CRITICISM

Beaton, Roderick. “‘Digenes Akrites’ and Modern Greek Folk Song: A Reassessment.” Byzantion 51 (1981): 22-43.

Searches for the roots of Digenes Akrites in the oral tradition and discusses the poem's impact on certain Greek ballads of modern times.

Dyck, Andrew R. “On Digenes Akrites, Grottaferrata Version, Book 6.” Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Studies 28, no. 3 (autumn 1987): 349-69.

Contends that problems in Book 6 are likely the result of the careless joining of a source epic and folk song material.

———. “The Taming of Digenes: The Plan of Digenes Akrites, Grottaferrata Version, Book IV.” Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Studies 35, no. 3 (autumn 1994): 293-308.

Describes the inner unity of Book 4.

Frantz, Alison. “Digenis Akrites: A Byzantine Epic and its Illustrators.” Byzantion 15 (1940-41): 87-91.

Examines illustrations on Byzantine pottery that may be based on episodes from Digenes Akrites.

Galatariotou, Catia. “Structural Oppositions in the Grottaferrata Digenes Akrites.” Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies 11 (1987): 29-68.

Analyzes contradictions and conflicts in the text of the Grottaferrata manuscript.

Huxley, George. “Antecedents and Context of Digenes Akrites.” Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Studies 15, no. 3 (autumn 1974): 317-38.

Explores the historical background of the first section of Digenes Akrites and analyses how it changed in the course of its adaptation.

Jeffreys, Michael. “The Astrological Prologue of Digenis Akritas.” Byzantion 46 (1976): 375-97.

Contends that the prologue found in some manuscripts was a forgery made by a compiler named Eustathios to conceal that the true beginning was missing.

Ricks, David. “The Pleasures of the Chase: A Motif in Digenes Akrites.” Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies 13 (1989): 290-94.

Argues that the theme of the hunting of women is more coherent in the Escorial version than the Grottaferrata and thus supports the claim that the Escorial is the earlier version.