Promotional Information

Brilliant... shows a thorough understanding of Homeric poetry in the larger context of ancient epic traditions... Burgess has a commanding international reputation as a leading expert in these traditions. This book is a vital new contribution to our understanding of the relationship between Cyclic and Homeric poetry. -- Gregory Nagy, Harvard University

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations
Acknowledgments
Note to Reader
List of Abbreviations
Introduction
1. The Early Life of Achilles
2. The Death of Achilles
3. The Destiny of Achilles in the Iliad
4. Intertextuality and Oral Epic
5. The Death of Achilles in the Iliad
6. Motif Sequences in the Iliad
7. Burial and Afterlife of Achilles
8. Tomb and Cult of Achilles
Conclusion
Appendix: The Fabula of the Death of Achilles
Notes
References
Index

About the Author

Jonathan S. Burgess is a professor of classics at the University of Toronto and author of The Tradition of the Trojan War in Homer and the Epic Cycle, also published by Johns Hopkins.

Reviews

Burgess is an established authority on the Homeric and Cyclic epics and the tradition of the Trojan war. His latest study, The Death and Afterlife of Achilles, by no means lessens this reputation... This is a fascinating book, and one worth reading cover to cover... He exhibits an extraordinary depth of understanding of the nature of ancient epic traditions, and many of his ideas are original and innovative. -- Calum Maciver Bryn Mawr Classical Review This is an excellent book, and every chapter is worth reading. The train of thought is always clear, the arguments persuasive, the speculations judicious, and the style lucid. Numerous interesting and original ideas are combine with masterful synthesis of previous work and an extremely orderly presentation of fragmentary and unwieldy material. -- Olga Lavaniouk New England Classical Journal