Apollonius rhodiuss argonautica, composed in the 3rd century bce, is the epic retelling of jasons quest for the golden fleece. Valerius flaccus, argonautica, book i a commentary brill. Valerius flaccus, argonautica book 3 theoi classical. The poem is typical of his age, being a free rehandling of the story already told by apollonius. Apollonius was royal librarian under ptolemy ii philadelphus during the central years of his reign perhaps c. In valerius account jasons father aeson, his mother, and his younger brother all perish at the end of book 1. Valerius flaccus argonautica is one of the most significant surviving works of flavian epic, which has recently become much more popular as a field of study and teaching in latin literature.
Line by line the words and phrases chosen, sources used and literary models are treated. In his prologue, valerius invokes vespasian, and the poem was in part intended to celebrate. The argonautica is the best known work by the 3rd century bce hellenistic poet and scholar, apollonius of rhodes. This work provides a full commentary on the first book of valerius flaccus argonautica, an epic which has received increased attention in the last few decades, as may be seen from two recent editions 1997 and 2003.
This poem consists of a single book of 76 lines in which orpheus re. The armour on the moving ship glittered in the sunshine like fire. Focusing on medeas attempts to resist her love for jason, book 7 of valerius flaccus argonautica presents one of the most attractive and engaging episodes in all of grecoroman epic. Reading models and the homeric program in valerius flaccuss argonautica. Valerius effectively rehandles the story already told by apollonius rhodius, recalls virgilian language and thought, displays. The argonautica of gains valerius flaccus setinus balbus.
The poem is typical of his age, being a free rehandling of the story already told by apollonius rhodius, to whom he is superior in arrangement, vividness, and description of character. Valerius flaccus valerius flaccus argonautica is one of the most significant surviving works of flavian epic, which has recently become much more popular as a field of study and teaching in latin literature. When jason first meets hypsipyle in book 1, he wears a cloak made for him by athena, embroidered with various scenes alluding to tragic women that homers odysseus met in hades odyssey 11. My song is of the straits first navigated by the mighty sons of gods, of the prophetic ship that dared to seek the shores of scythian phasis, that burst unswerving through the clashing rocks, to sink at length to rest in the starry firmament phoebus, be thou my guide, if there stands in a pure home the tripod that shares the secrets of the. This latin version of the argonautica is a treasure lying in wait to be discovered. Translated into english prose with introduction and notes by valerius flaccus, caius.
This is the first commentary in english directly tailored to the needs of graduate and advanced undergraduate students. This book gives a full philological and literary commentary of the turbulent book vi of the argonautica. Valerius flaccus argonautica pdf epub download cause of. The book contains a commentary on book v of the argonautica of valerius flaccus, paying attention to linguistic, philological and literary aspects. This homeric echo has ominous connotations, prefiguring jasons. Valerius flaccus, argonautica, book vi a commentary brill. Apollonius of rhodes wrote the bestknown version, in greek, in the third century b. Homeric echoes in argonautica are quite deliberate and are not slavish imitation. Author of argonautica, argonauticon libri octo, valerius flaccus, argonautica, the argonautica, book 1, giasone e medea. The poem is typical of his age, being a free rehandling of the story already told by apollonius rhodius. The first commentary on valerius flaccus argonautica, book 7 in english, taking account of not only anglophone, but also french, german, and italian scholarship presents a new and detailed interpretation of a key moment in the transmission of one of. War and love in valerius flaccus argonautica brill. Its first aim is to clarify the text, which is sometimes rather difficult and, in places, still not established with certainty. Click anywhere in the line to jump to another position.
His only known work, the argonautica is virgilian in style. The poem is typical of his age, being a free rehandling of the story. Medea in valerius flaccus argonautica volume 41 issue 12 andrew zissos. Valerius completed five books and part of a sixth, drawing on apollonius and a plethora of ancient sources, many of which are now lost or known only by fragments. Full text of the argonautica of gaius valerius flaccus setinus balbus. A text with apparatus criticus, translation, and commentary, with introduction, of the first book of valerius flaccus argonautica, an unfinished roman epic extending to eight books and several thousand lines, written in the flavian period 6996 ce. Immediately download the valerius flaccus summary, chapterbychapter analysis, book notes, essays, quotes, character descriptions, lesson plans, and more everything you need for. Valerius flaccus argonautica, book 1 andrew zissos. Valerius flaccus was a roman poet who flourished in the late c1st a. Buy valerius flaccus, argonautica 1 by valerius flaccus, michael barich isbn.
