Thursday, June 12, 2008

Ancient Greek Summer Camp

I leave tomorrow morning for Washington DC to attend a summer seminar for graduate students at the Center for Hellenic Studies. We will be exploring homecoming themes (νόστοι) in Greek literature, especially the Odyssey, of course, but also in tragedies and beyond. I am particularly interested in comparing the homecoming of epic heroes to the homecoming that forms the nucleus of Pindar's victory songs for athletes, so I hope we touch on his poems to some degree. I look forward to meeting other Hellenists from around the country.

Odyssey 15.400

... μετὰ γάρ τε καὶ ἄλγεσι τέρπεται ἀνήρ,
ὅς τις δὴ μάλα πολλὰ πάθῃ καὶ πόλλ' ἐπαληθῇ

For even in troubles a man is delighting afterwards, whoever has suffered very much and wandered very far.