Academic literature on the topic 'Alcmene'

One of the most pleasurable features of the plays of Euripides is his exploration of a wide range of character types, each of whom has the potential to be more exciting than the previous one. The fictional Aeschylus in the underworld of Aristophanes'Frogs(1043) remembers in particular the wicked women (Stheneboea, Phaedra), but Euripides also had his share of pious and self-sacrificing virgins (Macaria, Polyxena, Iphigenia), faithful wives (Helen in her name play, Andromache, Alcestis, Evadne), shrewd matriarchs (Hecuba, Jocasta, Aethra, Alcmene), and priestesses (Cassandra, Iphigenia inI. T., Theonoe, the Pythia).

<p align="JUSTIFY"> </p><p><strong>Resumen </strong></p><p align="JUSTIFY"> </p><p>Estudio de un motivo impactante recurrente en bestiarios: la comadreja que da a luz a través de la boca. Se muestran diferentes variantes de este <em>topos</em> y se debate su origen, probablemente una anécdota procedente de la mitología antigua, específicamente la historia de Galantis, sierva de Alcmena, que ayudó en el nacimiento de Hércules. Esta historia fue versificada por Ovidio de forma magistral y se encuentra también en Eliano. Su recuerdo persistió aún en algunos textos medievales.</p><p align="JUSTIFY"> </p><p>Palabras Clave: comadreja; bestiario; motivos literarios; fuentes; mitología clásica</p><p align="JUSTIFY"> </p><p> </p><p align="JUSTIFY"> </p><p><strong>Abstract</strong></p><p align="JUSTIFY"> </p><p>Study of an impressive recurrent motif in Bestiaries: the weasel that gives birth through the mouth. Different variants of this <em>topos</em> are shown and its origin is discussed, probably a tale from Ancient mythology, specifically the story of Galanthis, servant of Alcmene, who helped the birth of Hercules. This story was masterfully versified by Ovid, and it can also be found in Aelianus. Its memory still lasted in some medieval texts.</p><p align="JUSTIFY"> </p><p>Key Words: weasel; bestiary; literary motifs; sources; classical mythology</p><p align="JUSTIFY"><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua', serif;"><span lang="es-ES"><br /></span></span></p>

χαιρέτω ἡμέτερος βασιλεὺς σωτήρ τε πατήρ τε·ἡμῖν δὲ κρητῆρ’ οἰνοχόοι θέραπεςκιρνάντων προχύταισιν ἐν ἀργυρέοις· †ὁ δὲ χρυσὸςοἶνον ἔχων χειρῶν νιζέτω εἰς ἔδαφος.†σπένδοντες δ’ ἁγνῶς Ἡρακλεῖ τ’ Ἀλκμήνηι τε,Προκλεῖ Περσείδαις τ’ ἐκ Διὸς ἀρχόμενοιπίνωμεν, παίζωμεν· ἴτω διὰ νυκτὸς ἀοιδή,ὀρχείσθω τις· ἑκὼν δ’ ἄρχε φιλοφροσύνης.ὅντινα δ’ εὐειδὴς μίμνει θήλεια πάρευνος,κεῖνος τῶν ἄλλων κυδρότερον πίεται.May our king rejoice, our saviour and father; let the attendant cup-bearers mix for us a crater from silver urns; †Let the golden one with wine in his hands wash to the base† Pouring libations piously to Heracles and Alcmene, Procles and the sons of Perseus and Zeus first of all, let us drink, let us play, let our song rise through the night. Dance someone, willingly begin the festivities. And anyone who has a fair girl waiting to share his bed will drink more like a man than all the others.(Ion, fr. 27 West = fr. 90 Leurini)

