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Transcript of Paola Francesca MORETTI - MOSAIQUE une allusion virgilio‐sénéquienne et érudite ;...
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PaolaFrancescaMORETTI
Tragedyoutside tragedy:HosidiusGetasVirgilian centoMedea.With some
observationsonitspossibleNachleben
Noticebiographique
Paola F.Moretti is assistant researcher in Latin language and literature at Milan State
University,Italy.HermaininterestsfocusonlateLatinlanguageandliterature:bothpoetry(Virgilian
centos)andprose(AmbroseofMilan;ApuleiusandAugustinesstyle).
Rsums
DanscetarticlesontanalyssdiffrentsaspectsducentonvirgilienMedea,critparlafricain
HosidiusGeta (IIe s.ap.J.C.).Toutdabord, sontdonns quelques exemplesde son intertextualit
avecVirgileetSnque,defaondfinirlarspotiquedHosidius.Ensuitevientunediscussionsur
le textecontroversduv.191 (Media fert tristis sucos,nigris infectavenenis),omalgr ladifficult
mtrique je proposede conserver la foisMedia et nigris:Media pourrait tre considr en fait
commeuneallusionvirgiliosnquienneetrudite;lexpressionnigrisinfectavenenis,poursapart,a
trutiliseplustardparDracontius.
In thispaperdifferentaspectsof theVirgiliancentoMedea,writtenby theAfricanHosidius
Geta (IIcenturyA.D.),are taken intoconsideration.First, Igivesomeexamplesof itsVirgilianand
Senecanintertextuality,inordertoqualifyHosidiuspoeticars.Then,Idiscussthecontroversialtext
ofv.191 (Media fert tristis sucos,nigris infectavenenis),where in spiteof themetrical infelicity I
propose to retainbothMedia andnigris:Mediamightbe considered in fact aVirgilioSenecan and
scholasticallusion;whiletheexpressionnigrisinfectaveneniswaslaterreusedbyDracontius.
Motscls:HosidiusGeta,Medea,intertextualit,Virgile,Snque.
Keywords:HosidiusGeta,Medea,intertextuality,Vergilius,Seneca.
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Sommaire
Introduction..........................................................................................................................................................21.Hosidius,betweenVirgilandSeneca............................................................................................................42.Hos.Med.,191:itstextandpossibleNachleben..........................................................................................12Conclusion..........................................................................................................................................................18Bibliography.......................................................................................................................................................19
Introduction
HosidiusGetaisreferredtoinTertullian(praescr.39.341)astheauthorofatragedy,
Medea, built upwithVirgilian verses2: if hewas, as it seems quite probable, anAfrican,
contemporary to Tertullian, his Medea would be the earliest of the surviving literary
Virgiliancentos3.
HosidiusMedealookslikeasortofminiaturetragedy,especiallyifweconsiderits
relationswithHoracessuggestionstotragicpoetsinhisArspoetica.Theprotagonistisbuilt
up as a tragic character, coherentwith its fame and tradition (ars 119127; in particular,
Medeashouldbeferoxinvictaque),andthechoralsectionshaveamoralfunctionratherthana
dramaticone(ars193201)4.Ontheotherhand,Hosidiusreducesthenumberof(which
shouldbe five,according toars189190)5andmaybewemustbegrateful tohim!and
mostofalldoesntcomplywithHoracesruleabouttherelationbetweenwhatisactedand
whatisnarrated:HoracerecommendsNepueroscorampopuloMedeatrucidet(ars185;seealso
179188),whileHosidiusMedeakillsherchildrenonthestage6.
1 Vides hodie ex Virgilio fabulam in totum aliam componi,materia secundum versus et versibus secundummateriamconcinnatis.DeniqueHosidiusGetaMedeamtragoediamexVergilioplenissimeexsuxit.2Bothhisnameandhisdatearediscussed:cf.DANE1950,p.76 (whoprefersOvidiusGeta);DESBORDES1979,p.8387;MCGILL2005,p.3233and4243(thechapterdevotedtoHosidius includesp.3152).IquoteHosidiusfromLAMACCHIA1981(abouttextualproblemsinHosidius,seeLAMACCHIA1958a,1958b,1958c,1958d;MARIOTTI1969; CONSOLINO 1983). I cant agree with ARCELLASCHI 1990, who asserts in his survey on Latin Medeae:loeuvre[scil.HosidiusMedea]...estcriteencentonsdeVirgileetdOvideetnapasdautreintrt(p.407).3MCGILL2005,p.32.4ThesamehappenstothechorusinSeneca:cf.BIONDI1998,p.2526;MAZZOLI2004,p.199201.5 InSeneca,afteratwovoiceprologue (Medea,155; thechorus,56115),wehave threeepisodes (116300;380578;670848)andanepilogue(8791027),separatedbyfourchoralsections(301379;579669;849878;five,ifwetakeintoaccountthesectionbelongingtotheprologue).6Iinterpretthev.403407asthewordsMedeasayskillingherchildren(asdothetranslators:cf.MOONEY1919,p.52;SALANITRO1981,p.122):Crimenamorvestrumspretaequeiniuriaformae/hismerseremalis[shekillsthefirstone].Fratremnedeserefrater[shekillsthesecondone]./Poenarumexhaustumsatisest,viafactaperhostis/etgenus
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Hosidiusdrama,which consistsof461verses, includesaprologue, three episodes
andtwochoralodes:
thetragedyisopenedbyatwovoiceprologue:Medeasinvocationtothegods
Sun,Earth,theFuriesthattheymightrevengeforheragainstJason,whohasbetrayedher
conubium (124); thenaChorusColchidarum (2551)7callson Jupiter, JunoandHecatesand
mournsMedeassufferingsandlostfortune,suggestingsheshouldkillherself;
I episode (52103):Creon tellsMedea shemust leaveCorinth;Medea obtains a
delayofonedaybeforesheleaves,tomeetherchildren;
Ichorus(104147):itisthedayofJasonsillomenedweddingwithCreusa,Creons
daughter; the insaniaof theCorinthians,whoarecelebrating themarriage, isbound tobe
punished,justliketheimpiousmadnessofMarsya,IcarusandPentheus;
II episode: in the first dialogue (148180),Medea complains to her nurse about
Jasons ingratitude and the nurse suggests that she pray to the gods,waiting for better
fortune;Medeahasdecided: shewill either take revengeordie; in the seconddialogue
(181283),MedeatriestomoveJason,remindinghimofwhatshehasdoneforhim(mostof
all,theassassinationofherbrotherAbsyrtus);ifthesuperiwonthearher,shethreatensshe
willcalltheinferiforhelp(flecteresinequeosuperos,Acherontamovebo);
IIchorus(284312):Medeaislikenedtoafuriouslioness,aserpent,furiousOrestes
killinghismother,abaccha,Philomela,Orpheus;
III episode: in the first dialogue (313373), a messenger relates to Creon the
encounter betweenMedea and the FuryAllecto, duringwhichMedea hasmade up the
crownwhichwillkillCreusa;Medea(374381)tellsthenursetogetafuneralpyrereadyfor
her children, as shewill sacrifice them to Juppiter Stygius; Absyrtus umbra appears to
Medea and she kills her children on the stage (382407); finally (408461) a messenger
narrates thedeathof JasonsnewwifeCreusa,devouredby flameswhilesacrificingat the
altar; JasonmournshischildrensdeathandMedeadisappearson theSunschariot in the
sky.
