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Rhapsode

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56: 849: 31: 1516: 1071:, the Thracian singer, who boasted that he could defeat even the Muses in song. He competed with them, was defeated, and was punished for his presumption with the loss of his ability to sing. Historically, the practice is first evident in Hesiod's claim that he performed a song at the funeral games for Amphidamas in Euboea and won a prize. Competitive singing is depicted vividly in the 1172:
made a law that the poems should be recited "with prompting". Many Athenian laws were falsely attributed to early lawgivers, but it is at least clear that by the fourth century the Homeric poems were a compulsory part of the Panathenaea, and were to be recited in order. They are too long for a single
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according to the preferred taste of a specific location's audience. However, the outer framework of the epic would remain virtually the same in every "singing", thus securing the projection of underlying themes such as of morality or honour. The performance of epic poetry was called in classical
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in the course of performance. There are indications in Pindar and other authors that oral epic was still a living and popular tradition in the early fifth century BC; all the later evidence, however, is that rhapsodes worked from written texts, and in some cases were compelled by law to do so.
1040:(522–443 BC), who implies two different explanations of it, "singer of stitched verse", and "singer with the staff". Of these the first is etymologically correct; the second was suggested by the fact, for which there is early evidence, that the singer was accustomed to hold a staff (ῥάβδος 1044:) in his hand, perhaps, like the sceptre in the Homeric assembly, as a symbol of the right to a hearing or to "emphasize the rhythm or to give grandeur to their gestures". The etymological meaning is interesting because it is an exact metaphor for what 1134:
still better, since Argos was named in the first line of that poem. The incident seems to show that poems performed by rhapsodes had political and propagandistic importance in the Peloponnese in the early sixth century BC.
964:, wearing their signature cloak and carrying a staff. This equipment is also characteristic of travellers in general, implying that rhapsodes were itinerant performers, moving from town to town. Rhapsodes originated in 1173:
rhapsode or for a single day's performance. Therefore, they had to be divided into parts, and each rhapsode had to take his assigned part (otherwise they would have chosen favourite or prize passages).
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It is certain that rhapsodes performed competitively, contending for prizes at religious festivals, and that this practice was already well-established by the fifth century BC. The
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adds that the law required the rhapsodists to follow on from one another in order, "as they still do". This recurs in a different form in the much later statement of
1000:, tales and jokes to include in the content of the epic poem. Thus it was possible, through experience and improvisatory skills, for him to shift the content of the 1176:
Complementary evidence on oral performance of poetry in classical Greece comes in the form of references to a family, clan, or professional association of
1541: 1536: 1182:(literally "children of Homer"). These certainly had an existence in the fifth and fourth centuries BC and certainly performed poems attributed to 1255: 1150:. Perhaps therefore such a custom was exceptional, and we do not know when or by whom it was introduced, although the Platonic dialogue 960:
confronts a star player rhapsode, remains the most coherent source of information on these artists. Often, rhapsodes are depicted in
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228b8. This, however, may be merely part of the historical romance of the Pisistratids: it is telling that
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seems to count the Homeridae as rhapsodes; other sources do not specifically confirm this categorisation.
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in the fifth and fourth centuries BC (and perhaps earlier). Rhapsodes notably performed the epics of
38: 17: 1566: 1476:(7.6), who knew about Hipparchus' literary activities, knows nothing about this. The author of the 870: 335: 1128:, in which "Argives" is one of the alternate names for the Greek warriors; it may have suited the 1453: 807: 778: 773: 238: 817: 259: 1152: 1098: 783: 748: 732: 703: 208: 1114:(600–560 BC) expelled the rhapsodes on account of the poems of Homer, because they promoted 1130: 1021:(ἀοιδός "singer") for performers in all genres, including this one. It has been argued by 518: 390: 55: 1249: 1165: 8: 1344: 863: 722: 430: 350: 325: 229: 1147: 798: 727: 712: 622: 482: 412: 407: 375: 365: 330: 203: 1142:, by 330 BC, there was a law that rhapsodes should perform the Homeric poems at every 992:(ῥαψῳδεῖν), meaning "to sew songs ". This word illustrates how the oral epic poet, or 1349: 961: 931: 853: 822: 812: 586: 487: 360: 345: 294: 191: 1302:(1987), "The making of Homer in the 6th century BC: rhapsodes versus Stesichorus", 907: 763: 509: 467: 370: 179: 1082: 837: 794: 538: 395: 385: 119: 63: 1571: 1394: 1299: 1022: 952: 895: 758: 662: 477: 400: 289: 196: 1156:(not really by Plato, but probably of the fourth century BC) attributes it to 1085:
in Cyprus and the festival of the Cyprian Aphrodite, in the same way that the
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Tekstsamling I: litteraturhistorie: Litteraturhistoriske tekstpraksiser
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Refers to a classical Greek professional performer of epic poetry
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makes (perhaps wilfully) all the mistakes about the family of
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was by definition a performer of a fixed, written text.
