I think these methods have also been applied to the Odyssey: it opens very exciting possibilities:
Peter Hulse

Professor Hillner writes: 
We are delighted to welcome to Sheffield Profs Ana Bazzan, Silvio Dahmen and Sandra Prado (University of Porto Alegre, Brazil). Ana, Silvio and Sandra are Physicists who have extensively worked on developing network algorithms to understand narrative patterns in both fictional and non-fictional literature (including Alice in Wonderland, the Chanson de Roland, Viking Sagas, and documents pertaining to the court of Holy Roman Emperor Frederik II). 

They will come to Sheffield from 5-8 November to collaborate with the Leverhulme project 'Gendered Networks in Early Medieval Narratives' based in the History Department, but have also kindly agreed to give a 'masterclass' on 6 November for anyone interested in learning more about mathematical applications of Social Network Analysis (which is currently emerging as a method in Humanities scholarship also).

This is a unique opportunity to hear Physicists speak about their work with historical and literary sources and discuss the benefits and challenges of interdisciplinary collaborations between Humanities scholars and Network Scientists. A flyer is attached. Please register your interest by 26 October.

N.B. no mathematical knowledge needed at all to participate in this! Ana, Silvio and Sandra will provide the maths.

To start off a new season of posts, here's a big bang! It's an old photograph, dating back, I suppose, to March 1944, and I'm afraid I can't acknowledge it properly but it's particularly topical because of the recent new excavations at Pompeii that have uncovered some wonderful things. Including the new graffito. That and the new finds are a topic to which I will undoubtedly return. As always, comments below would be welcome.
Peter Hulse