Carpe Diem - The Poetics of Presence in Greek and Latin Literature

"Carpe diem - "eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die!" - is a prominent motif throughout ancient literature and beyond. This is the first book-length examination of its significance and demonstrates that close analysis can make a key contribution to a question that is central to literary studies in and beyond Classics: how can poetry give us the almost magical impression that something is happening here and now? In attempting an answer, Robert A. Rohland gives equal attention to Greek and Latin texts, as he offers new interpretations of well-known poems from Horace and tackles understudied epigrams. Pairing close readings of ancient texts with interpretations of other forms of cultural production such as gems, cups, calendars, monuments, and Roman wine labels, this interdisciplinary study transforms our understanding of the motif of carpe diem"--

List of contents

1. The archaeology of Carpe Diem: Sardanapallus, monuments, epigrams, and false beginnings; 2. A moveable feast: Wine storage-places as drinkable calendars in Horace; 3. Gathering leaves: Horace, choice of words, cyclical time, and the production of presence; 4. The pleasure of images: Epigrams and objects 100 ¿¿ - ¿¿ 100; 5. As is the generation of leaves, so are the generations of cows, mice, and gigolos...: Excerpe Diem! or excerpts of 'Carpe Diem'.

About the author

Robert A. Rohland is a Junior Research Fellow (under Title A) at Trinity College Cambridge. His research focuses on two forms of ancient poetry: lyric and epigram, with equal attention to Greek and Latin material. He is also particularly interested in analysing poetry along other forms of ancient cultural production, such as artworks or calendars.

Product details

• Authors: Robert A Rohland, Robert A. Rohland, Robert A. (Trinity College Rohland
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press ELT
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 01.10.2022
• EAN: 9781316510827
• ISBN: 978-1-316-51082-7
• No. of pages: 320
• Series: Cambridge Classical Studies
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > General and comparative literary studies; Latin, HISTORY / Ancient / General, Literary studies: classical, early & medieval, Literary studies: poetry & poets, Ancient History, Classical history / classical civilisation, Ancient (Classical) Greek, Literary studies: ancient, classical and medieval, Literary studies: poetry and poets