Latin Elegy As a Genre of Dissent
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Durham E-Theses Latin elegy as a genre of dissent. Chapman, Sydney Thompson How to cite: Chapman, Sydney Thompson (1977) Latin elegy as a genre of dissent., Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/1861/ 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 UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM LATIN ELEGY AS A GENRE OF DISSENT (Two Volumes) A ESIS SUBMITTEDBY SYDNEYTHOMPSON CHAPMAN B. A. To THE DEPARTMENTOF CLASSICS FOR THE DEGREEOF DOCTOROF PHILOSOPHY Volume 1 Blyth, NORTHUBERI4 JULY, 1977. Ph. D Thesis ABSTRACT S. T. Chapman, Latin Elegy as a Genre of Dissent: An investigation into the amatory elegies of Tibullus, Propertius, and Ovid, intended to substantiate the thesis that these works are characterised by a sceptical and critical outlook on the undertakings, achievements, and ideals of the Augustan state to an extent which suggests that they became a medium for the expression of feelings of mistrust and dissent directed towards the new regime. A chapter is devoted to an examination of Propertius' fourth book and contains arguments to the effect that this collection represents a reaffirmation of an un- willingness to identify himself with the imperial cause. The research is conducted in four main areas dealing with literary, social, political, and moral issues and an attempt is made to demonstrate that the elegists reflected opinions and advertised ideas which conflicted with official interests in these spheres, and that antagonism towards the social designs of the state was a factor which stimulated the development of the process whereby they described the progress and nature of their affairs in metaphorical terms whose primary significance pertained to the very fields in which the government showed social concern. Their disinclination to applaud the principate was matched by a distaste for verse which performed this service and their attitude in this respect manifested itself in the way in which they parodied the conventions of the work of those who applied their literary talents to paying tribute to the new order. The evidence of the elegies is set within an historical context both in an endeavour to interpret such passages whose import is subsequently found to be germane to the enquiry and also for the purposes of assessing the impact which aspects of the genre would have had upon the contemporary Augustan reader and gauging the feelings which we may reasonably suppose these aroused in official quarters. i TO MY PARENTS NOTICE Copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without his prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged. Gratiarum Actio To the Department of Education and Science I express my gratitude for having given the financial support which allowed me to devote my attention to this field of research. At a time of national economic difficulties one appreciates even more keenly a provision of this nature. I owe my thanks to Professor J. P. Hallett for having given permission to obtain a copy of her unpublished Harvard dissertation, a work which added greatly to my interest in the last book of Propertius' elegies. To my supervisor, Mr. R. J. Dickinson of the Classics Department at Durham, whose enthusiasm for the elegists has been a driving force in my project, I am indebted most of all. At our regular meetings (the serious business of which was often tempered by refreshment taken beforehand) I received much helpful criticism which often led me to reassess and modify my thoughts or seek further evidence to back up a claim which did not have wide support or appeared to be interpreting material in a new light. I would also like to thank Professor Townend for tracing to source some information which I required for my notes. The staff of the Inter-Library Loan desk of Durham University Library provided me with an efficient and indispensable service in obtaining articles and books essential for my research and for this I am much obliged as I am also for the Library having arranged and sponsored my visit to the Lending Division of the National Library to consult periodicals. I am grateful to an obliging relative, Clive Koerner, who gave much of his time in preparing by far the larger part of a draft copy in type, and who modestly suggested that I should omit any reference to his aid in this respect, and finally I wish to acknowledge the diligent typing service afforded by Joi Barnes who took a genuine interest in the content of the work. Blyth, Northumberland, July, 1977 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 1 FOREWORD ............................................... CHAPTER 1 THE LITERARY ASPECT OF ELEGIAC DISSIDENCE 26 Introduction .......................:.................... 29 Neoterics and Elegists .................................. 37 The Horatian Reaction ................................... 60 Patronage and Recusatio ................................. Propertius' Error: The Disadvantagesof Patronage........ 70 82 Messalla and Tibullus ................................... (Propertius 2.10) 91 A Novel Recusatio ..................... 97 Propertius' View of Vergil's Literary Career ............ 112 Propertius' Attitude to Horace .......................... 115 Ovid and Artistic Emancipation .......................... 125 The Elegist as Vates: Aim and Motive .................... Note References for Chapter One 143 CHAPTER 2 PROPERTIUS BOOK 4. RECANTATION OR REAFFIRMATION ? 158 Introduction ............................................ 167 Programme and Motive .................................... 179 Ara Maxima .............................................. 185 Actian Apollo ........................................... 192 Jupiter Feretrius ....................................... 197 Tarpeia and Arethusa .................................... 206 Cornelia ................................................ 214 Cynthia Dead ............................................ 221 Cynthia Alive ........................................... Vertumnus 227 ............................................... (Contn'd).... Page Matters 248 Acanthis and Related ...................... conclusion 251 ........................................ Note References for Chapter Two............. 253 (Volume Two) CHAPTER3 SOCIAL AND POLITICAL DISSENT IN THE ELEGISTS Part One The Rejection of'Ambitiot in Latin E1egjº 3 Introduction............ .......................... Gallus, Tibullus and Poetic Capitalisation........ 5 The Seeds of Elegiac Intransigence................ 8 Ovid 10 Social Recalcitrance in ...................... The Theme of Withdrawal in Propertius and Ovid.... 18 Tibullus' Philosophical Basis for Retreat......... 28 41 Expressions of Disillusion in Tibullus............ Part Two Elegy and Political Recrimination 53 Introduction ...................................... 55 Propertius and the Parthian Question... *********** 61 The Propertian View of Actium ..................... 68 The Political Import of Tibullus 1.7 .............. 73 Irony and Levitas in Tibullus 2.5 ................. 79 A Political Echo in Tibullus 1.1 .................. 81 The Military Metaphor as Political Nequitia....... it Propertius: Amor Armatus ............. Propertius: Amor Triumphator......... 89 104 Tibullus ............................. Horace 107 ............................... 109 Ovid ................................. Note References for Chapter Three........... 123 Page CHAPTER4 IRREVERENCE AND IMMORALITY Introduction... .................................... 143 Immorality: Counter-indictment in Elegy........... 149 Elegy Ethic 167 and the Rural .......................... 'Ubertas' 187 'Orbitas' versus ......................... Freedom Repression 198 and ............................. Role Inversion and 'Servitium'..................... 218 The Use of Marital and Related Terminology and its Implications 235 Chapter 260 Note References for Four ............. BIBLIOGRAPHY............................................ 272 ILLUSTRATIONS (Voll) Facing page Statue and coins representing Juno Sospita; photograph 224 reproduced from K. Latte: Römische Religionsgeschichte. An 'aureua' of 16 B. C.; photograph reproduced from 226 H. Mattingly: Coins of the Roman Erin the British Museum. LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS A. C. Acta Classica A. J. P. American Journal of Philology A. F. L. N. Annals dells Facolta di Letters dells Univeraita di Napoli C. E. Carmina Epigraphica ed. F. Buechler C. A. H. Cambridge Ancient History C. I. L. Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum ed. T. Mommsen C. P. Classical Philology C. Q. Classical Quarterly C. R. Classical Review G. R. Greece and Rome G. R. B. S. Greek Roman and Byzantine Studies H. S. C. P. Harvard Studies in Classical Philology J. R. S. Journal of Roman Studies I. L. S. Inscriptiones Latinae Selectae ed. H. Dessau L. L. I. Litterature Latine Inconnue (vol. 2) H. Bardon (see bibliography)