ANAMED and the Classical Studies Certificate Guest Lecture Series present “The Cyclops and Odysseus: Cannibalism and the Unflinching Truth about a Violent Hero”, a talk by Dr. Hardy Fredricksmeyer.
Polyphemus personifies primitive elements of the natural world in Book 9 of Homer’s Odyssey, as he devours human flesh like some feral, predatory animal. Odysseus, in contrast, represents human civilization as he subdues Polyphemus with cunning and technology. But are Odysseus and Polyphemus really opposites? The answer is both yes and no. And, to the extent that the answer is no, the Odyssey is more aligned with non-Homeric poems of the Epic Cycle than is generally recognized, poems that depict Odysseus and other ancient Greek warriors as committing war crimes during the sacking of Troy.
The talk will be held in English.