Martial: a glance of the writer behind the textual author and of the man beyond the artist
Joana Mestre Costa, João Manuel Nunes Torrão Department of Languages and Cultures, Center for Languages and Cultures, University of Aveiro
Abstract Poetic Forgery versus Real Life? letters, opening the Libri II, VIII, and XII, were the tria nomina that integrated the initial Among the corrupting vices he criticized Perusing Marcus Valerius Martialis’ salutations. However, it was his praenomen and the edifying virtues he exalted, the epigrammatic legacy, the reader gets the the more frequently summoned amidst the types he condemned and the figures he impression of having glanced over the poetry epigrams. In fact, Talia’s “nuces” are more praised, the man Martial projected to be and, also, the poet himself. likely to match with a familial tone! as well as the one that he was actually The literary work of art, resembling any The birthday, according to repeating verses, able to build unveiled. artistic production, undoubtedly carries the Martial celebrated it in the March calends; Accepting the invitation suggested seal of its creator. However, literature cannot and 10.24.4-5 clarifies he was 57 years old, through his opera, we aim to comprehend be taken for life itself [1]. by the time this Liber was published. how that revelation takes place, while the This far, the reader that perused Martial Martial dies natalis was then, presumably, the artist brings his art to light – a very books certainly reminisces, among countless first day of March of the year 38. special light, indeed: “You read him, you others addressed to him, these particular His filiation was made very clear by the ask for him, and here he is: Martial, verses: “reader, who are my riches. When emotive invocation on the occasion of the known the world over for his witty little Rome gave you to me, she said: I have death of little Erotion, in 5.34.1-2; and Fronto books of epigrams”! nothing greater to give you. By his means and Flaccilla would, in 9.73.7, be tenderly This identity marker, immediately stated you will escape the sluggish waves of blamed for being on the “litterulas” the here in 1.1.1-3, contributing to the ungrateful Lethe” (10.2.5-7). education they provided their son. complicity climate established with the Clearly there is now a question this reader is As the irresistible epigram 10.103 is evidence reader, is, in fact, one of the most unable to contour: who has he helped to “flee of, Martial was from Augusta Bilbilis, in the significant tributes of the bilbilitan to the neglectful Lethe’s stagnant flood”, Martial Imperial Roman Province of Hispania formal revolution he worked over himself or his literary persona? Tarraconensis, nevertheless, his adulthood epigrammatic poetry and, consequently, a And although being acutely aware of the he would live it in Rome. crucial impetus of a unique production. literary canons, his answer could not be other Although his first sixteen years in the capital The intimate connection between the than: somehow the two of them – they both of the Empire have not allowed more than artist and his work of art would, indeed, fled! The point is, thanks to M. V. Martialis some “apinas” of a “iuuenis et puer”, as A portrait of M. V. Martialis of controversial authorship make prophetic his words of 1.107.5-6: Epigrammaton Libri, not only has his poetic described in 1.113, the fact is, in the year 80, (from Morgan Meis’ article “The Return of the Epigram” “Then I would try to write works that self been given the chance of a continuous Martial’s first book – the Liber de Spectaculis on The Smart Set, a Drexel University publication). would live through the centuries and communication, as also life as this man has – honouring the inauguration of the snatch my name from the funeral fires”. once lived it, two thousand years ago, has Coliseum, inaugurated itself a remarkable not been erased by the course of time. series of well-liked publications, able to reach critical sense proved to follow not the the imperial ear and, undoubtedly, to please A Portrait through the Poems presumption of a superior morality, but an it. In fact, Martial benefited from recognition assumption of his deep humanity; and the Effectively, poetry happens to born, in many by both Caesars, Titus and Domitian, as he sharp technique of the poet that, cases, from an aesthetic projection of its proudly registered in 3.95. personalizing the situations, provided them poet’s personal reality [2], and not Notwithstanding, with no salary, nor a the needed authenticity and attracted to his understanding this could be just as a mistake Maecenas to assist him, the hated adulatory poetry the readers’ sympathy. as discarding poetic forgery. subjection to a patron was a degrading path,
It is not surprising, then, to find the Libri but, still, the only path for a writer to survive. The Poem to a Portrait utterly imbued with his whole being, when Martial’s Rome did not feel sorry for her
Martial had no other vocation than poetry [3]. poets, who, in spite of all the supplications, Perusing the Epigrammaton Libri, the reader Numerous times, has he brought to the she voted to the consuming position of becomes aware that the verses 3-5 of the epigram the ultimate expression of identity – clientes, as many sorrowful verses attest. epigram closing the proemial dedication of
the name. His cognomen he used it to Confessing himself tired of wasting in vain the Liber IX perfectly illustrate these complex subscribe and individualize the poetry. In the his days, as in 5.20, declaring his rage for the connections, contributing to comprehend how more formal circumstance of the proemial loss of the most precious of his times, the identity unveils before the readers’ (and even
letters, opening the Libri II, VIII, and XII, were time for Talia, as in 11.24, he would, in his before the author’s!) eyes, while the artist the tria nomina that integrated the initial oldness, exchange Rome for Bilbilis. brings his art to the brightest light: “let this salutations. However, it was his praenomen – However, only one final book – the Liber XII – brief verse live under my bust, which you,
Marcus – the more has Martial wrote. Undeniably, some core Avitus, are placing in company not part of him has been left behind, lost in the undistinguished: I am he whose trifles are Magna Vrbs. praised second to none”.
Martial’s portrait was to be subtitled with the Poetics really forging Life poetic words of his literary persona: it was the poetic self presenting the man and, Unquestionably, the sole occurrence every furthermore, this man clearly wanted to be man is incapable of mentioning – the own known as a poet. death! – are missing the pages of his books! Through the own opera, Martial has, truly, And yet, should not conclude the reader that had the ingeniousness for leaving his reader the legate of the own biography has been to a glance of the writer behind the textual Martial the motivation for his writings. Being author and of the man beyond the artist. this the truth and would his last be his years
of major production: in Bilbilis was he finally References able to obtain his so called “otia”, from 1.107, and “munera”, from 8.55(56), that, even if not [1] LÁZARO CARRETER, F.. De poética y “Maecenatis”, but from good friends, could poéticas. Madrid, Cátedra, 1990.
grant him an insouciant poetry dedicated life. [2] BOUSOÑO, C.., Teoría de la Expresión In the proemial dedication of the Liber XII, Poética. Vol I, Madrid, Gredos, 51970. the poet disclosed the reasons below his [3] PARATORE, E.. História da Literatura
silence: Martial was missing his Roman Latina. Tradução de M. Losa, Lisboa, fellow citizens, who provided to his epigrams Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, 1987. not only the readers as also the themes. [4] MYERS, K. S.. “Imperial Poetry”, in D. S.
His poetry was born from those men living in Potter (ed.). A Companion to the Roman Acknowledgements First text page of M. V. Martialis Epigrammaton Libri. Rome [3]! Martial was one Roman more! Empire. Malden, Blackwell Publishing, 2006. Indeed, the textual author attracting the * The Martialis Epigrammata are quoted after Joana Mestre Costa is funded by FCT grant Venice, “Ex Sirenis Officina” Petri Rauani & Socios, 1552 (from Boston College Law Library Rare Book empirical to his gallery, uncovered both the the critical edition of D. R. Schackleton SFRH/BD/28304/2006. Collection). exceptional character of the man, whose Bailey. critical sense proved to follow not the presumption of a superior morality, but an assumption of his deep humanity; and the sharp technique of the poet that, personalizing the situations, provided them the needed authenticity and attracted to his poetry the readers’ sympathy.