Claudian and the Roman Epic Tradition [Hardcover]

As the self-styled successor of Virgil, Claudian redefines the world of late antiquity in terms of classical Latin epic.Panegyrist of the emperor Honorius and propagandist of Stilicho, the late antique poet Claudian has traditionally been the preserve of historians rather than literary critics. This book examines Claudian as epic poet and literary successor of Virgil, showing how he presented contemporary events in terms of classical epic.Panegyrist of the emperor Honorius and propagandist of Stilicho, the late antique poet Claudian has traditionally been the preserve of historians rather than literary critics. This book examines Claudian as epic poet and literary successor of Virgil, showing how he presented contemporary events in terms of classical epic.The historical importance of Claudian as writer of panegyric and propaganda for the court of Honorius is well established but his poetry has been comparatively neglected: only recently has his work been the subject of modern literary criticism. Taking as its starting point Claudian's claim to be the heir to Vergil, this book examines his poetry as part of the Roman epic tradition. Discussing first what we understand by epic and its relevance for late antiquity, Catherine Ware argues that, like Vergil and later Roman epic poets, Claudian analyses his contemporary world in terms of classical epic. Engaging intertextually with his literary predecessors, Claudian updates concepts such as furor and concordia, redefining Romanitas to exclude the increasingly hostile east, depicting enemies of the west as new Giants and showing how the government of Honorius and his chief minister, Stilicho, have brought about a true golden age for the west.Introduction; 1. Panegyric-epic; 2. Roman epic; 3. Defining the empire; 4. Cycles of time; 5. Enemies of Roman order; 6. The golden age I: Virgil and Claudian; 7. The golden age II: the individual. This monograph is a refreshing contribution to Claudian scholarship which serves to revels+