"Tell me, who will pluck me away from my ruined country, tightening his grasp on lovely tresses [euplokamos komē] till the tears flow?" In the previous posts, we considered descriptions of male and female hair, and rituals associated with hair. In this post we consider epithets related to hair. Are they always generic, or can they have significance in particular contexts? Read more
"Achilles...went a space away from the pyre, and cut off the yellow flowing lock which he had let grow for the river Sperkheios. ...and said, "... now, therefore, that I shall see my home no more, I give this lock as a keepsake to the hero Patroklos." Who offers their hair and under what circumstances? What is the significance of the river gods? Do customs vary in different regions? How does… Read more
"But the mane of the other one, my kinswoman Hagesikhora, blossoms on her head like imperishable gold" How did the ancient Greeks view women's hair? In this second post of the series, we are looking at physical descriptions of women's hair: is it depicted as an object of attraction for others, and how do women themselves use it as a means of seduction? Read more
"Beautiful were the locks of hair as they waved in the breeze surrounding him." How did the ancient Greeks view hair? There are many passages in which it is mentioned or described, and this series of blog posts will explore different aspects of how it is featured in some of the texts. In this first post, we are looking at physical descriptions of men's hair. Read more
