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Ovidian Metamorphosis and Nonnian Poikilon Eidos

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Ovidian Metamorphosis and Nonnian Poikilon Eidos Michael Paschalis Ovidian Metamorphosis and Nonnian poikilon eidos The issue of Nonnus’ familiarity with and use of Ovid’s Metamorphoses as a literary source has attracted and continues to attract a lot of scholarly atten- tion. In recent years the argument in favor of Ovidian influence on Nonnus has weakened considerably. Nonnus had at his disposal an enormous amount of Greek literature now lost to us and hence, as Peter Knox has pointed out, “it is a priori improbable that a Panopolitan would use a Latin poem as his source for Greek mythology, when there were so many works available in his native tongue.” 1 Nonnus’ familiarity with the Metamorphoses is not improba- ble but it is an entirely different thing to assume that he used Ovid’s epic as a source text.2 The existence of a common source for Ovid and Nonnus is commonly suggested as an alternative to Nonnus’ dependence on Ovid but the situation may turn out to be more complex.3 The parallel study of Ovid and Nonnus, independently of Quellenforschung and intertextual relations, would in my view prove more useful. It would shift attention to a more substantial comparison of Ovidian and Nonnian narratives and poetics in areas where there is common ground. Below I will attempt to do so in comparing the Proems of the Metamorphoses and the Dionysiaca and Ovid’s and Nonnus’ versions of the Actaeon episode. 1 Metamorphosis and poikilon eidos: Introduction A major issue that invites a comparison between Ovid’s Metamorphoses and Nonnus’ Dionysiaca is that both place transformation at the heart of their Knox 1988, 551. In favor of Nonnus’ dependence on Ovid see especially Braune 1935; D’Ippolito 1964; Diggle 1970, 180–200. In discussing the motif of the rape of Europa, Kuhlmann (2012) stresses the “many similarities” between the Dionysiaca and the Metamorphoses as regards structure and narrative mode and seems to imply some sort of dependence (“Nonnus further develops the elements already to be found in Moschus’ epyllion and Ovid’s Metamorphoses”, 489). Against Nonnus’ dependence in addition to Knox see Agosti 2004, 258–65; Paschalis 2007, 2. For further bibliography see below the discussion of the Actaeon and Pentheus episodes. Cf. Barchiesi 2005, 231 on Nonnus and Ovid with regard to the Phaethon episode:“Allo stato attuale della discussione, si può dire che Nonno è una fonte indipendente, non condizi- 98 Michael Paschalis poetic program. The Ovidian Proem is unusually short but its temporal grasp and literary ambition is extraordinary, Met. 1.1–4:4 In noua fert animus mutatas dicere formas corpora; di, coeptis (nam uos mutastis et illa) adspirate meis primaque ab origine mundi ad mea perpetuum deducite tempora carmen. My mind moves me to tell of shapes changed into new bodies. You, gods, inspire my undertaking (since it was you that changed it) and bring down my continuous song from the world’s very beginning to my own times.5 Three main aspects of metamorphosis are suggested by these lines. In the first place they are transformations not of gods but of human beings brought about by the gods. Next they are single transformations and involve a permanent loss of form: the language describes a single completed action and one new shape: mutatas(“changed”), mutastis(“you changed”), and nova corpora (“new bodies”).6 Finally these transformations are strung together to form a continuous song (carmen perpetuum) from the world’s first origins to the poet’s own time.7 The organizing principle for these changes is not a single plot, event or character but a (relative) chronological order. The narrative itself reveals numerous other organizing techniques that operate within the chrono- logical frame but the only theme that links almost all the stories together is “change” (an additional theme, not mentioned in the Proem and not present in every story, is“love”). Transformation lies also at the heart of the Dionysiaca and is also announced in the Proem, Dion. 1.1–44: Εἰπέ, θεά, Κρονίδαο διάκτορον αἴθοπος εὐνῆς, νυμφιδίῳ σπινθῆρι μογοστόκονἄσθμα κεραυνοῦ, καὶ στεροπὴν Σεμέλης θαλαμηπόλον· εἰπὲδὲ φύτλην Βάκχου δισσοτόκοιο,τὸνἐκ πυρὸςὑγρὸνἀείρας onata da Ovidio, e neppure risalente a un modello comune. Le somiglianze fra i due poeti vanno quindi interpretate nel quadro di una tradizione più vasta e complessa”. The most informative commentary on Ovid’s Proem is Barchiesi 2005, 133–45. Translated by the author. In this article I discuss only real and actual metamorphosis. The notion of“multiple meta- morphosis” in Anderson (1963) involves metaphorical in addition to physical change and therefore does not concern my research. The portrayal of the Metamorphoses as“a world of ceaseless change and instability” (Newbold 2010, 82) is correct but does not concern me either. Strictly speaking to the apotheosis of Julius Caesar in 44 B. C., the year before Ovid’s birth. Ovidian Metamorphosis and Nonnian poikilon eidos 99 Ζεὺς βρέφοςἡμιτέλεστονἀμαιεύτοιο τεκούσης, 5 φειδομέναις παλάμῃσι τομὴν μηροῖο χαράξας, ἄρσενι γαστρὶ λόχευσε, πατὴρ καὶ πότνια μήτηρ, εὖεἰδὼς τόκονἄλλον ἑῷ γονόεντι καρήνῳ ὅς πάροςὄγκονἄπιστονἔχωνἐγκύμονι κόρσῃ τεύχεσινἀστράπτουσανἀνηκόντιζενἈθήνην. 10 Ἄξατέ μοι νάρθηκα, τινάξατε κύμβαλα, Μοῦσαι, καὶ παλάμῃ δότε θύρσονἀειδομένου Διονύσου. Ἀλλὰ χοροῦ ψαύοντι Φάρῳ παρὰ γείτονι νήσῳ στήσατέ μοι Πρωτῆα πολύτροπον,ὄφρα φανείη ποικίλον εἶδοςἔχων,ὅτι ποικίλονὕμνονἀράσσω. 15 Εἰγὰρἐφερπύσσειε δράκων κυκλούμενοςὁλκῷ, μέλψω θεῖονἄεθλον,ὅπως κισσώδεϊ θύρσῳ φρικτὰ δρακοντοκόμωνἐδαΐζετο φῦλα Γιγάντων· εἰδὲ λέων φρίξειενἐπαυχενίην τρίχα σείων, Βάκχονἀνευάξω βλοσυρῆςἐπὶ πήχεϊῬείης 20 μαζὸνὑποκλέπτοντα λεοντοβότοιο θεαίνης· εἰδὲ θυελλήεντι μετάρσιοςἅλματι ταρσῶν πόρδαλιςἀίξῃ πολυδαίδαλον εἶδοςἀμείβων, ὑμνήσω Διὸς υἷα, πόθεν γένοςἔκτανενἸνδῶν πορδαλίωνὀχέεσσι καθιππεύσαςἐλεφάντων· 25 εἰ δέμαςἰσάζοιτο τύπῳ συός,υἷα Θυώνης ἀείσω ποθέοντα συοκτόνον εὔγαμον Αὔρην, ὀψιγόνου τριτάτοιο Κυβηλίδα μητέρα Βάκχου· εἰδὲ πέλοι μιμηλὸνὕδωρ, Διόνυσονἀείσω κόλπονἁλὸς δύνοντα κορυσσομένοιο Λυκούργου· 30 εἰ φυτὸν αἰθύσσοιτο νόθον ψιθύρισμα τιταίνων, μνήσομαιἸκαρίοιο, πόθεν παρὰ θυάδι ληνῷ βότρυςἁμιλλητῆρι ποδῶνἐθλίβετο ταρσῷ. Ἄξατέ μοι νάρθηκα, Μιμαλλόνες,ὠμαδίην δὲ νεβρίδα ποικιλόνωτονἐθήμονοςἀντὶ χιτῶνος 35 σφίγξατέ μοι στέρνοισι, Μαρωνίδοςἔμπλεονὀδμῆς νεκταρέης, βυθίῃδὲ παρ’Εἰδοθέῃ καὶ Ὁμήρῳ φωκάων βαρὺ δέρμα φυλασσέσθω Μενελάῳ. Εὔιά μοι δότεῥόπτρα καὶαἰγίδας,ἡδυμελῆδὲ ἄλλῳ δίθροον αὐλὸνὀπάσσατε,μὴ καὶ ὀρίνω 40 Φοῖβονἐμόν· δονάκων γὰρἀναίνεταιἔμπνοονἠχώ, ἐξότε Μαρσύαο θεημάχον αὐλὸνἐλέγξας δέρμα παρῃώρησε φυτῷ κολπούμενον αὔραις, γυμνώσαςὅλα γυῖα λιπορρίνοιο νομῆος. 