Introduction. In ancient mythology, the image of Hercules is one of the most popular, and his heroic cult is one of the most common. Having emerged from the “conglomerate of folk tales”, the image of Hercules was actively assimilated by the Greek and then Roman literary tradition. Hercules was a very popular hero among Greek tragic and especially comic poets. In Roman times, the final systematization of the image took place. The key role in this process was played by the works of Apollodorus “The Mythological Library” (2nd century BC), “Pictures” by Philostratus the Younger (2nd century BC) and “Description of Hellas” by Pausanias (2nd century BC). Within the framework of the classical tradition, the image of Hercules in Roman times was finally formed and unambiguous. Hercules is a hero, a demigod, the son of Zeus and Alcmene, who possessed amazing strength, who killed his children (and the children of his brother Iphicles) in an act of madness. He performed 12 labours at the request of Eurystheus. Hercules lived with the Lydian queen Omphale dressing in a woman’s dress. He was poisoned by his wife Deianira, burned at the stake on Mount Eta and ascended to Olympus, where he became the spouse of Hebe. Methods. The hermeneutic methodology, which ensured the correct understanding and interpretation of the text of the Suda dictionary and the ancient texts, on which this “antique” dictionary was based, is used in the article. The toolkit of the hermeneutic circle (pre-understanding and understanding of the text, interpretation of the whole based on knowledge of its parts) made it possible to highlight key elements (plots, signs and symbols) of the philosophical image of Hercules in the entries of the dictionary. Results. We can see a kind of “muscular Christianity”, when the strength of the body still corresponds to moral perfection and the withdrawal from the world does not contradict the active entry into the still polis institutions of urban life in Byzantine cities, among which the most important was the hippodrome and sports competitions. Christian authors actively used traditional sports metaphors and images of wrestling, but filled them with new Christian content. In the dictionary of the Suda, there is a kind of replacement of images that embody the samples of virtue. Hercules always loses to Job. It is indicative that the Christian rhetoric, relying on the philosophical symbolism of the apotheosis of Hercules, using the “sports” terminology of struggle, ignores the developed philosophical symbolism of Hercules, and fights against the mythological “fables” about Hercules. Using cynical and stoic terminology, Christian rhetoric opposes the comedic and dramatic image of Hercules, as Herodore of Heracles did in the 5th century BC. That is, the enemy is borrowed from Christian rhetoric along with philosophical symbols and terminology describing a difficult life full of trials as a virtue.

Uma demonstração do método pelo qual detalhes da história social da Grécia arcaica podem ser obtidos a partir de fragmentos da literatura perdida. Em um estudo de Alcman, fr. 92 Davies, o texto, os aromas de vinhos e as origens geográficas de vinhos são consideradas em sequência. A gastronomia de Alcman é colocada no contexto de outras obras de Alcman e da cultura hedonística da antiga Esparta.

Hércules, o herói de uma antiguidade insondável, situou‑se no mundo grego comoum símbolo pan‑helénico. Como figura transversal na cultura e na literatura grega ao longo dos séculos, o filho de Zeus e de Alcmena sofreu um processo de ajustamento a uma mentalidade em constante evolução. Assim, de vencedor brutal e violento, evoluiu para o protector de fracos e símbolo de um processo civilizacional, que ajudou a construir.

This thesis will explore how social and political conditions in archaic Greece affected the composition of poetry for female choral performance. My primary source material will be the poetry of Alcman and Sappho. I examine the evidence suggesting that poems by both Alcman and Sappho commented on political issues, using this as a basis to argue that women in archaic Greece may have had a more vocal public presence that has previously been imagined. Rather than viewing female performance as a means of discussing purely feminine themes or reinforcing the idea of a disempowered female gender, I argue that the poetry of Alman and Sappho gives parthenoi an authoritative public voice to comment on issues in front of the watching community. Part of this authority is derived from the social value of parthenoi, who can act as economically and socially valuable points of exchange between communities, but I shall also be looking at how traditional elements of female performance genre were used to enhance female authority in archaic Sparta and Lesbos. Once this has been established, this thesis will proceed to examine how public female performance dealt with major political and social issues in the archaic world. I shall argue that the performance of parthenoi did focus on primarily feminine concerns such as marriage, desire, and abduction, but that it could also be an opportunity to discuss much broader political themes that were of major importance to the entire polis. Alcman and Sappho use their poetry as a vehicle to comment on the society in which their poetry was composed, both discussing threats to order and representing solutions for a stable society. The content of female performed poetry was often composed as much for a male audience as for the performers themselves, using traditional female performance as a means of commenting on the current political climate. Through arguing these factors, the intention of this thesis is to suggest a much more prominent public role for archaic Greek females than has previously been recognised.

