Master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (MA)
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Het eerste boek van Gesprekken in Tusculum herbergt een complexiteit. Deze complexiteit wordt veroorzaakt door het feit dat Cicero binnen dit filosofisch werk meerdere petten op heeft. Hij is...Show moreHet eerste boek van Gesprekken in Tusculum herbergt een complexiteit. Deze complexiteit wordt veroorzaakt door het feit dat Cicero binnen dit filosofisch werk meerdere petten op heeft. Hij is immers niet alleen de auteur, maar eveneens een van de gesprekspartners binnen het filosofisch gesprek. Wat is de implicatie van deze gelaagdheid voor de lezer? Op welke wijze en op welk niveau wil Cicero zijn lezer aan het denken zetten over de dood en de onsterfelijkheid van de ziel? Dit onderzoek verschaft een waardering van de veellagigheid van het eerste boek van Gesprekken in Tusculum aan de hand van een tekstanalyse op intern niveau (de verhouding tussen gesprekspartner en opponent) en op extern niveau (de verhouding tussen auteur en lezer).Show less
Master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (MA)
open access
This thesis charts Ovidian references to Daedalus, the archetypal craftsman, made in and around the poet's 'own' exile. Analysis reveals several strong parallels between the artists (the poetic...Show moreThis thesis charts Ovidian references to Daedalus, the archetypal craftsman, made in and around the poet's 'own' exile. Analysis reveals several strong parallels between the artists (the poetic persona and his mythical character): firstly, and most simply, they are innovative; they also reside in hated exile; they suffer oppression by authority; they advise 'moderation' to their ‘children’; they grieve and repudiate their arts; yet literary immortality brings some sort of consolation. Considering these rich parallels, this thesis states the case for a strong analogy between the two that effectively adds layers of significance to Ovid's own status as an artist - one who can both fly and fall. This leads further to a reflection on 'why', and on what effects this might produce. This thesis suggests poetic self-aggrandisement, the evocation of sympathy, and also a deeper poetological point about how one subjectively adopts/responds to such techniques in reading and being read as an artist/audience.Show less
Master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (MA)
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This thesis examines in detail the functional synonymy of three Homeric words for sorrow, i.e. ἄλγος, κῆδος and πῆμα. In contrast with earlier treatments of the topic who either start from a...Show moreThis thesis examines in detail the functional synonymy of three Homeric words for sorrow, i.e. ἄλγος, κῆδος and πῆμα. In contrast with earlier treatments of the topic who either start from a metrical (Witte) or a purely semantic approach (Mawet, Rijksbaron), it is argued here that one has to combine both approaches for a fuller understanding of the functioning of these lexemes within the context of the Homeric Kunstsprache. ἄλγος is interpreted on the basis of a semantic and morphosyntactic analysis as the solitary tribulations mankind has to face during his/her lifetime, whereas κῆδος rather emphasizes the affective component of suffering and indicates a more abstract suffering. πῆμα, finally, refers to the concrete ‘source of sorrow’ and, hence, can be seen as the cause of ἄλγος and κῆδος. It is, however, necessary to keep in mind that metrical considerations sometimes oblige traditional singers to adapt this basic difference in meaning, a process that is fully studied in the third and final chapter of this paper.Show less
Master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (MA)
open access
Hephaistos has a peculiar role in Greek Mythology. He is a crippled deity, and despite his divine nature, must always work and is not as respected as a god would be expected to. In this thesis I...Show moreHephaistos has a peculiar role in Greek Mythology. He is a crippled deity, and despite his divine nature, must always work and is not as respected as a god would be expected to. In this thesis I will discuss Hephaistos in an analysis of his role in mythology and his uses in different kinds of literature, in many different time periods. In this way I will distill common aspects about the god and try to understand his role in Greek society.Show less
Research master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (research) (MA)
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This thesis examines how Heinsius, in his Monobiblos, engages with his Greek and Latin literary models in terms of imitation and allusion, illustrated by a commentary on the first and the third...Show moreThis thesis examines how Heinsius, in his Monobiblos, engages with his Greek and Latin literary models in terms of imitation and allusion, illustrated by a commentary on the first and the third elegy of the first edition of the Monobiblos.Show less
Master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (MA)
