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Intertextuality and Poetic Voice in Theocritus’ Idyll 3

Intertextuality and Poetic Voice in Theocritus’ Idyll 3 The core of Idyll 3 is well known: an anonymous aipolos entrusts his flock to a friend, Tityrus, in order to be able to sing for his beloved Amaryllis outside her cave (1 Κωµάσδω ποτὶ τὰν Ἀµαρυλλίδα / ‘I shall serenade Amaryllis’).1 This way, the goatherd hopes to win the love of the unruly girl, but she does not yield to the amorous advances of the unfortunate aipolos. In his serenade (40-51), the goatherd is recalling specific scenes from mythology, and particular passages of archaic poetry, that fit his own humble station whether in theme or verbal usage. As has often been observed, also in recent contributions, it is a situation of artistic burlesque (the lowly figure of imitating the elevated).2 Yet, examining the use of Homeric and Hesiodic allusions in the goatherd’s mythological catalogue allows us to challenge this currently accepted view on the myths that he sings. Two points seem to add a significant extra layer of interpretation. First, the Homeric and Hesiodic allusions refer to further exempla, and hence enrich the song for the reader. Through the song of this simple aipolos, the poet challenges the reader to follow his own evocation, and adaptation, of Homer http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Mnemosyne Brill

Intertextuality and Poetic Voice in Theocritus’ Idyll 3

Chesi, Giulia Maria
Mnemosyne , Volume 71 (3): 8 – Apr 24, 2018
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References (11)

Publisher
Brill
Copyright
Copyright © Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands
ISSN
0026-7074
eISSN
1568-525X
DOI
10.1163/1568525X-12342227
Publisher site
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Abstract

The core of Idyll 3 is well known: an anonymous aipolos entrusts his flock to a friend, Tityrus, in order to be able to sing for his beloved Amaryllis outside her cave (1 Κωµάσδω ποτὶ τὰν Ἀµαρυλλίδα / ‘I shall serenade Amaryllis’).1 This way, the goatherd hopes to win the love of the unruly girl, but she does not yield to the amorous advances of the unfortunate aipolos. In his serenade (40-51), the goatherd is recalling specific scenes from mythology, and particular passages of archaic poetry, that fit his own humble station whether in theme or verbal usage. As has often been observed, also in recent contributions, it is a situation of artistic burlesque (the lowly figure of imitating the elevated).2 Yet, examining the use of Homeric and Hesiodic allusions in the goatherd’s mythological catalogue allows us to challenge this currently accepted view on the myths that he sings. Two points seem to add a significant extra layer of interpretation. First, the Homeric and Hesiodic allusions refer to further exempla, and hence enrich the song for the reader. Through the song of this simple aipolos, the poet challenges the reader to follow his own evocation, and adaptation, of Homer

Journal

Mnemosyne – Brill

Published: Apr 24, 2018

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