Rape, Revenge and Transformation: Tereus Through the Ages

The story of Tereus preoccupied major authors in classical antiquity. References to it date back to the Homeric poems and the myth was addressed by renowned dramatists, such as Aeschylus, Sophocles and Accius, before being adapted by Ovid. These different versions raise questions about the reconstruction of the myth and representation of women, family violence, and taboos, such as rape and paidophagia. Aspects of the story reverberate in ancient material culture, especially Greek vase paintings, which also stem from different variants and traditions.

The aim of this conference is to bring together scholars from a variety of disciplines (Greek Literature; Latin Literature; Archaeology; Reception Studies) and to create a lively and challenging setting for discussion of new methodologies to reimagine the myth of Tereus. Although fragments are an emerging trend in Classical studies, this mythological focus will foster collaboration between Classicists taking innovative approaches to reconstructing and adapting the Tereus myth for audiences ancient and modern.

This conference will focus on the reconstruction, transmission and reception of Tereus in Greece and Rome by examining its different treatments in classical literature and art. As such, it will be of significant interest for researchers working on Greek and Roman tragedies, Ovid, classical reception and ancient material culture.

Submission Guidelines

Papers may include but are not limited to:

1. Challenges to the received attribution, ordering, and textual arrangement of fragments

2. Innovative methodologies, or integration of different approaches, for reconstructing dramas

3. Quotation contexts

4. Productions of Tereus

5. Reception of fragmentary texts

Applicants are kindly invited to submit an abstract of no more than 250 words for a poster or a 10-minute presentation. We especially encourage postgraduate students to participate. Thanks to the generosity of the Classical Association, we are able to provide bursaries to cover the fees of the conference for the speakers.

Deadlines

Proposals should be sent to the organisers (TereusWorkshop2019@gmail.com) by 14 October 2019, 11:59pm. Selected applicants will be contacted by 1 November 2019.

The conference is made possible thanks to the generous support of ISC and the Classical Association.

Please do not hesitate to contact us with any queries atTereusWorkshop2019@gmail.com

The organisers:

Alessandra Abbattista (independent scholar)

Chiara Blanco (University of Cambridge)

Maria Haley (University of Manchester)

Giacomo Savani (University College Dublin)