My Greek tutor explained that many stories, poems, epics and other literary works have been lost over the years. I recall at some point he referred to eight–but I do not recall which–epics I think.Of the Epics we have the Iliad and the Odyssey essentially because so many copies of them were made. His opinion was that we got the best. There are many pieces scattered about or referred to in other works, but the possibility of more being found is remote unless they come from Egypt. Moslems, Christians andother peoples, ignorant of Greek excellence, failed to preserve these. For example--of all the Greek tragedies written, we have less than half extant and many of these are fragmented--e.g. Iphigenia at Aulishas lots of holes that were filled in by later scholars based on educated guesses.Have any of you heard of a modern interpretation ofparts 1-4 and 16-19 of the Iliad called WAR MUSIC?The author is Christopher Louge and it was published in 1997. One either loves it or hates it. I belongto the first cohort.Here is an example of the work:I shall take is best she--Briseis from himMoreHer confiscation shows, once and for all,My absolute superiority,Not just to you retiring boy, but anyoneStupid enough to challenge me In word or deedAchilles' faceis like a chalkpit fringed with roaring wheat.His brain says :"kill him--let the Greeks sail home."His thigh steels flex.And thenMuch like a match struck in full sunlightWe lose him in the prussic glareTeenage Athena, called the Daughter Prince--who burstHowling and huge out of God's head--shedsFrom her hard wide-apart eyes as she entersAnd stops time.Stirring stuff--lots of anachronisms that seem to make it really interesting.WillyD
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