The Death and Afterlife of Achilles

203 Pages·2009·11.064 MB·English

by  Jonathan S. Burgess

The Death and Afterlife of Achilles
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The Death and Afterlife
of Achilles
JONATHAN S. BURGESS
The Johns Hopkins University Press
Baltimore
© 2009The Johns Hopkins University Press
All rights reserved.Published 2009
Printed in the United States ofAmerica on acid-free paper
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The Johns Hopkins University Press
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Library ofCongress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Burgess,Jonathan S.,1960-
The death and afterlife ofAchilles / Jonathan S.Burgess.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN–13:978–0–8018–9029–1(hardcover :alk.paper)
ISBN–10:0–8018–9029–2(hardcover :alk.paper)
1.Achilles (Greek mythology) in literature.
2.Homer.Iliad. 3.Epic poetry,Greek—
History and criticism.I.Title.
PA4037.B832008
883(cid:2).01—dc22 2008013939
A catalog record for this book is available from the British Library.
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and covers are printed on paper with recycled content.
For Emmet Robbins
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contents
List ofIllustrations ix
Acknowledgments xi
Note to Reader xiii
List ofAbbreviations xv
Introduction 1
1 The Early Life ofAchilles 8
2 The Death ofAchilles 27
3 The Destiny ofAchilles in the Iliad 43
4 Intertextuality and Oral Epic 56
5 The Death ofAchilles in the Iliad 72
6 MotifSequences in the Iliad 93
7 Burial and Afterlife ofAchilles 98
8 Tomb and Cult ofAchilles 111
Conclusion 132
Appendix:
The Fabulaofthe Death ofAchilles 135
Notes 137
References 159
Index 177
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illustrations
Dipping ofinfant Achilles in the Styx.Silver plate,fourth
century CE. 10
Body ofAchilles on the battlefield.Chalkidian amphora,lost,
mid-sixth century BCE. 12
Achilles pursuing Troilos.Black-figure hydria,mid-sixth
century BCE. 14
Scenes from the early life ofAchilles.Terracotta platter,
late antiquity. 20
Achilles putting on armor,with Thetis,Peleus,and
Neoptolemos.Lydos plate,mid-sixth century. 21
Achilles receiving armor from Thetis (?).Bronze reliefon
Etruscan chariot,second halfofthe sixth century BCE. 22
Achilles dueling Memnon (?).Bronze reliefon Etruscan chariot,
second halfofthe sixth century BCE. 24
Achilles driving chariot over female (?).Bronze reliefon
Etruscan chariot,second halfofthe sixth century BCE. 25
Cheiron and hunting Achilles (?).Bronze reliefon Etruscan
chariot,second halfofthe sixth century BCE. 26
Achilles duels Memnon (?).Melian amphora,first halfof
seventh century BCE. 30
Thetis observes duel ofAchilles and Memnon (?).Melian
amphora,first halfofseventh century BCE. 31
Eos observes duel ofAchilles and Memnon (?).Melian
amphora,first halfofseventh century BCE. 32
Achilles duels Memnon.Black-figure hydria,first halfof
seventh century BCE. 33
Hermes and scales.Black-figure vase,early fifth century BCE. 34