Polyphemus in classical literature, with special attention to Ovid's Metamorphoses

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dc.contributor.authorCummings, Michael Stephenen_US
dc.date.accessioned2024-08-13T18:16:45Z
dc.date.available2024-08-13T18:16:45Z
dc.date.copyright1989en_US
dc.date.issued1989
dc.degree.departmentDepartment of Classics
dc.degree.departmentDepartment of Greek and Roman Studies
dc.degree.levelMaster of Arts M.A.en
dc.description.abstractThis thesis explores the portrayal of the cyclops Polyphemus in Greek and Latin literature, focusing on Ovid, Theocritus, and Vergil. It places Metamorphoses 13.740-899 and 14.158-222 in the context of earlier depic­tions of Polyphemus in classical literature. In order to establish that context, this paper discusses all major mentions and portrayals of Polyphemus from Homer through to Ovid. Ovid's influence on later depictions of Polyphemus is analysed briefly within an appendix at the end. Chapter 1 covers the portrayals of Polyphemus before Ovid. It has five major sections: Homer, Euripides, satyr drama, Hellenistic poetry, and Vergil. This chapter is primarily descriptive. It determines that Homer, Epicharmus, Euripides, Philoxenus, Theocritus, and Vergil were most responsible for the continued development of Polyphemus as a literary subject. Theocritus and Vergil developed highly original, more human portrayals of the Cyclops as a rustic lover. The chapter illustrates the evolution of Polyphemus from a folktale ogre to a pitiable love-struck shepherd. In order to determine broadly a com­mon vocabulary and set of motifs for Polyphemus episodes, care is taken to indicate which innovations become strongly associated with Polyphemus. Chapter 2 analyses Ovid's two portrayals of Poly­phemus and places both in their context within the Metamorphoses. A brief digression on imitation and emula­tion is included. Detailed analysis of Metamorphoses 13.740-899 reveals it to be a thoroughly Ovidian adapta­tion of Vergil's Second Eclogue, Theocritus' Idyll 11 and Book 9 of Homer's Odyssey. At the same time, this passage is used to illustrate many characteristic features of Ovid's poetry. Metamorphoses 14.158-222 is shown to be principally an adaptation of a passage in Book 3 of Ver­gil's Aeneid. The close relationship between Ovid's two Polyphemus passages is illustrated. The chapter closes with a brief survey of other mentions of Polyphemus in Ovid. The appendix provides a survey of post-Ovidian Poly­phemus passages from the first century A.D. to Handel's two masques on the story of Polyphemus and Galatea.
dc.format.extent220 pages
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1828/17579
dc.rightsAvailable to the World Wide Weben_US
dc.titlePolyphemus in classical literature, with special attention to Ovid's Metamorphosesen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US

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