Alcman and the Cosmos of Sparta

Gloria Ferrari is professor emerita of classical archaeology and art at Harvard University. Her many books include Figures of Speech: Men and Maidens in Ancient Greece, also published by the University of Chicago Press.

"Ferrari's creative reading of the Partheneion makes sense of many of the apparently disparate parts of this poem and of its context.... Her argument is convincing and well supported. The extensive bibliography is an excellent resource for research on Greek lyric, performance, and the relevant myths." (Classical Outlook) "Ferrari offers a provocative discussion of the poem's dramatic performance, ritual context, and societal role, shedding a new light on its perplexing imagery.... By discussing debatable matters and proposing her own innovative interpretations, Ferrari contributes actively and sensitively to these debates, making this book an important contribution to the study of ancient Greek choral poetry, archaeology, and art history." (American Anthropologist)"