The Homeric Centos

Abstract

Abstract The Homeric Centos, a poem that is Homeric in style and biblical in theme, is a dramatic illustration of the creative cultural and religious dialogue between Classical Antiquity and Christianity taking place in the Roman Empire during the fifth century ce. The text is attributed to Eudocia, the empress and poet who died exiled in the Holy Land ca. 460. With lines drawn verbatim from Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, the poet begins with the Creation and Fall and ends with Jesus’ Resurrection and Ascension. In this blend of Homeric style andw Christian theme, there are also echoes of Classical and Classicizing literature, stretching from Homer and drama to imperial literature; equally prominent are echoes of earlier Christian verse models and theological works. This analysis focuses on the poem’s double inspiration from both classical and Christian traditions; emphasizes the prominent role of women; explores its relationship with the cultural milieu of the fifth century ce; and offers in-depth analysis of the scenes of Creation and Fall and Jesus’ Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension. This book exposes the work’s debt to centuries of Homeric reception and interpretation as well as Christian exegesis, and places it at the crossroads between Christian and pagan literary traditions.