Date/Time
Date(s) - 19 Oct 2017
7:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Location
Columbia University Faculty House
Category(ies) No Categories
Please join us for the next lecture in Columbia’s University Seminar in Classical Civilization. We are looking forward to welcoming:
Thursday, October 19, 7:30pm
Sheila Murnaghan (University of Pennsylvania)
“Selective Memory and Epic Reminiscence in Sophocles’ Ajax”
Faculty House (please check the signs in the lobby for precise location)
Prof. Murnaghan has kindly shared an abstract of her upcoming talk with us: “Focusing on the moment of the hero’s death, Sophocles’ Ajax offers a brief, concentrated portrait of a variable, contested figure with diverse identities in epic and cult. Competing conceptions of Ajax are incorporated into the play as the characters position its action in relation to previous events and earlier traditions, making it the culmination of different narratives with significantly different starting points: for Ajax and Teucer, an Iliadic narrative that begins with Ajax’ duel with Hector; for Odysseus, a post-Iliadic narrative that begins with the contest for Achilles’ armor; and for Calchas, a non-Homeric Salaminian narrative that begins with Ajax’ departure from home.”
The evening will begin with drinks at 5:45 PM at the first-floor lounge of Faculty House, followed by dinner at 6:15 PM. Please email our rapporteur, Jeremy Simmons ([email protected]), by noon on Monday, October 16th in order to make a dinner reservation. Note that the price of the meal is $30, payable only by check to “Columbia University.” Professor Murnaghan’s lecture will begin promptly at 7:30 PM.