EL USO DEL MITO EN STAT. SILVA 2,1

Abstract

Publius Papinius Statius' Silva 2,1 is an epicedio with a funeral theme that represents the mors inmatura of a freedman, Glaucias, and the pain of his tutor, Melior. While this poem is not the only one that represents the death of a slave, we can observe it has certain characteristics that differences it from the other silvae that make up this collection.  The most notable fact is that this epicedio could be read as an explanation for the filiation and strange relationship that Melior keeps with his adoptive son.

Likewise, through different sections of the poem (the lamentatio, the laudatio, the descriptio of the child's death, and the consolatio) the author compares the main characters of the scene with heroes and mythical characters so that parallelisms join, exemplify and illustrate the narrated facts. It is clear that such assimilations (or exempla) with mythology are used by the poet through different contexts to support each one of his arguments. Thus, throughout this lecture we will analyze the mythological vignettes that best represent each section, we will discuss with the specialized authors and we will propose a new look about the use of mythology in this poem that may appear to be more than just to join the narrated facts about the death of young Glaucias.