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Both δέδεικται and ἐδείχθη are used by Greek mathematical authors in their proofs to refer to something that has already been proved. In this master’s thesis, the use of the passive aorist and the...Show moreBoth δέδεικται and ἐδείχθη are used by Greek mathematical authors in their proofs to refer to something that has already been proved. In this master’s thesis, the use of the passive aorist and the middle perfect in ancient Greek mathematical texts is discussed. The modern interpretations of the verbal aspects in (literary) Greek by Rijksbaron, Sicking and Stork serve as a theoretical framework. I intend to demonstrate that mathematical Greek, despite its dense, formulaic language, does follow the rules of Greek grammar that hold for conventional language use. This research focusses on metacommunicative verbs, that refer to the procedure of a proof, as opposed to verbs that are used in the construction of a diagram. The indicative forms and participles of a selection of verbs (δείκνυμι, ἐπιτάσσω, προτίθημι, εὑρίσκω, λέγω and δίδωμι) were analyzed in a confined corpus including works of Euclid, Archimedes, and Apollonius. The aim was to explain the distribution of the aorist and perfect forms. This analysis led to the conclusion that the aorist emphasizes the performed action and marks a new step in a proof. The perfect, on the other hand, stresses the attained result of an action and is therefore used to refer to a finished proof or a completed construction of figures. In the conclusion, a hypothesis will be offered on the interpretation of the perfect imperative, a heavily debated phenomenon that is frequently encountered in Greek mathematics.Show less
Master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (MA)
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Analyse van literaire verwijzingen in Aristoteles' Ethica Nicomachea geeft inzicht in de manier waarop Aristoteles literatuur gebruikt in zijn filosofische uiteenzetting en de manier waarop...Show moreAnalyse van literaire verwijzingen in Aristoteles' Ethica Nicomachea geeft inzicht in de manier waarop Aristoteles literatuur gebruikt in zijn filosofische uiteenzetting en de manier waarop Aristoteles zich verhoudt tot de traditionele rol van dichters in vierde-eeuws Athene.Show less
Master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (MA)
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In deze scriptie heb ik de kijk op leven en dood van de verschillende personages in Euripides' Alcestis onderzocht. Aan de hand van die analyse heb ik vervolgens bekeken welke waarde er door hen...Show moreIn deze scriptie heb ik de kijk op leven en dood van de verschillende personages in Euripides' Alcestis onderzocht. Aan de hand van die analyse heb ik vervolgens bekeken welke waarde er door hen aan het leven wordt toegedicht, in het bijzonder door Pheres en Admetus (hoofdstuk 1) en Heracles (hoofdstuk 2). Leidende vragen zijn daarbij: hoe maak je onderscheid tussen verschillende levens? En valt hier überhaupt wel een zinnige discussie over te voeren?Show less
Master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (MA)
under embargo until 2028-08-31
2028-08-31T00:00:00Z
Aan het begin van het derde boek van Xenophons Anabasis verkeert het Griekse leger in een staat van totale wanhoop. De introductie van een nieuw personage, Xenophon van Athene, brengt hier...Show moreAan het begin van het derde boek van Xenophons Anabasis verkeert het Griekse leger in een staat van totale wanhoop. De introductie van een nieuw personage, Xenophon van Athene, brengt hier verandering in: de wanhoop van de Griekse troepen maakt langzaam plaats voor hoop. Door middel van narratieve technieken laat de verteller van Anabasis III de lezer van het boek meeleven met de ervaringen en emoties van de Grieken, waardoor ook de lezer wisselend hoop en wanhoop ervaart. In deze scriptie onderzoek ik welke narratieve technieken de verteller gebruikt om de lezerservaring te sturen.Show less
Research master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (research) (MA)
open access
In what way can the two seemingly different parts of Isocrates’ Panegyricus be regarded as contributing to a specific goal? This is the question that my thesis will address. On the one hand,...Show moreIn what way can the two seemingly different parts of Isocrates’ Panegyricus be regarded as contributing to a specific goal? This is the question that my thesis will address. On the one hand, Isocrates seems to praise Athens and desire Athenian hegemony, while on the other hand the Panegyricus also advocates panhellenism. This thesis will argue that these two seemingly different parts of the speech can be seen as coherent and do in fact contribute to one goal, by researching Isocrates’ use of rhetorical strategies.Show less
Master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (MA)
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The thesis presents descriptions, editions, translations and notes of ten unpublished Greek papyri (nine documentary, one literary) from the 2nd and 3rd century AD from Soknopaiou Nesos, Egypt. The...Show moreThe thesis presents descriptions, editions, translations and notes of ten unpublished Greek papyri (nine documentary, one literary) from the 2nd and 3rd century AD from Soknopaiou Nesos, Egypt. The documentary texts are then placed in their historical context, concerning administrative affairs, religious sacrifice and custom's duties; as well as in their archaeological context, as all papyri have been found in a single street (II-200) during excavations by the University of Michigan in 1931-32. The thesis provides new information on several published papyri from Soknopaiou Nesos, on the ancient village itself, and on the possible nature of street II-200.Show less
