The Tyrant's Writ: Myths and Images of Writing in Ancient Greece(Princeton Legacy Library)

Covering material as diverse as curse tablets, coins, tattoos, and legal decrees, Deborah Steiner explores the reception of writing in archaic and classical Greece. She moves beyond questions concerning ancient literacy and the origins of the Greek alphabet to examine representations of writing in the myths and imaginative literature of the period. Maintaining that the Greek alphabet was not seen purely as a means of transcribing and preserving the spoken word, the author investigates parallels between writing and other signifiers, such as omens, tokens, and talismans; the role of inscription in religious rites, including cursing, oath-taking, and dedication; and perceptions of how writing functioned both in autocracies and democracies. Particularly innovative is the suggestion that fifth-century Greek historians and dramatists portrayed writing as an essential tool of tyrants, who not only issue written decrees but also "inscribe" human bodies with brands and cut up land with compasses and rules. The despotic overtones associated with writing inform discussion of its function in democracies.Although writing could promote equal justice, ancient sources also linked this activity with historical and mythical figures who opposed the populist regime. By examining this highly nuanced portrayal of writing, Steiner offers a new perspective on ancient views of written law and its role in fifth-century Athenian democracy. Originally published in 1994. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

Table of Contents:
AcknowledgmentsAbbreviationsAuthor's NoteIntroduction31Tokens and Texts10Two models of communication11Phrazein and anagignoskein16Inscribed semata29The Hymn to Hermes and the Seven Against Thebes402Rites of Inscription61Oath taking, treaties, and the law64Cursing71Vows and prayers75Oracles80Enshrining the text: publication and circulation86Pindaric agalmata913Impressions and Assemblages100Writing and physiology100Writing and cosmology116Writing and regulation1224The Tyranny of Writing127Two archetypes: Sesostris and Deioces128The inscribed marker: commemorative pillars, boundary stones, graves132The catalogue and inventory142The dispatch149Inscribing the body154Coins, seals, and trade159Writing in Greece166The Scythians and Spartans1745The City of Words186Speech and the agora187The writer in the countryside193The writer oligarch in the city center216Nomoi gegrammenoi227Epilogue242Bibliography253Index of Principal Passages Cited265General Index275

Review :
"This is a book fertile in ideas, richly documented, and thought provoking... Everyone will derive benefit and stimulation from this book."--Journal of Hellenic Studies "A subtle and deeply engaging narrative, and should take its place as one of the most thought-provoking of all contributions to the cultural history of Greek writing."--Times Literary Supplement