Dr. Athanassios Vergados

athanassios.vergados@uni-heidelberg.de      athanassios.vergados@gmail.com

Research Project

My current research project, supported by a postdoctoral fellowship of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, focuses on Hesiod’s conception of language. On the basis of his use of etymology and related sound-patterns (e.g. paronomasia, assonance etc.), especially in the process of naming, both in the Theogony and the Works and Days, I intend to explore the following. First, to determine the ways in which these wordplays support the construction of the poet’s argument. In other words, does the aural resemblance between words and phrases promote in any way the points Hesiod is setting up? The second goal is to extrapolate what I would call “Hesiod’s philosophy of language” and to determine its relation to early Greek thought.

Mein derzeitiges Forschungsvorhaben (unterstützt von einem Postdoktorantenstipendium der Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung) bezieht sich auf Hesiods Sprachauffassung. Mein Ausgangspunkt ist Hesiods Anwendung von Etymologien und verwandten Klang- und Wortspielen (z.B. Paronomasie, Assonanz usw.), vor allem im Rahmen seiner Namenserklärungen, sowohl in der Theogonie als auch in den Werken und Tagen. In dieser Studie untersuche ich folgende Fragen. Als Erstes, in welchem Maße unterstützen diese Wortspiele die Argumentation des Dichters? Anders gesagt, in wie weit fördert die „aurale“ Ähnlichkeit zwischen Wörtern und Phrasen die Argumente, die Hesiod konstruiert? Als Zweites widme ich mich der Erforschung von Hesiods Ideen über die Sprache, was man auch seine „Sprachphilosophie“ nennen könnte, und versuche, ihren Platz im frühgriechischen Denken näher zu bestimmen.

Education

• University of Virginia: Ph.D. in Classics. Dissertation: A Commentary on the Homeric Hymn to Hermes. Adviser: Jenny Strauss Clay (May 2007).
• University of Cincinnati: Summer Seminar of the American Society of Papyrologists. Primary Instructors: Peter van Minnen and Jean-Luc Fournet.
• University of Virginia: M.A. in Classics. Thesis: Old Comedy and New Music. Aristophanic Criticism of Music. Adviser: Jenny Strauss Clay (May 2002).
• National and Kapodistrian University of Athens: Ptychion (B.A.) in Classics (October 1999).
• Hellenikon Odeion (Athens): Degree in Music—Violin (May 1997).

Academic Employment

• Postdoctoral Fellow of the Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung (September 2010-August 2012) / Seminar für Klassische Philologie, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg.
• Franklin & Marshall College: Visiting Assistant Professor of Classics (July 2007-June 2010).
• University of Virginia, Graduate Teaching Assistant (August 2001-May 2007).

Publications

A. Book:

• A Commentary on the Homeric Hymn to Hermes (forthcoming in Walter de Gruyter, Texte und Kommentare, xvi + 660 p.; projected publication date: May 2012)

B. Articles in peer-reviewed journals and chapters in edited volumes:

• “ἐρίηρος ἀοιδός (θ 62—3): Etymologisches Wortspiel in der Odyssee.” Accepted for publication in Wiener Studien.
• “Hesychius, s.v. στορεύς (σ 1933).” Forthcoming in Glotta (2012).
• “Wein, Weib und Gesang: Catullus 27).” Forthcoming in Classica et Mediaevalia (2012). 
• (with Shawn O’Bryhim) “Reconsidering Catullus’ passer” (forthcoming in Latomus 16, 2012).
• “Corinna’s Poetic Mountains (PMG 654).” Classical Philology 107 (2012) 101—18.
• “Edition of P.Duke Inv. 913” Bulletin of the American Society of Papyrologists 48 (2011) 51—60.
• “The Homeric Hymn to Hermes: Humour and Epiphany” in: A. Faulkner (ed.), The Homeric Hymns: Interpretative Essays (OUP, 2011), 83—104.
• “Shifting Focalization in the Homeric Hymn to Hermes: the Case of Hermes’ Cave.” Greek Roman and Byzantine Studies 51 (2011) 1—25.
• “Hesiod, Hellanikos und Hermes (zu ZPE 160 (2007) 15—23).” Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik 17 (2010) 20—21.
• “Nicarchus A.P. xi 328 and Homeric Interpretation.” Mnemosyne 63 (2010) 406—23.
• “P.Mich.Inv. 1715: Letter from Simades to Pynas.” Bulletin of the American Society of Papyrologists 46 (2009) 59—68.
• “Penelope’s Fat Hand Reconsidered (Odyssey 21.6).” Wiener Studien 122 (2009) 7—20.
• “Homer’s Iliad and the Unity of Sophocles’ Ajax.” In: E. Karamalengou and E. Makrygianni (eds.), Ἀντιφίλησις. Studies on Classical, Byzantine and Modern Greek Literature and Culture in Honour of John-Theophanes A. Papademetriou. Franz Steiner Verlag Stuttgart, 2009, 154—60.
• “The Homeric Hymn to Hermes v. 51 and Antigonus of Carystus.” Classical Quarterly 57.2 (2007) 737—42.
• Introduction to and commentary on Corinna PMG 654, 655, 664, 690 for a volume on Hellenistic Poetry edited by David Sider (University of Michigan Press).
• Introduction to and commentary on Philoxenus PMG 836 for the above volume.
• “Commenting on the Homeric Hymn to Hermes: Between Philology and History”; forthcoming in Actes du Colloque International ‘Les Hymnes de la Grèce antique: Entre littérature et histoire’, Maison de l’Orient, Universitè Lumière 2 Lyon (refereed proceedings, submitted October 2008).