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An early historical mention of rhapsodes occurs in the
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was also recited at the festival of the Brauronia, at
976:, disciples of Homer, or "singers of stitched lays." 1269: 1528: 1048:do: they stitch together formulas, lines and 871: 1312:Inventing Homer: the early reception of epic 1122:. This description applies very well to the 1542:4th-century BC disestablishments in Greece 1488:notices in a well-known passage (6.54-59). 1406:(Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1966) pp. 43-46. 1304:Papers on the Amasis Painter and his world 878: 864: 1309: 1243: 1239: 1237: 1158:Hipparchus, son of Peisistratos (Athens) 1106:(c. 440 BC). He tells the story that at 29: 1537:5th-century BC establishments in Greece 1314:, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 1298: 968:, which has been sometimes regarded as 14: 1529: 1306:, Malibu: Getty Museum, pp. 43–62 1274:. Minneapolis, MN: Burgess. p. 7. 996:, would build a repertoire of diverse 979: 972:'s birthplace, and were also known as 1338: 1234: 1325:Bahn, Eugene, and Margaret L. Bahn. 1329:Minneapolis, MN: Burgess, 1979, p.7 24: 1270:Bahn, E. & Bahn, M.L. (1970). 25: 1583: 1508: 1327:A History of Oral Interpretation. 1514: 1272:A History of Oral Interpretation 847: 54: 1491: 1463: 1434: 1425: 1409: 1386: 1362: 1332: 1319: 1291: 1278: 1263: 1056: 13: 1: 1009:(ῥαψῳδία), and its performer 1348:, New York, London: Norton, 7: 1193: 10: 1588: 1310:Graziosi, Barbara (2002), 1093:and the Delian gathering. 910:professional performer of 36: 1562:Entertainment occupations 1547:Ancient Greek epic poetry 1077:and mentioned in the two 899: 1288:. Oslo: Høgskolen i Oslo 1284:Ridderstrøm, H. (2006). 1227: 934:and catalogue poetry of 37:Not to be confused with 1256:Encyclopædia Britannica 1067:alludes to the myth of 1036:was in use as early as 902:) or, in modern usage, 1416:Homeric Hymn to Apollo 1074:Homeric Hymn to Apollo 34: 1552:Ancient Greek theatre 1398:650-662: see Hesiod, 900:ῥαψῳδός, "rhapsōidos" 854:Literature portal 33: 1557:Obsolete occupations 1523:at Wikimedia Commons 1375:on this passage and 1144:Panathenaic festival 1046:oral narrative poets 628:Groups and movements 1345:Rediscovering Homer 980:Etymology and usage 247:Short prose fiction 150:Major written forms 1250:"Rhapsodist"  1079:Hymns to Aphrodite 741:Lists and outlines 217:Long prose fiction 35: 1519:Media related to 1442:Against Leocrates 1166:Diogenes Laërtius 888: 887: 640: 639: 495: 494: 302: 301: 16:(Redirected from 1579: 1518: 1502: 1495: 1489: 1467: 1461: 1438: 1432: 1429: 1423: 1413: 1407: 1390: 1384: 1366: 1360: 1358: 1336: 1330: 1323: 1317: 1315: 1307: 1295: 1289: 1282: 1276: 1275: 1267: 1261: 1260: 1252: 1241: 988:is derived from 901: 880: 873: 866: 852: 851: 850: 506: 505: 313: 312: 214: 213: 58: 44: 43: 21: 1587: 1586: 1582: 1581: 1580: 1578: 1577: 1576: 1567:Oral epic poets 1527: 1526: 1511: 1506: 1505: 1496: 1492: 1468: 1464: 1439: 1435: 1431:Herodotus 5.67. 