invisumdextrasubTartaramisi./Iamiamnullamoraestcurrusagitarevolantis.Onthecontrary,SCHMIDT1978,p.37isconvinced thatHosidiusabweichendvonSeneca (V.970 ff.),aber inbereinstimmungmitdemklassischenPrzept(nepueroscorampopuloMedeatrucidet,Horaza.p.185)hinterderBhneverlegt.7Colchianmen (according toLAMACCHIA1958b,p.319321;EAD.1981,p.2)orwomen (e.g.,DANE1950,p.76;p.78; SALANITRO 1981,p.67; SCHMIDT 1978,p.38;COLAFRANCESCO 1999,p.109110). In Seneca, the chorus ismadeupbyCorinthianmen,inEuripidesbyCorinthianwomen.
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1.Hosidius,betweenVirgilandSeneca
In Hosidius we remark the important presence of the two tragic sections of
VirgilsAeneid8: first, theDidoepisode,which includes books IV and (partly) I andVI;
second,bookVII,wheretheFuryAllectomakesthewarbetweentheTrojansandtheLatini
burnout.
Iwont dwell upon an issuewhich has already aroused the interest of scholars9,
namely the way Dido, the dominant model for [Hosidius] Medea10, is reused by
Hosidius.HereIwillobserveonlythatasignificantelementamongthereasonssuggesting
thisreusetoHosidius11couldhavebeenthefactthattheDidoepisode,whichisinmodern
timesinterpretedasatragedy12,wasperceivedasatragedyalsoinantiquity:VirgilianDido,
being inspired byGreekMedeas13, is in fact a tragic character per se; ifwe consider that
Didosstory, just liketherestoftheAeneid,probablyusedtobeperformedthrougha loud
andcontinuousdramaticreadingofthewholeepisode14,wecanassumethattheancient
reader,beinglectorepicoandspectatortragico15atthesametime,wassomehowforced
to tragic with the heroine and could be compared to theAugustine of
Confessions 1.13.1,who readDidos story again and againat school,mourningherdeath;
last,wealsoknowthatsometheatralperformancesofherstoryusedtotakeplace16.So,toa
scholatic reader like Hosidius, the perception of Dido as a tragic character could have
8NamfacileexilloconspicimusAenaeidisll.IVetVIIpotissimumHosidiumderipuisse,quippequiaptiusadMedeaecasusexprimendosaccommodaripossent(LAMACCHIA1981,p.XXI,n.2).9Weshallkeepinmindthatabout1/5oftheVirgilianmaterialexploitedbyHosidiuscomesfromDidosstory.ForDidoinHosidius,seeCOLAFRANCESCO1999;MCGILL2005;LABUA2006;HARDIE2007.AboutDidoinProbasChristiancento,cf.MORETTI2008;forDidointhetragiccentoAlcesta,MCGILL2005,chapter4.10HARDIE2007,p.174.ImustthankGailTrimble(Oxford),whointroducedmetothisarticle.11Suchasthemixtumcharacter,bothmimeticanddramatic,whichissaidbyServiustobepropertotheAeneidasan epic (Serv. adBuc. 3.1; seeMCGILL 2005,p.35;p.178, n. 16) and the fact that the linguisticdifferencesbetweenepicandtragedyweresmall(MCGILL2005,p.38).12 SeeWLOSOK 1999 [11976], completed byMUECKE 1983 (before them,HEINZE 1999 [31915], p.151180).AlsoLAPENNA2003 suggests reading the IVbookasa tragedy, following inhisanalysis the themeof thegrowingsolitudeoftheheroine.13 Both Apollonius Rhodius young and enamouredMedea, and Euripides one. For EuripidesMedea, seeMASTRONARDE2002;aboutEuripidesApolloniusandVirgil,cf.COLLARD1975.14Cf.FERNANDELLI2002and20022003.15FERNANDELLI2002,p.141.16AboutDidoon the stage, see e.g. thewitnessofMacrobius (Sat.5.17.5),according towhom the storyof theimmoralDidowascelebratedhistrionumperpetuisetgestibusetcantibus.Ingeneral,onDidoinLateAntiquity,seeCOURCELLE1984,p.376377;LAPENNA1985;POINSOTTE1990.
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suggested exploitingAeneid IV in a centotragedy, somehow restoring the heroine to her
originaltragictemper.
ButHosidiusMedea isquitedifferent fromVirgilsDido, as sheappears tobean
entirely evil creature, a negative andmonolithic character. She looks verymuch like the
protagonistofSenecasMedea17.Infact,Senecaseemstohavebeenthemostimportanttragic
modelexploitedbyHosidius18(anotheronewaspresumablyOvidslostMedea19),andisthe
object of a sort of seconddegree imitation:Hosidius imitates Seneca throughVirgil20.
SomestrikingfeaturesofSenecasMedeaarecommontoHosidius21:Senecastragedybegins
at itsdiapason22,withatwovoiceprologue,whereastrongantithesiscanbenoted
betweenMedeafuriosaandthechorus,singinganepithalamiumforJasonsnewwedding;the
chorus plays amainlymoral role; the characters are rather static;Medea herself is the
antithesisofthesapiens,assheincarnatesfuror;sherepresentsantihumanitasandherstory
resultsinanantiapotheosis.PerhapsaccordingtothepreviousRomantragicMedeae,Senecas
oneistoonegativetoliveatruelytragiccrisis23.