Master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (MA)
closed access
This paper re-examines the interpretative potential of Cicero's De consulatu suo, with a focus on the so-called speech of Urania (Blänsdorf 6). Starting from the increasing awareness that our...Show moreThis paper re-examines the interpretative potential of Cicero's De consulatu suo, with a focus on the so-called speech of Urania (Blänsdorf 6). Starting from the increasing awareness that our understanding of how Cicero's poetry was received is exceedingly one-sided and based on ahistoric assumptions, I seek to shift the common dismissal of his epic by investigating the little evidence we have to suggest that there was also a readership that did appreciate Cicero's poetry. Shifting focus to the poem itself, I first question what we know - and especially do not know - about the context in which the speech of Urania was originally found. Both in terms of general layout and vocabulary the text is recognisable as philosophical, but many more threads run through the poem, including Roman history and religion, the didactic language of Aratos' poetry, the nature of the cosmos and the gods, and the Roman community of city, senate, and people. These strands of meaning interact with each other in various nexus, as I demonstrate through an analysis of the overwhelming amount of verbal repetition that is found in the poem, and which does not necessarily give prominence to Cicero the consul alone. Thus, while the poem, as an autobiographical text, is certainly concerned with creating a favourable and usable public persona, its self-representational strategies also involve drawing the other players, whom in his other works Cicero is constantly involving in his concordia ordinum. This has important implications not just for our understanding of Cicero's way of speaking/writing about himself, but also for the interpretative strategies with which to approach Roman self-representational texts.Show less
Master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (MA)
open access
In deze scriptie onderzoek ik welke technieken Livius inzet om zijn lezer na te laten denken over de rol van vrouwen in zijn werk. In mijn analyse ga ik in op verschillende niveaus van de tekst:...Show moreIn deze scriptie onderzoek ik welke technieken Livius inzet om zijn lezer na te laten denken over de rol van vrouwen in zijn werk. In mijn analyse ga ik in op verschillende niveaus van de tekst: inhoudelijk, narratief (en metatekstueel). Op inhoudelijk niveau bekijk ik met welke woorden Livius zijn personages definieert en welke acties hij hen uit laat voeren om zo een beeld te krijgen van het effect dat zij op het verhaal hebben. Op narratief niveau richt ik mij voornamelijk op de narratieve technieken die hij inzet, zoals focalisatie, om te onderzoeken hoe Livius als verteller sturing geeft aan de lezer. Het metatekstuele niveau stip ik slechts enkele keren kort aan, wanneer een tekstelement een duidelijke binding heeft met de tijd waarin Livius zelf leefde. In het eerste hoofdstuk onderzoek ik de manier waarop Livius vrouwen definieert en het effect dat vrouwen hebben op zowel het interne als het externe publiek aan de hand van verschillende casestudy’s. In het tweede hoofdstuk onderzoek ik hoe Livius een hele specifieke rol van vrouwen weergeeft, namelijk hun rol als exemplum. Hoofdstuk twee is daarmee een zeer uitgebreide casestudy van hoofdstuk 1.Show less
Master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (MA)
open access
The thesis deals with the reconstruction from mainly literary sources of the public reputation with different social and political groups of the Athenian politician Theramenes, who was put to death...Show moreThe thesis deals with the reconstruction from mainly literary sources of the public reputation with different social and political groups of the Athenian politician Theramenes, who was put to death during the tyrannical regime of The Thirty (404-403 B.C.). It also concerns the development of this reputation from Theramenes' contemporaries till the 1st century B.C.Show less
Research master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (research) (MA)
open access
Does every individual human being have its own Form in the intellectual world? In contrast with his Platonic forerunners, Plotinus presents in Ennead V.7 an original approach to this controversial...Show moreDoes every individual human being have its own Form in the intellectual world? In contrast with his Platonic forerunners, Plotinus presents in Ennead V.7 an original approach to this controversial question and does not hesitate to deal with the question with a perspective that is broader than purely metaphysical. He goes beyond his predecessors in trying to come up with a comprehensive and philosophically correct discussion and does not contend himself with a didactic and dogmatic repetition of the (presumed) Platonic point of view. By means of a structuralistic approach, this commentary demonstrates that Plotinus denies the existence of a Form of an individual, but instead posits an individual forming principle (logos) in the soul. In addition, it is shown that Augustine in his remarks on the Form of the individual is clearly inspired by Plotinus.Show less
