Academic literature on the topic 'Laudatory poetry'

Medieval Icelandic law contains no provisions about copyright. Authors used without hesitation narrative texts by others, but poets were paid for composing laudatory poems about kings and narrators for telling stories at their courts. The art of storytelling became a speciality of Icelanders, who were also hired to write biographies of Norwegian kings. It was considered reprehensible to use the poetry of others as one's own work. Two Norwegian poets may have got the cognomens skáldaspillir (Destroyer of poets?) and illskælda (Bad or Evil poet?) for plagiarism. An Icelandic poet composed a laudatory poem about a woman but changed it to fit another one, receiving a bitter revenge. In Icelandic sagas stanzas occur frequently and, unlike borrowings in prose, their authors are usually named. In the medieval law of Iceland it is forbidden to compose about people not only derogatory but also laudatory poetry. Conceivably it has been considered to give the author some kind of power over the person who was the subject of the poetry. Proper copyright, though, does not occur in Icelandic law until the beginning of the twentieth century.

Everyone who occupies himself with the Dīwān of the Andalusian poet Ibn Ḫafāǧa will be confronted with his animal descriptions. The reason, however, that I have occupied myself with a poem of Ibn Ḫafāǧa in which animal descriptions are prominent, is that I wanted to make a brief analysis of the structure of qaṣīdas by Ibn Ḫafāǧa and others, especially with regard to the succession of the different themes. The poem of Ibn Ḫafāǧa which will be analysed is a laudatory poem on Abū Yaḥyā (Poem No 2, p. 33, in his Dīwān, ed. by as-Sayyid Muṣṭafā Ġāzī, Alexandria 1960).

Abstract The use of Norse loanwords in Old English poetry seems to be restricted to historical poems in praise of prominent contemporaries. It is demonstrated that the few Norse loans in these poems neither contribute to the laudatory character of such texts nor serve as new, additional means of stylistic enrichment. Instead, the Norse loans in these late Old English historical poems can be shown to have been used to add factual plausibility to such poems as historical texts. This contrasts with the use of Norse loanwords in Middle English poems.

RESUMENLa "Gazeta de México" no fue una revista literaria y solo en ciertas ocasiones publicó alguna poesía; sin embargo recogió mucha información sobre esa temática y actuó como propagandista de ediciones de obras, certámenes, censuras, etc. A través de esa información podemos acercarnos al panorama literario novohispano, en un momento de auge del Neoclasicismo. La publicación mostró un especial interés por la poesía laudatoria y épica relacionada con los acontecimientos de la monarquía; también por algunos autores clásicos como Virgilio y Horacio y sus traductores, así como por Tomas de Iriarte. Todo ello sin olvidar el importante papel de los jesuitas en el exilio. Los asuntos poéticos, por tanto, fueron más de información que de reproducción.PALABRAS CLAVE"Gazeta de México", Poesía, Fábulas, Tradición clásica, Nueva España, Siglo XVIII. TITLEThe classical tradition in the mexican poetry in the "Gazeta of Mexico" at the end of the 18th century. Between the Baroque heritage and the EnlightenmentABSTRACTThe "Gazeta de México" was not a literary magazine, nevertheless, it collected a lot of information on that subject, especially it announced publications of books, contests, censorships, etc. and only in certain occasions he published some poems. Through this information we can approach to the literary situation of New Spain, at a moment of Summit of neoclassicism. the publication showed a special interest in laudatory and epic poetry related to the events of the monarchy; also by some classic authors like Virgilio and Horacio and their translators, as well as by Tomas de Iriarte. All this without forgetting in important role of the exiled Jesuits. The poetical matters, therefore, were more information than reproduction.KEY WORDS"Gazeta de México", Poetry, Fables, Classical Tradition, New Spain, 18th century.

The article analyses the types of cataloguing and various sub-genres of the catalog in the poetry of the German poet, playwright and prose writer H.M.Enzensberger (1929–2022). The poet’s collections of 1957–2013 were anilysed. The article traces such methods of cataloguing lyrical material as a name indicating cataloguing, a series of baroque metaphors in Enzensberger’s catalogue poems, an arbitrary enumeration as an example of the illogicality of phenomena/actions, anaphoric repetitions of personal pronouns as a way of organizing a lyrical catalogue, dialogue as a method of lyrical cataloguing, a cumulative effect in catalogue poems. It is shown how stylistic devices (repetition, gradation, cumulation, climax, anaphora, etc.) determine the structure of the text. Such sub-genres of the catalogue as inventory, emblem mystery, dialogue, poems about the seasons and days, laudatory song, testament, poetological catalogue are considered. Enzensberger relies on the German and European tradition in the use of genres, which goes back both to the culture of the ancient world and to folk art (incantations, songs, laments, dialogues), where the descriptive and enumerative nature of the text is manifested, which determines its structure. The lyrical catalogue is also akin to religious poems, in which nominalization prevailed, that goes back both to the culture of the ancient world and to folk art, where the descriptive and enumerative nature of the text is manifested, which determines its structure.

