A Companion to Julius Caesar by Griffin Miriam;

Author:Griffin, Miriam;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated
Published: 2015-07-15T16:00:00+00:00

(Luc 9.980–6, trans. S. H. Braund)

Where Achilles had his Homer, and Alexander but the feeble Choerilus, Caesar will now have Lucan. The hero hastens on to Alexandria, pausing only to weep crocodile tears over the head of the fallen Pompey, and, ever the tourist, heads straight for the tomb of Alexander. Lucan launches into a vitriolic condemnation of Alexander (Luc. 10.20–44). Among the many insults heaped upon the Macedonian is the term “a star hostile to the peoples” (Luc. 10.35–6 sidus iniquum j gentibus). This is a clear allusion to the dog-star simile with which Homer evokes Achilles’ approach to the walls of Troy and, in particular, the star’s description as an evil sign and a bringer of fever to wretched mortals (Hom. Il. 22.25–32). But a few lines on in book 10, Cleopatra will flatter Caesar by calling him “a star favorable to our peoples” (Luc. 10.89–90 tu gentibus aequum j sidus ades nostris). Homeric allusion is but another weapon in her armory of seduction.

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