This thesis examines the similes of wild animals in the third century epic poem Posthomerica, of Quintus of Smyrna. The similes are studied in both inter-textual and textual levels. The former approach discusses the debt of Quintus' similes to preceding poets in terms of language and imagery. Quintus proves to be a creative and imaginative poet who knows well the tradition he has inherited. The latter approach deals with the similes in the Posthomerica only and reveals how they are thoughtfully inter-related and form sequences which ensure the unity and coherence of the poem, and enhance its overall melancholy tonality. It is also shown that by describing individual cases of doom, the sequences of animal-similes mirror the main theme of the poem, the fall of Troy. Nevertheless Quintus does not concentrate exclusively on the individual victorious hero but gives an important position to the victim, to the mass, as well as to characters who are distant from the battlefield, as women are. This multi-sided presentation of the human being who is directly or indirectly involved in the destructive war brings Quintus close to the Hellenistic attitude of the heroic as well as to psychological portraits of women from that period. The similes in the first chapter describe exclusively male characters and show the heroic valour being undermined. Women have an increasing presence in the similes of the second chapter; vulnerable as they are, they add to the melancholy of the Posthomerica. The third chapter studies the pure wild animal, the beast. The chapter contains an analysis of the beast in epic similes preceding those of Quintus and shows that the beast- simile is mainly psychological and reflects the incomprehensible power of Nature.

This commentary sets out (1) to monitor closely a sizable portion of imperial Greek epic poetry, and to arrive, on the basis of available evidence (vi2., extant Greek poetry, primarily), at an idea of the funds (both linguistic and thematic) at the disposal of such a poet; (ii) to determine, as a next step, whether this poet has, as is commonly alleged, had access to Roman poetry again on the basis of available evidence (viz.,most genres of Roman poetry); and (iii) to reexamine from the primary sources the three important mythical tales contained therein (viz., those concerning 3inon, Laocoon and Cassandra). The demands of (i) are (and can only be) satisfied by ample documentation from Greek poetry, of whatever date, genre or provenance. Quintus' literary background can now be viewed in a proper light. The evidence for (ii) is (perhaps unavoidably, given the nature of the problem) inconclusive as far as components external to (iii) are concerned, but see Index Al(v), and the Postscript; in any event the need to look far beyond the immediate issues is evident. On the question of Roman utilisation for (iii) there is no doubt: none existed. That apart, reexamination of the myths has, I believe, contributed some new and concrete results. Emphasis is placed throughout on conveying to the reader in concise form information not hitherto assembled; and on highlighting some aspects of this work that have received little attention at the expense of topics for which an abundance of secondary literature is already to hand. Detailed indexes are provided.

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Entre os séculos III e IV d.C., no Período Imperial, Quinto de Esmirna compôs uma epopeia posteriormente intitulada Pós-Homéricas. Dentre as quatorzes partes que compõem o poema, os Livros V (O julgamento das armas) e XII (O cavalo de madeira) enaltecem a atuação da μῆτις em relação ao ambiente bélico, bem como exibem a depreciação acerca de seu modo de operação. Entretanto, ela se revela como uma habilidade vantajosa aos guerreiros por seu caráter múltiplo, capaz de mudar situações, sair de impasses e assegurar o sucesso àquele que for mais πολύμητις nas interações sociais e estratégicas. Desse modo, Odisseu torna-se um líder vital para que a guerra troiana chegue ao fim e, essencialmente, garante a vitória ao exército aqueu. Nesse sentindo, o trabalho pretende examinar o quanto a μῆτις e o herói astucioso são componentes imprescindíveis para o curso das ações. Ademais, a tradução dos Livros V e XII complementam o estudo e promovem o conhecimento sobre parte da obra. / Between the 3rd and 4th centuries A.D., during the Empire Period, Quintus of Smyrna composed an epic poem later called Posthomerica. Among the fourteen parts that compose the poem, Books V (The judgement of the arms) and XII (The wooden horse) praise the action of μῆτις in the war environment, while also depreciating its modus operandi. However, μῆτις reveals itself as an advantageous skill for warriors due to its varied character, capable of changing situations, escape impasses, and assure the success of the one who is better πολύμητις in the social and strategic interactions. Thus, Odysseus becomes an essential leader for the Trojan War to meet its end and is the primary responsible for the Achaean armys victory. In this sense, this study aims to examine how μῆτις and the astute hero are indispensable for the course of actions throughout the poem. Furthermore, the translations of Books V and XII complement the study and foster knowledge on part of the poem.