C. Book reviews:

• D. Obbink and N. Gonis, The Oxyrhynchus Papyri vol. LXXIII. Bulletin of the American Society of Papyrologists 48 (2011) 265—70.
• J. McInerey, The Cattle of the Sun. Cows and Culture in the World of the Ancient Greeks. Religious Studies Review 36 (2010) 291.
• Reyes Bertolín Cebrián, Comic Epic and Parodies of Epic. Literature for Youth and Children in Ancient Greece. Religious Studies Review 36 (2010) 290.
• Evanthia Tsitsibakou-Vasalos, Ancient Poetic Etymology. The Pelopids: Fathers and Sons. Religious Studies Review 36 (2010) 69—70.
• Barry B. Powell, Homer (2^nd edition). Bryn Mawr Classical Review 2008.02.34.

Presentations at Conferences and Professional Meetings

• “Language in the Iron Age,” presented at the 2012 APA Convention, Philadelphia (January 8, 2012), panel on Gems of Wisdom: How the Works and Days teaches.
• “Corinna’s Poetic Mountains,” presented at the conference on “Diachrony: Diachronic Aspects of Ancient Greek Literature and Culture,” Duke University, October 23, 2009.
• “Oedipus in Ovid’s Thebaid,” presented at the 2009 conference of the Fédération Internationale des Associations d’Études Classiques (Panel on Greek and Roman Epic), Berlin, August 28, 2009.
• “Viewing Hermes’ Cave: A Case of Focalization”, presented at “Hymns as Narrative and the Narratology of Hymns”, a KYKNOS conference at the University of Wales, Lampeter, May 9, 2009.
• "The Homeric Hymn to Hermes: Poetry and Deception”, presented at the “Symposium Fiction, Truth and Reality: an Interdisciplinary Approach,” Katowice (Poland), Oct. 24, 2008.
• “Commenting on a Homeric Hymn: Philology and History,” presented at the “Colloque International ‘Les Hymnes de la Grèce antique: Entre littérature et histoire’,” Lyon, June 19-21, 2008.
• Presentation and discussion of part of my commentary on the Homeric Hymn to Hermes (vv. 212—77) at the ‘Commentary Writing Workshop’, University of Minnesota, Oct. 19-21, 2007.
• “Lucian’s Epistolary Symposiast (Symposion or Lapiths, 22-7)” (2007 CAMWS Convention in Cincinnati, Ohio).
• “Hermes’ Manipulation of Language in Homeric Hymn IV” (2006 CAMWS Convention in Gainesville, Florida).
• “Hermes’ Two Songs: Homeric Hymn 4.52—63 & 423—33” (2006 APA Convention in Montréal, Canada).
• “Hellenistic leptótês and Greek Comedy” (2005 CAMWS Convention in Madison, Wisconsin).

Invited Talks

• Lecture on the “Homeric Question.” Open University of Cyprus, November 1, 2011.
• “Singing in the Odyssey: Bards, Songs, and Audience.” Brooklyn College, March 3, 2009.
• “Telemachus as a Leader.” Keynote address at the 2008 AHEPA Scholarship Luncheon (Red Rose Chapter no. 71), Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, June 8, 2008.

Academic Honors

• Postdoctoral Fellowship from the Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung (Sept. 2010-August 2012) to pursue research at the University of Heidelberg.
• Copernicus Prize, awarded by the Polish Neuropsychological Society (Oct. 24, 2008).
• University of Virginia Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Dissertation-Year Fellowship (2005-2006).
• The University of Virginia Society of Fellows (2004-2005 and 2005-2006).
• Yalden-Thompson Research Grant, Society of Fellows, the University of Virginia (2005, 2006).
• Basil L. Gildersleeve Fellowship, Department of Classics, the University of Virginia (2000-2007).
• Alexander S. Onassis Public Benefit Foundation Scholarship (2000-2001 and 2001-2002).

Teaching Experience

Franklin & Marshall College (Visiting Assistant Professor, Fall 2007-Spring 2010)

• Introduction to Latin Poetry: Catullus (Spring 2010)
• Accelerated Beginning Latin (Spring 2010)
• Directed Reading: Ovid, Fasti (Spring 2010)
• Advanced Greek: Greek Hymns (Fall 2009)
• “Epic Heroes, Ancient and Modern” (Spring 2009, Fall 2009)
• Classical Mythology (Fall 2007, Spring 2008, Fall 2008)
• Latin Prose Composition (Fall 2008, Fall 2009)
• Advanced Greek: Archaic Lyric Poetry (Fall 2008)
• Ancient Greek Life and Culture - study abroad course in Greece (Summer 2008, team-taught with Z. Biles; Summer 2009, team-taught with S. O’Bryhim)
• Advanced Latin: Vergil, Aeneid (Spring 2008)
• Beginning Latin II (Spring 2008)
• Beginning Latin I (Fall 2007)

University of Virginia (Graduate Instructor, Fall 2001-Spring 2007)

• Roman Civilization (Spring 2007)
• Greek Mythology (Spring 2005)
• Accelerated Latin (Fall 2004, Fall 2006)
• Roman Poetry: Ovid and Catullus (UVa Summer Language Institute 2004)
• Intermediate Latin II (Spring 2003)
• Intermediate Latin I (Fall 2002)
• Beginning Classical Greek II (Spring 2002)
• Beginning Classical Greek I (Fall 2001).