Homeric Variations on Lament by Briseis

Casey Du- examines the figure of Briseis, the concubine of Achilles in theIliad, as an example of the traditional artistry enabled by a complex and self-contained oral poetic system. Briseis’ lament for Patroclus inIliad 19 hints at her role in the larger epic tradition. Du- argues that Briseis’ role in theIliad is enormously compressed, both in relation to theIliad and the entire tradition of the epic cycle. Through a close reading of Homeric passages, Homeric Variations on a Lament by Briseis shows how theIliad refers to expanded and alternative traditions about Briseis even while asserting its own version of her story.