Polivalenza del ridere: i casi omerici di ἄσβεστος γέλως

ABSTRACT Polyvalence of laughter: Homeric cases of ἄσβεστος γέλως The present article intends to analyze the three different Homeric cases of ἄσβεστος γέλως (Il. I 599; Od. VIII 326; XX 346). By considering both linguistic elements which are referred to the noun γέλως and some narratological aspects in relation to which the lines being discussed could be considered, the purpose of this article is to give a specific interpretation of the different scenes. More specifically: in the first part, I will discuss the possibility that the Homeric laughter is related, from a semantic and linguistic point of view, to the idea of a physical movement; in the second part, I intend to show that the massive use of γέλως displayed by the gods who make fun of Hephaistos could be interpreted as a sort of psychological displacement; in the last part of the article, I show a vital trait of the Homeric unquenchable laughter, namely the fact that each and every detail referred to it leads to think that this kind of laughter is an exclusive prerogative of the Olympians: whenever it involves human beings, it brings nothing but madness and death.