Hence, inHosidiuswehaveaminiaturizationofSenecas tragedy,whereVirgilian
elementsarereusedaccordingtoaSenecaninspiration.ItisinthisSenecanperspective
thatwemustconsidertheabundanceofversesbelongingtothefurialoutburstofwarin
AeneidVII24.
17AboutthemorphologyofSenecastragedy,seeTARRANT1978;BIONDI1998,p.2331;MAZZOLI2004,p.198205.ForSenecasMedea,IwillrefertoZWIERLEIN1986andID.1983,p.131172.18SothatSCHMIDT1978considersHosidiusMedeaasanepisodeofthefortuneofSenecasMedea,epigonalandmarginalas itwas (p.38andn.48).Then,ZwierleinpresumeshecanestablishHosidiusasa terminuspostquem for the archetype of themanuscript tradition of Senecan tragedies and points outmany passages inHosidius where die Auswahl der VirgilVerse ... durch die entsprechenden Stichworte der senecanischenVorlagebestimmtwurde (ZWIERLEIN1983,p.5052; cf.also ID.1986,p.166167):among theparallelsquotedthere, themostsignificant is theonebetweenHos.385andSen.Med.992993.Wecan find theanalysisof theprologueasanexampleofseconddegree imitation (Seneca throughVirgil) inCOLAFRANCESCO1999,p.104109.19OnOvid,seebelow,n.49.20JustliketheimitationofStatiusthroughVirgilthatwecanrecognizeinthesceneofthechariotraceinthecentoHippodamia(PAOLUCCI2006,p.LVILXI).21For comparisonsbetweenHosidiusandSeneca, cf.DANE1950,p.78;SCHMIDT1978,p.3638;MCGILL 2005,p.180,n.3637(aboutEuripidesandSeneca,seeLOZZA2006,p.2629;COLOMBINI2006,p.34;p.4042).22BIONDI1998,p.2425.23BIONDI1998,p.68,n.4;aboutEnniusMedeaandMedea exul,see JOCELYN1967,p.113123;p.342382 (whileARCELLASCHI1990,p.3799,supportstheviewthatEnniuswroteonlyonetragedy,theMedeaexul).24AeneidbookVIIhasbeenstudiedasatragedyanddividedintofiveacts(cf.LESUEUR1996;FERNANDELLI2002,p.143,n.1).TheFuryisperceivedasatragic(Euripidean)elementalsobyServius(adAen.7.337).
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There isntmuch toadd towhat scholarshavealready saidaboutHosidiuspoetic
ratio,showingthatweshouldcredithimwithacertainamountofauthorialcontrolupon
hiswork25: an authorial control that is and has been demonstrated on the basis of the
principle, either implicitly or explicitly affirmed, that the interpreter has the liberty of
establishing ahierarchy among thevoices of thedifferentVirgilianhypotexts, tuning out
secondary resonances in order to hear the resonances of those Virgilian fragments that
Hosidiusissupposedtointendasmoresuggestive26.
Manyfactsshowthegeneralgrossnessofcompositionthatmightbereproached
toHosidius27. For instance, he doesnt reusewhat is inVirgil an (implicitly) medean
element, namely the assassination of Absyrtus, which is hinted at in Aen. 4.60060228:
Hosidiusomitsthisreference,maybebecauseitescapeshim.Then,nowonderifheexploits
thetwoclearreferencestotragictheatrewhichappear inAen.4.46547329,thestagesimiles
whichinVirgildescribeDidosexperiencelikeninghertotwotragiccharacters:inherfolly,
sheresemblesPentheus,whoimagineshesbeinghunteddownbyFuries(cf.Euripides
Bacchae)andOrestes,whenhetakesrefugeinatemplefromthepursuingErinyes,andthe
goddessesofrevengeblocktheexit(cf.AeschylusEumenides)30.InHosidius,intheIchoral
ode,theinsaniaoftheCorinthianswhoarebringingCreusatohernewhusband,isgoingto
bepunished,likethatofPentheus,whoiskilledbyhismotherAgaveandotherBacchae,and
whosecaputappearstoprayformercyafterithasbeencutoff(143147)31:
DemensvidetagminaPentheus:
incensaspectorematres 145
caputacervicerevulsum 144
25HARDIE2007,p.171.26ThismethodologicalprinciplehasbeenexplicitlyaffirmedbyHARDIE2007,esp.p.169170.27DANE1950,p.75.28Nonpotuiabreptumdivellerecorpusetundis /spargere?nonsocios,non ipsumabsumere ferro /Ascaniumpatriisqueepulandumponeremensis?(IquoteVirgilfromGEYMONAT2008).29...Agitipsefurentem/insomnisferusAeneas;semperquerelinqui/solasibi,semperlongamincomitatavidetur/ireviametTyriosdeserta quaerere terra: /Eumenidumvelutidemens videt agminaPentheus / et solemgeminum etduplicis seostendereThebas,/autAgamemnoniusscaenisagitatusOrestes,/armatamfacibusmatremetserpentibusatris/cumfugitultricesquesedentinlimineDirae.30WLOSOK1999[11976],p.171.31Cf.alsoCOLAFRANCESCO1999,p.113114.
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vocatagminasaevasororum:
iuvenemsparsereperagros32.
OrestesismentionedintheIIchoralode,whereMedeaissaidtoresemblehimwho,
prosecutedbytheFuries,killshismothernearthealtars(293a297):
furiis33agitatusOrestes
armatamfacibusmatrem 295
ardensagitaequoretoto
patrisobtruncatadaras.
As Pentheus andOrestes, belonging to the tragic stage, remind the reader of the
experienceoftheatre,theirreusebyHosidiusshouldnotbeseenasasignofpoeticability34.
On the contrary, the fact that several times Hosidius exploits the possibilits
mdenesdeVirgile35, reusingVirgilianverseswhichopenly refer toMedea, shouldbe
seenasameaningfulrepetitionratherthanasasignofthepoetsawkwardness36.Medeais
alluded to in ecl. 8.4750,whereDamon laments the effects of cruel Love,who taught a
mothertosoilherhandswithherchildrensblood:
SaevusAmordocuitnatorumsanguinematrem
commacularemanus.Crudelistuquoque,mater.
Crudelismatermagis,anpuerinprobusille?
