Plautinisches Im Silius? Two Episodes From Silius Italicus’ Punica

Abstract

This paper explores certain Plautine, comic elements and features in two episodes from Silius Italicus' Punica, in books 7 and 11. Venus' role in both books is a prominent one: in book 7, the poet narrates the origins of the Trojan war and by extension the Punic wars themselves; in book 11, Venus brings about the downfall of Hannibal, when she sends her sons, the Cupids, to Capua to prolong the stay of the Carthaginians in Campania. The extensive stay of the enemy there will turn the army into a slothful mass and incapacitate them in the last years of the war. Silius exploits stereotypes for the Carthaginians from Plautus' Poenulus while reversing them. In addition, Silius utilises the central role of Venus in comedies, such as the Poenulus and secondarily the Rudens, as the goddess and her temple are catalysts for the denouement of the plot. Finally, Hannibal's downfall at Capua is completed when he succumbs to the power of music and song, as the inhabitants of the Capuan city prepare a ludus scaenicus for the entertainment of their new allies. The powerful general turns into a Plautine miles gloriosus, who is ultimately enfeebled and defeated.In a famous description of Hannibal's character at the opening of the narrative of the Second Punic War, Livy paints the portrait of the Carthaginian general with some flattering traits as well as some common stereotypes which one finds proliferated through Latin literature: Hannibal is well-liked by his troops, he is bold and daring (plurimum audaciae ad pericula capessenda, plurimum consilii inter ipsa pericula erat, 'he was excessively bold in incurring dangers, excessively judicious in the midst of them,' Liv. 21.4.5), he is tough in withstanding all types of extreme natural conditions, such as hot and cold weather, or needs sustaining the human body, such as sleep and rest or sexual desires. And yet Livy adds one more sentence where Hannibal's ingentia uitia overturn any uirtutes described above: inhumana crudelitas, perfidia plus quam Punica, nihil ueri, nihil sancti, nullus deum metus, nullum ius iurandum, nulla religio ('inhuman cruelty, perfidy more than normal for a Carthaginian, no regard for truth, for sanctity, no fear of  I would like to thank Mathias Hanses for his helpful suggestions.