Key Terms World Lit I

Hum

Achaeans

a Greek

argiues

a Greek

ageis

a shield that’s also a symbol of power and majesty

analect

a wise, pithy saying; an aphorism

B.C.E.

Before the Common Era-time before the birth of Jesus of Nazareth; its dates are counted backwards, like negative numbers

bi

“comparison”: similes and metaphores-what’s standing for what, what’s like what. This is a term specific to Chinese poetics

Canon (adjective form: Cononical)

an established list of texts that scholars and other authorities agree are of central cultural importance to a particular tradition; of or belonging to that list.

C.E.

Common Era-time after the birth of Jesus Nazareth; its dates are counted forwards, like positive numbers. This year is 2025 CE

Century

1101-1200. Its big number-where BCE ones start or CE ones end~is the number that’s prefix in the year number.

circa (abbreviated c. or ca.)

approximately, around, about (used for dates)

Dao (sometimes spelled tao)

the way

epic

a long, nation-building narrative poem featuring larger-than life hereos and mythic events

epithets

a nickname or standard description that comes up over and over when a character is mentioned; they’re used a lot in epics

epitome

the perfect example of x (used on Gilgamesh headnote 19)

fu

“enumeration”: the literal what happens of the poem. This is a term specific to chinese poetic

invocation (of the muse)

The prayer to the muse for inspiration that begins an epic poem

Lyric Poem

a poem that present not a story, but an argument or description; rather than events unfolding in time, it exist in a single moment or entirely outside time.

muse

one of the nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne who are patron goddesses of the arts. Their job is to inspire (literally, in the case of Hesiod) humans to creativity

narrative poem

a poem that tells a story. Events unfold in time: first this happens, then this, then this.

stanza

this is the verse as a paragraph is to prose: a group of lines in a poem that go together. This word is Italian for room, so you can think of these as the rooms of a poem.

xing

“evocative image” natural images that resonate with human situations and stimulate the imagination. This is a term specific to Chinese poetics

yang

in Chinese philosophy, this is the positive, masculine, full, daytime, active principle

yin

in Chinese philosophy, this is the negative, feminine, empty, night time, passive principle.

Gilgamesh (2)

Author: Does not have a single known author
Title: The Epic of Gilgamesh
Genre: epic Poem
Where: ancient mesopotamia
Language: Babylonian
When: ca 1900-1200 BCE

Classic of Poetry (2)

Author: multiple known authors
Title: Classic of Poetry
Genre: an anthology of lyric poetry
Where: northern ancient China
Language: Classical Chinese
When: ca 1000-600 BCE

Confucius (2)

Author: Generations of disciples
Title: Analects
Genre: philosophy
Where: ancient china
Language: Classical Chinese
When: 551-479 BCE

Laozi (2)

Author: Laozi
Title: Daodejing
Genre: philosophy
Where: ancient china
Language: Classical Chinese
When: sixth-third centuries BCE

ILIAD (2)

Author: Homer
Title: Iliad
Genre: epic poem
Where: Ionia
Language: ancient Greek
When: ca 700-800 BCE

Odyssey (2)

Author: Homer
Title: Odyssey
Genre: epic poem
Where: Ionia
Language: ancient Greek
When: ca 700-800 BCE