<i>From Byzantium to Modern Greece: Medieval Texts and Their Modern Reception</i> (review)
Annemarie Weyl Carr
Reviewed by: From Byzantium to Modern Greece: Medieval Texts and Their Reception Annemarie Weyl Carr Roderick Beaton , Reception. Aldershot: Ashgate/Variorum, 2008. Pp. xiv, 304. ISBN: 978–0–7546–5969–3. $124.95. Variorum compilations are long familiar medievalists. This volume is notable among them for the effectiveness with which its nineteen articles create a coherent whole, responsive their assembly between two covers in given order. The illuminate both issues that have run as leitmotifs through Beaton's career, shifts his judgments about them. A brief preface lays out skeletal clarity reasons articles' selection sequence, current opinions on questions they raise. His theme role of Byzantine literature formation modern Greek cultural identity; focus secular twelfth sixteenth century, first became literary language. He treats texts time, ignite response specific contexts, time embed themselves an ongoing heritage. 'The concepts I propose deal with,' says one articles, 'are nexus nationhood language, establishment identity by appeal past, or concept "tradition"' (XVII, p. 94). same might be said this volume. opening span function juxtaposition frame work. analyzes vernacular poems mid-twelfth-century Ptochoprodromos. They [End Page 136] mark emergence shares three key features contemporary vernaculars western Europe: named author who present text; language; fictionality. At much twelfth-century date, Byzantines began refer 'Hellenes.' convergence identifier has been seen signal shift 'empire Romans' nascent, Greek-speaking national state, incubated under pressure European Seljuk expansion. second article, composed full twenty years later, stands back evaluate equation. It compares developments led Greek-speakers century hand, late eighteenth nineteenth centuries other, replace 'Romaios' 'Hellene.' No direct line connects two, concludes, word 'Hellene' evoked very different terms referring language ethnicity citizenship nation-state other. But had necessity operate within realm, drew upon process, reinterpreting reconstructing past address anew. task identifying constituent components such available exposing processes were remade, taken up ensuing sections book. These treat epic, then satire, finally romance—what prefers call verse novel. five Byzantium's great Digenes Akrites, orality. Two extract evidence from surviving—and so necessarily learned—literature existence oral balladry, balladry epic themes serves basis arguments three. these probe evolution Akrites before inscription written text. Crucial here differentiation hero ballads frontier, Digenes, races, deliberately crafted invention learned poet, fused heroes narrative was more truly romance than continued evolve after initial what must early century. final article section turns context, relation vibrant tradition akritic songs postulated Byzantium. The...
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