Horror in Ancient Greek and Roman Epic

Hardcover | 14 May 2026

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By demonstrating the importance of horrific motifs in Greek and Roman epic, this book challenges existing conceptions of what an epic poem is and of what it means to engage with such a text. Taking the reader through canonical and less-well-known ancient epic, Brockliss argues that contrary to conventional readings, 'the horrific' is central to these texts. In fact, these poems dwell as much if not more on foul displays of human physicality as on depictions of a sublime heroism, prioritize psychological disturbance over tragic suffering, and set the intrusions of unquiet ghosts in tension with celebrations of the safely dead.

This book thus offers a fresh perspective on a literary genre that is central both to ancient cultures and to the later western tradition. Alongside happy recollections of past glories, ancient epics offer readers a shocking and immersive experience that confronts them with the bare facts of human physiques and minds. Rather than focusing narrowly on the eminent achievements of a few, horror in epic offers an egalitarian portrait of what makes us human.

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