Oral-Formulaic Theory: Annotated Bibliography

William Whallon. "The Shield of Ajax." Yale Classical Studies, 19:5-36.

Taking his cue from the phrases savko" hjuvte puvrgon and savko" ejptaboveion, he discusses the terms sákos and aspís in the Iliad, with emphasis on their virtually synonymous meaning (as far as can be discovered) and their associated epithets. Also examines the formulaic role of Ajax's epithet telamwvnio", hypothesizing that once this term was institutionally applied to Ajax as a traditional character, it "affected his epic role" (36).
Area: AG