A commentary on Nepos' Life of Alcibiades
- Authors: Jackson, John Leonard
- Date: 1982
- Subjects: Classical biography -- Criticism and interpretation , Nepos, Cornelius -- Life Of Alcibiades -- Criticism and interpretation
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3621 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007223
- Description: From Introduction: Much of the commentary is historical and biographical in its emphasis. In making detailed reference to other accounts , I have tried to fill important gaps in Nepos' brief and (in places) abrupt account, to compare the picture of Alcibiades in his account with that of other accounts and to trace sources which he may have used important passages have been quoted in full so that verbal similarities can be seen. A striking feature of Nepos' work is his tendency to describe many non-Roman situations in Roman terms. This reflects not only his vagueness about details (a common fault in his writing), but also perhaps a desire to make his Lives more relevant to his reading public and thus more readable. From antiquity to the present day biography and history have tended to be distinguished from each other, and biography has had the greater popular appeal. Readability is perhaps the most abiding quality of Nepos' Lives and Alcibiades may be the most readable of them all. On the whole Nepos portrays him consistently, although of course he also emphasises the inconsistency which was such an important part of his nature. He has told the story simply, yet dramatically; many of the complicated details about Alcibiades are omitted, yet particular incidents are highlighted, notably the return to Athens and the assassination. Above all, from Nepos' Life there emerges the impression that Alcibiades was unique and worth writing about.
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- Date Issued: 1982
A commentary on the eleventh book of the Punica of Silius Italicus
- Authors: Matier, K O (Kenneth Ogilvie)
- Date: 1980
- Subjects: Silius Italicus, Tiberius Catius. Punica Latin literature -- History and criticism
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:3624 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007535
- Description: Preface: The scope of the commentary is limited. I have been concerned with establishing the diction of Silius in Book 11. I have shown which words are confined to epic, which words are poetic and which words are prosaic. I have not attempted to establish whether there is a correlation between Silius' use of 'poetic' and' prosaic' words and the content of what he is saying. But I have noticed that Silius frequently uses prosaic words when he is following Livy or some other historical source. In other cases, Silius may be using prosaic words because of his own training as an orator. He is clearly indebted to Cicero. Nor have I attempted to establish whether there is any particular effect when Silius uses a'poetic' or 'prosaic' word or phrase or construction. I have been influenced by considerations of length and also by the fact that I believe any such attempted interpretation, although it might produce valuable results, would of necessity be much more subjective than what I have actually done. I leave any such interpretation to future researchers of Silius.
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- Date Issued: 1980
Symbolism and imagery in the story of Cupid and Psyche in Apuleius' Metamorphosis
- Authors: Beattie, Shannon Boyd
- Date: 1979
- Subjects: Apuleius. Metamorphoses
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3625 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1009511
- Description: A study of the story of Cupid and Psyche within the context of the Metamorphoses as a whole reveals a recurrent pattern of themes, motifs, and images, which indicates that the story symbolises the experiences of Lucius. The Judaeo-Christian Greek meaning of psyche, oneself, implies that Psyche is a symbol of Lucius. This is borne out by the similarity of their experiences, and by the fact that they both have the same character traits of simplicitas and curiositas. Cupid's warnings to Psyche concerning the control which Fortuna has over her life further establish the connection between Psyche and Lucius, whose life is controlled by blind Fate. Military imagery, and images of light and dark, which occur in connection with Cupid and Psyche, also describe the experiences of Lucius. Venus symbolises Isis, as is indicated by Isis' identification of herself as Venus, in addition to many other deities, at the end of the Metamorphoses. Once again imagery, this time of the sea, makes this relationship clear, while military imagery implies a parallel between the relationship of Psyche and Cupid, and that of Lucius and Fotis. Jupiter intervenes in Psyche's misfortunes, just as Isis saves Lucius from his hardships. Juno and Ceres are also identified with Isis at the end of the Metamorphoses, thus linking the story of Cupid and Psyche with the life of Lucius.
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- Date Issued: 1979