De agna haedoque Fauno immolandis (Hor. Carm. 1, 4, 11–12)

Authors

  • Elias R. Gimadeev Moscow State University, Leninskie gory, 1, str. 51, Moscow, 119234, Russian Federation

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21638/11701/spbu20.2017.112

Abstract

The author focuses his analysis on the sacrifice of an ewe lamb and/or a buckling mentioned in the problematic locus of Horace. He notices that the expression agna sive haedo occurs only twice in Latin literature. Both times it is used by Horace (which probably explains the dark Servius auctus’ comment to the similar usage by Virgil, Aen. 8, 641). Basing on different ancient sources and secondary literature, the author comes to conclusion that the usage of agna with haedus in the sacrifice in honor of Faunus, notwithstanding the Roman custom, which prescribed male victims for male gods, relates to the poetic language of Horace. This explanation virtually differs from that proposed by R. G. M. Nisbet and M. Hubbard, who tend to explain this double sacrifice by the Greek tradition of sacrificial offering to Priapus. Supporting his conclusion the author also reveals that in certain cases Romans did sacrifice female victims to male gods, especially in the official cult (hostia honoraria). Refs 7.

Keywords:

Horace, odes, sacrifice in ancient Rom, sacrificial animals

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References

Diederich S. Der Horazkommentar des Porphyrio im Rahmen der kaiserzeitlichen Schul- und Bildungstradition. Berlin — New York, De Gruyter, 1999.

Krause C. De Romanorum hostiis quaestiones selectae. Diss. Marpurgi Cattorum, 1894.

Latte K. Römische Religionsgeschichte. München, C. H. Beck, 1960.

Mankin D. (ed.) Horace. Epodes. Cambridge, CUP, 1995.

Mastellone I. E. Osservazioni di lingua nel commento di Porfirione ad Orazio. Bolletino di Studi Latini 1994, 24, 101–128.

Nisbet R. G. M., Hubbard M. (eds) A Commentary on Horace. Odes. Book I. Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1970.

Wissowa G. Religion und Kultus der Römer. München, C. H. Beck, 21912.

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Published

2017-09-20

How to Cite

Gimadeev, E. (2017). De agna haedoque Fauno immolandis (Hor. Carm. 1, 4, 11–12). Philologia Classica, 12(1), 115–118. https://doi.org/10.21638/11701/spbu20.2017.112

Issue

Vol. 12 No. 1 (2017)

Section

Miscellanea

License

Articles of "Philologia Classica" are open access distributed under the terms of the License Agreement with Saint Petersburg State University, which permits to the authors unrestricted distribution and self-archiving free of charge.