Analysis of the intended endpoint of valeriuss unfinished poem, arguing that it was designed to occupy eight books and thus that we are missing only a few hundred lines from the end of book 8. Translated into english prose with introduction and notes see other formats. Gaius valerius flaccus, epic poet, author of an argonautica, an epic which, though indebted to other sources, is written with vivid characterizations and descriptions and style unmarred by the excesses of other latin poetry of the silver age. Jcent assessment of the fortuna of valerius flaccus epic concisely expresses a long standing. Apollonius rhodius argonautica, composed in the third century bce, is an epic retelling of jasons quest for the golden fleece. Originally written in the latter part of 1 ad, very little is known about the author of this work, gaius valerius flaccus. Argonautica valerius flaccus, gaius epic poetry, latin. Argonautica valerius flaccus harvard university press. This article undertakes a diachronic survey of the literary and artistic reception of valerius flaccusargonautica, from the flavian period down to the 20th century. Andrew zissos this commentary on the first book of valerius flaccus argonautica also includes an introduction, the text with apparatus criticus and a facing english translation. The commentary addresses both textual and semantic matters and broader questions of stylistics, poetics, thematics, and cultural context. Gaius valerius flaccus, a latin poet who flourished in the period ca.
One of the most important literary features of valerius flaccus epic is the. The argonautica apollonius of rhodes ancient greece. The argonautica of gaius valerius flaccus setinus balbus. Gaius valerius flaccus was a 1st century roman poet who flourished during the silver age under the flavian dynasty, and wrote a latin argonautica that. But it is greek epic poetry updated for the tastes of a more discerning and rational hellenistic audience.
It would be an understatement to say that interest in valerius flaccuss roman argonautica has increased in the first decade of this century. Apollonius rhodius, argonautica loeb classical library. Ad 90 was a 1st century roman poet who flourished during the silver age under the flavian dynasty, and wrote a latin argonautica that owes a great deal to apollonius of rhodes more famous epic. Gaius valerius flaccus is the author of argonautica 3. The work differs in many respects from the likethemed argonautica of apollonius rhodius, composed four centuries earlier in. Kleywegt, 97890049244, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. It greatly influenced roman authors such as catullus, virgil, and ovid, and was imitated by valerius flaccus. Valerius flaccus, argonautica loeb classical library. The argonautica was translated by varro atacinus, copied by ovid and virgil, and minutely studied by valerius flaccus in his poem of the same name. Valerius flaccus is one of those unique silver age poets whose life and work has been buried by the dust of time.
Reception of valerius flaccus argonautica springerlink. Along with his contemporaries callimachus and theocritus, apollonius refashioned greek poetry to meet the interests and aesthetics of a hellenistic audience, especially that of alexandria in the ptolemaic period following alexanders death. It is an epic poem in the style of homer, and tells the story of jason and the argonauts and their quest for the golden fleece. Gaius valerius flaccus, argonautica, book i, line 483 tr. The silver latin authors peculiar phraseology and choice of. Valerius flaccus, gaius, latin poet who flourished in the period ca. Punica, volume i, books 18 loeb classical library no. Valerius flaccus argonautica, book 1 a commentary andrew zissos. Reading models and the homeric program in valerius flaccus. Valerius flaccus, argonautica book 1 theoi classical.
Classical texts library valerius flaccus, argonautica book 3 valerius flaccus 3. This tale describes a voyage by heroes and demigods in the generation preceding those of the trojan war. Includes an introduction that sheds light on the authors style and language, his innovative use. Lets start with the address to the emperor in book 1. His only surviving work is an unfinished epic poem entitled the argonautica, describing the voyage of the argonauts in their quest for the golden fleece. Full text of the argonautica of gaius valerius flaccus. Edited with introduction, translation, and commentary. The argonautica is an epic poem probably intended to be in eight books though. The story of jason and the argonauts and their quest for the golden fleece is one of the oldest and most familiar tales in classical literature. The story of jason and the argonauts is one of the best known of ancient greek myths and has captivated people for over two and a half thousand years. The latin poet gaius valerius flaccus began his own. The first comprehensively annotated translation of the initial volume of this roman epic poem. On the part of apollonius there is a passage in the third book of the argonautica ll.
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