Prayer In Greek Religion

In this, the first book-length study of Greek prayer to appear in English, Simon Pulleyn presents a comprehensive treatment of an aspect of religion which together with sacrifice was at the centre of Greek cult. Through a full examination of all the relevant literary and epigraphic material available from the archaic and classical periods, Pulleyn seeks both to describe the ancient practices and explain their significance.

Great stress is laid on the central role of reciprocity in Greek relations with the gods, and the various ways in which they addressed the gods are shown to be related to strategies used in dealing with each other. The book also features an examination of the language used in prayer, e.g. formulae, and rhetorical structures, and draws on Indo-European comparative material.

Review: accessible for those anthroplogists who are interested in prayer but for whom the Greek language is largely a forgotten grammar school experience. ... for an anthropologist interested in the immense knowledge that is available on the world of ancient Greece and its oral rites, Pulleyn's book offers a handsome synthesis.

Stephen C. Headley, Journal of the Anthropological Society of Oxford The book's value lies in its careful analysis of the various forms of prayer and its explication of how the principle of reciprocity applies in each ... An insightful work that can be appreciated by nonspecialists. Bradley P. Nystrom, Religious Studies Review