Abstract In De magistratibus John Lydus refers to an epigram of eight lines insulting emperor Anastasius (491-518) as a money-collecting Charybdis. A similar version of this poem can be found in the Greek Anthology where it is divided into two epigrams of four lines each (AP XI 270 -71). In a first step, a critical edition of the epigram is established. On this basis it becomes clear that the earlier version referred to by Lydus comes close to the original poem. A detailed commentary reveals it as work of an able and witty poet who was familiar with both classical epic poetry and the formulas used in late antique laudatory epigrams. Looking at the historical background of the epigram, the paper highlights the history and varieties of Kaiserkritik in Late Antiquity and Byzantium, while another chapter takes a closer look at the far-reaching reforms undertaken by Anastasius which were heavily criticized by contemporaries. Taking into account the function of the epigram in Lydus’ work, it seems certain that John Lydus himself composed the poem to support his general criticism of the administrative reforms of both Anastasius and Justinian.

The article is devoted to one of the spheres of the spiritual culture of the inhabitants of Badakhshan – funeral and mourning rites, which reflected many of the traditional ideas of the local population. The purpose of the article is to reveal the distinctive cultural features in the funeral and mourning rites of the inhabitants of Badakhshan. The content of the article is based on the material accumulated by the author from folk stories, beliefs and customs of funerals and mourning ceremonies, the results of surveys of local residents, experts on local rituals and active participants in the relevant rites, as well as the views of previous researchers. On the basis of the method of participant observation, interviews, comparative methods, various aspects of the features of funeral and memorial rites were analyzed, such as reading a prayer for the dead (janoz), funeral lighting of the lamp “Charogravshan” (Lighting the lamp), which form the basis of the religious rites of the mourning Shiite families. Ismailis of Badakhshan. At the end of the article, conclusions are given about the main elements of the rite “Charogravshan”: reading the verses of the Koran associated with light; reading “Kandilname (Charogname)”; prayers for lighting a lamp; reading laudatory verses from the poetry of Nasir Khosrov; praise in the name of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him); prayers and special verses related to grief; checking the lamp by the caliph and those present; prayers and blessings for the repose of the soul of the deceased.

The main aim of this paper is to present and analyse an ode by the Flemish Jesuit Sidronius Hosschius (Sidronius [or Syderoen] de Hossche, 1596–1653) to “the Sarmatian Horace”Mathias Casimirus Sarbievius (Maciej Kazimierz Sarbiewski, 1595–1640). This eulogy has often been viewed as a masterpiece. In addition, it has two distinct versions: one published in a collection of poems in honour of Sarbievius (the socalled Epicitharisma), first printed in an edition of his oeuvre in 1632, and one in the collective volume of Hosschius’s own works issued posthumously in 1656. Both versions were first published by the famous Plantin-Moretus printing house in Antwerp. The paper consists of three sections. The first one focuses on the relationship between Hosschius and Sarbievius and on the Nachleben of Hosschius’s ode. The second section offers a general analysis of the poem. Tracing the contents of Hosschius’s ode and its sources of inspiration, it argues that Hor. Carm. IV 2 is central to the poem’s understanding. The third section discusses the differences between the two versions, in an attempt to disclose why the poem was altered and how the changes influence the ode’s meaning. A number of larger changes affect the poem’s central message: while in the earlier version Sarbievius is said to outdo Pindar and even Horace, the later version is more cautious. All it does is admit that Sarbievius could perhaps equal Pindar and Orpheus. Hosschius’s eulogy and the reception of Sarbievius through his composition have two different traditions: 1) the one found in most editions of Sarbievius’s works, where the poem basically proclaims him to be the best Latin lyricist of all time, thereby tying in with other laudatory contributions and promoting both Sarbievius’s oeuvre and the editions themselves, and 2) the one added to Hosschius’s own poetry, where the adjusted version—which contains more references to ancient literature and which could be called more personal, as well as, perhaps, more realistic—became a fan favourite. In both instances, however, the reinterpretation of the psychological effect of poetry—the translation of furor poeticus from the author to the reader—and the re-evaluation of the concept of aemulatio could be the main reason why Hosschius’s ode was so highly valued.

