General ancient - Ecphrases!

Kurman ecphrases and epic 1974

‘virutal topos in epic poetry’

Earliest ecphrases

Shield of Achilles Il 18

symbolic effects of sh o Acihlles

relief from bloodshed after long central day of warfare B11-19. inevitability Achilles return to battle - divine weapon = superiority over Hector, used deflect Hectors spear Il 22 facilitate fatal blow. relates all elemenrs of life = vastness. dec w peacetime - alt Aga shield w gorgon. loss of peace. women at doors, watcging. JUxt 2 cities - 1 at peace, 1 at war - city at war minituarises iliad, conflcit from walls. rural world - greatest threat = lion. disconnect, starker light - sim of hephaestus burning bodies in scamandar, like wind drying watered orchard.

Effects of cloak of Jason in Arg 1 

bestowed by divinity Athene, moment of weaing, erotic gift - given by Atalanta, Jas as erotic hero. eraly ecphr - not earned? not reliant iliadic strength and force - Cyclops forge thunderbolt parallels dependence Jason and Agronauts on skill fo Tiphys as naviagtor arg 2. battle sons of ELektryon and taphina cattle riader = strife, sim to achilles attacking Andomrahces bros in Il 6. sensual blood soaking hgrass - contr Lemnian meadow B1

What ecphrases suggests alt narratives

Doors of ToApollo at Cumae in Aen 6 - sibyl stops Aen viewing. Minotaur = Cat 64 - marriage bed Peleus and Thetis. overtaking poem.

BArchiesi 2019, what Ecphrases does to epic narrative

‘paralyse or thwart the progress of a natural epic narrative’

Desr Aen’s shield Aen 8 contr digressive structure ofAeneid - suggest Annales (also subject matter) 

pugnataque in ordine bella 

ecphrastic focalisation Aen 1

se quoque … agnovi

Cic De Re P finding art in new land

Plato discusses shipwrecked philosopher discovering geometric figs in sand and taking as signs of civilisation, 

Aen passive w shield B8

rerumque ignarus.

Catullus epithet noise 64

fluentisono

Ariadne speaks 

Laird 1993 Catullus ecphrasis

‘disobedient’