Homeric Soundings

The "Iliad" came into existence to be heard through from start to finish.

While this is generally accepted in theory, the poem has not been properly studied in the light of what this really means in practice.

Many connections, which are not obvious when the poem is being read, become prominent if it is approached as an oral and aural creation, especially if it is divided into three segments, probably a product of three night-long sessions of performance.

The shapings which these soundings, or sample explorations, bring into focus extend from details of wording and theme to the entire moral, religious, and political significance of the "Iliad." It is indeed a central thesis that form and content, artistry and ethics are indivisible.