of this work, F9a and F14 Fogagnolo, especially showcase Zoilus’ significance in the context of ancient literary criticism. F9a is usually considered a sarcastic comment on Homer’s lack of realism. I propose instead that it is a critique of the way the poet crafted the bird omen of Il. 10.174-177: Zoilus regarded the omen as a symbolic device and focused on the details of the analogical relationship between interpretandum and the interpretamentum. I also suggest that Aristotle F369 Gigon may have originated as a defense of Homer against one of Zoilus’ criticisms. Through a new translation of F14, I show that Zoilus did not content himself with analyzing problematic lines of Homer in isolation, but also assessed passages of the poem in light of other relevant passages within the same poem. In short, he criticized Homer from Homer.

In: Mnemosyne
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In Book 4 of Ovid’s Metamorphoses, the famous backstory of the Gorgon Medusa is related by her slayer Perseus: Neptune raped her in the temple of Minerva, and the goddess turned her hair into snakes out of divine vengeance for the desecration of her sanctuary. With few exceptions, most Ovid scholars are hesitant to posit any explanation for Medusa’s appearance at the temple, which does not appear to be justified in Ovid’s poem as it stands. In this article, the possibilities will be further explored: was Medusa (1) a priestess, (2) a suppliant or (3) simply a young woman of otherwise unspecified status? On further examination of the Book 4 passage, it will be argued that Ovid presents the metamorphosis myth of Medusa as an allusion, and that earlier sources were more likely to be forthcoming in their identification of the character.

In: Mnemosyne
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This strand of Brill Research Perspectives addresses important themes connected with the reworking of material inherited from classical antiquity, primarily the Latin language and Latin writing conventions, but also the creative adaptation of classical traditions in other languages and media. Contributions by leading scholars from different disciplinary backgrounds will provide up-to-date overviews on the context, key texts, controversial questions, existing scholarship and avenues for further research concerning particular themes. These surveys are designed to give advanced students and scholars new to this particular area an idea of the sources, approaches and existing research, sketching scholarly history and facilitating further work.
Classical Studies E-Books Onlineis the electronic version of the book publication program of Brill in the field of Classical Studies.

Coverage:
Ancient Philosophy, Ancient History, Ancient Religion, Greek and Roman Literature, Epigraphy & Papyrology, Archeology

This e-book collection is part of Brill's Humanities and Social Sciences E-Book collection.

The list of titles per collection can be found here.
The Language of Classical Literature is a peer-reviewed series of studies on Greek and Latin language and literature that are informed by modern literary or linguistic theory (e.g. discourse linguistics, narratology, intertextuality, metapoetics). The series is open to monographs, edited volumes, and conference proceedings (provided they have a clear thematic coherence). The Language of Classical Literature is a continuation of the renowned Amsterdam Studies in Classical Philology. Volumes 1-31 can be found here.
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In line 1 of the so-called Seal (118 AB), Posidippus invokes Μοῦσαι πολιήτιδες (‘Muses fellow citizens’). This fact has puzzled scholars for years, as the Muses are nowhere else referred to as such. Referring to an epigram of Queen Eurydice, a dedication in honour of the Muses from the Pella area as well as evidence of cultural activity in the Macedonian capital, I demonstrate that the term πολιήτιδες used in the poem is related to the poet’s hometown. I also illustrate that naming the Muses ‘fellow citizens’ and placing their statues in the agora, theatre or gymnasion reflected the central position of mousikē, education and literature, in Greek culture. In addition, I draw a parallel with the phenomenon of honouring poets with statues at central points in the city, often surrounded by the Muses.

In: Mnemosyne
Supplementum Epigraphicum Graecum is an annual publication collecting newly published Greek inscriptions and studies on previously known documents. Every volume contains the harvest of a single year and covers the entire Greek world. Material later than the 8th century A.D. is not included.
SEG presents complete Greek texts of all new inscriptions with a critical apparatus; it summarizes new readings, interpretations and studies of known inscriptions, and occasionally presents the Greek text of these documents.
Supplementum Epigraphicum Graecum is also available as an online database. For more information please view www.brill.com/sego.