15th Groningen Workshop on Hellenistic Poetry "Crisis and resilience in Hellenistic Poetry"

The Department of Greek and Latin at the University of Groningen (Netherlands) hereby announces the 15th workshop in the series "Workshops on Hellenistic Poetry" to be held in Groningen on 16-17 September 2021 (Thursday–Friday). Due to Covid-19 and possible travel restrictions, this conference will be held online.

Theme

The theme of this workshop will be Crisis and Resilience in Hellenistic Poetry.

Crises come in many forms. War, famine and illness plague humanity, and severe personal crises (conflict, rejection, loss) are also an integral part of human condition. The challenge for individuals has always been to overcome crisis, both on a global and on a personal level. In different ages, such resilience has looked different. It can take the form of increased religiosity, superstition, or attempts at magic; it may express itself in increased violence and revenge, or reconciliation. And of course a turn to different forms of philosophy: the Hellenistic age is especially famous for Epicureanism and Stoicism, propagating peace of mind through ataraxia and apatheia. These philosophies affected the literature of the age: it has been suggested that Epicureanism influenced Theocritean poetry; Stoic backgrounds colour Aratus’ Phaenomena and Cleanthes’ Hymn to Zeus. But beyond philosophy, individual emotional coping mechanisms may be imagined: practical solutions to global crises (migration, rebuilding of cities, peace treaties) or emotional responses to personal crises (e.g., denial, aggression, apology, appeasement, forgiveness and mourning rituals).

Contact the organizers

The workshop will be held online.

For more information, please contact Hellenisticworkshop gmail.com.