Inprobusillepuer,crudelistuquoque,mater37. 50
32 I accept the order of the verses proposed by CONSOLINO 1983, p.141142; on the passage, see alsoCUCCURUGNANI1984.33Hosidiusreadsfuriisinsteadofscaenis(seeabove,n.29).FuriiscomesfromAen.3.331(coniugisetscelerumfuriisagitatusOrestes)and insomeVirgilianmanuscripts furiissubstitutesscaenisalsoatAen.4.471.HereHosidius isthinkingbothofthestagesimileofAen.4.471(asv.295comesfromAen.4.472)andofthequotationofOrestesstory byAndromache inAen. 3.331 (as v. 297 come fromAen. 3.332).We cannot affirmwith certaintywhatHosidiusactually read inAen.4.471,whetherFuriisor scaenis.On thispassage, seealsoCOLAFRANCESCO1999,p.115,n.30.34MCGILL2005,p.51(perhapsabitoverestimatingHosidius):theseverseunitsreusedinatragicchoruscannot only underscore the explicit equivalence ofDido and the dramatic characters but can also suggest thatelementsofherstoryoverlapwithtragedy.35DESBORDES1990,p.100.36Cf.COLAFRANCESCO1999,p.109.37Hosidiusseemstounderstandmaterofv.4849asreferredtoMedea(soServ.ad loc.),others(soD.Serv.adloc.)referittoVenus(Lovesmother).OntheVirgilianpassageseeCOLEMAN1977,p.239240.
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InHosidiustheseversesareusedrepeatedly,becomingasortofformulaicexpression
ofMedeasguilts:commacularemanusappearsfirstinHos.263,referringtoAbsyrtuscruel
murder; then, in a true crescendo, 4748 are reused in 400ex401in, by one of the children
speaking toMedeawho isgoing tokillhim,and in441442in,byMedea inher childrens
epitaph;finally,thebeginningof49isreusedin444,byJasonlamentingtheassassinationof
Medeassons38.TheVirgilian centocomesfullytorealisetheMedeanpotentialofthese
verses39:sothatimprobusAmordoesshadeanominouslightalsoonaDidonianfragment,
usedbyHosidiusintheprologue,whereMedeasays(1215):
ImprobeAmor,quidnonmortaliapectoracogis!
Iussaalienapatiiterumquerevolverecasus,
ireiteruminlacrimas:sednullisillemovetur
fletibus.... 15
Improbe... cogis and ire... lacrimas come fromAen. 4.40841540, a poets intervention,
breakingtheobjectivityofepicdiegesis,andexpressingVirgilssympathywithDido41.In
Hosidiusthequotation,putinMedeasmouth,seemstobesignificantlyreversedagainst
Medea: the mention of improbe Amor, which in Virgils text brings the reader to feel
compassion with Dido, in Hosidius is probably supposed to remind him of the
abovementionedpassageoftheVIIIeclogue,whereLoveteachesamothertokillherchildren
(adetailwhich is common toSeneca)42,while thewordsquid... cogis repeated fromAen.
3.56,wheretheyrefertothestoryofPolydorusforeshadowthetragicepilogueofMedeas
story,theassassinationofhersons43.
38OnthisandotherMedeanpossibilitiesoftheVirgiliantext(esp.georg.2.136155),seeCOLAFRANCESCO1999,p.117120.39SoHardie2007,p.175.40Quis tibi tum,Dido,cernenti taliasensus, /quosvedabasgemitus,cum litora feruere late /prospiceresarceexsummatotumqueuideres /miscerianteoculostantisclamoribusaequor! /ImprobeAmor,quidnonmortaliapectoracogis! /Ireiterum in lacrimas, iterumtemptareprecando /cogituretsupplexanimossubmittereamori, /nequid inexpertum frustramoriturarelinquat.41OnVirgilssubjectivestyle,seeOTIS1964,p.4196.42Cf.Med.135136,whereMedeasaysshesforcedbythecrueltyofLove:etnullumscelus/iratafeci;saevitinfelixAmor.ButwemustnotforgetthatSenecahasinhisturntakensomethingfromVirgilsDido(FANTHAM1975,p.810).43HARDIE2007,p.174.
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MaybeweshouldascribetoHosidiusintentionalsotheomissionoftheepithetinfelix
(unhappy,orbetter unfortunate44),which isused seven times forDido (Aen. 1.712,
749;4.68,450,529,596;6.456)andisanearlyformulaicexpression,thatcriticsunderlineas
extremelysignificantofVirgilsattitudetowardstheheroine45.ItisnoteworthythatHosidius
neverreusesthisadjective:thismightdependonHosidiusaimtodepictatotallynegative
Medea46.
Now,letsturntotheIIIepisode,themostSenecanofthecento,including:(1)the
rhesisofthemessenger,tellingthechorusaboutMedeaswitchcraftandherencounterwith
Allecto(321373);(2)theapparitionofAbsyrtusumbraandthemurderofMedeaschildren,
slaininfullview(383407).IntheinterpretationofthesetextsIthinkweshouldattributeto
fragmentscomingfromAeneidVIIaloudervoicethanthatofotherVirgilianreferences.
Quoferor?Undeabii?pavor,ossaqueetartus
perfudittotoproruptuscorporesudor[=Aen.7.458ex459],
genualabant,oculosstuporurgetinertis 315
arrectaequehorrorecomaeetvoxfaucibushaesit.(...)
ExhincGorgoneisAllectoinfectavenenis[=Aen.7.341] 345
exsurgitfacemadtollensatqueintonatore:
Respiceadhaec;adsumdirarumabsedesororum,
bellamanuletumquegero[=Aen.7.454455].
Taliacernentemtandemsicorsavicissim[=Aen.7.435]:
Venistitandem,mecumpartirelaborem, 350
tu,dea,tupraesensanimisinlaberenostris.
Dissicecompositampacem,serecriminabelli[=Aen.7.339]
(namquepotes),coluivestrossisemperhonores.
TalibusAllectodictisexarsitiniram[=Aen.7.445]
horrendumstridensrabidoquehaecaddiditore[=Aen.7.451] 355
Ogermanamihi,mittehancdepectorecuram,
nuncsibellareparas,etluctumiscerehymenaeos
44WLOSOK1999[11976],p.165.45OTIS1964,p.50speaksofitasoneoftheaspectsofVirgilssubjectivestyle,afingerpointingepithet;cf.alsop.61:infelix isakeyword...,thatforeshadowsfuturetragedyandatthesametimeexpressessympathy: itistheword for thosewho oppose fate orwhom fate opposes, but are yetworthy of true pity.Cfr. also, e.g.,MUECKE1983,p.138141;LAPENNA2003,p.158;FERNANDELLI2002,p.145;CRISTANTE20032004,p.255256.46Onthecontrary,OvidsMedeaaddressesherselfasinfelixinmet.7.18(aboutthispassage,cf.BMER1976,p.204adloc.).
