Reading Lucan's Civil war : a critical guide / edited by Paul Roche.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Roche, P. A. (Paul A.), author.

Series:

Oklahoma series in classical culture ; v. 62.

Oklahoma series in classical culture ; volume 62

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Lucan, 39-65. Pharsalia.

Lucan.

Pharsalia (Lucan).

Rome--History--Civil War, 49-45 B.C--Literature and the war.

Rome.

War and literature.

Rome (Empire).

Genre:

History.

Literary criticism.

Physical Description:

viii, 338 pages : map ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

Norman : University of Oklahoma Press, [2021]

Summary:

"Critical guide of essays which explore the war between Julius Caesar and the forces of the republican senate from Lucan's epic poem, The Civil War"-- Provided by publisher.

"Born in 39 C.E., the Roman poet Lucan lived during the turbulent reign of the emperor Nero. Prior to his death in 65 C.E., Lucan wrote prolifically, yet beyond some fragments, only his epic poem, the Civil War, has survived. Acclaimed by critics as one of the greatest literary achievements of the Roman Empire, the Civil War is a stirring account of the war between Julius Caesar and the forces of the republican senate led by Pompey the Great. Reading Lucan's Civil War is the first comprehensive guide to this important poem. Accessible to all readers, it is especially well suited for students encountering the work for the first time. As the editor, Paul Roche, explains in his introduction, the Civil War (alternatively known in Latin as Bellum Civile, De Bello Civili, or Pharsalia) is most likely an unfinished work. Roche places the poem in historical and literary contexts that will be helpful to first-time readers. The volume presents, chapter-by-chapter, essays that cover each of the Civil War's ten extant books. Five further chapters address topics and issues pertaining to the entire work, including religion and ritual, philosophy, gender dynamics, and Lucan's relationships to Vergil and Julius Caesar. The contributors to this volume are all expert scholars who have published widely on Lucan's work and Roman imperial literature. Their essays provide readers with a detailed understanding of and appreciation for the poem's unique features. The contributors take special care to include translations of all original Latin passages and explain unfamiliar Latin and Greek terms. The volume is enhanced by a map of Lucan's Roman world and a glossary of key terms. "-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Machine generated contents note: 1. Book 1: A New Epic Program / Damien Nelis

2. Book 2: Civil War in Italy: Past, Present, and Future / Annemarie Ambtihl

3. Book 3: Crime and Reward / Christiane Reitz

4. Book 4: The Triumph of Paradox and Exemplarity / Paolo Esposito

5. Book 5: Mortal Authority and Cosmic Order / Christopher L. Caterine

6. Book 6: Thessalian Preludes / Andrew Zissos

7. Book 7: Things Fall Apart / Paul Roche

8. Book 8: The Remains of the Day / Martin T. Dinter

9. Book 9: Author and Authority, Caesar and Liberty / Michael Dewar

10. Book 10: The Living End / Paul Roche

11. Charging the Canon: Lucan and Vergil / Robert Cowan

12. Religion and Ritual in Lucan / Antony Augoustakis

13. Philosophy and the Aesthetics of Apostrophe in Lucan / Francesca Dalessandro Behr

14. Lucan as Caesar's Epic Successor / Lauren Donovan Ginsberg

15. Sex and Violence: Gender in the Civil War / Robert Cowan.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

ISBN:

9780806169392

0806169397

OCLC:

1250435423