"All The Famous Deeds of Achilles Are Yours": Homeric Exemplarity in Late Antique Panegyric

Late antique panegyrists often raise up their laudandi by casting a shadow on Homer and his (mainly Iliadic) heroes. This paper traces the history of an increasingly irreverent attitude towards Greece's foundational poet heroes within panegyric compositions asks what motivates this flamboyant rejection. The impact Christian mode exemplarity is incontestable, but cannot wholly account for development. encomia which engage Hebrew Bible synkriseis generally shy away from undercutting venerable biblical exempla. My suggestion that "aggressive" Iliadic exempla in classicizing bound with position Iliad as didactic text par excellence central, yet deeply problematic, debates around ideal rulership.