The cosmic viewpoint : a study of Seneca's Natural questions / Gareth D. Williams.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Williams, Gareth D.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Seneca, Lucius Annaeus, approximately 4 B.C.-65 A.D. Naturales quaestiones.

Seneca, Lucius Annaeus.

Science, Ancient--Historiography.

Science, Ancient.

Meteorology--Historiography.

Meteorology.

Physical Description:

xi, 392 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

New York : Oxford University Press, [2012]

Contents:

1 Inferiority and Cosmic Consciousness in the Natural Questions 17

I Seneca's Totalizing Worldview 17

II The Senecan Worldview Defined by Contrast with Cicero 21

III Interiorization in the Preface to Book 3 29

IV The Differing World Outlooks of Seneca and Pliny 37

V The Natural Questions in Sociopolitical Context 48

2 Seneca's Moralizing Interludes 54

I The Problem 54

II Hostius Quadra as the Anti-Sapiens 55

III The Unified World as Drawn in Books 1 and 2.1-11 60

IV Hostius Quadra and Seneca's Interlocutor in Book 1 67

V Of Subterranean Fish and Degenerate Diners in 3.17-18 75

VI Further Transgressions in 5.15 and 7.31-32 80

VII The Textual Containment of Vice 87

3 The Cataclysm and the Nile 93

I Introduction 93

II The Vice of Flattery 95

III Lucilius in the Preface 102

IV The Cataclysm of 3.27-30 no V. Into Egypt 116

VI The Nile, the Cataclysm and Ovid 124

VII The Missing Link, and Other Theories of the Nile Flood 132

4 The Rhetoric of Science 136

I Introduction 136

II 4D.13 in Context 137

III The Rhetoric of Science 144

IV Strategies of Argument in 4D.3-7 149

A Reliance on Influential Authority 150

B Argument by Analogy 153

C Argument by Bold Inference 155

D Competing Arguments 157

E Superstition in Contention with Reason 160

V The Better Argument 162

VI Book 4b in Context 168

5 Seneca on Winds 171

I Introduction 171

II Pre-Stoic and Stoic Theories of Wind 174

III Senecas Typology of Winds 183

IV Mapping the Winds 193

A The Cardinal Winds in Ovid 193

B The Varronian Compass Card 195

C The Twelve Sectors 200

D Local Winds 200

V Wind Direction, Human Misdirection 202

VI The Roman Dimension 209

6 Earthquakes, Consolation and the Senecan Sublime 213

I Introduction 213

II Consolatory Amplification Before Reduction 215

III Sublime Superiority over Nature 219

IV The Two Verse Quotations at 6.2.1-3 and 6.2.9 226

V Controlling Nature in the Senecan Inventory (6.4-26) 230

A Taking Stock of Earlier Seismological Investigation 231

B From Sight to Insight 232

C From Analogical Inference to Abstract Speculation 237

D The Living Cosmos 241

E Elemental Interchangeability Revisited 246

F The Normalization of Seismic Experience 247

VI The Totum in Book 6 251

VII The Campanian Earthquake in Perspective 255

7 Seneca on Comets and Ancient Cometary Theory 258

I Introduction 258

II Seneca on Progress, on Hostius Quadra and on Nature's Mysteries 263

III Sub-and Supralunary Interpretation of Comets 273

IV The Whirlwind Theory 278

V The Optical Illusion Theory 281

VI The Planetary Theory 286

VII The Senecan Theory 289

8 Seneca on Lightning and Divination 295

I Introduction 295

II Coordination Between 2.12-30 and 2.54-58 299

III The Totalizing Worldview: Strategies of Unification in 2.1, 2.12-30 and 2.54-58 303

A 2.1-11 304

B 2.12-30 and 2.54-58 306

C 2.32-51 312

IV Seneca on Divination in 2.32-51 314

A Reconciling Prayer and Expiation with a Deterministic View of Fate (2.35-38) 319

B The "Scientific" Classification of Lightning (2.39-40) 324

C Senecas Rationalization of Etruscan Belief (2.42.-46) 328

D Caecina and Attalus (2.48.2-50) 330

V Taking Stock 332.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780199731589

0199731586

OCLC:

739645963