Aspects of Aeschylus' Homeric Usages

Abstract

SIDERAS' Aeschylus Homericus' should long remain the definitive work on Aeschylus' use of Homeric words. The purpose of this paper is (a) to draw attention to a number of usages not covered by Sideras, despite his detailed treatment; (b) to bring these and examples dealt with passim by Sideras together into categories, so that a clearer impression may be formed of Aeschylus' linguistic habits vis-i-vis Homer; (c) to draw attention to some sections of Aeschylus' plays in which Homeric influence is most concentrated; (d) to examine two passages in which Homeric usages contribute to a generally vivid effect. Furthermore, the emphasis here is on deviations from Homer, and little is said about words in common literary use between Homer and Aeschylus. Sideras treats these adequately. I have throughout been aware that, because of the paucity of our sources, we can never be sure that Aeschylus is in any given case alone in deviating from Homer, or the first to do so, and many of our Aeschylean coinages may in fact be borrowings from lost works. These reservations must apply to what follows, as they do to all earlier research. The deviations below show some independence on Aeschylus' part, though it is conceded that metre and the abandonment of formulaic composition may account for the appearance of some non-Homeric forms. The references are confined to single examples in each case; they are not exhaustive.