A Commentary on Quintus of Smyrna, Posthomerica 13

Abstract

The Posthomerica by Quintus of Smyrna, a Greek epic in fourteen books from the 3rd century AD, recounts the story of the Trojan War by covering the events between Hector’s burial and the departure of the Greeks after the destruction of the city. In book 13, we read about the sack of Troy, including famous episodes such as the death of Priam and Astyanax, the enslavement of Andromache, the escape of Aeneas, and the rape of Cassandra. Stephan Renker offers the first full-scale commentary on Posthomerica 13. He introduces each episode with a discussion of the relevant literary tradition and Quintus' potential models. The following line-by-line commentary yields insights into aspects of language, literary technique, realia, and the main issues of interpretation. Thus, the reader is provided with an important tool for further investigations into this fascinating, yet understudied piece of Imperial Greek poetry.