Posthomerica

The "Posthomerica" is an epic poem by Quintus of Smyrna, probably written in the latter half of the 4th century, and telling the story of the period between the death of Hektor and the fall of Ilium. Its style has been criticised by many scholars as subpar to Homer, but it is valuable as the earliest surviving account of this period in the Trojan War.

The "Iliad" ends with "Such was the funeral of Hector, tamer of horses"; later poets changed this to however it might fit their needs. Quintus used it as an opening line: "Such was the funeral of Hector. And now there came an Amazon..."

The first four books, covering the same ground as the "Coming of Memnon" of Arctinus of Miletus, describe the doughty deeds and deaths of Penthesileia the Amazon, of Memnon, son of the Morning, and of Achilles; and the funeral games in honour of Achilles.

Books five through twelve, covering the same ground as the "Little Iliad" of Lesches, span from the contest between Aias and Odysseus for the arms of Achilles, the death of Aias of suicide after his loss, the exploits of Neoptolemus, Eurypylus and Deiphobus, the deaths of Paris and Oenone, to the building of the wooden horse.

The remaining books, covering the same ground as Arctinus' "Destruction of Troy", relate the capture of Troy by means of the wooden horse, the sacrifice of Polyxena at the grave of Achilles, the departure of the Greeks, and their dispersal by the storm.

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