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funereasqueinferrefaces[=Aen.7.337]etcingereflamma,
quicquidinartemeapossum,meminissenecesseest
quantumignesanimaequevalent;absisteprecando. 360
Dixerat:adtollensstridentisanguibusalas,
ardentisdarevisafaces[=Aen.7.561562]superardualinquens47.
ThemainVirgilianhypotexthereisofcoursetheepisodeoftheFuryAllecto:but,if
wewanttounderstandthearrangementoftheVirgilianmaterial,wemustcompareSenecas
homologous scene48ofMed.670739,namely the rhesisof thenutrix,narratingMedeas
witchcrafts: there Medea gathers terrifying snakes, herbs, and poisons of all kind,
pronouncingmagic carmina. It is a crescendo of horror, towhich presumably only verses
comingformVirgilsAllectoepisodecanbeaptinHosidiuseyes.
The second section, the slay ofMedeas children, contains both Didonian and
Allectian elements. Ifwewant to understand the inspiration of this scene,wemust
compare it with Seneca again, without forgetting that the problem of the relationship
betweenSenecaandHosidiusiscomplicatedbythefactthatsomesimilaritiesbetweenthem,
whensharedbyOvidian textsaboutMedea (esp.met.7andher.12),mightbeandhave
been explained as depending on both Senecas andHosidius imitation of Ovids lost
tragedyMedea: e.g., the themeswe find in this passage ofMedeas children like inferiae
offered to theManesofAbsyrtus,andof theirresemblance to the father,whomakes them
deservetheirmothershatred,makesthemdeservetodie49.
MEDEA.Heustirpeminvisametfatiscontrarianostris[=Aen.7.293]
Hucades,oformosepuer,quispiritusilli!
sicoculos,sicillemanus,sicoraferebat!
Perfidus[=Aen.7.362]!etcuperemipseparensspectatoradesset. 385
FILIUS.Parcepiassceleraremanus!autquotibinostri
pulsusamor?siiurismaternicuraremordet,[=Aen.7.402]
natisparcetuisautnosrapeinomniatecum!
Quorescumquecadunt,unumetcommunepericlum.
47Inwhatfollows(363373),MedeamakesupthecrownshewillgiveasaweddinggifttoCreusa,whichisgoingtodevourbothJasonsnewbrideandherfatherCreoninitsflames.48Onsceneomologhe,cf.PAOLUCCI2006,p.XXXIXXL.49Cf.BESSONE1997,p.216217(aboutOv.her.12.160,Sen.Med.967971,Hos.392394);p.256258(aboutOv.her.12.189,Sen.Med.2326,Hos.382,385).
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ABSYRTUS.Aspicenos!Adsumdirarumabsedesororum[=Aen.7.454] 390
infelixsimulacrum,laniatumcorporetoto:
quiddubitas?audendumdextra,nuncipsavocatres.
[MEDEA]Auctoregoaudendi,fecundumconcutepectus[=Aen.7.338]
Siconcessapeto,sipoenasorereposco,
nullumincaedenefas:amornontaliacurat. 395
FILIUS.Hostisamare,quidincrepitasmeatristiafata?
MEDEA.Suggeretelamihifinemqueimponelabori!
Sanguinequaerendireditus.
FILIUS.Nectenosteramor[=Aen.4.307];pietasnecmitigatulla,
necvenitinmentem[=Aen.4.39]natorumsanguinematrem 400
commacularemanus[=ecl.8.4748]?nostritibicurarecessit
etmatripraereptusamor[=Aen.4.516].
[HerefollowtheverseswhichaccompanytheassassinationofMedeaschildren50]
Wemust remember twodifferent Senecan scenes:notonly, as it isquiteobvious,
Sen.Med.958977,whereMedeakillsthefirstofherchildrenandAbsyrtusappears,together
withtheFuries,asavision inMedeasoverheatedmind(just likehedid inEuripides),but
alsotheprologusofSenecasThyestes,whichisfirstpronouncedbytheghostofTantalus,and
thencontinuesinadialoguebetweenTantalusandtheFury51.Themostinterestingquotation
isinfactthatofAen.7.338(fecundumconcutepectus),thewordswithwhichJunourgesAllecto
tomakethewarbetweenTrojansandLatinibreakout:Allectoshouldrouseherownpectus,
fertile inwoes. InSeneca,whodependsonVirgil, theFury intimatesconcute insano ferum /
pectustumultu(Thyest.8586)toTantalusghost,whohas justbeentakenoutoftheInferiin
ordertoupsetthehouseofhisdescendants,causingAtreustocommitahorrendumnefas(the
murderofThyestes sons);pectus ishere thatofTantalusdescendants52. In thatprologue
Tantalusghostforeseesthathisoffspringinausa audeat (20)andinthespeechoftheFury
werepresentedwiththeterriblecrimeswemightexpect:
nihilsitiraquodvetitumputet:
fratremexpavescat frateretgnatumparens
50Seeabove,n.6.51Sen.Thyest.1121.Aboutthisprologue,seePARATORE1992.52 In fact,behind theprologueofSenecasThyestes,besideEuripidesHerakles,we findVerg.Aen.7.323371,asobservedbyMONTELEONE1980.
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gnatusque patrem,liberipereantmale,
peiustamennascantur;immineatviro
infestaconiunx...(3943).
In Hosidius, as Absyrtus umbra53 speaks, different literary echoes crowd in the
memory of the supersaturated and suspicious reader, inclined to the fashionable
pursuitof tracing literaryhistories through intertextuality54.TheSenecanscene isevoked
alsobythetwoprecedingVirgilianhalfverses(Audendumdextra,nuncipsavocatres=Aen.IX
320: itbelongs toNisusexhortation toEurialus,before theybegin to slay theirenemies;
Auctor ego audendi =Aen.XII 159),where the repetition of the verb audere reminds us of
Seneca(cf.inausaaudeat);anditisSeneca(cf.expavescat...gnatusquepatrem)whoforeshadows
thecrimewhichwilltakeplaceonthestageinHosidius(aparentkillingherchildren).
So:Hosidius imitatesbothVirgil and Senecahere,orbetter:Virgil in the lightof
Seneca;andmaybethisformula,SenecathroughVirgil,couldbethesyntheticdefinition
ofhispoeticratio.
