Antichistica

Collana | Antichistica
Miscellanea | ΦΑΙΔΙΜΟΣ ΕΚΤΩΡ
Capitolo | Ovid and the Ass (Fast. 1.391-440, 6.319-46)

Ovid and the Ass (Fast. 1.391-440, 6.319-46)

Abstract

The focus of this paper is the double aetiology of the very first sacrifice of the ass in Ovid’s Fasti 1 and 6. I explore Ovid’s sources, in particular Hyginus’ Astronomica and Eratosthenes’ Catasterismoi and argue that the two Ovidian episodes look back to two Eratosthenic aetiological variants, both of which pertain to the catasterisation of the Asses. Regarding the significance of Priapus’ episode in the sacrificial list of Book 1, the sacrifice of the ass is programmatic for Ovid’s elegiac project: the donkey deserves to be sacrificed, since through its actions it undermines Priapus’ elegiac love and so poses a serious threat to the generic identity of the work. In Book 6 the ass is endowed with a national dimension, which was already inherent in Hyginus’ Eratosthenic version of the myth.


Open access

Presentato: 17 Maggio 2021 | Accettato: 23 Giugno 2021 | Pubblicato 16 Dicembre 2021 | Lingua: en

Keywords Hyginus’ AstronomicaAssPriapusSacrificeProgrammaticEratosthenes’ Catasterismoi


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