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Ok, let's revisit V.55
Dic mihi, quem portas, volucrum regina? "Tonantem."
nulla manu quare fulmina gestat? "amat."
Quo calet igne deus? "pueri." cur mitis aperto
respicis ore Iovem? "de Ganymede loquor."
A kind reader of my blog has pointed out several things. My romantic inclination was imagining that Martial was talking to some old bird lady carrying the eagle. But now I understand the footnote given: we are to imagine him talking to a painting or other artwork picturing an eagle with Jupiter on his back. Volucrum regina = aquila. This interpretation, supported by some googled art (see other entry), makes better sense of such words as mitis--the eagle has a gentle mouth (as one might say of a hunting dog that doesn't bite into the prey it's fetched) because it isn't hunting.
Now I'm wondering how many other passages Martial has like this, talking to art.
If I do put together a unit of Martial for my students, I was thinking of grouping themes. There are numerous ones about writing and reciting poetry (both by M and by others, esp others ruining his poetry). There are the insults/the comic put-downs making fun of the average person. There are the gentle, heart-felt ones, like Erotion's death. Of course the Saturnalian ones, ones honoring the games/kiss-ups to the emperor, etc--but those latter ones don't interest me much.
So, does he talk to art much??
I don't know. I never took a course in Martial. But these are questions I'm willing to ponder.
I know there are names that repeat, people he constantly talks to/about. I want to look into that some more too. But sadly... I know my days for playing with this are numbered. It's Thursday; I haven't graded a thing and spring break is about to end.
Time to do a little googling for stuff on Martial....
Dic mihi, quem portas, volucrum regina? "Tonantem."
nulla manu quare fulmina gestat? "amat."
Quo calet igne deus? "pueri." cur mitis aperto
respicis ore Iovem? "de Ganymede loquor."
A kind reader of my blog has pointed out several things. My romantic inclination was imagining that Martial was talking to some old bird lady carrying the eagle. But now I understand the footnote given: we are to imagine him talking to a painting or other artwork picturing an eagle with Jupiter on his back. Volucrum regina = aquila. This interpretation, supported by some googled art (see other entry), makes better sense of such words as mitis--the eagle has a gentle mouth (as one might say of a hunting dog that doesn't bite into the prey it's fetched) because it isn't hunting.
Now I'm wondering how many other passages Martial has like this, talking to art.
If I do put together a unit of Martial for my students, I was thinking of grouping themes. There are numerous ones about writing and reciting poetry (both by M and by others, esp others ruining his poetry). There are the insults/the comic put-downs making fun of the average person. There are the gentle, heart-felt ones, like Erotion's death. Of course the Saturnalian ones, ones honoring the games/kiss-ups to the emperor, etc--but those latter ones don't interest me much.
So, does he talk to art much??
I don't know. I never took a course in Martial. But these are questions I'm willing to ponder.
I know there are names that repeat, people he constantly talks to/about. I want to look into that some more too. But sadly... I know my days for playing with this are numbered. It's Thursday; I haven't graded a thing and spring break is about to end.
Time to do a little googling for stuff on Martial....
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