Africa in Imperial Literature Seminar

Africa in Imperial Literature Seminar

[email protected] Africa and the Making of Classical Literature Seminar T1 Week 10 Imperial Visions of Africa (Lucan) 1. Hercules in Africa Read the following passages on Hercules’ fight with Antaeus and on Hercules in the garden of the Hesperides (possibly with the notes of Susan Braund in the Oxford Scholarly edition) and think about the following: • What are the two names of the place where Curio has arrived? Is the change of name relevant to our story? • What are the connections between Hercules, Curio, and Scipio in the first passage? Is there a connection with Hercules and Cato in the second? • What does Antaeus symbolize? How is he characterized? • What does the garden of the Hesperides symbolize? • What is the function of these stories in their respective narratives? Lucan 4.581-660 • Just as fierce as this warfare was that which then Non segnior illo blazed up in Libya's fields. For daring Curio Marte fuit, qui tum Libycis exarsit in arvis. unmoors his vessels from the Lilybaean Namque rates audax Lilybaeo litore solvit • shore, and with Aquilo gently filling the sails he Curio, nec forti velis Aquilone recepto reached the shores of the famous anchorage Inter semirutas magnae Carthaginis arces between Clipea and great Carthage's citadels, half Et Clipeam tenuit stationis litora notae, in ruins, and he places his first camp far from the Primaque castra locat cano procul aequore, qua se whitened sea, where leisurely Bagrada proceeds, Bagrada lentus agit siccae sulcator harenae. the furrower of the dry sand. From there he seeks Inde petit tumulos exesasque undique rupes, the hills and crags hollowed out all around which Antaei quas regna vocat non vana vetustas. antiquity not falsely calls the kingdom of Nominis antiqui cupientem noscere causas Antaeus. In his wish to learn the origins of the Cognita per multos docuit rudis incola patres: ancient name, a primitive inhabitant taught what “Nondum post genitos Tellus effeta gigantas he had learned through many forefathers: Terribilem Libycis partum concepit in antris. • 'After the Giants' birth, Earth not yet exhausted Nec tam iusta fuit terrarum gloria Typhon • mothered a dreadful offspring in Libyan caves. Aut Tityos Briareusque ferox; caeloque pepercit,• And not so justly was Typhon his mother's pride Quod non Phlegraeis Antaeum sustulit arvis. • or Tityos or fierce Briareus; she was merciful to Hoc quoque tam vastas cumulavit munere vires heaven in not raising Antaeus on the Phlegran Terra sui fetus, quod, cum tetigere parentem, fields. With this gift too did Earth enhance her Iam defecta vigent renovato robore membra. offspring's mighty strength—that his now tired Haec illi spelunca domus; latuisse sub alta limbs thrive with strength renewed when they Rupe ferunt, epulas raptos habuisse leones; touch their mother. This cave was his home: Ad somnos non terga ferae praebere cubile beneath the tall crag he lay hid, they say, and Adsuerunt, non silva torum, viresque resumit feasted on the lions he had caught; no wild beast's In nuda tellure iacens. Periere coloni skins used to offer him a bed for sleep, no forest Arvorum Libyae, pereunt quos appulit aequor; a couch, but lying on the naked earth he regained Auxilioque diu virtus non usa cadendi his strength. The farmers of Libya's fields Terrae spernit opes: invictus robore cunctis, perished; men brought to land by the sea perish; Quamvis staret, erat. Tandem volgata cruenti and for long his valour spurns the Earth's help, Fama mali terras monstris aequorque levantem not aiding himself by falling: he was utterly Magnanimum Alciden Libycas excivit in oras. invincible in strength, even when he stayed Ille Cleonaei proiecit terga leonis, standing. At last the rumour of the blood-stained Antaeus Libyci; perfundit membra liquore evil spread and summoned to the shores of Libya Hospes Olympiacae servato more palaestrae, • great-hearted Alcides, who was ridding land and Ille parum fidens pedibus contingere matrem sea of monsters. He threw down the skin of the Auxilium membris calidas infudit harenas. lion of Cleonae, Antaeus that of the lion of Libya; Conseruere manus et multo bracchia nexu; the stranger drenched his limbs with liquid, 1 [email protected] Colla diu gravibus frustra temptata lacertis, following the custom of the Olympic wrestling- Inmotumque caput fixa cum fronte tenetur; place; the other, not confident enough in touching Miranturque habuisse parem. Nec viribus uti his mother with his feet, poured burning sand on Alcides primo voluit certamine totis, his limbs to help him. They linked hands and Exhausitque virum, quod creber anhelitus illi arms in many a clasp, long tested the other's neck Prodidit et gelidus fesso de corpore sudor. in vain with massive biceps, and each head is held Tum cervix lassata quati, tum pectore pectus unmoved with forehead rigid; and they are Urgueri, tunc