CLST 105 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Homeric Hymns, Pythia

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Homeric Hymns: What are they? When were they written?
Not named after Homer
Orally performed poetry
Characteristic of homeric poems and of hymns
So called because of the language - similar to homeric poems
Dates range between 700-500 BCE
These hymns were performed by travelling rhapsodes - they performed poems from
memory but they were not poets themselves
Rhapsodes would compete with one another
Festivals of the gods
Picking the fun stories to tell
Seemed to serve as preludes to a longer recitation of a homeric poem
Ex. Practicing scales before you sing etc
Slavic poets performed right up until the end of the 20th century
Literary composition
Hymn to Aphrodite is the oldest
Compiled during 3rd century BCE
Localism - they would “big up” the towns they visited - and panhellenism - your local
area is important, but what's more important is the overall place it has in greek culture
Apollo
Healing and purification - he can give disease, he can take it away
God of youth and rites of passage
Always depicted without a beard - unlike all the gods -youthful
Gift of prophecy - oracle of delphi
Strong link with prophecy, music and poetry
Often depicted with a lyre - he has a sun god aspect
Bow and arrow - known as the Far Shooter because his arrows go so far
Associated with the laurel tree
Daphne - nymph who takes the form of a laurel tree to escape Apollo
Artemis
Artemis is the goddess of youthful women, rites of passage etc
Virgin Goddess of the Hunt - bow and arrow
Asia Minor and Turkey - she was evolved from fertility gods in that area
Hymn to Apollo
Not clear if it is 1 or 2 compositions
Early to mid 6th century BCE
Even though they are twins, the story is about Apollo
Places turn her away bc they are afraid of Hera
As soon as he is born, he is given nectar and ambrosia
Apollo was the patron god of new beginnings, new ventures, new buildings, travel
Delphi and the Oracle
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Document Summary

Characteristic of homeric poems and of hymns. So called because of the language - similar to homeric poems. These hymns were performed by travelling rhapsodes - they performed poems from memory but they were not poets themselves. Seemed to serve as preludes to a longer recitation of a homeric poem. Slavic poets performed right up until the end of the 20th century. Localism - they would big up the towns they visited - and panhellenism - your local area is important, but what"s more important is the overall place it has in greek culture. Healing and purification - he can give disease, he can take it away. God of youth and rites of passage. Always depicted without a beard - unlike all the gods -youthful. Gift of prophecy - oracle of delphi. Strong link with prophecy, music and poetry. Often depicted with a lyre - he has a sun god aspect.

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