Coordinated sequences of analogous topics in the Delian and Pythian segments of the Homeric Hymn to Apollo

Discussions of the disputed compositional unity of the have sometimes suggested that the Delian and Pythian tales share certain analogous themes or topics, which seem to be arranged in at least roughly parallel sequences. Since such claims are exposed to charges of subjectivity, the present study attempts to constrain investigative bias by determining qualifying topics and qualifying sequences independently. The method finds that each tale consists of exactly twenty topics, that each topic has a unique counterpart in the other tale, and that with a very few limited exceptions the counterpart topics occupy identical positions in their respective sequences. The study shows that in this respect the Delian and Pythian tales jointly constitute a single compositional design.