The Art of Complicity in Martial and Statius: Martial's Epigrams, Statius' Silvae, and Domitianic Rome

Description

The Art of Complicity in Martial and Statius examines the relationship between politics and aesthetics in two poets from the reign of Domitian. Gunderson offers a comprehensive overview of the Epigrams of Martial and the Siluae of Statius. The praise of power found in these texts is not something forced upon these poems, nor is it a mere appendage to these works. Instead, power and poetry as a pair are a fundamental dyad that can and should be traced throughout the two collections. It is present even when the emperor himself is not the topic of discussion. In Martial the portrait of power is constantly shifting. Poetic play takes up the topic of political power and 'plays around with it'. The initial relatively sportive attitude darkens over time. Late in the game we have ecstasies of humiliation. After Domitian dies the project tries to get back to the old games, but it cannot. Statius' Siluae merge the lies one tells to power with the lies of poetry more generally. Poetic mastery and political mastery cannot be dissociated. The glib, glitzy poetry of contemporary life articulates a radical modernism that is self-authorizing, and so complicit with a power whose structure it mirrors. What does it mean to praise praise poetry? To celebrate celebrations? Gunderson's discussion opens and closes with a meditation upon the dangers of complicit criticism and the seductions of a discourse of pure art in a world where the art is anything but pure. Cover The Art of Complicity in Martial and Statius: The Epigrams, Siluae, and Domitianic Rome Copyright Dedication Contents Acknowledgements 1: Introduction 2: Martial’s Epigrams as Domitianic Literature A. “But now I know that you really are going to Rome” B. Welcome to the show: Epigrams 1 i. Run, rabbit, run ii. Power and play in the hare and now iii. Stage-managingthe passions iv. It’s not just about rabbits, you see C. To whom it may concern: Epigrams 2+ D. Trust and truth: a confidence game in Book 5 E. Bigger, better . . . and badder: Book 6 F. High and mighty; near and far: Book 7 G. Turning things outside-in:Book 8 H. A poet’s will to power: Epigrams 9.pr I. Agony, ecstasy, and emperor: Epigrams 9.1–4 J. Managing to both hit and miss the mark: anxiety and Epigrams 9.5 K. Assigning a name to the Domitianic condition, or not i. Unspeakably something: the Earinus cycle begins (Epigrams 9.11–13) ii. Everybody loves the Ausonian Father. But why? (Epigrams 9.7) iii. The kindest cut: Epigrams 9.16–17 iv. The poetry of (ir)reverence: Epigrams 9.36 and its environs v. The poetry of reverence: Epigrams 9.79 and its affines L. Oops: Book 10 i. Forgetting how to count in Epigrams 10.1–2 ii. Dichtung und Wahrheit: further autobiographical fictions (Epigrams 10.3–5) iii. The (new) new start ends: Trajan (Epigrams 10.6) iv. I am not going to say, “Master and God”: Epigrams 10.72 M. The new beginning as the end: Books 11 and 12 i. Approaching the palace, or not (Epigrams 11.1) ii. Epigram is the poetry of private life and festal time (Epigrams 11.2–3) iii. Nerva dials back the principate (Epigrams 11.4–5) iv. Martial’s (confused) preface to his (wretched) postscript: Book 12.pr and 12.1–5 v. Now one is free to enjoy all of Helicon, or not (Epigrams 12.6 and 12.8) 3: Statian Metapoetics: The High Art of Complicity A. An introduction to Statius’ Domitianic literature B. Says this poetry, “This is how you are supposed to read this poetry” C. All that glitters makes for a golden verse D. The high and the low in the here and now E. The ecstatic present (and the mundanity of the traditional sublime) F. An introduction to Domitianic grammar and syntax: the psychic life of subjection i. Marveling at modernity in Siluae 1.1 and 1.2 ii. Make way for the present iii. Shut up and be happy: Siluae 4.pr iv. Everything and everyone wears a happy face: Siluae 4.1 v. The bold have nothing to fear: Siluae 3.2 vi. There is nothing to complain about in this best of worlds vii. True confessions of undeniable attachment to the present G. Select nouns from the Domitianic lexicon i. Freedom (but not that kind of freedom) ii. Faith (for those naive enough to believe) iii. Masters (so many, so marvelous) H. Domitianic time all the time I. Mastering the submission game: six case studies i. Parroting and the mastery of affect (Siluae 2.4) ii. The lion that was tamed (Siluae 2.5) iii. As free as a freedman (Siluae 3.3) iv. Dead boy: poor master, says the poet (Siluae 2.6) v. Dead boy: poor master-dad, said the master-poet (Siluae 2.1) vi. Castrated boy: lucky master, says the poet (Siluae 3.4) 4: Conclusion Appendix: From Nero to Trajan: Lives and Times Bibliography Index of Passages General Index