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Personification in Ovid's Metamorphoses Personification in Ovid’s Metamorphoses: Inuidia, Fames, Somnus, Fama Maria Shiaele Submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy The University of Leeds School of Classics August 2012 The candidate confirms that the work submitted is her own and that appropriate credit has been given where reference has been made to the work of others. This copy has been supplied on the understanding that it is copyright material and that no quotation from the thesis may be published without proper acknowledgement. ©2012 The University of Leeds Maria Shiaele yia tovç yoveiç /lov for mum and dad IV Acknowledgements Throughout all these years of preparing this dissertation many people stood by my side and supported me intellectually, emotionally and financially to whom I would like to express my sincere thanks here. First of all, my deep gratitude goes to my supervisors Professor Robert Maltby and Dr Kenneth Belcher, for their unfailing patience, moral support, valuable criticism on my work and considerable insights. I thank them for believing in me, for being so encouraging during difficult and particularly stressful times and for generously offering their time to discuss concerns and ideas. It has been a great pleasure working with them and learning many things from their wide knowledge and helpful suggestions. Special thanks are owned to my thesis examiners, Dr Andreas Michalopoulos (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens) and Dr Regine May (University of Leeds), for their stimulating criticism and valuable suggestions. For any remaining errors and inadequacies I alone am responsible. Many thanks go to all members of staff at the Department of Classics at Leeds, both academic and secretarial, for making Leeds such a pleasant place to work in. In particular, I would like to warmly thank Dr Emma Stafford for her valuable contribution to bibliographical searching. I am also grateful to my friends in Greece and Cyprus who have supported me throughout my studies; especially, I would like to thank Dr Chrysanthi Demetriou and Despina Keramida whose friendship, kindness and support was of valuable worth during all these years and also my good friends Andreas Gavrielatos (University of Leeds), Efthimis Vafeiadis (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki) and Maria Constantinou (University of Edinburgh) for assisting in my bibliographical requests. Special thanks go to my dear friend and colleague Evangelia for her encouragement and valuable friendship and particularly to Vasilis, for his constant moral support, love and deep understanding which are much appreciated. V Finally, my heartfelt debt is to my mum, dad and brother, for always believing in me and whose unfailing love and encouragement have been a valuable support for me. I will be eternally gratitude for making all this possible and for everything they have done for me throughout all these years away from home. VI Abstract Modern scholarship on the Metamorphoses has frequently focused on the shifting character of the poem mainly produced by the constant variation in tone and diverse subject matter. Particular emphasis has fallen on the multiple stylistic features Ovid uses to appeal to a learned audience. This thesis focuses on and explores the use of personification ekphraseis which are illustrative examples of the poet’s innovative technique, wit and style. Four major personified figures, Inuidia, Fames, Somnus and Fama play significant roles and figure prominently in the books where they appear. The study is divided into four main chapters where the four extended personification ekphraseis are individually treated. Each setting that Ovid creates for the figures bears its own corresponding reality. So their presence in the different episodes becomes both natural and amusing. Ovid displays a certain structural progression in the use of personification beginning with theriomorphic representations (Inuidia, Fames) and ending with more abstract descriptions (Somnus, Fama). The discussion also focuses on the various ways Ovid uses personification and offers close readings of thematic links and literary echoes. This study re-examines the aesthetics and narrative significance of the personification ekphraseis. It argues that, although connected to the rhetorical technique of enargeia and thus closely attached to the simple poetic intent of enlivening the style, the personifications have broader thematic implications which make them precious in the study of Ovid’s ingenium. The initial question of how Ovid incorporates the four personifications in the narrative of each myth is developed into a broader investigation of their relevance in the world of the poem. The discussion leads to the conclusion that Inuidia, Fames, Somnus and Fama as poetic devices are both representative samples of stylistic ornamentation that enable the visual perception of what Ovid is describing and markers of generic boundaries between elegy and epic; the indiscriminate blending of epic and un-epic terminology creates a strong connection with the poet’s aims stated in the opening lines of the Metamorphoses. In this sense, the four personification ekphraseis figure as reflections both of the poet and the poem. Vll Table of Contents Acknowledgements..................................................................................................................iv A bstract......................................................................................................................................vi Table of C ontents.................................................................................................................. vii A bbreviations..........................................................................................................................ix Introduction.............................................................................................................................1 C hapter 1: Inuidia................................................................................................................... 11 1.1 Introduction................................................................................................................... 11 1.2 Preliminary Remarks.......................................................................................................... 12 1.3 Domus est... Entering Inuidia's World (Met. 2.760-764)............................................ 13 1.4 Introducing Inuidia's Character (Met. 2.768-782)........................................................ 19 1.5 The Inuidia Ekphrasis and the Aglauros Episode: Function and Interpretation.......31 1.5.1 Inuidia and Aglauros: Punishment and Metamorphosis.........................................32 1.5.2 Inuidia and Ovidian Poetics........................................................................................40 1.6 Inuidia and Ovidian Wit.....................................................................................................48 1.7 Concluding Remarks.......................................................................................................... 54 Chapter 2: Fam es.................................................................................................................... 56 2.1 Introduction..........................................................................................................................56 2.2 Preliminary Remarks.......................................................................................................... 56 2.3 Est locus... Entering Fames' World (Met. 8.788-798)................................................. 58 2.4 Constructing the Portrayal of Fames (Met. 8.799-808)................................................ 62 2.5 Fames' modus operandi... Inflicting Punishment (Met. 8.814-822)............................ 68 2.6 The Fames Ekphrasis and the Erysichthon Episode: Function and Interpretation... 70 2.6.1 Exploiting the Dualities of Fames' Body..................................................................72 2.6.2 The Figure of Mestra and the Poetic Implications.................................................. 77 2.6.3 Ceres, Fames, Erysichthon and Callimachus...........................................................80 2.7 Fames and Ovidian W it.....................................................................................................86 2.7.1 Wordplay and Ovidian ingenium...............................................................................86 2.7.2 Playing with Minor Personifications......................................................................... 90 2.7.3 Etymologizing.............................................................................................................. 95 2.8 Concluding Remarks..........................................................................................................100 Chapter 3: Som nus................................................................................................................. 102 3.1 Introduction.............. ..........................................................................................................102 3.2 Preliminary Remarks..........................................................................................................102 3.3 Est prope Cimmerios longo spelunca... Introducing the World of Somnus (Met. 11.592-609).............................................................................. ................................. 105 3.4 Somnus (Met. 11.610-632)...............................................................................................
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