Vergil's Aeneid and the Roman Self: Subject and Nation in Literary Discourse

by Yasmin Syed

Overview

Now in Paper!

As the most widely read Roman poem in antiquity, the Aeneid was indelibly burned into the memories of generations of Roman school children. In this book, author Yasmin Syed analyzes the formative influence the poem exerted on its broad audience of educated Romans. Syed analyzes Roman pedagogy and reading practices as well as ancient beliefs about the powerful influence of poetry. Her study considers these cultural components together with the aspects of identity that define the Aeneid’s characters. By doing so, Syed shows how Vergil’s ancient audiences saw themselves—their experiences, goals, and values—reflected in the poem and guided by it. In particular, Syed’s treatment of gender and ethnicity brings to light the key role of Vergil’s poem in the formation of Romanness.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780472039166
Publisher:	University of Michigan Press
Publication date:	11/09/2022
Pages:	292
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Yasmin Syed is Lecturer in Classical Studies, University of California, Berkeley.

Table of Contents

Abbreviations xi

Introduction to the Second Edition xiii

Introduction 1

Part 1 The Aeneid and Roman Identity

Chapter 1 Vergil's Aeneid in Roman Imperial Culture 13

Chapter 2 Poetry, Power, and the Emotions 33

Part 2 The Reader's Subject Position

Chapter 3 The Gaze 53

Chapter 4 The Spectacle of Emotions 87

Part 3 Gender and Ethnicity

Chapter 5 Gendered Emotions 116

Chapter 6 Gendered Ethnicity 136

Chapter 7 Cleopatra and the Politics of Gendered Ethnicity 177

Chapter 8 Romanitas 194

Conclusion 224

Notes 229

Bibliography 255

List of Passages Cited 269

Index 273