Apocolocyntosis (ed. 2)
- Language:
- Latin
- Status:
- Complete work
- Authorship:
- Written by the author
- Condition of the text:
- No scanning noise detected (automatic measure over the whole text, not checked by hand)
- Extent:
- ~4,210 words · 20 passages
Cite this work
- APALucius Annaeus Seneca. (n.d.). Apocolocyntosis divi Claudii [Apocolocyntosis (ed. 2)]. Digital reproduction: SigPhi. https://sigphiai.com/en/works/seneca/apocolocyntosis-divi-claudii
- MLALucius Annaeus Seneca. Apocolocyntosis divi Claudii [Apocolocyntosis (ed. 2)]. Digital reproduction, SigPhi, https://sigphiai.com/en/works/seneca/apocolocyntosis-divi-claudii.
- ChicagoLucius Annaeus Seneca. Apocolocyntosis divi Claudii [Apocolocyntosis (ed. 2)]. Digital reproduction, SigPhi. https://sigphiai.com/en/works/seneca/apocolocyntosis-divi-claudii.
Reference to the edition that SigPhi reproduces: SigPhi is its digital reproduction, not its publisher. The edition's year is not in the metadata (hence "n.d."), and the translator appears only when recorded.
What it is about
Seneca's satire on the death of the emperor Claudius, who instead of being deified is turned into a pumpkin.
Context and history
It is the only Latin Menippean satire to reach us whole, and the contrast with the moral Seneca is so great it is hard to believe it the same man: here he is cruel, wildly funny and vengeful toward the emperor who had exiled him.
Editorial context, not a citable source: unlike the passages of the work itself, these statements cannot be checked against the corpus.
Delectabatur laudibus suis Claudius, et cupiebat diutius spectare. Inicit illi manum Talthybius deorum [nuntius] et trahit capite obvoluto, ne quis eum possit agnoscere, per campum Martium, et inter Tiberim et viam tectam descendit ad inferos. Antecesserat iam compendiaria Narcissus libertus ad patronum excipiendum, et venienti nitidus, ut erat a balineo, occurrit et ait: "Quid di ad homines?" "Celerius" inquit Mercurius "et venire nos nuntia." Dicto citius Narcissus evolat. Omnia proclivia sunt, facile descenditur. Itaque quamvis podagricus esset, momento temporis pervenit ad ianuam Ditis, ubi iacebat Cerberus vel ut ait Horatius "belua centiceps." Pusillum perturbatur—subalbam canem in deliciis habere adsueverat—ut illum vidit canem nigrum, villosum, sane non quem velis tibi in tenebris occurrere, et magna voce "Claudius" inquit "veniet." Cum plausu procedunt cantantes: heurêkamen, sugchairmen. Hic erat C. Silius consul designatus, Iuncus praetorius, Sex. Traulus, M. Helvius, Trogus, Cotta, Vettius Valens, Fabius equites R. quos Narcissus duci iusserat.…
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