1430: 1426: 1414: 1410: 1391: 1387: 1371:2.594-600; see 1367: 1363: 1356: 1337: 1333: 1324: 1320: 1300:Burkert, Walter 1296: 1292: 1283: 1279: 1268: 1264: 1242: 1235: 1230: 1196: 1059: 982: 930:) but also the 908:classical Greek 884: 848: 846: 779:Literary awards 645:Dramatic genres 386:science fiction 64:Oral literature 42: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1585: 1575: 1574: 1569: 1564: 1559: 1554: 1549: 1544: 1539: 1525: 1524: 1510: 1509:External links 1507: 1504: 1503: 1490: 1462: 1433: 1424: 1408: 1395:Works and Days 1385: 1361: 1359:, pp. 157–168. 1354: 1331: 1318: 1290: 1277: 1262: 1247:, ed. (1911). 1245:Chisholm, Hugh 1232: 1231: 1229: 1226: 1225: 1224: 1219: 1214: 1209: 1204: 1195: 1192: 1168:(1.2.57) that 1087:Hymn to Apollo 1058: 1055: 1023:Walter Burkert 981: 978: 906:, refers to a 886: 885: 883: 882: 875: 868: 860: 857: 856: 843: 842: 841: 840: 835: 830: 825: 820: 815: 810: 802: 801: 791: 790: 789: 788: 787: 786: 776: 771: 766: 761: 756: 751: 743: 742: 738: 737: 736: 735: 730: 725: 720: 715: 707: 706: 700: 699: 698: 697: 692: 687: 682: 677: 676: 675: 670: 660: 655: 647: 646: 642: 641: 638: 637: 636: 635: 630: 625: 617: 616: 612: 611: 610: 609: 604: 599: 594: 589: 584: 579: 574: 569: 564: 559: 551: 550: 544: 543: 542: 541: 536: 531: 526: 521: 513: 512: 502: 501: 497: 496: 493: 492: 491: 490: 485: 480: 475: 470: 465: 460: 455: 450: 445: 444: 443: 438: 425: 424: 418: 417: 416: 415: 410: 405: 404: 403: 398: 393: 388: 383: 378: 373: 368: 363: 358: 353: 348: 338: 333: 328: 320: 319: 309: 308: 304: 303: 300: 299: 298: 297: 292: 287: 282: 277: 272: 267: 262: 257: 249: 248: 244: 243: 242: 241: 232: 227: 219: 218: 212: 211: 206: 201: 200: 199: 189: 184: 183: 182: 177: 167: 166: 165: 152: 151: 147: 146: 145: 144: 139: 138: 137: 132: 122: 117: 116: 115: 110: 105: 100: 95: 90: 85: 80: 67: 66: 60: 59: 51: 50: 26: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1584: 1573: 1570: 1568: 1565: 1563: 1560: 1558: 1555: 1553: 1550: 1548: 1545: 1543: 1540: 1538: 1535: 1534: 1532: 1522: 1517: 1513: 1512: 1500: 1494: 1487: 1483: 1479: 1475: 1471: 1466: 1459: 1455: 1451: 1447: 1443: 1437: 1428: 1421: 1420:Homeric Hymns 1417: 1412: 1405: 1401: 1397: 1396: 1389: 1382: 1378: 1374: 1370: 1365: 1357: 1355:0-393-05788-7 1351: 1347: 1346: 1341: 1340:Dalby, Andrew 1335: 1328: 1322: 1313: 1305: 1301: 1294: 1287: 1281: 1273: 1266: 1258: 1257: 1251: 1246: 1240: 1238: 1233: 1223: 1220: 1218: 1215: 1213: 1210: 1208: 1205: 1203: 1202: 1198: 1197: 1191: 1189: 1185: 1181: 1180: 1174: 1171: 1167: 1163: 1159: 1155: 1154: 1149: 1145: 1141: 1136: 1133: 1132: 1127: 1126: 1121: 1117: 1113: 1109: 1105: 1101: 1100: 1094: 1092: 1088: 1084: 1080: 1076: 