I've just been reading (though it was published in 1997) Michael Paschalis 'Virgil's Aeneid: semantic relations and proper names' (though it was published in 1997 (Oxford), Michael Paschalis 'Virgil's Aeneid, semantic relations and proper names' which studies the clues left in V's wording to his overall meaning. I had just asked you, colleagues, whether you thought that it was absolutely clear that the vision of Caesar and Pompey (VI 826) does really and unequivocally assign the major responsibility for civil war to C.
Pachalis argues that the word-associations here link both Caesar and Pompey with light, mainly because the Alps are a shining range of mountains and Pompey has the light of the east. 'Light against light' might form an interestingly anti-Platonic image. But if it is useful to press words for their meaning in this way, two conflicting stories seem to emerge. The favourable view for Caesar is that 'descending alone from the height, and gathering support' is Laocoon's function, as Paschalis mentions. So Caesar is succeeding in saving the City from an evil conspiracy, succeeding where Laocoon failed. On the other hand, the Alps may be shiny and bright, but for a Roman they were linked with Hannibal, ie with Punica Fides or treachery. The brightness of the high mountains is also associated with snow, ice, coldness. Paschalis mentions the meaning of 'Arx Monoeci' (Monaco, presented as if it were Caesar's base). This is the 'Citadel of the One who dwells alone', even 'Tower of Solitude' - which suggests a powerful figure gathering his forces but in some significant sense still isolated. A rather grim, Tolkienesque image. Pompey's friends, the 'Armies of the Dawn' seem to be altogether nicer people. Did V really weigh every word and load every word with meaning to the extent that Paschalis supposes? - Martin Hughes ----------------------------------------------------------------------- To leave the Mantovano mailing list at any time, do NOT hit reply. Instead, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message "unsubscribe mantovano" in the body (omitting the quotation marks). You can also unsubscribe at http://virgil.org/mantovano/mantovano.htm#unsub