The main aim of this paper is to present and analyse an ode by the Flemish Jesuit Sidronius Hosschius (Sidronius [or Syderoen] de Hossche, 1596–1653) to “the Sarmatian Horace”Mathias Casimirus Sarbievius (Maciej Kazimierz Sarbiewski, 1595–1640). This eulogy has often been viewed as a masterpiece. In addition, it has two distinct versions: one published in a collection of poems in honour of Sarbievius (the socalled Epicitharisma), first printed in an edition of his oeuvre in 1632, and one in the collective volume of Hosschius’s own works issued posthumously in 1656. Both versions were first published by the famous Plantin-Moretus printing house in Antwerp. The paper consists of three sections. The first one focuses on the relationship between Hosschius and Sarbievius and on the Nachleben of Hosschius’s ode. The second section offers a general analysis of the poem. Tracing the contents of Hosschius’s ode and its sources of inspiration, it argues that Hor. Carm. IV 2 is central to the poem’s understanding. The third section discusses the differences between the two versions, in an attempt to disclose why the poem was altered and how the changes influence the ode’s meaning. A number of larger changes affect the poem’s central message: while in the earlier version Sarbievius is said to outdo Pindar and even Horace, the later version is more cautious. All it does is admit that Sarbievius could perhaps equal Pindar and Orpheus. Hosschius’s eulogy and the reception of Sarbievius through his composition have two different traditions: 1) the one found in most editions of Sarbievius’s works, where the poem basically proclaims him to be the best Latin lyricist of all time, thereby tying in with other laudatory contributions and promoting both Sarbievius’s oeuvre and the editions themselves, and 2) the one added to Hosschius’s own poetry, where the adjusted version—which contains more references to ancient literature and which could be called more personal, as well as, perhaps, more realistic—became a fan favourite. In both instances, however, the reinterpretation of the psychological effect of poetry—the translation of furor poeticus from the author to the reader—and the re-evaluation of the concept of aemulatio could be the main reason why Hosschius’s ode was so highly valued.

Libro quarto Corporis Tibulliani continentur ignoti poetae longa elegia, quae Panegyricus Messallae vulgo appeIlatur (IV, I), quinque elegiae auctoris, quem "Sulpiciae laudatorem" voco (IV, 2--6), sex brevia elegidia sub Sulpiciae nomine servata (IV, 7-12) et postremo duae elegiae TibuIlo adiudicatae (IV, 13-14). Multi viri docti iam diu disputant, qui fuerit "Sulpiciae laudator". Qui poeta talem distichi elegiaci structuram adhibere solebat, qualis ante Ovidium exculta est. Constat autem auctorem elegiarum IV, 2--6, quae de amore Sulpiciae erga Cerinthum narrant atque a muItis viris doctis Tibulli opera ducuntur, "Sulpiciae laudatorem" fuisse. Quisnam is esset et quare Matronalium die elegiam III, 8 Sulpiciae donasset, quaerebatur. Nova opinio ad ignoti poetae personam, eius vitae aetatem otiumque litterarium spectans nostro in opusculo proposita est. Ex meis investigationibus apparet Servium Sulpicium Quinti Horatii Flacci amicum aequalemque aetate (Hor., Sat., I, 10, 86), elegiarum scriptorem (Ovid., Trist., II, 441; Plin., Ep., V, 3, 5) se poetriae fratrem firmissimumque "Sulpiciae laudatorem" praestare.

