Tristia and Epistulae Ex Ponto
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Durham E-Theses Myth and the Authorial Persona in Ovid's Tristia and Epistulae ex Ponto KNIFTON, LAUREN How to cite: KNIFTON, LAUREN (2014) Myth and the Authorial Persona in Ovid's Tristia and Epistulae ex Ponto, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/9481/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk Myth and the Authorial Persona in Ovid’s Tristia and Epistulae ex Ponto Lauren Knifton This thesis is submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Classics and Ancient History University of Durham 2014 Contents Abstract .................................................................................................................................................. iv Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................................ vi Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 1 Chapter One: The Gods ......................................................................................................................... 43 Jupiter ............................................................................................................................................... 44 Neptune ............................................................................................................................................ 62 Minerva ............................................................................................................................................. 64 Amor ................................................................................................................................................. 72 Chapter Two: Epic Protagonists ............................................................................................................ 79 Ulysses .............................................................................................................................................. 80 Achilles .............................................................................................................................................. 99 Jason ............................................................................................................................................... 111 Chapter Three: Other Heroes and the Underworld ............................................................................ 128 Theseus ........................................................................................................................................... 129 Philoctetes ...................................................................................................................................... 142 Oedipus & Telegonus ...................................................................................................................... 155 Chapter Four: Women ........................................................................................................................ 168 Part One: The Canon of Good Wives in the Exile Works ................................................................ 168 Tristia 5.5 .................................................................................................................................... 170 Tristia 5.14 .................................................................................................................................. 176 Epistulae ex Ponto 3.1 ................................................................................................................. 179 Penelope ..................................................................................................................................... 182 Laodamia ..................................................................................................................................... 192 Alcestis ........................................................................................................................................ 200 Evadne ......................................................................................................................................... 207 Part Two: The Antithesis of Wifely Devotion .................................................................................. 215 Medea ......................................................................................................................................... 216 Conclusions ......................................................................................................................................... 236 Editions ............................................................................................................................................... 245 Cited Works ......................................................................................................................................... 247 ii iii Abstract The Tristia and Epistulae ex Ponto are crucial for understanding Ovid’s use of myth, as he repeatedly uses mythological exempla to illustrate his own condition in exile and to characterise the authorial mask which he adopts in the exilic epistles. My doctorate approaches the author-persona relationship by investigating how Ovid utilises mythological references to construct his persona in literary terms, a methodology that rejects any attempt to reveal the “man behind the mask” and instead focuses on appreciating the complexity of the authorial exilic persona in its own right. By focusing on the mask of the author, this thesis looks in-depth at how the authorial persona is constructed by references to myth and literature, and how this often relates back to other Ovidian personae. My work focuses on the most common myths found in the exile works featuring the gods, epic protagonists, other heroes, the Underworld, and famous wives. The mythical exempla found in the Tristia and Epistulae ex Ponto are commonly equated with the author’s depiction of himself, or paralleled with the portrayals of his wife, friends, and enemies. As these mythical exempla are deployed, Ovid often makes allusions to other texts (Ovidian as well as those by other authors) which feature either the same narratives or characters, giving rise to a rich interplay of myth and intertextual allusions. All in all, the authorial figure in the Tristia and Epistulae ex Ponto, the relegatus poeta, becomes increasingly mythologised as he assumes the guises of the protagonists of tragedy and epic; persecuted, abandoned, and doomed to remain away from his homeland like Ulysses, Jason, and Philoctetes. iv Statement of Copyright The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without the prior written consent of the author and information derived from it should be acknowledged. v Acknowledgements I would like to thank the Department of Classics and Ancient History at the University of Durham for providing constant intellectual stimulation while I was writing this thesis. I am also grateful for the Postgraduate Research Scholarship which provided crucial financial support during my studies. I would also like to thank the custodians of Durham Cathedral for providing a welcoming atmosphere in one of the most scenic heritage sites in the world. The practical support from the librarians at the Bill Bryson Library, Durham, was invaluable during my research. I would like to thank every single one of their team for their helpfulness over the past few years, particularly those who regularly perform miracles in the Document Delivery Service. Thanks also go out to Ms Viv Arbia, Dr Peter Heslin, and Prof. George Boys- Stones who arranged for me to receive voice-recognition software after I developed temporary RSI when writing up my thesis. I am most greatly indebted to my supervisors, Dr Jennifer Ingleheart and Dr Peter Heslin, for their tireless guidance, sage advice, and heartfelt support over the course of my thesis. I would like to thank the examiner of my first-year review, Prof. Ingo Gildenhard, for providing fantastic feedback that opened my eyes to the shape of my project as a whole. I am also grateful to the Senior Tutor of Josephine Butler College, Dr Jill Tidmarsh, for her constant support through all the years I have been at Durham. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to my loyal friends, Corinna Brunini- Cronin, Louise Hodgson, Olwen Lachowicz, Nikoletta Manioti, and Donald Murray, who have been my constant companions along this journey, through thick and thin. Extra special thanks go to those friends who selflessly volunteered to proofread my thesis. On a more personal note, I would like to thank my grandfather, Flying Officer J F H Knifton RAF (Retd), for teaching me never to