Table Of ContentTacitus the Epic Successor
Mnemosyne
Supplements
Monographs on Greek and
Latin Language and Literature
EditorialBoard
G.J.Boter
A.Chaniotis
K.M.Coleman
I.J.F.deJong
T.Reinhardt
VOLUME345
Thetitlespublishedinthisseriesarelistedatbrill.nl/mns
Tacitus the Epic Successor
Virgil, Lucan, and the Narrative of Civil War
in the Histories
By
TimothyA.Joseph
LEIDEN•BOSTON
2012
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Joseph,TimothyA.
Tacitustheepicsuccessor:Virgil,Lucan,andthenarrativeofcivilwarintheHistories/by
TimothyA.Joseph.
pages.cm.–(Mnemosynesupplements;volume345)
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN978-90-04-22904-4(hardback:alk.paper)–ISBN978-90-04-23128-3(e-book)
1.Tacitus,Cornelius.Annales.2.Tacitus,Cornelius.Historiae.3.Rome–Historiography.4.Virgil.
5.Lucan,39-65.I.Title.II.Series:Mnemosyne,bibliothecaclassicaBatava.Supplementum;v.345.
DG206.T32J672012
937'.07–dc23
2012016508
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ISSN0169-8958
ISBN9789004229044(hardback)
ISBN9789004231283(e-book)
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UXORICARISSIMÆ
CONTENTS
Preface.................................................................. ix
Introduction.TacitustheEpicSuccessor ............................... 1
Virgil,Tacitus,andtheTropeofRepetition ........................ 3
EpicAllusionintheHistories....................................... 9
Tacitus’Readers .................................................... 13
Lucan’sDeathandAfterlifeinAnn.15.70........................... 17
MaternusandVirgilintheDialogus................................ 18
AVirgilianStylisticProgram:Ann.3.55.5and4.32.2 ................ 22
1. HistoryasEpic ..................................................... 29
Opusadgredior ..................................................... 30
Tacitus’ExpansiveWars............................................ 33
Inmediasres........................................................ 37
TheCatalogueofCombatants...................................... 42
ForeshadowingintheCatalogue ................................... 48
AModelReadingofCivilWar:Hist.1.50............................ 53
PharsaliamPhilippos ............................................... 57
AProemintheMiddle ............................................. 62
“TheSameAngeroftheGods”...................................... 67
“TheSameMadnessofHumans” ................................... 73
2. TheDeathsofGalbaandtheDesecrationofRome................. 79
GalbaandPriam.................................................... 79
AdditionalGalbanIntertexts(byWayofPriam?) .................. 85
TheSceneoftheCrime............................................. 88
Galba’sDeathLivesOn............................................. 95
GalbaandtheCapitol:Repetitions................................. 98
AFallWorsethanTroy’s ........................................... 103
MoreWar(andMoreVirgil)atRome .............................. 106
3. TheBattlesofCremona ............................................ 113
TheTwoCremonas:Repetitions ................................... 115
EverFleetingCommiseration ...................................... 121
TheSiegesatPlacentiaandCremona .............................. 126
viii contents
EpicBattlesFoughtagainatCremona ............................. 129
TheSettlementofCremona—intoFlames......................... 135
ASnapshotofCivilWar’sRepetitiveness:Hist.2.70 ................ 144
4. Otho’sExemplaryResponse........................................ 153
Inullumreipublicaeusum.......................................... 156
OthotheAnti-Aeneas? ............................................. 159
Epilogue.“SavageEveninItsPeace”.................................... 169
CivilWarintheSenate............................................. 172
“SavageryintheCity”intheLostBooks?........................... 180
Bibliography............................................................ 191
GeneralIndex........................................................... 205
IndexofPassagesDiscussed ............................................ 209
PREFACE
MyinquiryintoTacitus’relationshipwithVirgilandLucanbeganwiththe
workformydoctoraldissertation,whichIcompletedatHarvardUniversity
in May 2007. For the present volume much has been added, much sub-
tracted,andquiteabitofmaterialoverhauled.Forhelpwiththisproject
overthepastseveralyearsIhavemanytothank.
Richard Thomas has been a source of intellectual inspiration and of
supportabovo.Heservedasmydissertationdirector,readandcommented
on a draft of the entire book manuscript at a late stage, and has been of
helpininnumerableotherwaysovertheyears.IalsoowemuchtoKathleen
Coleman,whostoodonmydissertationcommitteeandimprovedthework
inmanywayswithhercomments,andhasatalltimesbeengenerouswith
hertime,counsel,andencouragement.Iamsimilarlygratefulforthecareful
eyesandexpertiseofChristopherKrebs,thefinalmemberofmycommittee.
WearenowinanaetasTaciteana,witharichabundanceofmonographs,
commentaries,companions,andreaderseitherrecentlypublishedornow
intheworks.NoscholarismoreresponsibleforthisboominTaciteanstud-
ies than Tony Woodman. To him I am eminently thankful for reading an
entiredraftofthisstudyandofferinginvaluablecritiques,corrections,and
suggestions,bigandsmall.TheastonishingspeedwithwhichTonydidthis
isfurthertestamenttohisgenerosity.OverthepastfewyearsIhavealso
benefitedfromconversationandcorrespondenceaboutpointsofdetailin
thisbook,oraboutTacitusmoregenerally,withSalvadorBartera,Christo-
pherWhitton,andMelanieMarshall,whokindlysharedwithmeasection
ofherownongoingworkonTacitus’relationshipwithLucan.ElizabethKei-
telalsogenerouslysentacopyofherrecentwritingonTacitustome.AndI
owemanythankstothebook’sanonymousreaders,whosecommentsand
correctionshaveimproveditincountlessways.Allremainingerrors,obfus-
cations, and oversights are my own doing. I am also appreciative of the
assistanceandtimelinessofCarolinevanErp,IrenevanRossum,andthe
restoftheeditorialstaffatBrill.
PartsoftheIntroductionandofChapter3appearedinanearlierform
inthechaptertitled“Acrursusnoualaborumfacies:Tacitus’Repetitionof
Virgil’sWarsatHistories3.26–34”inLatinHistoriographyandPoetryinthe
EarlyEmpire:GenericInteractions(Brill,2010).Iamgratefultotheeditors
ofthatvolume,JohnF.MillerandTonyWoodman,alongwithJohnJacobs,
Description:Allusions to the epic poets Virgil and Lucan in the writing of the Roman historian Tacitus (c. 55 - c. 120 C.E.) have long been noted. This monograph argues that Tacitus fashions himself as a rivaling literary successor to these poets; and that the emulative allusions to Virgil's 'Aeneid' and Lucan'
