Dean of the College Presents
Faculty Seminar
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
Olin Humanities, Room 102
6:30 pm EST/GMT-5
6:30 pm EST/GMT-5
by Professor William Mullen
‘Stanzaic’ Translation of Iliad and the “Homeric Hymn to Apollo”The first component of my presentation will consist of selections from my recent translation of the first 60 lines of the first book of the Iliad and the last 337 lines of the last book, in a format which brings out the stanzaic patterns in which the linguist Berkley Peabody has shown that all the Greek oral epic works were composed by bards. As part of the presentation I would like to read passages from these translations, which will be handed out for the audience so that they can follow the stanzaic breaks and hear the intended meter and poetic effects.
The second component will be an exposition of my interpretation of the evidence from two ancient scholars that the 546-line "Homeric Hymn to Apollo" was sometimes recited by bards as a prelude to their recitation of the whole Iliad. Thematic and verbal resonances between that hymn and, particularly, the opening and closing books of the Iliad are remarkable and, I argue, very moving. Here too my translation is in stanzaic patterns, on whose poetic effect I will comment as I make connections with the Iliad.
Please join us for a reception prior to those events at *6:00 p.m. in the Olin Atrium
* please note the new start time for this semester
* please note the new start time for this semester
For more information, call 845-758-7421, or e-mail [email protected].
Time: 6:30 pm EST/GMT-5
Location: Olin Humanities, Room 102