This book presents the first systematic linguistic study of Zenodotus’ variant readings, showing that he used a version of Homer older than the one used by Aristarchus a century later. Several clues point to the fact that Zenodotus’ version belongs to a tradition that was already distinct from that which eventually yielded the vulgate (that is, the Homer we know). In particular, his version largely pre-dates the Sophists’ reflections on language, rhetorics and style, and the grammatical theories of Alexandrian scholars.

The finding presented in this book should encourage not only historical linguists, but also philologists and classicists to revise the communis opinio and attentively consider Zenodotus’ readings in their research.