by a passage from the Iliad. The high style of the inscription and the epic attributes of the verses indicate that there was a competition among epigram writers aiming at making their inscriptions and monuments distinctive. Grave epigrams of soldiers during the archaic and classical periods follow the structure of Hector's words in the Iliad. The characteristics of Hector's message include a varying sequence of the designation "Τόδε σῆμα" (Ionian form ("This sign/marker/monument")) or "Τόδε σᾶμα" (Doric form) or in reverse order "Σᾶμα τόδε" etc., and the possessive form (genitive) of the name of the warrior, followed by the description of the warrior's bravery as excellent (ἀριστεύοντα), and brief details of his death. A number of academics have used Arniadas's inscription as an example which follows the Homeric formula. Hans-Martin Lumpp is considered the first scholar to suggest that Arniadas's epigram was directly related to Hector's words in the Iliad. Anthony Raubitschek states that the verses are "extraordinarily similar" to the pronouncements of Hector. Paul Friedländer and Herbert B. Hoffleit describe the epigram as "the masterpiece among...sepulchral [epigrams] in epic manner". There is a difference between the death of Arniadas and that of Menecrates as evidenced by the inscriptions on their tombs. Arniadas's death appears heroic since he was slain by Ares himself, the god of war, while Menecrates was simply lost at sea. There is also uncertainty about the term "χαροπός" ("Charopos" (bright-eyed)), a fact that makes the exact syntactic analysis of the epigram challenging. It is unclear if Arniadas is the son of Charops, or vice versa, or even if Charops is a member of a group called Arniadai. Also, "χαροπός" is not used as an adjective for the god of war Ares in epic poetry. The latter makes the epigram's connection to the Homeric epics tenuous. The inscription is described as having a "grand epic style" which "all but transports [Arniadas] to the Island of the Blessed", without providing any details of the dead warrior's life before he died fighting. References Ancient Corcyra Archaic Greek sculpture Ancient Greek tombs Ancient cemeteries in Greece 6th century BC in Greece 6th-century BC works