Theatricality and self-fashioning

Reading Apollonius’ dramatic performance in Historia Apollonii Regis Tyri chapter 16

Dados Bibliográficos

ID21750596
AutoresRegine May (Bridge University, autor correspondente)
Ano2020
Páginas61-80
Data de publicação2020-01-22
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoAncient Narrative (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1568-3532 • E-ISSN: 1568-3540
EditoraUniversity of Groningen Press (PUBLISHER • NL)
DOI10.21827/an.16.35714
OpenAlexW2972588065
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas1
Referências citadas15

Apollonius’ performance of lyre-playing, comedy and pantomime in Hist. Apoll. 16 symbolises his status, past and hopes for the future. Not merely an emulation of Nero’s dramatic performances, it uniquely includes comedy. Apollonius’ lack of masks invites the association of his roles with his own life. Especially the unusual comedy performance, possibly intertextually linked to Diphilus and Plautus’ Rudens, allows for his identification as a young man who lost everything in a shipwreck but hopes for an improvement of his fortunes and possibly a love affair. Apollonius’ symposium clothes lend themselves to this kind of identification between role and actor, and his consummate performance suggests that there is a somewhat understated erotic attraction between him and the king’s daughter. The mix of Greek and Roman attitudes to dramatic performances by noblemen seems to suggest our text may have a Greek background but is directed at Roman readers

Art · Comedy · Linguistics · Literature · Byzantine Studies and History · Classical Antiquity Studies · Historical, Religious, and Philosophical Studies · Philosophy