University of Cambridge

Faculty of Classics

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Thesis

This PhD examines the development of the listed natntive form, its uses, versatility and the reasons for its popularity. The principle focus is on Hellenistic Kollektivgedichte, including Callimachus' Aetia, but their Hesiodic background is given due attention. Section one looks at the Hesiodic Catalogue of Women and its predecessor, the Theogony. The Theogony provides an essential context for the study of the Catalogue of Women, and yet at the same time reveals differences that point to the development of the catalogue form. Although dominated by lists, the poem is highly complex in structure and tightly subordinated to a teleological end. The structure of the Catalogue is more complex, and shows a greater degree of engagement with contemporary culture. The use of genealogy gives prominence to figures from the margins of myth, by setting the 'canonical' Greek heroes in the context of their mothers and sisters, and their courtship stmies. The poem makes frequent reference to four central clusters of Greek myths - Heracles, the Argonautica, the Theban cycle and the Trojan War - in a way that separates them from their usual context and presents different episodes as side lights on characters' lives. While still closely bound up in the genealogical frame, the natTatives point the way forward to the development of Kollektivgedichte. Section two looks at the range of sub-genres within Hellenistic Kollektivgedichte - curse poetry, erotic catalogues and metamorphosis poetry - as well as considering the form of works sometimes linked with Kollektivgedichte. Issues of generic play and the negotiation with the Hesiodic predecessor are considered. Poets considered include Phanocles, Hermesianax, Euphorion, Nicander, Boios and Sostratus. Section three is devoted to Callimachus' Aetia, which has a privileged position because of the number of fragments we possess and the poem's prestige. It is of especial interest because the two halves of the poem were different in format, showing two different conceptions of the structure and nature of catalogue natTative poems. The first half, framed by the dialogue with the Muses, is shown to have a complex interplay of themes, while the poet's enquiring nature is prominently on display. It the second half the structure of the poem pushes at the boundaries of Kollektivgedichte by to an increasing extent removing unifying features. This challenging of the poem's own form and genre is important to an understanding of how the listed natTative form was conceived of by Callimachus. Generic play and self-reflexive experimentation are shown to be the chief characteristics of Kollektivgedichte. Although many of the poets in question are neglected by scholars, they are seen here to have been innovative and to exemplify many of the traits of Hellenistic poetry.