obliqua percussa labare amazed to meet their match. Alcides, not wishing Crura manu. Iam terga viri cedentia victor • to use all his strength at the contest's start, wore Alligat et medium conpressis ilibus artat out his opponent, as the frequent gasps and cold Inguinaque insertis pedibus distendit et omnem sweat from his tired body revealed to him. Then Explicuit per membra virum. Rapit arida tellus his neck grows weak and trembles, then breast by Sudorem: calido conplentur sanguine venae, breast is shoved, then legs totter, struck by hand Intumuere tori, totosque induruit artus • aslant. Now the victor encircles his opponent's Herculeosque novo laxavit corpore nodos. • yielding back and crushes his sides and squeezes Constitit Alcides stupefactus robore tanto, his waist and by thrusting with his feet spreads Nec sic Inachiis, quamvis rudis esset, in undis wide the thighs and laid his man flat out from Desectam timuit reparatis anguibus hydram. head to toe. The dry earth drinks his sweat; his Conflixere pares, Telluris viribus ille, veins are filled with warm blood, his muscles Ille suis. Numquam saevae sperare novercae bulged, his entire frame grew tough, and with Plus licuit; videt exhaustos sudoribus artus body restored he loosened Hercules' hold. Cervicemque viri, siccam cum ferret Olympum. Alcides stood dazed by such great strength: not in Utque iterum fessis iniecit bracchia membris, the waters of Inachus, though then inexperienced, Non expectatis Antaeus viribus hostis did he fear so the Hydra with her snakes renewed Sponte cadit maiorque accepto robore surgit. where severed. They clashed as equals, one with Quisquis inest terris in fessos spiritus artus the strength of Earth, the other with his own. Egeritur, Tellusque viro luctante laborat. Never could his savage stepmother have higher Ut tandem auxilium tactae prodesse parentis hopes: she sees the hero's limbs and neck drained Alcides sensit, ‘Standum est tibi,’ dixit ‘et ultra by exertion, the neck which stayed dry when he Non credere solo, sternique vetabere terra. supported Olympus. And when again he grappled Haerebis pressis intra mea pectora membris: with the tired limbs, without waiting for his Huc, Antaee, cades.’ Sic fatus sustulit alte enemy's force, Antaeus fell voluntarily and rose Nitentem in terras iuvenem. Morientis in artus more mighty with added strength. All the power Non potuit nati Tellus permittere vires: of the land pours into his tired frame and Earth Alcides medio tenuit iam pectora pigro labours as her warrior wrestles. When at last Stricta gelu terrisque diu non credidit hostem. Alcides realized the help he gained from his Hinc, aevi veteris custos, famosa vetustas mother's touch, he said: "You must stand, no Miratrixque sui signavit nomine terras. more are you trusted to the soil, you will be Sed maiora dedit cognomina collibus istis forbidden to lie prostrate upon the earth. You will Poenum qui Latiis revocavit ab arcibus hostem stick with limbs crushed within my embrace: so Scipio; nam sedes Libyca tellure potito far only, Antaeus, shall you fall." So speaking he Haec fuit. En, veteris cernis vestigia valli. raised aloft the youth as he struggled for the Romana hos primum tenuit victoria campos.” Earth. She could not convey her strength into her dying son's frame: Alcides was in between them, holding his breast already tight in torpid chill and for a long time did not trust his enemy to the earth. That is how antiquity—the giver of renown, the guardian of ancient time and admirer of herself—marked the land with his name. But a greater name was given these hills by Scipio, who recalled the Carthaginian enemy from the citadels • of Latium; for this was his position when he reached the Libyan land. Look, you can see traces of the ancient rampart. These are the fields first held by Roman victory.' 2 [email protected] Luc. 9.348-67 This lake, the legend goes, is dear to the god Hanc, ut fama, deus, quem toto litore pontus heard by ocean all along the shore as he blows Audit ventosa perflantem marmora concha, across the surface with his windy shell; this lake Hanc et Pallas amat, patrio quae vertice nata is dear to Pallas too, who when born from her Terrarum primam Libyen—nam proxima caelo est, father's head alighted upon Libya first of lands Ut probat ipse calor—tetigit, stagnique quieta (since it is nearest to the sky, as by its heat alone Voltus vidit aqua posuitque in margine plantas is proved) and in the pool's calm water saw her Et se dilecta Tritonida dixit ab unda. face and set her footsteps on its edge and called Quam iuxta Lethon tacitus praelabitur amnis, herself 'Tritonis' from the water that she loved. Infernis, ut fama, trahens oblivia venis, Next to it the silent river Lethon glides along, Atque, insopiti quondam tutela draconis, carrying oblivion, the legend goes, from Hesperidum pauper spoliatis frondibus hortus.

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