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Some Critical Observations on Valerius Flaccus' ArgonavticaI

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 February 2009

R. W. Garson
R. W. Garson
Affiliation:
University of Adelaide
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Extract

This is the first of two articles attempting a literary assessment of Valerius Flaccus' Argonautica. It will examine the poem from the beginning to 3. 474, and its successor will cover from 4. 58 to the end. Thus, there will be no overlap with matter already printed in my article, ‘The Hylas Episode in Valerius Flaccus' Argonautica’ (C.Q. N.S. xiii [1963], 260–7), and instances of the poet's application in other sections of the same literary principles as in the Hylas story may now be dealt with summarily. The episodes are treated in order of importance rather than of occurrence, with the emphasis at present on broad outlines rather than linguistic or metrical minutiae. Even within these limitations, this assessment does not aim at exhaustiveness. Where a section of the Argonautica is unremarkable and throws little light on Valerius' poetic method, pro re pauca loquar.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Classical Quarterly , Volume 14 , Issue 2 , December 1964 , pp. 267 - 279
Copyright
Copyright © The Classical Association 1964

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References

page 274 note 1 Mozley's footnote (pp. 80–81 of the Loeb edition of Valerius Flaccus) to the effect that Venus is seeking vengeance for Vulcan's detection of her intrigue with Mars is probably not correct. The question must be decided by Arg. 2. 98–102 contra Veneris stat frigida semper | ara loco, meritas postquam dea coniugis iras | horruit et tacitae Martem tenuere catenae. | quocirca struit ilia nefas Lemnoque merenti | exitium fwriale mouet. It is likely that the sentence beginning quocirca harks back to the principal thought that Venus' altar stands cold, while the temporal clauses merely mark the time when the neglect began and imply the reason for it.

page 274 note 2 So very allusive indeed that it must remain unintelligible until the explanation of the labores, crimen matrum, and meritum prius is read below. The first two, referring to the murder of the Lemnian men, take over 100 lines to unfold, while the last is explained summarily at 2. 92–93

page 275 note 1 Valerius follows the rarer tradition that equates Hypsipyle's father with the tyrant of the Tauric Chersonese (2. 301–2).

page 276 note 1 An incidental, and perhaps accidental, point of contact in this simile is that Daedalus o aviation what Jason wawas ts to navigation.

page 277 note 1 Their first night at sea later evokes what must be one of the finest descriptions in Latin epic (2. 38–47).