Elementi intervisuali nei ditirambi 17 e 18 di Bacchilide

This paper aims at analyzing Bacchylides' dithyrambs 17 and 18 on the deeds of Theseus under an intervisual point of view, in order to envisage allusions and references to contemporary artistic production. This is due to the fact that Theseus' saga flourishes in Athenian iconography between the sixth and the fifth century B.C., but does not receive adequate poetical treatment until the half of the fifth century. This kind of investigation also fournishes some useful suggestions concerning the occasion of the performance or re-performance of the dithyrambs, which may be represented by the Athenian festival of the Thargelia.