Lies, Lyres, and Laughter: Surplus Potential in the Homeric Hymn to Hermes

Christopher Bungard

doi:10.1353/are.2011.0006

Lies, Lyres, and Laughter: Surplus Potential in the Homeric Hymn to Hermes

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

<p> This paper seeks to reevaluate scholarly responses to the laughter in the Homeric Hymn to Hermes. Using Zupan&ccaron;i&ccaron;'s recent work on comedy, I argue that Hermes intentionally exploits surplus potentials that emerge from splits in the perceived unity and completeness of Zeus's cosmos. Through surpluses (a tortoise-lyre, a baby cattle rustler, a baby master of legal speech), Hermes is able to attain his place among the Olympians. The laughter of the audience is one final expression of this acceptance of Hermes and his potential.</p>

Original language	American English
Journal	Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS
Volume	44
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1353/are.2011.0006
State	Published - Jan 1 2011

Keywords

Comedy
Cosmos
Greek Mythology
Hermes
Homeric Hymns
Laughter

Disciplines

Ancient History, Greek and Roman through Late Antiquity
Classical Literature and Philology
Classics

Access to Document

10.1353/are.2011.0006License: Unspecified

Lies Lyres and Laughter Surplus Potential in the i Homeric HyFinal published version, 588 KBLicense: Unspecified

Cite this

@article{57f2004028ef43d29d7143560d814756,

title = "Lies, Lyres, and Laughter: Surplus Potential in the Homeric Hymn to Hermes",

abstract = " This paper seeks to reevaluate scholarly responses to the laughter in the Homeric Hymn to Hermes. Using Zupan&ccaron;i&ccaron;'s recent work on comedy, I argue that Hermes intentionally exploits surplus potentials that emerge from splits in the perceived unity and completeness of Zeus's cosmos. Through surpluses (a tortoise-lyre, a baby cattle rustler, a baby master of legal speech), Hermes is able to attain his place among the Olympians. The laughter of the audience is one final expression of this acceptance of Hermes and his potential.",

keywords = "Comedy, Cosmos, Greek Mythology, Hermes, Homeric Hymns, Laughter",

author = "Christopher Bungard",

note = "Bungard, Christopher. 2011. “Lies, Lyres, and Laughter: Surplus Potential in the Homeric Hymn to Hermes.” Arethusa 44(2): 143-165. Available from: digitalcommons.butler.edu/facsch_papers/559/",

year = "2011",

month = jan,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1353/are.2011.0006",

language = "American English",

volume = "44",

journal = "Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS",

number = "2",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Lies, Lyres, and Laughter: Surplus Potential in the Homeric Hymn to Hermes

AU - Bungard, Christopher

N1 - Bungard, Christopher. 2011. “Lies, Lyres, and Laughter: Surplus Potential in the Homeric Hymn to Hermes.” Arethusa 44(2): 143-165. Available from: digitalcommons.butler.edu/facsch_papers/559/

PY - 2011/1/1

Y1 - 2011/1/1

N2 - This paper seeks to reevaluate scholarly responses to the laughter in the Homeric Hymn to Hermes. Using Zupan&ccaron;i&ccaron;'s recent work on comedy, I argue that Hermes intentionally exploits surplus potentials that emerge from splits in the perceived unity and completeness of Zeus's cosmos. Through surpluses (a tortoise-lyre, a baby cattle rustler, a baby master of legal speech), Hermes is able to attain his place among the Olympians. The laughter of the audience is one final expression of this acceptance of Hermes and his potential.

AB - This paper seeks to reevaluate scholarly responses to the laughter in the Homeric Hymn to Hermes. Using Zupan&ccaron;i&ccaron;'s recent work on comedy, I argue that Hermes intentionally exploits surplus potentials that emerge from splits in the perceived unity and completeness of Zeus's cosmos. Through surpluses (a tortoise-lyre, a baby cattle rustler, a baby master of legal speech), Hermes is able to attain his place among the Olympians. The laughter of the audience is one final expression of this acceptance of Hermes and his potential.

KW - Comedy

KW - Cosmos

KW - Greek Mythology

KW - Hermes

KW - Homeric Hymns

KW - Laughter

UR - https://digitalcommons.butler.edu/facsch_papers/559

U2 - 10.1353/are.2011.0006

DO - 10.1353/are.2011.0006

M3 - Article

VL - 44

JO - Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

JF - Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

IS - 2

ER -

Lies, Lyres, and Laughter: Surplus Potential in the Homeric Hymn to Hermes

Abstract

Keywords

Disciplines

Access to Document

Other files and links

Cite this