Greek and Roman Epic
Greek and Roman Epic tests close reading of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey and Virgil's Aeneid, with Apollonius and Hesiod as context. Expect questions on oral composition, narrative technique, heroism, divine intervention, and intertextuality.
Core rules
- Homeric epic is oral-derived: formulae, epithets, type-scenes, and similes aid composition and shape meaning. Do not treat repetition as careless.
- Narrative is controlled: the narrator selects, foreshadows, and withholds. Distinguish poet, narrator, and character.
- Virgil writes in conscious dialogue with Homer: imitation and correction-kleos versus imperium, Achilles versus Aeneas-are central.
Worked example
Compare the shield of Achilles (Iliad 18) with the shield of Aeneas (Aeneid 8). Reasoning: Homer's shield depicts a whole human world-peace and war, city and farm-set against Achilles' imminent death. Virgil's shield shows Roman history culminating in Actium and Augustus, making epic an aetiology for Rome. The ekphrasis is not decorative: it frames the hero's role and the poem's values. A strong answer quotes details and explains how description comments on action.
Traps
- Retelling plot instead of analyzing narration or theme.
- Assuming the narrator speaks for the poet.
- Applying modern ideas of heroism without noting ancient values such as timē, kleos, and pietas.
- Ignoring book and line context when citing a simile or speech.