Allusion from the Broad, Well-Trodden Street: The Odyssey in Inscribed and Literary Epigram," in P. Bing, The Scroll and The Marble: Studies in Reading and Reception in Hellenistic Poetry (Ann Arbor 2009) 147-174 (original) (raw)

This essay explores the use of allusion in inscribed epigrams, particularly focusing on references to the Odyssey, as a means to understand the qualitative differences in allusion between utilitarian verse and literary poetry in Hellenistic culture. By analyzing the interplay between context, authorial intent, and audience expectations, a spectrum of reader engagement is outlined, highlighting the varying demands of allusive practices in public inscriptions compared to more elite literary texts.