In this informal talk, Baukje van den Berg will discuss her forthcoming monograph on the Byzantine scholar Eustathios of Thessalonike (ca. 1115-1195) and his Commentary on the Iliad. The talk will focus on the rhetorical program of the commentary and explore how Eustathios turns Homer into a model of excellent oratory for the contemporary rhetor. It addresses such questions as what Homer meant for a twelfth-century readership, how Eustathios translates the poet’s authorship and rhetorical virtuosity into contemporary terms, and how he negotiates between different variants of the Greek language.
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This presentation is a part of a new series of events – the CEMS Research Seminar – which will be informal, lunchtime gatherings at which CEMS members present their current or recent research in a friendly, low-stakes environment. The presentations will be brief (15-20mins) and ample time will be left for discussion. The idea is to become more familiar with one another’s research and encourage conversations within CEMS. In this way, we hope to strengthen the internal community and benefit from the excellent scholarship in which our colleagues are engaged.