En Grèce archaïque, l'organisation de la vie religieuse dans le cadre de la cite favorise le développement d'un modèle de communication entre les dieux et les hommes fondé sur les rites périodiques du culte officiel. L'épiphanie divine, très fréquente dans Homère, devient désormais un procédé exceptionnel, et pour cela très significatif. Dans la poésie lyrique, qui est l'expression littéraire la plus importante de l'époque archaïque, nous distinguons trois types d'épiphanie : 1 a) épiphanie mythique de justice : Pindare, pe. 6. 73-89; ibid. 98-120; p. 3. 24-46; Bacchylide 3. 26-63; 1 b) épiphanie mythique de fondation : Alcée, fr. 307 l. -p. ; pind. 0. 1. 67-94; 6. 57-72; 13. 63-92; n. 10. 73-91; p. 4. 19-66; 2) épiphanie actuelle-personnelle : Alcman fr. 47 p; Sappho frr. 1, 45, 134 l-p. Ces trois catégories correspondent à trois phénomènes importants de cette époque : l'élaboration du concept de la dike (justice). L'invention du héros fondateur et, enfin, l'émergence de l'expression poétique individuelle
In archaic Greece, the organization of religious life in the frame of the city leads to the development of a model of communication between men and gods based on the official cult's ritual. Divine epiphany, very frequent in homer, becomes an exceptional, and therefore very significant proceeding. In lyric poetry, which is the archaic period's most important literary expression, one can distinguish three kinds of epiphany : 1 a) mythical epiphany of justice : Pindar pae. 6. 73-89; ibid. 98-120; p. 3. 24-46; Bacchylides 3. 26-63. 1 b) mythical epiphany of foundation : Alcaeus, fr. 307 l-p; pind. O. 1. 67-94; 6. 57-72; 13. 63-92; n. 10. 73-91; 9. 4. 19-66. 2) actual-personal epiphany : Alcman fr. 47 p; Sappho frr. 1. 45, 134 l. -p. These three categories correspond to three important phenomena of this period : elaboration of the concept of dike (justice), invention of the hero-foundator and development of individual poetic expression

La presente ricerca di dottorato ha come finalità la realizzazione di un'edizione critica con commento di due tragedie frammentarie euripidee ispirate al mito di Eracle: l’Alcmena e l’Auge. Riferimento fondamentale per questo studio sono le edizioni generali dei frammenti di Euripide curate rispettivamente da F. Jouan e H. Van Looy per Les Belles Lettres e da R. Kannicht per il quinto volume dei Tragicorum Graecorum Fragmenta. L’esiguità e la natura prevalentemente gnomica dei frammenti pervenutici non consentono una ricostruzione certa della trama, mentre le testimonianze dei mitografi (Igino, Apollodoro ecc.) e di altre tragedie ispirate alla medesima saga si scontrano con la nomea di Euripide quale innovatore del mito tradizionale. L'Alcmena era verosimilmente incentrata sul tumultuoso rapporto tra Anfitrione e Alcmena, sospettata di tradimento dal marito al rientro dalla campagna militare contro Tafi e Teleboi. La suggestiva ipotesi di R. Engellmann di una minaccia incendiaria di Anfitrione ai danni della moglie ha suscitato un ampio dibattito tra gli studiosi, in quanto si tratterebbe di un’evidente innovazione euripidea al mito: se Engelmann supporta la sua tesi valendosi della testimonianza di due pitture vascolari del British Museum, R. Aélion pone invece l’accento sul sospetto silenzio delle fonti letterarie; del tutto priva di fondamento è infine l’ipotesi di J. Schwartz, secondo cui il dramma sarebbe stato incentrato sulla morte di Eracle. La divergenza tra le varianti mitiche di Apollodoro e Strabone (che cita espressamente Euripide), la molteplicità di drammi ispirati alla saga Auge-Aleadi-Telefo e la scarsità di informazioni ricavate dall’hypothesis rendono aleatoria anche la ricostruzione della trama dell’Auge. Una delle questioni principali riguarda il ruolo di Eracle, la cui presenza in scena è stata negata da diversi studiosi (Welcker, Hartung) ma accettata da Van Looy, che colloca l’arrivo dell’eroe dopo la partenza di Auge. Delle due tragedie sopravvivono circa una ventina di frammenti per ciascuna (alcuni sono di dubbia attribuzione) che, fatta eccezione per il PHamb. 119 del prologo dell’Alcmena e il PColon. 264 dell’hypothesis dell’Auge, sono tutti di tradizione indiretta; tra le fonti principali si trovano l'Anthologium di Stobeo, il Lexicon di Esichio, l’Onomasticon di Polluce e gli Scoli a testi tragici e comici. Sul piano metodologico, dopo una ricognizione generale della bibliografia esistente, si procederà con l’analisi di ogni singolo frammento a livello linguistico, stilistico e metrico, con una particolare attenzione rivolta ad eventuali hapax, parole chiave o espressioni significative. Il commento sarà corredato anche da una riflessione sul contesto performativo, sulla persona loquens e la collocazione dei versi all’interno del dramma. Nel complesso, l’obiettivo della ricerca consiste in una focalizzazione più specifica su due drammi ispirati alla saga del principale eroe panellenico, nell’ottica di una più ampia riflessione sul trattamento euripideo di tale mito.
The purpose of this doctoral dissertation is to create a critical edition with commentary on two fragmentary Euripides’ tragedies inspired by the myth of Heracles: the Alcmene and the Auge. A basic point for this study are the general editions of the Euripides Fragments edited by F. Jouan and H. Van Looy for Les Belles Lettres and by R. Kannicht for the fifth volume of the Tragicorum Graecorum Fragmenta. The small amount and the predominantly gnomic nature of the surviving fragments do not allow an assured reconstruction of the plot, while the testimonies of the mythographs (Hyginus, Apollodorus etc.) and the other tragedies inspired by the same saga collide with the reputation of Euripides as an innovator of the traditional myth. The Alcmene was most likely focused on the tumultuous relationship between Amphitryon and Alcmene, suspected of treason by her husband when he returned from the military campaign against Teleboans. The suggestive hypothesis of R. Engellmann of an inflammatory threat of Amphitryon against his wife has given rise to a wide debate among scholars, because it would be an evident Euripides’ innovation to the myth. If Engelmann supports his thesis using the testimony of two vase-paintings of the British Museum, R. Aélion emphasises the suspicious silence of literary sources; finally, the hypothesis of J. Schwartz, according to whom the drama was focused on the death of Heracles, is totally groundless. The disagreement between the mythical sources of Apollodorus and Strabo (which explicitly quotes Euripides), the multiplicity of dramas inspired by the Auge - Telephus saga and the lack of information derived from the hypothesis also make the reconstruction of the plot of the Auge risky. One of the main issues concerns the role of Heracles, whose presence on stage has been denied by several scholars (Welcker, Hartung ecc.), but accepted by Η. Van Looy, which places the hero's arrival after Auge's departure. Of the two tragedies, about twenty fragments survive for each: with the exception of PHamb. 119 and of PColon. 264, they are all of indirect tradition; among, the main sources are the Anthologium of Stobaeus, the Lexicon of Hesychius, the Onomasticon of Pollux, and the Scholia to tragic and comic texts.

