Rhapsody 7

Homer commentary

A sampling of comments on Odyssey Rhapsody 7

2017.05.11 / updated 2018.10.08 | By Gregory Nagy Following the instructions of Nausicaa, Odysseus approaches the palace of her father Alkinoos (latinized as Alcinous), king of the Phaeacians. This palace and the adjacent garden of Alkinoos are not only enchanting but even enchanted, as will be argued in the comments for Rhapsody 7 here. And, as we will see later in the comments for Rhapsody 13, the garden of Alkinoos… Read more

Homer commentary

A sampling of comments on Iliad Rhapsody 7

2016.08.12 /updated 2018.09.08 | By Gregory Nagy Up to now, Diomedes has been the hero who comes closest to Achilles in competing for the title ‘best of the Achaeans’. Here in Rhapsody 7, however, the focus shifts to Ajax, who responds to the challenge of Hector to fight in a duel the one hero among all the Achaeans who is truly the ‘best of the Achaeans’. As we know from… Read more