The performance of Xhosa mbongis (no correct English equivalent is available for the Xhosa bard / praise singer) is an interesting art form presentation by some individuals found in the Xhosa community. What is of interest is the fact that such artists are known to be the voices of their communities, heralding socio-cultural and historical norms and achievements. In the olden days, such figures were commonly found in the royal circles of headmen, chiefs and kings. Nowadays, urbanization has brought them into the township where they are gradually assuming different roles of not only focusing on the royal houses, but also in all community leaders as well as non-leaders of the community. Initially they used to earn their reputation through the kings or councils stages / platforms, but these days they also acquire such reputation through media and in any socio-political gatherings. They used to win awards and presents while nowadays they charge appearance fees. It is being changed into a profession albeit without any sort of academic accreditation. In the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan township, a number of such mbongis have mushroomed much against the likings of some purists cultural practitioners. The purists accuse them of being drunk with greed. Perhaps the accusation is justified and perhaps not. What is most notable is the fact that mbongis recite whenever they are asked to do so, something which is not acceptable to purists who believe that an imbongi is called forth to perform when the spirits instruct him or her to stand up and bonga. Whatever the case may be, many of such mbongis appear mostly in funerals, of known and unknown figures and so to many people, they make mockery of such a solemn talent. It is against this background that the researcher felt the need to look into this literary art-form as being presently performed by a township imbongi. The first chapter will deal with introduction, aim of study and method of research. The second chapter will provide a review of oral poetry and a poet in Xhosa writings, the nature of traditional imbongi his or her role in traditional and modern society. The third chapter will give the analysis of content, form and style of two recited poems by two different imbongis. The fourth chapter will provide a brief conclusion on how we view modern traditional imbongis and oral poetry

This thesis outlines the changing role of the Xhosa imbongi in contemporary South African society. The changing socio-economic and political scenario in South Africa, and the way in which the imbongi is adapting in order to accommodate new pressures created by these changes, form an integral part of this thesis. The effects of education and increasing literacy on the tradition are outlined. The interaction between oral and written forms is explored in chapter 2. The role of the imbongi within the religious sphere is included in chapter 3. Xhosa preachers within the independent churches often make use of the styles and techniques associated with oral poetry. Iimbongi who are not necessarily preachers also operate within this context. The relationship between the Congress of South African Trade Unions, the African National Congress and iimbongi has also been researched and forms part of chapters 4, 5, and the epilogue. The modern imbongi is drawn towards powerful organisations offering alternative leadership to many of the traditional chiefs. In the epilogue collected poetry is analysed in the context of Mandela's visit to Transkei in April 1990. Interviews have been conducted with chiefs, iimbongi attached to chiefs as well as those attached to different organisations. Poetry has been collected and analysed. In chapter 5, three case studies of modern iimbongi are included. The problems facing these iimbongi in their different contexts, as well as the power bases from which they draw, are outlined. Finally, an alternative definition of the imbongi is offered in the conclusion

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, Dept. of Folklore and Ethnomusicology, 2008.
Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Oct. 6, 2009). Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 70-02, Section: A, page: 0649. Advisers: John H. McDowell; Hasan M. El-Shamy.

This study investigates the use of modern and izibongo (praise poetry) techniques in representing women in selected isiXhosa poems. The main interest of the study is to determine whether the same techniques to depict men are used when writing about women. It is also the interest of the study to ascertain how gender issues are dealt with in the selected poems. Seminal studies on izibongo by eminent scholars in this field show a serious lack of critique and little recognition of women in African languages’ poetry in general and in isiXhosa in particular. Pioneering studies in Nguni poetry about women have thus recommended that serious studies on poetry about women be undertaken. The analyses of selected poems by established isiXhosa poets show that modern poetry conventions are significantly used together with izibongo techniques. These techniques are used without any gender differentiation, which is another point of interest of this study. There are however instances where images specific to women are used. Such use has however not been found to be demeaning of women in any way. Poems where modern poetry forms and conventions are used tend to deal with subjects who have international or an urban area background. Even though the modern poetry conventions are used with izibongo techniques the presence of the modern literary conventions is prominent. This is the case particularly with poems about women in politics. That some female poet seems to accept some cultural practices that are viewed to be undermining the status of women does not take away the voice of protest against this oppression by some of the selected poets. These two voices, one of acceptance and the other one of protest are used as a basis for a debate around a need for a literary theory that addresses the question of African culture with special reference to isiXhosa poetry about women. The success of the selected poets with both modern and izibongo techniques is a good sign for the development of isiXhosa poetry in general and isiXhosa poetry about women. It is strongly recommended that continued research of a serious nature concerning poetry about, and produced by women, be undertaken.

