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ἀρχLγένεLOg,PIKρόg,εὔθεTOg,TOAPηρὸgπOAεPLσTήg
(V.9(103),53).
Theseportraitsoferagenericpictureofthesubjects;it
isperhapsfiting,however,thatportraitsofthesesecondary
heroesoferlitleinthewayofmoraldepth,sincetherest
ofthenarrativegivesthemnoneeither.Thesepositivebut
undistinguishedfeaturesascribedtothemsuggestcompe-
tentbutundistinguishedsoldiers,which,infact,theyturn
outtobe.Bycontrast,MalalasdescribesOdysseusas
ofmediumheightwithfairskin,straight,greyinghair,
agoodbeard,greyeyes,alongnose,acalmface,fair
hardandalargebelly;hewaswise,[amightywar-
rior–A.G.]andwasaneloquenttalker.
ὉὈδυσσεὺgδLPOLρLIῖOg,AευKὸgTῷσώPITL,ἁπAόθρLξ,
εὐπώγων,PIAIKόχρOυg,PLξOπόALOg,σύνOφρυg,εὔρLνOg,
PεγIAόψυχOg,δυνITὸgπOAεPLσTήg,πρOγάσTωρ,ἠθLKόg,
εὐόPLAOg(V.9(103),52).
Odysseus’unusualanddefiningcharacteristichere
isHalargebelly,”whichcouldoferapossiblephysiogno-
micalreading:physically,thatheisamanofwordsrather
thanamanofaction;morally,thatheisunabletocontrol
hisappetites,athemeexploredlaterwhen,overcome
withjealousy,hesuccessfullyschemestohavePalamedes
murdered.
Theportraitsmay,too,containrelevanthistoricalinfor-
mation.ConstanceHeadandBarryBaldwinhavedemon-
stratedthevalueByzantinehistoriansingeneralplaced
onekphrasticportraiture,particularlyofemperors(HEAD,
1980alsoBALDWIN,1981).Thattheonlyothersections
ofportraitsinMalalasareoftheapostlesandofRoman
emperorssuggeststhatMalalasbelievedtheGreeksand
Trojansdeserveequalstaturewiththeseillustriousgroups
~17~