1075: 1070: 1066: 1065: 1054: 1051: 1047: 1043: 1039: 1035: 1030: 1028: 1024: 1020: 1019: 1018: 1012: 1008: 1003: 999: 995: 991: 987: 977: 975: 971: 967: 963: 959: 955: 954: 949: 945: 941: 937: 933: 929: 928: 923: 922: 917: 913: 909: 905: 897: 893: 881: 876: 874: 869: 867: 862: 861: 859: 858: 855: 845: 844: 839: 836: 834: 831: 829: 826: 824: 821: 819: 816: 814: 811: 809: 806: 805: 804: 803: 800: 796: 793: 792: 785: 782: 781: 780: 777: 775: 772: 770: 767: 765: 762: 760: 757: 755: 752: 750: 747: 746: 745: 744: 740: 739: 734: 731: 729: 726: 724: 721: 719: 716: 714: 711: 710: 709: 708: 705: 702: 701: 696: 693: 691: 688: 686: 683: 681: 678: 674: 671: 669: 666: 665: 664: 661: 659: 656: 654: 651: 650: 649: 648: 644: 643: 634: 631: 629: 626: 624: 621: 620: 619: 618: 614: 613: 608: 605: 603: 600: 598: 595: 593: 590: 588: 585: 583: 580: 578: 575: 573: 570: 568: 565: 563: 560: 558: 555: 554: 553: 552: 549: 546: 545: 540: 537: 535: 532: 530: 527: 525: 522: 520: 517: 516: 515: 514: 511: 508: 507: 504: 503: 500:Poetry genres 499: 498: 489: 486: 484: 481: 479: 476: 474: 471: 469: 466: 464: 461: 459: 456: 454: 451: 449: 446: 442: 439: 437: 434: 433: 432: 429: 428: 427: 426: 423: 420: 419: 414: 411: 409: 406: 402: 399: 397: 394: 392: 389: 387: 384: 382: 379: 377: 374: 372: 369: 367: 364: 362: 359: 357: 354: 352: 351:coming-of-age 349: 347: 344: 343: 342: 339: 337: 334: 332: 329: 327: 324: 323: 322: 321: 318: 315: 314: 311: 310: 306: 305: 296: 293: 291: 288: 286: 283: 281: 280:Flash fiction 278: 276: 273: 271: 268: 266: 263: 261: 258: 256: 253: 252: 251: 250: 246: 245: 240: 236: 233: 231: 228: 226: 223: 222: 221: 220: 216: 215: 210: 207: 205: 202: 198: 195: 194: 193: 190: 188: 185: 181: 178: 176: 173: 172: 171: 168: 164: 161: 160: 159: 156: 155: 154: 153: 149: 148: 143: 140: 136: 133: 131: 128: 127: 126: 123: 121: 118: 114: 111: 109: 106: 104: 101: 99: 96: 94: 91: 89: 86: 84: 81: 79: 76: 75: 74: 71: 70: 69: 68: 65: 62: 61: 57: 53: 52: 49: 46: 45: 40: 32: 19: 1498: 1493: 1477: 1469: 1465: 1457: 1445: 1441: 1436: 1427: 1419: 1415: 1411: 1399: 1393: 1388: 1380: 1368: 1364: 1343: 1334: 1326: 1321: 1311: 1303: 1293: 1285: 1280: 1271: 1265: 1254: 1199: 1177: 1175: 1161: 1151: 1137: 1129: 1123: 1097: 1095: 1086: 1078: 1072: 1062: 1060: 1041: 1033: 1031: 1026: 1015: 1014: 1010: 1006: 993: 989: 985: 983: 951: 950:'s dialogue 946:and others. 925: 919: 903: 891: 889: 413:Encyclopedic 391:supernatural 307:Prose genres 163:closet drama 1499:Nemean Odes 1482:Pisistratus 1452:in Attica ( 1377:Apollodorus 1112:Cleisthenes 1089:belongs to 1057:Performance 1050:type-scenes 990:rhapsōidein 956:, in which 944:Archilochus 912:epic poetry 818:Composition 695:Tragicomedy 534:Verse novel 422:Non-fiction 326:Speculative 265:Short story 135:spoken word 125:Performance 98:heroic epic 1531:Categories 1486:Thucydides 1478:Hipparchus 1470:Hipparchus 1440:Lycurgus, 