Alcman and the Cosmos of Sparta

Alcman and the Cosmos of Sparta. Gloria Ferrari. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2008. 183 pp.

In this book, Gloria Ferrari uses archaeological, literary, and anthropological sources to offer a reinterpretation of Alcman's Partheneion, one of the earliest examples of choral poetry. Ferrari offers a provocative discussion of the poem's dramatic performance, ritual context, and societal role, shedding a new light on its perplexing imagery. Her interdisciplinary approach deepens our understanding of the Partheneion by pointing to its cosmological background as inextricably connected to its performance.

In the introduction, Ferrari argues for the central significance of performance and summarizes relevant ancient and modern scholarship. In chapter 1, she addresses the obscure mythological references to establish a cosmological motif as the cornerstone of the poem's imagery. Chapters 2 and 3 are dedicated to the chorus, exploring its dramatic function and ritual role. Following former scholarly discussions, she sees the performance as a social act but emphasizes its dramatic dimension. Finally, the postscript focuses on the archaeological evidence and reinterprets literary sources proposing the festival of Kameia as the setting for the performance....