Ekphrasis and the Mind’s Ear

Abstract The ekphrasis of Herakles’ shield in Pseudo-Hesiod’s Aspis comprises an immersive experiment the poetics sound. As complement to standard modes visualization that are crucial effective ekphrasis, this poem’s rich soundscape invites audience ‘auralize’ sounds described by internal observer. From monstrous noises emitted from shield’s iconographic world overdetermined correspondence sonic features within and between narrative levels, acoustic techniques poem actively destabilize traditional archaic constructing shattering ekphrastic illusion. sound effects undermine notion materiality must serve as index fixity, lexical semantic recursions echo across representational planes, unruly acoustics ultimately problematize relationship its wielder.