Homeric similes and comparisons have many narrative functions. In death scenes, they contribute to the characterization of victim and aggressor and of death itself. Their focus on existential reflections or the ideal of heroic war lifts the description up to an ideological level. Quintus of Smyrna’s Posthomerica shows a rich reception of Homeric imagery in death scenes and uses it to structure the narrative plot. His death similes evoke the ancient war ideal, but also show an evolution of heroic behaviour towards more bloodshed and eventually the pathetic sack of Troy. Hence, Posthomeric death similes can be interpreted to question the ancient – idealistic – role of the major heroes in the epic tradition from Homer onwards