1404:M. L. West 1162:Hipparchus 1153:Hipparchus 1110:the ruler 1034:rhapsōidos 1027:rhapsōidos 1011:rhapsōidos 1007:rhapsōidia 904:rhapsodist 733:Postmodern 668:historical 607:Villanelle 488:Travelogue 483:Persuasive 463:Journalism 441:philosophy 408:Historical 376:paranormal 336:Children's 209:Electronic 83:fairy tale 48:Literature 1474:Herodotus 1458:Brauronia 1454:Hesychius 1444:102. The 1418:165-173; 1222:Homeridae 1217:kitharode 1179:Homeridae 1104:Herodotus 1099:Histories 1032:The word 984:The term 974:Homeridai 962:Greek art 828:Narrative 813:Magazines 808:Sociology 799:criticism 769:Movements 728:Modernist 718:Classical 510:Narrative 346:adventure 290:Religious 260:Novelette 225:Anthology 180:narrative 130:audiobook 88:folk play 18:Rhapsodes 1521:Rhapsode 1497:Pindar, 1422:5 and 9. 1400:Theogony 1392:Hesiod, 1342:(2006), 1194:See also 1148:Lycurgus 1118:and the 1069:Thamyris 994:rhapsode 986:rhapsode 958:Socrates 938:and the 892:rhapsode 823:Language 754:Glossary 723:Medieval 658:Libretto 587:Limerick 539:National 529:Dramatic 519:Children 448:Anecdote 431:Academic 371:military 192:Nonsense 93:folksong 73:Folklore 39:rhapsody 1450:Brauron 1381:Library 1373:scholia 1131:Thebaid 1120:Argives 1083:Salamis 1042:rhabdos 940:satires 927:Odyssey 764:Writers 749:Outline 713:Ancient 704:History 690:Tragedy 567:Epigram 453:Epistle 436:history 396:western 381:romance 366:fantasy 331:Realist 317:Fiction 285:Parable 270:Drabble 255:Novella 239:romance 204:Ergodic 120:Oration 113:proverb 1501:2.1-5. 1484:which 1383:1.3.3. 1352:  1201:Aoidos 1188:Pindar 1160:. The 1140:Athens 1108:Sicyon 1038:Pindar 1017:aoidos 1005:Greek 936:Hesiod 932:wisdom 838:Estate 795:Theory 784:poetry 774:Cycles 685:Script 680:Satire 653:Comedy 602:Sonnet 597:Qasida 572:Ghazal 557:Ballad 478:Nature 468:Letter 401:horror 361:erotic 295:Wisdom 275:Sketch 230:Serial 170:Poetry 142:Saying 103:legend 1572:Poets 1456:s.v. 1446:Iliad 1369:Iliad 1297:E.g. 1228:Notes 1207:aulos 1184:Homer 1170:Solon 1125:Iliad 1116:Argos 1091:Delos 1064:Iliad 1025:that 998:myths 970:Homer 966:Ionia 948:Plato 921:Iliad 916:Homer 896:Greek 759:Books 673:moral 633:Poets 615:Lists 577:Haiku 562:Elegy 548:Lyric 458:Essay 356:crime 341:Genre 235:Novel 197:verse 187:Prose 175:lyric 158:Drama 78:fable 1402:ed. 1350:ISBN 1212:bard 1002:epos 924:and 833:Feud 797:and 663:Play 623:Epic 582:Hymn 524:Epic 473:Life 108:myth 1138:At 1102:of 953:Ion 942:of 592:Ode 1533:: 1460:). 1379:, 1308:; 1253:. 1236:^ 1186:. 898:: 890:A 1316:. 918:( 894:( 879:e 872:t 865:v 237:/ 41:. 20:)

Index

Rhapsodes

rhapsody
Literature

Oral literature
Folklore
fable
fairy tale
folk play
folksong
heroic epic
legend
myth
proverb
Oration
Performance
audiobook
spoken word
Saying
Drama
closet drama
Poetry
lyric
narrative
Prose
Nonsense
verse
Ergodic
Electronic

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