This thesis aims at defining the argumentative terms and strategies of the rhetoric of praise in printed collected eulogies of women of the first half of the XVIth Century, both in collections of famous women (which celebrate exceptional feminine figures) and apologies of the female sex (which defend womankind through praise). The inquiry starts with the first French printed translation of Boccaccio's De mulieribus claris, entitled De la louenge et vertu des nobles et cleres dames (1493), and ends with the Fort inexpugnable de l'honneur du sexe foeminin (1555) by Francois de Billon, who provides the first historic panorama of the encomiastic tradition. Its specificity lies in the combination of two types of collective eulogy, which up to now have been separately analyzed but which in fact deserve to be taken up in a single interpretative gesture. Our approach, that of rhetoric, is founded in composition manuals and treatises on ancient eloquence, as well as recent theory on argumentation. Unlike other studies which take the rhetorical approach, this thesis deals with a relatively short time span, about fifty years, which allows a reading of the texts in their historical and literary contexts. Through the vantage points of inventio and dispositio, this thesis shows how a discourse praising women collectively was built, at a time when women formed the crux of contradicting discourses and the centre of a topics that crystallized those tensions. Beyond this uncertain discursive situation, this thesis also claims to bring to light a neglected aspect of eulogy: its function as definition of object praised. It offers, therefore, a reflection on epideictic rhetoric from a perspective of the poetics of literary genre. This is seen as a space that is propitious to the exploration of ethical stakes, such as the valorization of individual feminine figures, the fashioning of the author's persona or the introduction of secondary objectives which bear new values.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2005
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigates the cosmological context of Pindar' s victory odes, and its importance for their encomiastic purpose. The introductory chapter deals with selected aspects of Pindaric scholarship in order to establish the usefulness of such an investigation. The first part of the study focuses on gnomai as a reflection of cosmological ideas. In Chapter 2 modem scholarship on the proverb and maxim, various ancient texts on gnomai and a number of references in Pindar are analysed in support of the contention that gnomai provide a legitimate basis for an overview of the cosmology revealed in Pindars poetry. The overview presented in Chapter 3 discusses three broad topics. The first concerns the elemental forces, fate, god and nature, the second deals with the human condition and the third considers man in society from the perspectives of the household and family relationships on the one hand and relationships outside the OtKOs on the other. The overview suggests that Pindar's work is founded on a mostly conventional outlook on man and his relationships with both extra-human powers and his fellow man. To complement the overview three epinikia, Olympian 12, Isthmian 4 and Olympian 13 are analysed in Chapter 4. They demonstrate how the complexity of an actual situation compels the poet to emphasise different aspects of the cosmology or even to suggest variations to accepted views. The analyses imply that presenting the cosmological context of a particular celebration in an appropriate way is part of the poet's task. This aspect is further investigated in Chapter 5, which looks at the role of the poet as mediator of cosmology. In some cases the poet demonstrates certain preferred attitudes which in tum presuppose particular cosmological convictions. In others this role involves changing the perspective on the circumstances or attributes of a victor or his family through a modification of cosmological principles. Different approaches to the same theme in different poems show the author Pindar shaping the narrator-poet to represent varying viewpoints in order to praise a specific victor in the manner most suitable to his wishes and circumstances. The fact that the poet's task includes situating the victory in its cosmological context means that the glorification of a victor includes presenting him as praiseworthy in terms of broader life issues, such as the role of the divine in human achievement, a man's attitude to success and his status in society. Pindar's use of cosmological themes in general speaks of pragmatism rather than conformity to and the consistent defense of a rigid framework of values. However, the prominence of cosmology in the odes and the sometimes very conspicuous role of the poet in communicating it also reveal Pindar's abiding interest in man and his position in the world
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die kosmologiese konteks van Pindaros se oorwinningsodes, en die belangrikheid daarvan vir die gedigte as prysliedere. Die inleidende hoofstuk behandel geselekteerde aspekte van Pindaros-navorsing om die nut van so 'n ondersoek te bepaal. Die eerste deel van die studie fokus op gnomai as 'n bron van kosmologiese idees. In hoofstuk 2 word moderne navorsing oor spreekwoorde en wysheidspreuke, verskeie antieke tekste oor gnomai en 'n aantal verwysings in Pindaros se werk ontleed ter ondersteuning van die stand punt dat gnornai 'n redelike grondslag bied vir 'n oorsig van die kosmologie wat in Pindaros se digkuns na vore kom. Die oorsig aangebied in hoofstuk 3 bespreek drie bree onderwerpe, eerstens die fundamentele magte, die noodlot, god en die natuur, tweedens die menslike toestand en derdens die mens in die samelewing uit die hoek van die huishouding en familieverhoudings enersyds en verhoudings buite die OtKOs ; andersyds. Die oorsig dui aan dat Pindaros se werk gebaseer is op 'n hoofsaaklik konvensionele uitkyk op die mens en sy verhoudings met beide buite-menslike magte en sy medemens. Ter aanvulling van die oorsig word drie oorwinningsodes, Olimpiese Ode 12, lsmiese Ode 4 en Olimpiese Ode 13 in hoofstuk 4 ontleed. Die ontledings toon aan hoe die kompleksiteit van 'n gegewe situasie die digter verplig om verskillende aspekte van die kosmologie te beklemtoon of selfs afwykings van aanvaarde menings voor te stel. Die ontledings impliseer dat dit deel van die digter se taak is om die kosmologiese konteks van 'n spesifieke viering op die gepaste wyse aan te bied. Hierdie aspek word verder ondersoek in hoofstuk 5, waarin die rol van die digter as bemiddelaar van kosmologie bekyk word. In sommige gevalle demonstreer die digter sekere voorkeurhoudings wat op hulle beurt spesifieke kosmologiese oortuigings veronderstel. In ander gevalle behels hierdie rol die verandering van die perspektief op die omstandighede of eienskappe van 'n oorwinnaar of sy familie deur die modifisering van kosmologiese beginsels. Verskillende benaderings tot dieselfde tema in verskillende gedigte wys hoe die outeur Pindaros die vertellerdigter vorm om wisselende standpunte te verteenwoordig sodat 'n spesifieke wenner op die mees geskikte manier in ooreenstemming met sy wense en omstandighede geprys kan word. Die feit dat die digter se taak die plasing van die oorwinning in sy kosmologiese konteks insluit, beteken dat die verheerliking van 'n wenner insluit dat hy voorgestel word as lofwaardig kragtens breer lewenskwessies, soos byvoorbeeld die rol van die goddelike in menslike prestasie, 'n mens se houding tot sukses en sy status in die gemeenskap. Oor die algemeen spreek Pindaros se gebruik van kosmologiese temas van pragmatisme eerder as onderwerping aan en die volgehoue verdediging van 'n rigiede stel waardes. Die belangrikheid van kosmologie in die odes en die soms besonder opvallende rol van die digter in die kommunikasie daarvan openbaar egter ook Pindaros se blywende belangstelling in die mens en sy plek in die wereld.

