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Tópicos (México)

versão impressa ISSN 0188-6649

Tópicos (México)  no.33 México Dez. 2007

https://doi.org/10.21555/top.v33i1.161 

Artículos

Silenus’ Song (Virgil Ecl. 6.27-86) -A Source For Ovid’s Pythagoreanism in The Metamorphoses?

Marcus Nabielek* 

* Oriel College, University of Oxford, United Kingdom. E-mail: marcusnabielek@yahoo.de


Abstract

Pythagorean ideas in Silenus’ song in Virgil’s Eclogue 6 are set out. The role of music in ordering a transcendent, stable world and changing cosmos and in accessing the transcendent world is shown to be stressed by Virgil. A modern-philosophical account of musical transcendence is provided, as well as an explanation of its continued attractiveness for poets and philosophers who ponder the notion of immortality. The same ideas are then shown to be emphasised in Ovid’s Metamorphoses. The conclusion is drawn that the Metamorphoses owe their philosophical dimension to Virgil’s Pythagoreanism in Eclogue 6.

Key Words: Pythagoreanism; Immortality; Music; Silenus; ’Metamorphoses’

Resumen

Se exponen las ideas pitagóricas de la canción de Sileno en la Égloga 6 de Virgilio. Se muestra cómo Virgilio enfatiza el papel de la música como ordenadora de un mundo trascendente y estable, un cosmos cambiante y como acceso al mundo trascendental. Se proporciona una explicación moderno-filosófica de la trascendencia de la música, así como una explicación de la continua atracción que ésta tiene para poetas y filósofos que consideran la noción de inmortalidad. Después, se muestra que las mismas ideas son enfatizadas en las Metamorfosis de Ovidio. La conclusión es que las Metamorfosis deben su dimensión filosófica al pitagorismo de Virgilio en la Égloga 6.

Palabras clave: pitagorismo; inmortalidad; música; Sileno; Metamorfosis

Full text available only in PDF format.

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Received: March 13, 2007; Accepted: August 31, 2007

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