The case of Telegony / Thesprotis. Some Notes about the Epichoric Aspects of a Cyclic Epic Poem

The article examines again the few evidence regarding the Telegony, the last poem of the epic cycle, where the last episodes of Odysseus' life were narrated. A very peculiar aspect of this poem, as it is clear by the synopsis that we can reconstruct thanks to late, is the strong interconnection between the mythical episodes and specific epicoric interests of different Greek regions, especially the Western ones. Moreover, the intersections between myth and regional contexts and histories may be also detected at an another level: the problematic evidence about the authorship and the title of the poem. In this perspective, indeed, the different titles and the attributions to authors, who had connections with different Greek areas, can be intended as the reflection of the complex process of formation and diffusion of the poem. The tale of the last adventures of Odysseus and of his offspring, then, can be considered an example of the close relationship between myth and history which could arise in epic poetry: a relationship which will be further developed during the Classical and Hellenistic age.