Alcman's Partheneion has a deserved reputation as an ambiguous and allusive fragment of Greek poetry; it has engendered a great amount of debate regarding every facet of the poem. This thesis investigates the ritual context and the propitiated deity of the Partheneion from an inter-cultural perspective. I integrate the relationship which flourished between Greece and the Near East with Alcman's poetry. This approach aims to situate the poem in the larger world of the Eastern Mediterranean and connect it to traditions of female goddesses worshiped in biblical Israel, Phoenicia and ancient Babylon. I also demonstrate that there are connections between the ritual context of Alcman's poetry, sung and danced by a chorus of young women, to similar cults celebrated by cultures throughout the Near East, both contemporaneous as well as more ancient.

This chapter first compares Jesus’s translation and reappearance story with similar tales of Achilles appearing in a transformed body around White Island. Both Achilles and Jesus were translated after their deaths, both had their corpses enlivened and immortalized in another location, both appear in solid form to many witnesses, and both were worshipped by their votaries. A second comparison analyzes Jesus’s tomb tokens with those of Numa, Rome’s second king. The tombs of both Numa and Jesus are sealed, but their bodies disappear. Despite the disappearance, sure signs of their presence are revealed, as in the case of Alcmene (mother of Heracles). This chapter also discusses the trope of alternative reports, used in the stories of both Romulus and the Matthean Jesus.

A detailed analysis of the scholiastic material relating to Ar. Av. 299-300 shows not only that the entire scholium is ascribable to the grammarian Didymus, but also that the ancient interpretation of the Aristophanic line implied several reception dynamics: firstly, the influence played on Euphronius’ dialectological exegesis by the allusion to Alcman’s poem on the bird named kērylos in ll. 250-252 of the Birds; secondly, the reuse of zoological writings and, possibly, of Callimachus’ Aitia in Didymus’ explanation of the pun on the ornithonym kērylos.