Gregory Nagy has been the Director of the Harvard Center for Hellenic Studies in Washington, D.C., since 2000, and continues to serve as the Francis Jones Professor of Classical Greek Literature and Professor of Comparative Literature at Harvard University.

"More than any other classicist, Nagy tries to uncover and explain the brilliance that can come from an oral tradition... This is an important contribution to the field of Homeric poetics, more narrowly, and to the study of Greek literature more broadly." --Carol Dougherty, Professor of Classical Studies, Wellesley College

• Abbreviations Acknowledgments Prologue Introduction. Four Questions Question 1. About Synchronic and Diachronic Perspectives Question 2. About the Evolutionary Model Question 3. About Dictation Models Question 4. About Cross-References in Homer Chapter 1. Homeric Responses Chapter 2. Homeric Rhapsodes and the Concept of Diachronic Skewing Chapter 3. Irreversible Mistakes and Homeric Clairvoyance Chapter 4. The Shield of Achilles: Ends of the Iliad and Beginnings of the Polis Bibliography Index

Gregory Nagy has been the Director of the Harvard Center for Hellenic Studies in Washington, D.C., since 2000, and continues to serve as the Francis Jones Professor of Classical Greek Literature and Professor of Comparative Literature at Harvard University.

"More than any other classicist, Nagy tries to uncover and explain the brilliance that can come from an oral tradition... This is an important contribution to the field of Homeric poetics, more narrowly, and to the study of Greek literature more broadly." --Carol Dougherty, Professor of Classical Studies, Wellesley College

• Abbreviations Acknowledgments Prologue Introduction. Four Questions Question 1. About Synchronic and Diachronic Perspectives Question 2. About the Evolutionary Model Question 3. About Dictation Models Question 4. About Cross-References in Homer Chapter 1. Homeric Responses Chapter 2. Homeric Rhapsodes and the Concept of Diachronic Skewing Chapter 3. Irreversible Mistakes and Homeric Clairvoyance Chapter 4. The Shield of Achilles: Ends of the Iliad and Beginnings of the Polis Bibliography Index

Gregory Nagy has been the Director of the Harvard Center for Hellenic Studies in Washington, D.C., since 2000, and continues to serve as the Francis Jones Professor of Classical Greek Literature and Professor of Comparative Literature at Harvard University.

"More than any other classicist, Nagy tries to uncover and explain the brilliance that can come from an oral tradition... This is an important contribution to the field of Homeric poetics, more narrowly, and to the study of Greek literature more broadly." --Carol Dougherty, Professor of Classical Studies, Wellesley College

• Abbreviations Acknowledgments Prologue Introduction. Four Questions Question 1. About Synchronic and Diachronic Perspectives Question 2. About the Evolutionary Model Question 3. About Dictation Models Question 4. About Cross-References in Homer Chapter 1. Homeric Responses Chapter 2. Homeric Rhapsodes and the Concept of Diachronic Skewing Chapter 3. Irreversible Mistakes and Homeric Clairvoyance Chapter 4. The Shield of Achilles: Ends of the Iliad and Beginnings of the Polis Bibliography Index