A study of the narrator in Nonnus of Panopolis’ Dionysiaca : storytelling in late antique epic

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"This Study of the Narrator in Nonnus of Panopolis' Dionysiaca by Camille Geisz investigates manifestations of the narratorial voice in Nonnus' account of the life and deeds of Dionysus (4th/5th century C.E.). Through a variety of interventions in his own voice, the narrator reveals much about his relationship to his predecessors, his own conception of story-telling, and highlights his mindfulness of the presence of his narratee. Narratorial devices in the Dionysiaca are opportunities for displays of ingeniousness, discussions of sources, and a reflection on the role of the poet. They highlight the innovative style of Nonnus' epic, written as a compendium of influences, genres, and myths, and encompassing the influence of a thousand years of Greek literature."--  Read more... ""Â#x80 #x8E Contents"" ""â#x80 #x8E Introduction"" ""â#x80 #x8E Part 1. The Narrator-Authorâ#x80 #x99 s Engagement with His Predecessors and with the Tradition of Epic Storytelling"" ""â#x80 #x8E Chapter 1. The First Proem: The Narratorâ#x80 #x99 s Sources of Inspiration"" ""â#x80 #x8E 1.1. A Shifting Source of Inspiration"" ""â#x80 #x8E 1.2. Subject Matter and Narrative persona"" ""â#x80 #x8E 1.3. Summary"" ""â#x80 #x8E Chapter 2. The Second Proem: The Emergence of the Narratorâ#x80 #x99 s Voice"" ""â#x80 #x8E 2.1. The Nonnian Narratorâ#x80 #x99 s Appropriation of the Homeric Model as a Template"" ""Â#x80 #x8E 2.2. A Template for the Telling of a New Story. The Question of the Contents: The Limits of Homeric Inspiration""""â#x80 #x8E 2.3. Summary"" ""â#x80 #x8E Chapter 3. The Nonnian Narrator and the Muses"" ""â#x80 #x8E 3.1. The Addressees of the Nonnian Muse Invocations"" ""â#x80 #x8E 3.2. The Shorter Invocations: Innovations on a Well-Known Theme"" ""â#x80 #x8E 3.3. Rhetorical Questions or Muse Invocations?"" ""â#x80 #x8E 3.4. Summary"" ""â#x80 #x8E Part 2. A Narrator-Scholar with an Innovative Approach to Epic Storytelling"" ""â#x80 #x8E Chapter 4. The Nonnian Narratorâ#x80 #x99 s Conception of Narrating: The Question of Sources"" ""Â#x80 #x8E 4.1. Self-Conscious Narrating: The Reference to Sources""""â#x80 #x8E 4.2. Comprehensive Narrating"" ""â#x80 #x8E 4.3. Summary"" ""â#x80 #x8E Chapter 5. Being Overt: The Nonnian Narratorâ#x80 #x99 s Opinion of His Own Narrative"" ""â#x80 #x8E 5.1. The Nonnian Narrator in Space and Time"" ""â#x80 #x8E 5.2. The Narratorâ#x80 #x99 s Opinion of His Own Story: A Narrator-Commentator"" ""â#x80 #x8E 5.3. The syncrisis of Book 25, 22â#x80 #x93 252: An Innovative and Assertive Narratorial Intervention"" ""â#x80 #x8E 5.4. Summary"" ""â#x80 #x8E Part 3. A Narrator-Storyteller in Dialogue with His Audience"" ""Â#x80 #x8E Chapter 6. Direct Addresses to the Narratee: How to Involve the Narratee in the Story""""â#x80 #x8E 6.1. Preliminary Considerations"" ""â#x80 #x8E 6.2. Addresses from the Narrator to the Narratee in the Dionysiaca"" ""â#x80 #x8E 6.3. Analysis of the Corpus of Addresses"" ""â#x80 #x8E 6.4. Summary"" ""â#x80 #x8E Chapter 7. Indirect Addresses: How to Influence the Narrateeâ#x80 #x99 s Reception of the Story"" ""â#x80 #x8E 7.1. Indirect Metaleptic Devices Aimed at the Narratee"" ""â#x80 #x8E 7.2. Gnomic Utterances and Rhetorical Questions"" ""â#x80 #x8E 7.3. If-not Situations in the Dionysiaca"" ""â#x80 #x8E Chapter 8. Comparisons and Similes"" ""Â#x80 #x8E 8.1. The Use of Comparisons and Similes in Homer, Apollonius, Quintus, and Nonnus""""â#x80 #x8E 8.2. The Nonnian Comparisons and Similes"" ""â#x80 #x8E 8.3. Summary"" ""â#x80 #x8E Part 4. A Narrator-Character Becoming Part of His Own Narrative"" ""â#x80 #x8E Chapter 9. Apostrophes to Characters"" ""â#x80 #x8E 9.1. Apostrophes in Homer and Apollonius"" ""â#x80 #x8E 9.2. Addressees of the Nonnian Apostrophes"" ""â#x80 #x8E 9.3. Summary"" ""â#x80 #x8E Chapter 10. The Transformation of the Narrator into a Dionysiac Reveller"" ""â#x80 #x8E 10.1. A Narrator at the Service of Dionysus"" ""Â#x80 #x8E 10.2. The Frame of the Muse Invocations: Innovations of a Narrator-Character""