The Mythic Voice of Statius: Power and Politics in the ThebaidBRILL, 1994 - 198 sider This is the first thematic study of Statius' "Thebaid" to be published in monograph form in English in the past twenty years. It examines in detail the thematic design and intent of the "Thebaid" and considers the question of its contemporary relevance. The book focuses on the central theme of power - how it is exercised on the supernatural and human levels and the consequences of its pursuit and abuse in terms of the human condition. An ensuing discussion explores the political undercurrents of the epic. This discussion is in four main parts: (1) 'Use and Abuse of Supernatural Power'; (2) 'Pursuit and Abuse of Monarchal Power'; (3) 'Consequences of the Abuse of Power'; and (4) 'Political Relevance to Contemporary Rome'. The views expressed represent a fundamental departure from previous studies and constitute a critical reassessment of the "Thebaid," The provision of translations makes the book accessible to the Latinless reader. |
Indhold
Use and Abuse of Supernatural Power | 1 |
Pursuit and Abuse of Monarchal Power | 76 |
Consequences of the Abuse of Power | 99 |
Political Relevance to Contemporary Rome | 130 |
Theban and Imperial Courts | 148 |
Theseus and Domitian | 156 |
Domitian | 167 |
Divine | 176 |
Works Cited and Abbreviations Used | 184 |
191 | |
Almindelige termer og sætninger
actions Adrastus Aeneid Amphiaraus Apollo appears Argia Argive Argos asserts Athenian attempt audience Bacchus battle brothers Cadmus Capaneus challenge connexion contemporary Coroebus corpses Creon crimes criticism Crotopus cruel death deities depicted destiny destruction Dio Cassius divine Domitian emperor epic Epigr episode Eteocles Eteocles and Polynices exile Fata fate figures Flavian fratricide Furies furor goddess gods hostility human Hypsipyle imperial incite infernal innocent instigated intervention Juno Jupiter Jupiter's Laius Lemnian women Lemnos Maeon main narrative malevolent Mars martial Megaera Menoeceus Minerva Nero Oedipus Olympian council Opheltes Parthenopaeus Pietas Pluto poem poet political Polynices portrayed Psamathe punishment references reign responsible retribution reveals rôle Roman Rome ruler scene Schetter Silv Silvae slaying spear speech Statius Stoic suffering suggests supernatural powers Tacitus Theb Thebaid Theban Theban monarchs Thebes Thebes and Argos Theseus throne thunderbolt Tisiphone Titus tragic Tydeus tyranny tyrant underworld Venus Vessey victims violence warriors