The ten essays gathered in this volume were initially presented in a series of lectures organized by the Faculty of Arts at the University of Crete.
Their common theme is dreams in antiquity, from Homer to Byzantine chroniclers. Most of the dreams mentioned in the texts of the time were never dreamed by anyone. They usually serve the needs of the literary genre to which each text belongs.
However, the obsession of all literary genres with dreams confirms that ordinary people and philosophers were seriously concerned with the dream experience. The literary dynamics of dreams derives, to some extent, from their dynamics in daily life.
The studies in this volume attempt to decipher the codes through which ancient authors communicated with their audience. At the same time, when possible, they delve, through dreams, into the world of wakefulness that used to utilize them.
The focus of the volume is not only on the literary use of dreams but also on their use in everyday life.
