Talk:Alcman

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[edit] Comments

Removed the German passage. Wikipedia is for non-specialists, so things like this have to be translated.

In a famous article (1954), the Swiss scholar Ernst Risch described the dialect of Alcman with these words:

"Die Sprache Alkmans ist im ganzen Dorisch, läßt sich aber nicht näher lokalisieren und zeigt auf jeden Fall starken Einfluß der homerischen, höchst wahrscheinlich auch der lesbischen Dichtersprache und auch des epischen Sonderzweiges, der uns vor allem durch Hesiod bekannt ist. 2. Der Text ist nachträglich korrigiert worden, und zwar vor allem a) durch Einführung von σ statt θ (σιός) im Sinne einer Anpassung ans zeitgenössische Lakonische ... und b) durch Angleichung an die Sprache von Kyrene ..."

Bacchiad 15:08, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

The following passage is probably better suited to the History of lesbianism article, which is in need of serious editing by someone who can both write and analyze clearly. As it is, the current paragraph doesn't accurately reflect the predominant content of what little of Alcman's poetry exists. It further confuses the purpose of the Alcman article with one devoted to current political issues regarding homosexuality.

In the fragments, the girls often express homoerotic feelings, and the ancient authors tell that the Spartan women were involved in same sex relationships, which may be compared to the well-known pederasty among Greek males. The slightly younger poet Sappho from Lesbos (after whom Lesbian love was named) describes similar relationships in her monodic poetry. It remains open if the relationship also had a physical side and, if so, what sort. Yet, the very fact that the love was codified by a man, Alcman, and even proclaimed during the festivals of the city, is a clear indication that the romantic feelings of the girls were not tolerated silently, but promoted loudly.

I expect to rework tihs section when time allows and will remove most of the above material unless someone can show why it is necessary to have it in the Alcman article rather than elsewhere. Ande B. 23:01, 23 March 2006 (UTC)