“This wonderful sequel to Professor Ferrari’s Figures of Speech manages to throw new and powerful light on a whole host of salient topics—the Spartan poet Alcman, the poetics of Archaic Greek astrology and cosmology, Greek ritual drama in performance, and, not least, ancient Sparta’s surprisingly cosmopolitan mentality and society. It is itself a stunning performance, and fully earns her a place among the constellation of superstar Sparta-watchers.”

“This book offers a new interpretation of Alcman’s Partheneion in its mythic, cosmic, and ritual contexts—an interpretation that is entirely original and ingenious. It is clearly and accessibly written and should find an audience among archaeologists, art historians, and anthropologists, as well as specialists in Greek poetry. I enjoyed reading it immensely and learned a great deal from it.”

“Centered on a provocative reinterpretation of Alcman’s Louvre Partheneion, and on a new analysis of its dramatic structure and ritual dimension, this book offers a valuable discussion of early Greek ideas about the stars, cosmic harmony, and the homology between the cosmos and the state. This book should be praised for its interdisciplinary approach: it will be welcomed by philologists, art historians, and all those interested in an anthropological approach to ancient Greek culture.”