Abstract As we have seen, the literary tradition makes extensive use of etymology to articulate the semantic constitution of onomata, largely proper names, with the goal of shedding light on bearers’ natures—the existence of which is assumed. Moreover, authors make numerous judgments of the appropriateness of onomata to their referents. At the outset of the Cratylus, Plato “invests” naming qua etymolo gizing with techne status, providing a laudatory description of the sort one would expect based on those criteria put forth in the Gorgias to distinguish genuine technai from empeiriai. As the dialogue unfolds, however, Plato rejects the lofty claims he had Socrates make for this activity and its practitioners. As in the Gorgias, where Plato’s focus is on rhetoric, here too what is identified at the outset as a techne later has that distinctive status challenged decisively. In the Cratylus, the literary tradition provides Plato with key material used in formulating this challenge; in the course of his investigation, however, Plato rejects that tradition’s procedure, along with the chief assumption on which its use rests. Far from being limited in its pertinence to the dialogue’s early analogy between shuttle construction and naming, the techne issue, construed in the manner indicated above, governs much of the discussion and is crucial to its unity.

Abstract R. A. Harman suggests that “LW” is John Wootton, a poet featured in the English Helicon anthology; the musician John Wilbye might be another possibility. In any event, this poem appeared as the last of three commendatory verses to introduce Morley’s A Plaine and Easie Introduction of 1597. Unlike the two other poems on the same page, which simply praised the composer in standard laudatory terms, this verse offered a theatrical image: the dramatic triumph of the personified force of good over evil. The poet’s device was an allegory at daybreak, and its point is clear. Morley is cast as the hero, and we witness his moment of victory over darkness.

Abstract Recurring features of the Homeric epics—from laudatory epithets to the descriptions of characters, from the characters’ existence as plurimedial figures to the narratological phenomenon of transference—prompt external audiences to identify with the characters. Close readings of Agamemnon’s speech in Iliad 4 to Diomedes about Tydeus and Nestor’s speech in Iliad 11 to Patroclus about his own feats as a young warrior show how characters strive to get internal audiences to identify with a character in the stories they tell. This feature of their tale telling suggests that the poet will also aim to have external audience members identify with his characters.