Panegyricus de Sexto Consulatu Honorii Augusti

The first edited text, translation, and literary commentary of the De Sexto by Claudian. The poem is both a superb example of the literature of late antiquity and a unique historical wirness to the teetering collapse of the Roman Empire. A celebration of the defeat of Alaric the Visigoth's first invasion (AD 402), Claudian's confident prediction that Rome will never be troubled again provides vivid insight into the clinging perceptions of the myth of "eternal Rome"
in the ancient world.

Summary

Claudian is often called the last poet of the classical tradition. This is the first ever English edition of his last extant work, with a full introduction, newly edited text, facing English translation, and commentary. It shows Claudian at the height of his considerable powers. A superb example of the literature of late antiquity, it records in exquisite and glittering verse the splendour of the western imperial court; but it is also a unique historical witness to the events and attitudes of the last years of the Roman empire.
The poem celebrates the defeat of Alaric the Visigoth's first invasion of Italy (AD 402), and, ironically, predicts that he will never trouble the Romans again. Only a few years later (in 410), Alaric went on to capture Rome itself - the first capture of the city by a foreign army in eight centuries - shaking the ancient world's perception of Rome's imperial destiny to the foundations.
This book provides a detailed analysis not only of the historical background but above all of Claudian's language, style, imagery, and impressive use of a wide range of other Greek and Latin sources.

Additional text

particularly revealing about the spectacle and ceremony so important in Late Antiquity ... a commentary of high quality ... Dewar has been able to compose something approaching an encyclopaedic commentary of the old school ... well beyond the confines of the actual work being studied ... accessible and enjoyable ... well-conceived, well-executed ... absorbing work of scholarship

Product details

• Authors: Claudian
• Assisted by: Michael Dewar (Editor), Michael Dewar (Editor and translation)
• Publisher: Oxford Academic
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 12.12.1996
• EAN: 9780198149644
• ISBN: 978-0-19-814964-4
• Dimensions: 146 mm x 224 mm x 31 mm
• Weight: 735 g
• Subjects: Fiction > Poetry, drama > Poetry; Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > Classical linguistics / literary studies; European History, Prose: non-fiction, Latin, LITERARY CRITICISM / Ancient & Classical, Literature - Classics / Criticism, Literary studies: classical, early & medieval, Ancient Rome, Literary studies: poetry & poets, Poetry by individual poets, Ancient History, Biography and non-fiction prose, Ancient history: to c 500 CE, Literary studies: ancient, classical and medieval, Literary studies: poetry and poets