This dissertation deals with the Sapphic stanzas composed by an ancient poet, Horace, and by two late Latin poets, Ausonius and Prudentius. In the first chapter I point out that from Horace to medieval poetry there is a strict connection between the Sapphic meter and hymnody; Prudentius is a key figure in the evolution of the poetry in Sapphics: he is the link between Horace’s Sapphic poems and medieval hymns. Then, I state that Christian hymnodists considered Horace their classical antecedent in the genre of hymnody, along with David, whose Psaltery is a model for Christian hymns. The second and the third chapters are the core of my dissertation: they focus on Prudentius’ Cath. 8 and its relationship with Horace’s Carmen saeculare. I first examine the collocation of Cath. 8 in the collection of the hymns for every hour, then I analyse its biblical narrative, in which I find a baptismal symbolism. In the third chapter, I try not to be influenced by political prejudices on the Secular song, but I seek to read Horace’s poem as late antique poets read it – as a hymn, not as a political ode. At the end of my analysis of Horace’s influence on Cath. 8, I draw the conclusion that Prudentius recalls just those Horatian poems that can be considered hymns or odes on morality. After that, I address the issue of the singing of Horace’s poems through the centuries and last I focus on phonic and rhythmic aspects of Prudentius’ lyrical poetry. In the last chapter I investigate the relationship between Horace and Ausonius through the perspective of a single poem, Ephem. 1; a metaliterary reflection at the end of Ephem. 1 paves the way to a metapoetical use of the Sapphic stanzas. Finally, I compare Prudentius’ Cathemerinon with Ausonius’ Ephemeris in order to see how Prudentius both recalls and distances himself from Ausonius’ poetry.

LE STROFI SAFFICHE IN ORAZIO, AUSONIO E PRUDENZIO: TRA INNODIA E POESIA PROFANA / E. Castelnuovo ; tutor: P. Moretti; coordinatore: A. Cadioli. DIPARTIMENTO DI STUDI LETTERARI, FILOLOGICI E LINGUISTICI, 2018 Feb 06. 29. ciclo, Anno Accademico 2017. [10.13130/e-castelnuovo_phd2018-02-06].

LE STROFI SAFFICHE IN ORAZIO, AUSONIO E PRUDENZIO: TRA INNODIA E POESIA PROFANA

E. Castelnuovo
2018

Abstract

This dissertation deals with the Sapphic stanzas composed by an ancient poet, Horace, and by two late Latin poets, Ausonius and Prudentius. In the first chapter I point out that from Horace to medieval poetry there is a strict connection between the Sapphic meter and hymnody; Prudentius is a key figure in the evolution of the poetry in Sapphics: he is the link between Horace’s Sapphic poems and medieval hymns. Then, I state that Christian hymnodists considered Horace their classical antecedent in the genre of hymnody, along with David, whose Psaltery is a model for Christian hymns. The second and the third chapters are the core of my dissertation: they focus on Prudentius’ Cath. 8 and its relationship with Horace’s Carmen saeculare. I first examine the collocation of Cath. 8 in the collection of the hymns for every hour, then I analyse its biblical narrative, in which I find a baptismal symbolism. In the third chapter, I try not to be influenced by political prejudices on the Secular song, but I seek to read Horace’s poem as late antique poets read it – as a hymn, not as a political ode. At the end of my analysis of Horace’s influence on Cath. 8, I draw the conclusion that Prudentius recalls just those Horatian poems that can be considered hymns or odes on morality. After that, I address the issue of the singing of Horace’s poems through the centuries and last I focus on phonic and rhythmic aspects of Prudentius’ lyrical poetry. In the last chapter I investigate the relationship between Horace and Ausonius through the perspective of a single poem, Ephem. 1; a metaliterary reflection at the end of Ephem. 1 paves the way to a metapoetical use of the Sapphic stanzas. Finally, I compare Prudentius’ Cathemerinon with Ausonius’ Ephemeris in order to see how Prudentius both recalls and distances himself from Ausonius’ poetry.
6-feb-2018
Settore L-FIL-LET/04 - Lingua e Letteratura Latina
Settore L-FIL-LET/06 - Letteratura Cristiana Antica
Prudentius; Horace; Ausonius; Late Latin Poetry; hymnody; Sapphic strophe
MORETTI, PAOLA FRANCESCA
CADIOLI, ALBERTO VALERIO
Doctoral Thesis
LE STROFI SAFFICHE IN ORAZIO, AUSONIO E PRUDENZIO: TRA INNODIA E POESIA PROFANA / E. Castelnuovo ; tutor: P. Moretti; coordinatore: A. Cadioli. DIPARTIMENTO DI STUDI LETTERARI, FILOLOGICI E LINGUISTICI, 2018 Feb 06. 29. ciclo, Anno Accademico 2017. [10.13130/e-castelnuovo_phd2018-02-06].
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
phd_unimi_R10533.pdf

Open Access dal 05/08/2019

Tipologia: Tesi di dottorato completa
Dimensione 3.26 MB
Formato Adobe PDF
3.26 MB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri
Pubblicazioni consigliate

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/547144
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus ND
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? ND
social impact