Abstract

It is possible to affirm that the Iliad is an epic text because the term epic, of Greek origin, is coined to designate a Greek literary genre. In the case of the Mahābhārata the term epic is not the one originally used, but its characteristics also point towards this literary genre. The purpose of this paper is to contrast the Greek definition of epic with the Sanskrit definition of epic. To that end, it carries out a lexical study: in Greek, ἔπος; in Sanskrit, smṛti, itihāsa, mahākāvya, gātha. Besides, it offers examples driven from the literary works. The result of the research is that some of the characteristics are repeated in both definitions: hero, metrics, similes, catalogs, speeches, myths. Nonetheless, the narrative order, the narrator, the gods’ involvement, and the values differ from one culture to another.

Key Words: Epic; Lexicon; Greek Literature; Sanskrit Literature