03/02/2026

ISHR ... Colloquium for Ancient Rhetoric invites you to our first spring session of the virtual Works-in-Progress series

The Colloquium for Ancient Rhetoric invites you to our first spring session of the virtual Works-in-Progress series, on Thursday, March 19, 12:00-1:00 PM (Eastern).

Dr. Sviatoslav Dmitriev (Ball State) is sharing his paper on “Homer and the Rhetorical Tradition.” Dr. Matthew Ward (Cambridge) will offer a response before open discussion. 

Abstract: Although ancient and Byzantine authors did not consistently credit Homer as the founder of rhetoric, Homeric poetry served as a foundational resource for rhetorical theory, education, and practice. Rhetorical manuals, grammarians, and critics treated Homer as a master of techniques later codified in the handbooks, such as characterization and ekphrasis. Across centuries, this reception constructed Homer not merely as a poet but as a paradigmatic authority across rhetorical sub-genres. This paper provides two more illustrations of the rhetorical significance of Homeric poems, offering a new interpretation of the role of Circe, Calypso, and Leucothea in The Odyssey, a popular topic in ancient and modern works, and tracing how the image of the all-wise Homer supported rhetoric’s claim to universal application.

If you would like to attend this event, please register for the Zoom at this link.

Registered participants will receive a confirmation with a link to the PDF chapter. Please write us if you have any questions or challenges with registration!

Sincerely,

Jackie Arthur-Montagne (U. Virginia) and Giulia Maltagliati (Cambridge)