2.Hos.Med.,191:itstextandpossibleNachleben
A further examplewill shade light onwhatwe could callHosidius scholastic
poeticskill.
Medea is mentioned expressly only once in the cento, by means of a citation
tendancieuse55 (191192). Jason is speaking with a satelles, expressing his fears about
Medeasuseofherbsandpoisonstoavoidhissecondmarriage:
Mediaferttristissucos,nigris[que]56infectavenenis,
quothalamumeripiatatqueossibusimplicetignem57.
Thetwoversescomefromthecombinationofgeorg.2.126,whichcontainthepraiseof
citrontrees58, andAen. 7.341 (EximGorgoneisAllecto infecta venenis)59, the last verse being
53AndnotMedea(cf.LAMACCHIA1958b,p.315316).54CosHARDIE2007,P.174(supersaturatedmustrefertotherichpoeticmemory,sharedbyreaderandwriter).55DESBORDES1990,p.101.56Iproposetheexpunctionofque,asIwillshowinfra.57SeealsoCOLAFRANCESCO1999,p.118119.
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quotedinfullinHos.345.ThewordnigrisqueturnsouttobeanadditiontotheVirgiliantext.
Even if the combination is so awkward that it results in a sevenfoot hexameter60,which
wouldbecome regularwith the removalofoneof the twowords,nonethelessLamacchia
preservesbothMedia andnigrisque inher edition, judging thisverse a resultofHosidius
metricalnaivety61.
VirgilsMedia, the regionwhich bears tart juices, is transformed byHosidius into
Media(=Meda=Meda62),thewitchwhoproducesevilpoisons.
On closer inspection, despite the semantic shift the name undergoes here, its
originaryVirgiliancontext interfereswith thenewone. In fact, in theGeorgics thepassage
concernsthepraiseofcitrontrees,growinginMedia,asanantidotetothepoisonsusedby
cruelnovercae63:whileinHosidiusanotherMediaproducestristissucos,eviljuices,awoman
whoweareimplicitlytoldshouldbeconsideredanovercamorethanamother.
Then,MedeasnameplacedatthebeginningoftheversehasalsosomethingSenecan
initself.InfactinSenecasMedeathenameoftheheroineoccursinfirstpositionintheverse
eleventimes64,andonlythreetimesinadifferentposition65;andthisfactistraditional,asin
EuripidesMedea thenameof theprotagonist () isalways found in firstposition66,
exceptforverse5267.
Moreover, the wordplay is based on the link the mythological tradition has
established between the name of thewoman and that of the region, either directly68 or
58126130:Mediaferttristissucostardumquesaporem/felicismali,quononpraesentiusullum,/poculasiquandosaevaeinfecerenovercae,/[miscueruntqueherbasetnoninnoxiaverba]/auxiliumvenitacmembrisagitatravenena.59DESBORDES1979,p.99.60See apparatus inLAMACCHIA 1981 ad loc.: some scholarshave removedMedea (Wakkerus),othersnigrisque(BurmannandSalanitro:cf.alsoCONSOLINO1983,p.142),whileLAMACCHIAhasmantainedtheirregularverse.61AboutversesinHosidiuswhicharelongerorshorter,cf.DANE1950,p.75,whospeaksofmetricalinfelicities,whicharenumerous;PALLA1983,p.288290;andmostofallLAMACCHIA1981,p.24,whopresentsa listoftheseinfelicities.62Thenameoftheregion,Meda,isreferredtotheheroine(MedaorMeda,withcorreptioofthevowele/i).Similarsemanticshiftsarecommon in thecentosandhappen toPelias,who isa friendofAeneas (Aen.2.436)andbecomes the father of the Peliades, killed byMedea, inHos. 252; toCreusa,Aeneaswife (Aen. 2.778),whobecomesJasonsnewbrideinHos.243.SeeDESBORDES1979,p.102104.63Seeabove,n.58.64Inv.166,171,179,496,518,524,675,867,892,910,934.65Inv.8,362,567.InOvidmet.andher. itneverappears infirstpositionexceptforher.6.151152(withregularscansion):Medamtimui;plusestMedanoverca;/Medaefaciuntadscelusomnemanus.66Inv.7,272,363,402,663,1122,1295.67AbouttherelevanceofMedeasnameandofthequotationofnamesintragedies,seeTRAINA1979,p.273275andSEGAL1982,p.241242.68AsitisinHerodotus(7.62)andPausanias(2.3.8):cf.MASTRONARDE2002,p.49.
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throughMedus: hewas the son ofMedea andAegeus (Medea havingmarried him after
Jason),kingofAthens,whokilledPerses,andhisstorywastoldbyPacuvius(inhisMedus69)
andHyginus,andishintedatbytheps.Probus70.Atraceofthescholastictraditionlinking
Meda with the nearly homonymous regionMeda can be found in the Periegesis of the
AfricanPriscianus(whosefloruitwasabouttheyear500),inthevv.940945,devotedtothe
Medi.ThereMeda(thewoman)occursagainatthebeginningoftheverse71:
Armeniosmontessilinquensibisadortus,
Medicanosceturtibitellus;cuiusadaxes
GelisuntMardique,virisimulAtropateni.
AdnotoninclinantMedorumruratenentes:
Medahuicfugiensdederatcognominaterrae;
hincMedivariosususnovereveneni72.
WemightwonderwhetherthemetricallyawkwardMedaoftheAfricangrammaticus
Priscianus,placedatthebeginningoftheverse,couldbereminiscentofHosidius.
Andwhataboutnigrisque?Wheredoes itcomefrom?Wedontfind it inVirgil,at
leastinthetwoVirgilianversesconflatedintoHos.191.Butwefindsomethingsimilarinthe
episodeofDidorecurringtoartesmagicaebeforeherdeath(Aen.4.500521),anepisodewhich
togetherwithDidosspeechtoAnna(Aen.4.478499)isalsousedelsewhereinHosidius.
