Cork, June 1923.

CONTENTS

PAGES
BOOK I
POINE IN HOMER
CHAPTER I
Section I: The general principles of blood-vengeance, analysed and illustrated: modes of vengeance of modern races in the Balkans, in the Mediterranean area, and in South America: modes of the ancient Germans, the Anglo-Saxons, and the Welsh: Burgundian, Norman, Israelite systems[1-11]
Section II: Nature of the Homeric Society: Views of Leaf and Ridgeway: feudal militarism and tribalism[12-22]
CHAPTER II
The Pelasgian system of blood-vengeance: current views explained and criticised: author’s view: proofs from the text of Homer: question of a distinction between murder and manslaughter, and between justifiable and unjustifiable homicide: collectivity in vengeance[23-63]
CHAPTER III
The Achaean system explained according to author’s theory: proofs from Homeric text: question of discrimination, amongst Achaeans, between murder and manslaughter, and between justifiable and unjustifiable homicide: no collectivity or solidarity in vengeance[64-77]
CHAPTER IV
Judicial aspect of homicide in early Greece: current views criticised: author’s theory based on distinction between Achaean and Pelasgian societies: arguments from survivals in historical times: meaning of δικασπόλοι βασιλῆες: the Trial Scene in the Homeric Shield of Achilles: origin of trials for homicide[78-94]
CHAPTER V
Religious aspect of homicide in early Greece: current views: digression on evolution of Greek religion: ancestor-worship: nature-worship: animal sacra: image-magic: anthropomorphism: Achaean and Pelasgian contributions to Homeric religion: fusion of Achaean and Pelasgian dogma and ritual: religious aspect of kin-slaying amongst Pelasgians and Achaeans: origin and evolution of the Erinnyes: origin of homicide-purgation: comparison of Pelasgian with Achaean Erinnys, and of Homeric Erinnys with post-Homeric and ‘tragic’ Erinnys[95-126]
BOOK II
POINE FROM HOMER TO DRACON
CHAPTER I
Section I: Social transitions: fall of Achaean Empire and its causes: Achaean survivals: political changes in post-Homeric times: post-Homeric migrations: Sparta and Boeotia: the Hesiodic age of chaos: tribal stability and decay: evolution of the Attic State; aristocracy and democracy[127-137]
Section II: Religious and legal transitions in post-Homeric times: Asiatic-Greek intercourse: compromise between Asiatic and Greek ideas adopted in regard to homicide: origin of Apolline purgation system: Apollo and pollution: rise of Apolline influence: organisation of theocratic nobles: origin of the laws of Dracon: proofs of author’s theory from Greek legends, from Plato and Demosthenes: extradition: pollution-doctrine and wergeld: question of legality of ‘private settlement’ for homicide in historical Athens[138-190]
CHAPTER II
The Draconian Code: restored inscription of 409/8 B.C. and author’s explanation: other Draconian homicide-laws derived from Demosthenes: Plato’s code confirms and supplements these data: classification of Attic homicide-laws as follows: (a) those relating to accidental homicide, to death caused by animals or inanimate objects, and to homicide by persons unknown: (b) those relating to justifiable and to justifiably accidental homicide: (c) those relating to manslaughter: (d) those relating to wilful murder: some problems suggested by these laws: origin of confiscation of property: evolution of State-execution: parricide and kin-slaying: historicity of Plato’s legislation regarding homicide[191-242]
CHAPTER III
The Attic Homicide Courts: Attic legends concerning origin of courts for homicide: the accounts of Pollux, of Aristotle, of Demosthenes: question of γραφὴ φόνου: Plato’s Euthyphro: author’s theory of the origin of Attic courts for homicide: Dracon and the Ephetae: Solon and the Areopagus: the Exegetae[243-275]
BOOK III
POINE IN ATTIC TRAGEDY
CHAPTER I
Aeschylus: Agamemnon, Choephoroe, Eumenides, Suppliants and Seven against Thebes[276-302]
CHAPTER II
Sophocles: Electra, King Oedipus, Oedipus at Colonus, Antigone, Ajax and Trachinian Maidens[303-331]
CHAPTER III
Euripides: Electra, Orestes, Iphigenia at Aulis and Iphigenia in Tauris, Phoenician Maidens and Suppliants, Mad Hercules, Heracleidae, Medea, Hippolytus, Ion, Andromache, Hecuba, Bacchae, Alcestis, Troades and Helen[332-422]
Conclusion[422-424]
INDEX[425-427]

POINE

BOOK I
POINE IN HOMER

CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

Section I.: The general principles of blood-vengeance, analysed and illustrated: customs of modern races in the Balkans, in the Mediterranean area, and in South America: customs of the ancient Germans, the Anglo-Saxons, and the Welsh: Burgundian, Norman, Israelite systems.

Section II.: Homeric Society; Views of Loaf and Ridgeway: feudal militarism and tribalism.