John Franklin’s visit, the “Epic Tradition”
Epic Cycle: many small works, fragments, epitomes, etc. Multiple apparently well known
cycles: Pylian (Nestor’s house)
Neo-Analysis: Unitarian v. Analysis was the 19th c. debate. Neo-Analysis looks for
sutures too (things you can cut out that don’t disrupt whole (too much)).
Neo looks at it as if Homer may be a singular genius, but looks for possible/probable
Janko’s Homer Commentary has a 5 page discussion of Antilochus passage that has good
bibliography and a good sample of neo-analysis
Also, read Milman Parry
Davies Epicorum Graecorum Fragmenta, Bernabe’s Poeti Epici Graeci (includes Orphic
and Wisdom Poetry), West’s Loeb volume (v. good) Greek Epic Fragments.
Sources: 2 sorts
1. Proclus the summarizer, which was resummarized later, and that’s what we
have
2. Fragments
Each epic cycle has both.
Many doublets: same story a little different. Question is, which is older?
John is working a neo-analytical thing on the Cypria
no scenes on archaic vases are unambiguously Homeric, but by 6th c. there are Homeric
scenes.
Homer, however, has linguistic data that is earlier (750-725)
Standard Story: by 6thc., A guild of homeridae became authoritative: the homeridae of
Chios.
Handout #1
Paris got fabric from Sidon, but Herod. assumes he also went to Egypt. The two
Odyssean passages seem like interpolations in Herod, bc they don’t illustrate the point
well, but s.o. did
Last paragraph says Cypria is not by Homer, bc of “enjoying well blowing wind and level
sea” v. “they wandered” BUT Proclus’ summary says the oopposite in #2.
Many people think that this Cypria was after Herod. bc of Homeric statement that they
went to Sidon, but it only took 3 days
But in 1891, epitome discovered (#3) which says that they spent a lot of time, which
people think means it’s an older cycle, not a later one
#4 attributes a poem to Cyprias, which is surely an artificial name from title of poem,
Cypria. Why? but then an inscription from halicarnassus (hometown of Herod) lists
Cyprias (songmaker of Iliaca) (#5). So maybe Herod. knew a version that didn’t have
eastern wandering episodes, but as Homer gained influence, in 6th c., this alternative
tradition became obscure and wasn’t handed on canonically, BUT locals contest such
things and preserve their own traditions.
So, there was a tradition of an eastern wandering, but it got confused in various ways.
So what else was part of the tradition? storm, sack of Sidon, a year long trip, avoiding
pursuit, visit to Kinyras, terracotta fleet,
#6: only appearance of Kinyras in Iliad: as giver of a corselet.
#7: a different Kinyras episode: an embassy to Cyrpus, Kinyras promises ships, used clay
ships (a number of such things have been found in harbor of Amethous and in Cypriot
graves). Cyprus became Greek-speaking since 1200 BC. The town of Amethous is
connected with pre-Greeks (aetio-cypriots). Goes back to middle bronze age, early 2nd
millennium. Must have been a ritual custom (apotropaic?).
Hegesinas and Stasinus are traditionally authors of this poem: it could be made up that
they are Cypriots, bc. of title Cypria
#11 Agamemnon and his followers drove Kinyras from power (could only originate on
Cyprus: who else would care enough to make it up?) Could be old or later...
#12 Paris and Helen went to Cyprus, got ships, went to sidon, slew king, got ships.
When they went to Cyrpus, it seems logical they must have gone to Kinyras, the only
known king of Cyrpus for the time
#14 two children of Helen, one abducted, one born on the trip!
#15 Tzetzes had access to many MSS before sack of Constantinople: says they took a
year to get to Troy. Probably he saw something or other in a source.
Stesichorus’ “innovation” is often said to be the source of all stories that follow it, but
how do we know that he didn’t know of a tradition and wasn’t using it?
#18-21 are regarded as being derivative of Stesichorus, BUT they all have the motive to
avoid pursuit, which Stesichorus didn’t have.
#22 another stop, Tyre, and Menelaus chasing them all the way. This is the only source
that has him pursuing.
why do Menelaus and Helen travel after war? Homer says they got to Crete, hit a storm,
driven to libya, lost ships and money, had to travel to rebuild fleet and booty.
But #25-27 says that he shook down a bunch of kings for money
#30-31 medieval traveler’s tales.
it’s remarkable that people on Cyprus were talking about this there.
#30 may be an abbreviation of #31
#31 goes on to say that the Greek Fleet gathered at Paphos and set out from there to Troy
(i.e. not from Aulis). According to that story, Kinyras must also have been a suitor bound
by the oath when Helen got married.
Book 8 of Odyssey: Menelaus tells Telemachus of his travels: went to Libya, lost
everything, went to Egypt, Sidon, etc. But then later on, he says he wandered for 7 years
to Cyprus, Egypt, Libya (i.e. widdershins to previous direction). 3 seasons of the year,
they sailed one direction, but storms disrupt that: storms are a great story-telling device.