Description
The Partheneion, or "maiden song," composed in the seventh century BCE by the Spartan poet Alcman, is the earliest substantial example of a choral lyric. A provocative reinterpretation of the Partheneion and its broader context, Alcman and the Cosmos of Sparta excavates the poem's invocations of widespread and long-lived cosmological ideas that cast the universe as perfectly harmonious and invested its workings with an ethical dimension. Moving far beyond standard literary interpretations, Gloria Ferrari uncovers this astral symbolism by approaching the poem from several angles to brilliantly reconstruct the web of ancient drama, music, religion, painting, and material culture in which it is enmeshed. Her bold analysis dramatically deepens our understanding of Greek poetry and the rich culture of archaic Sparta.
About the Author
Gloria Ferrari is professor emerita of classical archaeology and art at Harvard University. Her many books include Figures of Speech: Men and Maidens in Ancient Greece, also published by the University of Chicago Press.
Reviews
"Ferrari's creative reading of the Partheneion makes sense of many of the apparently disparate parts of this poem and of its context.... Her argument is convincing and well supported. The extensive bibliography is an excellent resource for research on Greek lyric, performance, and the relevant myths." (Classical Outlook) "Ferrari offers a provocative discussion of the poem's dramatic performance, ritual context, and societal role, shedding a new light on its perplexing imagery.... By discussing debatable matters and proposing her own innovative interpretations, Ferrari contributes actively and sensitively to these debates, making this book an important contribution to the study of ancient Greek choral poetry, archaeology, and art history." (American Anthropologist)"
Book Information
ISBN 9780226668680
Author Gloria Ferrari
Format Paperback
Page Count 192
Imprint University of Chicago Press
Publisher The University of Chicago Press
Weight(grams) 255g
Dimensions(mm) 22mm * 14mm * 1mm
About the Author
Gloria Ferrari is professor emerita of classical archaeology and art at Harvard University. Her many books include Figures of Speech: Men and Maidens in Ancient Greece, also published by the University of Chicago Press.
Reviews
"Ferrari's creative reading of the Partheneion makes sense of many of the apparently disparate parts of this poem and of its context.... Her argument is convincing and well supported. The extensive bibliography is an excellent resource for research on Greek lyric, performance, and the relevant myths." (Classical Outlook) "Ferrari offers a provocative discussion of the poem's dramatic performance, ritual context, and societal role, shedding a new light on its perplexing imagery.... By discussing debatable matters and proposing her own innovative interpretations, Ferrari contributes actively and sensitively to these debates, making this book an important contribution to the study of ancient Greek choral poetry, archaeology, and art history." (American Anthropologist)"
Book Information
ISBN 9780226668680
Author Gloria Ferrari
Format Paperback
Page Count 192
Imprint University of Chicago Press
Publisher The University of Chicago Press
Weight(grams) 255g
Dimensions(mm) 22mm * 14mm * 1mm