Dido,during themagic ritewhichprecedeshersuicide, throwson the firepubentesherbae,
nigri cum lacteveneni (Aen.4.514):note that thewordsnigri...veneniareplaced just in the
samepositionasnigrisque...venenisinHosidius;andinfecta,actuallycomingfromAen.7.341,
somehow evokes also the sound of cum lacte73. So that in Aen. 4.514 we could find an
69OnPacuviusMedus,seeARCELLASCHI1990,p.104106.70Adgeorg.2.126:ParsParthorumMediaestappellataaMedo, filiusMedeae etAegei,utexistimatVarro [scil.VarroAtacinus],quiquattuorlibrosdeArgonautisedidit(=COURTNEY2003,p.253);Hygin.fab.27.5:MedusreauditaPersen[thesonoftheSun,Aeetasbrother]interfecitregnumqueavitumpossedit;exsuonomineterramMediamcognominavit.Cf.MALTBY 1991, p.373 (s.v.Media).A hint at the possible aetiologicalmeaning of themention ofMedia inHosidiusisfoundalreadyinCONSOLINO1983,p.142.71Theonlyoccurrence inLatinpoetry,as faras Icould find in thedatabasePoetriaNova:aCDROMofLatinmedievalPoetry(6501250A.D.),byP.MastandreaL.Tessarolo,Firenze,Impruneta,2001.72Ed.VANWOESTIJNE1953 (atv.517we find thenameMedeawith regularscansion:Has [scil.Absyrtidas]olimColchitenuereferoces,/lassidumfrustraMedaefurtasequuntur).ThecorrespondingsectionofDionysiusPeriegesis(10161029)doesntcontainatallthenameoftheheroine,whoisonlysaidtohavecometoahomonymousland(,v.1026).73We could here repeat what said by CONTE, BARCHIESI 1989, p.101103, about one of the examples theyconsidered in their study of intertextuality: Leco attraente senza essere del tutto razionalizzabile: viconcorrononumerosifattorimetricoverbali,nessunodeiqualiperlaveritunicoeincontrovertibile(p.102).
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argumenttosupportthepointthatnigrisque,althoughnotcompletelyVirgilian,nonetheless
couldhavebeen inspired toHosidiusbyVirgil.ThatswhyIwouldalso like topreserve
likeLamacchianigrisque,thoughcorrectingitintonigris.
Theexpunctionofqueisduetotworeasons.First,queisnotnecessaryforthesense
of the sentence (Medeaproducesevil juices, stainedofblackpoisons)74.Second, que is
absentfromtheforminwhichthehalfverseseemstobealludedtoinDracontius.Thehalf
versenigris infectavenenis is in factattested (afterHosidius,presumablynot independently
from him) inDracontius,who knowsHosidius, as he proves in hisMedea (Romul. 10)75.
DracontiuscouldsobeawitnessforanancientvariantofHosidiustext,unlesswethinkthat
nigrisinfectavenenismighthavebeencreatedexnovobythetwopoets,independently.
DracontiusquotationcomesfromtheIIIbookoftheDelaudibusDei.Therethepoet,
afteracondemnationofhumangreedforrichness,summonsuphisarguments,sayingthat
nilopusestpraeferreDeo,Deusomnisamorsit/anteanimamque(9293).Thenhepresents
uswithaseriesofambiguousexempla,takenfromtheGreekandRomantradition,ofpeople
whoforthesakeofglorylosttheirownlivesorkilledtheirrelatives(257261):
historiascurramDanaumgentisqueQuirini,
quiprolaudesuauelquiproregnoalieno
mentibusinfectisanimosaecladisamore
ausiomnessceleraremanusdemortesuorum 260
autcertedestragesua.(...)
Amongthem,thetwoCarthaginianbrothersPhilaeni(297321),who,whentheirtown
struggledwithCyrene about aboundary76, sacrificed themselves anddied to establish an
advantageousboundaryfortheirtown;intheplaceoftheirburialliethearaePhilaenorum.In
thedescriptionoftheLibycaeharenae,whichwereboththetheatreoftheepisodeofthetwo
Philaeniandtheobjectoftheirgreed77,weread(302304):
74Cf.alsoCONSOLINO1983,p.142.75DracontiusseemstohaveknownHosidiuswork,aswecanarguefromhisownMedea:cf.QUARTIROLI1947,p.22;BRIGHT1987,p.72andpassim;WOLFF1996,p.188;KAUFMANN2005,p.52andpassiminthecommentary.76TheirstoryistoldinVal.Max.5.6ext.4,asanexampleofpietasergapatriam.77Cf.SIMONS2005,p.124125.
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portiotelluristantumconcessaMedusae78,
solisadustarotis,nigrisinfectavenenis79,
ignibusaethereis,gelidisobsessacerastis.
HereMedea, the characterwhom this hemiepes is linkedwith inHosidius,doesnt
seem to be involved. But wemust remark that, in the preceding and in the following
passagesofDelaudibusDei,thereareatleasttwohintsather.
We find the first one in the section devoted toDaniel, one of the biblical heroes
praised for their fides (togetherwithAbraham, Isaac, the threechildren in the furnace, the
apostlePeter).ThankstohisplenafidesDanielwasabletokillthelionsand,asaservantof
the trueGod, issaid tobedifferent from thepriestsof thecruelvirginDiana,whoenjoys
humansacrifices(217221):
Ille(scil.Daniel)Deifamulusfuerat,nonforteDianae,
quaesoletinsontumfusogauderecruore,
sanguinishumaninumquamsatiatacatervis
hospitibuscaesis;humanatabemadescens 220
TauricaperColchos80crudelisvirginisara.
TheseversesremindusofMedea81,who,accordingtoDracontius(cf.esp.Romul.10.9
10),wasapriestessofDianaandusedtosacrificestrangers82.
The second elementwhichmightbe reminiscentofMedeaoccurs in the following
section, that ofpagan exempla.Among thosewhomRomanus amor (lamoreperRoma,
according to CORSARO 1962) forced to kill their offspring, such as Brutus (324343) and
Torquatus(362397),DracontiusspeaksofVerginius(34436183),whokilledhisdaughterso
thatshewouldntbeviolatedbythedecemvirAppiusClaudius(34835184):
78It isfromthebloodofMedusa,killedbyPerseus,thattheserpentsoftheAfricandesertaresaidtobeborn:cf.MOUSSY1988,p.8384.79NoreferencetoHosidiusintherichapparatusoflociparallelipresentedbyVOLLMER1905,p.100(whoquotesjustVerg.Aen.7.341).NotethatvenenisistranslatedreptilesbyMOUSSY1988,velenibyCORSARO1962.80ForthedifficultyofthepresenceofTauricaandperColchos,weshallassumethatDracontiuseitherconfusesthetwo places or rathermeans theColchian (namely: located inColchis) altars of the goddessDiana,who isworshiped in Chersonesos Taurica (Dianas cult demanded the immolation of strangers: see themyth ofIphigenia).Cf.MOUSSY1988,p.76;KAUFMANN2005,p.61,n.196.81SoKAUFMANN2005,p.54,n.163.82AboutthethemeofMedea,priestessofDiana,seeBRIGHT1987,p.5455;KAUFMANN2005,p.48;p.50;p.53.83Whoisnotmentionedexpressisverbis.84Fortheanecdote,seeVal.Max.6.1.1andmostlyLiv.3.4448.
