Chapter Two. Memory And Visualization In Homeric Discourse Markers

Abstract

This chapter shows that Homeric language includes several discourse markers. It presents the notion of discourse markers to the idea of Homeric poetry as discourse. The extensive role of memory in Homeric performances ranges from the ultimate source of the matter that is going to be told to the cognitive scripts that guide the performer as he unfolds the narrative sequence of events. The chapter summarizes different aspects of Homeric reception that better introduces the central thesis, in which the narrative function of some Homeric discourse markers corresponds to a visual function as well. The analysis presented in the chapter leads to more general considerations regarding Homeric diction and Homeric discourse. The so-called Homeric particles arguably work at the pragmatic level of communication. Finally, the chapter considers that the memory constraints in visualization and the cinema in the mind. Keywords: cognitive scripts; Homeric discourse markers; Homeric language; spatial memory; visualization