Digital Initiative for Classics Epic Speeches
Available
Authors
- Simone Finkmann
- Christopher W. Forstall
- Berenice Verhelst
Description
From the project website (accessed 2026-02-16):
Digital Initiative for Classics: Epic Speeches (DICES) was founded in 2018 by Simone Finkmann, Christopher Forstall and Berenice Verhelst as a collaborative international research project centered around the creation of a comprehensive database of direct speech in Greek and Latin epic and the exploration of new avenues for research on speech in the epic tradition, from Homer to late antiquity. The project seeks to inspire future research in the field, promoting Digital Humanities methods, drawing on theoretical insights from the fields of social psychology, the study of emotions, and narratology, and expanding the epic canon.
Alongside the database, DICES presents a collection of case studies, innovative research on direct speech in Greek and Latin epic, by an international group of scholars who acted as the database's test users. The resulting peer reviewed edited volume is published open access by Brill (Forstall-Verhelst 2026): Direct Speech in Greek and Latin Epic Expanding the Methods and Canon.