100 Michael Paschalis Tell the tale, Goddess, of Cronides’ courier with fiery flame, the gasping travail which the thunder-bolt brought with sparks for wedding-torches, the lightning in waiting upon Semele’s nuptials; tell the naissance of Bacchos twice-born, whom Zeus lifted still moist from the fire, a baby half-complete born without midwife; how with shrinking hands he cut the incision in his thigh and carried him in his man’s womb, father and gracious mother at once–and well he remembered another birth, when his own head conceived, when his temple was big with child, and he carried that incredible unbegotten lump, until he shot out Athena scintillating in her armour. Bring me the fennel, rattle the cymbals, ye Muses! put in my hand the wand of Dionysos whom I sing: but bring me a partner for your dance in the neighbouring island of Pharos, Proteus of many turns, that he may appear in all his diversity of shapes, since I twang my harp to a diversity of songs. For if, as a serpent, he should glide along his winding trail, I will sing my god’s achievement, how with ivy-wreathed wand he destroyed the horrid hosts of Giants ser- pent-haired. If as a lion he shake his bristling mane, I will cry“Euoi!” to Bacchos on the arm of buxom Rheia, stealthily draining the breast of the lionbreeding goddess. If as a leopard he shoot up into the air with a stormy leap from his pads, changing shape like a master-craftsman, I will hymn the son of Zeus, how he slew the Indian nation, with his team of pards riding down the elephants. If he make his figure like the shape of a boar, I will sing Thyone’s son, love-sick for Aura the desirable, boarslayer, daughter of Cybele, mother of the third Bacchos late-born. If he be mimic water, I will sing Dionysos diving into the bosom of the brine, when Lycurgos armed himself. If he become a quivering tree and tune a counterfeit whispering, I will tell of Icarios, how in the jubilant winepress his feet crushed the grape in rivalry. Bring me the fennel, Mimallons! On my shoulders in place of the wonted kirtle, bind, I pray, tight over my breast a dapple-back fawnskin, full of the perfume of Maronian nectar; and let Homer and deep-sea Eidothea keep the rank skin of the seals for Menelaos. Give me the jocund tambours and the goatskins! but leave for another the double-sounding pipe with its melodious sweetness, or I may offend my own Apollo; for he rejects the sound of breathing reeds, ever since he put to shame Marsyas and his god-defiant pipes, and bared every limb of the skin-stript shepherd, and hung his skin on a tree to belly in the breezes.8 Nonnus’ Proem contrasts with Ovid’s on all three aspects of transformation outlined above. In the first place Nonnus lays the focus not on human but on divine metamorphosis (13–5 Proteus). Furthermore he does not foreground sin- gle transformations but multiple metamorphosis of one deity. Finally multiple metamorphosis is organized around a single subject-matter, which is the heroic life and deeds of Dionysus (15–33). In Nonnus there are irreversible and permanent transformations as in Ovid but the distinguishing feature of the Dionysiaca are reversible transformations and ever-changing shapes. Reversible transformations are the privilege of the gods, of certain humans of divine descent, and favorites of the gods. Zeus and Bacchus, chief representatives of the first category, have the power of crossing All translations of the Dionysiaca are by Rouse 1940.
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