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Causapudicitiaenaturaeiuradiremit,
libertatisamorvicitpietatisamorem.
Immemorhincgenerisfactus,nonimmemorUrbis, 350
Sanguinisoblitusfecitdepatrenovercam.
In this catalogue of impious parents,whomurdered sons and daughters,Medea
wouldeasilycometomindtoanyone;besidethat,v.351issimilartowhatDracontiussays
elsewhereabouther:quando cruentatam fecitdematrenovercam /mixtusamore furor (Romul.
10.2223).
So:forthehalfversenigrisinfectavenenisinDracontiuswemightassumeaHosidian
origin.Dracontiusmight have readHosidius cento as itmust have circulated inRoman
Africa, before being copied into the poetic anthology preserved by theCodex Salmasianus
abouttheyears53353485.
Moreover, a somehow analogous expression appears in a description of the Fury
Tisiphone (Iohann. 3.111115)86 by Corippus,who knew Dracontius87 andwhose Iohannis
mustdate to theyears following JohnTroglitas expedition against theMauri rebels (546
54888). In the long speech delivered by the tribune Caecilides Liberatus, asked by John
TroglitatoexplainthereasonforthedifficultiesofAfrica,LiberatustellsthestoryofAntala,
sonoftheMaurusGuenfan,whosomeyearsbeforehadrebelledwithhisFrexesagainstthe
Vandals, causingBelisariusmilitary intervention inAfrica.Afterhisbirth, a sacerdos told
Guenfan89 thatAntalawasbound to cause the ruinofbothVandalsandMaurs,and that,
duringhisyouth,theFuryTisiphoneraged:
FlammeaTisiphonetortissaevirechelydris
incipit,erexitquerigentesverticecrines
arapervacuum,nigrisinfusavenenis
oramadent,foedantoculislinguisquetrisulcis
temperiem,diroquehorrescunttemporatabo. 115
85Cf.TARRANT1983,p.913;CONSOLINO1999,p.7173.86Abouthim,cfr.CONSOLINO1999,p.8286.87MOUSSY,CAMUS1985,p.99100;KAUFMANN2005,p.4748andn.126.88TOMMASI2001,p.42;ZARINI2003,p.141.89Thissceneisprobablymeanttocriticizethebarbarianspaganism:cf.ZARINI2003,p.117121,whopointsoutCorippusstigmatisationofthetromperieammoniaque.
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Nigris infusa venenis might come from a conflation of the two Virgilian
abovementioned loci (Aen. 7.341 and 4.514), without presupposing the knowledge of
Hosidius90.ButshallwesuspectatleasttheknowledgeofDracontius?
Hence Iwould also retain nigris inHosidius: a nigriswhich, during the last two
decades of the V century, would come down to Dracontius, and then perhaps to
Corippus.
Tosumup,ifwepreserveMedia,wellhaveHosidiususetheVirgiliantext:first,to
offerbothanallusion to thepassageof theGeorgicsandawordplaybasedonaetiology;
second,toevokethetragicheroine,usingthetraditionalpositionofhernamewithintragic
verses(atleastinSenecaandinEuripides).Atthesametime,thepossibleNachlebenofthe
second hemiepes (nigris infecta venenis) suggests we should preserve nigrisque, though
correctingitintonigris.
Conclusion
Hosidiusscholastic tragedy,writtenprobably for something likeadeclamatioat
schoolorinarecitinghall91,hadtofaceadoublechallenge:(1)thatofchangingtheliterary
genre,convertingVirgilsnarrativedramaticepic(cf.Servius)intoapurelydramatic
text; (2) that of aiming to build up a Senecan tragedy by means of Virgilian raw
materials.
IfProbawascapableofmakingeveryVirgilian fragmentevoke itsoriginalcontext
letting it shade lighton itsnew context92,Hosidius seems tobe a little less skilful in this
90SeeTOMMASI2001,p.150,accordingtowhomCorippusSecondolasolitadinamica,...rifondeleformulazionidiVerg.Aen.IV,514,nigricumlacteveneni(nellinvocazionecheDidonefaaglidiinferiprimadimorire)ediAen.VII,341,ottenendounasovrabbondanzadistampomanieristico.Infectacouldhavebeenchangedintoinfusaonthebasisofanotherhypotextofthepassage(Lucan.I64748):cf.ibidem,150151,ad113115.91WecanarguethatsuchtextswereperformedinthiswayalsofromtheanecdotewhichclosesMavortiuscentoDeecclesia,where thepoet,afterrecitinghiscento, isproclaimedasMaro iunior (for therecitingroomwereprobably composed tragedies since the Augustan age: TARRANT 1978, p.260); SCHMIDT 1978, p.35, definesHosidiusMedea as a carmen theatricum.Hosidiuswrites a recitationdrama according toLABUA 2006(cf.alsoDANE1950,p.77).Wehave tonote that inHosidiusallmarkersofdramaticperformanceare lacking:MCGILL2005,p.36.92Cf.CORSARO2007;MORETTI2008.
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aspect;nonethelesshisattemptbearswitnessnotonly toVirgilspopularity93,butalso to
Virgilsreceptionasatragicauthor inantiquity,areceptionwhich inHosidius,at least
wasstronglyinfluencedalsobytheSenecantragicmodel.
Letme concludeby remarking that fecundum concute pectus (Hos. 393),namely the
words Absyrtus ghost says to Medea, exhorting her to dare to kill her children, are
interpreted by Hardie as an image of the poets high degree of metapoetic self
consciousness94:thecentonistseemstobeconsciousofthefactthat,inhisdismembering
and remembering of Virgil95, he is daring to undertake a difficult if not impious
enterprise.AndperhapsnotonlytheanonymouspoetofHippodamia,whoreusesthesame
hemiepes in theproemial sectionofhis cento, referring it tohispoetic inspiration96,would
agreewithHardie,butalsotheothercentonists,whomusthavebeenconsciousoftheactof
hybris they were making when they transformed Virgils parole in a langue they could
manipulateintoexpressingwhatevertheyliked.
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