Reading Epic: An Introduction to the Ancient Narratives

by Peter Toohey

Readers new to ancient epic are hampered in two ways: they do not know the ancient languages, and they are unfamiliar with the ancient world. This survey addresses the needs of these readers by offering guidance through the major classical writers of epic: it begins with Homer and concludes with an overview of the development of late ancient epic and of the interface between the epic and the novel.

Genres: Epic

264 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 1992

About the author

Peter Toohey, the author of Boredom: A Lively History and Melancholy, Love and Time, is professor of classics in the Department of Greek and Roman Studies at the University of Calgary with a special interest in the nature and history of the emotions. He lives in Calgary, Canada.