Ennodius’ Itinerarium Brigantionis castelli (carm. 1, 1) is an interesting poem that does not adhere so much to the topoi of the odeporic tradition, but responds to different requests not exhausted by simple attention to form. In fact, the poet insists on the tiring aspects of overcoming the Alps, various undertakings described based on the figure of hyperbole: this has been seen as a characteristic of late latin travel literature, but Ennodius’ originality consists in giving a new and entirely Christian value the idea of the traveler’s trial, a spiritual path supported by divine providence, therefore a very different perspective from that of the classical tradition. The opening and closing terms of the way are oppositive symbols: the chronological location of the journey contains the astronomical image of the Titan (the sun) and the journey ends with the visit of the limina sanctorum and the moving prayer on the sepulcher of the Turin martyrs. This article examines several passages of the text and wants to show that Ennodius describes an iter of literate, as well as religious; for this reason the poet adheres to a way of writing literature firmly based on classical models but aware of the overcoming of these.
Dal Titano ai martiri torinesi: un percorso ennodiano di poesia e fede
Fabio Gasti
2021-01-01
Abstract
Ennodius’ Itinerarium Brigantionis castelli (carm. 1, 1) is an interesting poem that does not adhere so much to the topoi of the odeporic tradition, but responds to different requests not exhausted by simple attention to form. In fact, the poet insists on the tiring aspects of overcoming the Alps, various undertakings described based on the figure of hyperbole: this has been seen as a characteristic of late latin travel literature, but Ennodius’ originality consists in giving a new and entirely Christian value the idea of the traveler’s trial, a spiritual path supported by divine providence, therefore a very different perspective from that of the classical tradition. The opening and closing terms of the way are oppositive symbols: the chronological location of the journey contains the astronomical image of the Titan (the sun) and the journey ends with the visit of the limina sanctorum and the moving prayer on the sepulcher of the Turin martyrs. This article examines several passages of the text and wants to show that Ennodius describes an iter of literate, as well as religious; for this reason the poet adheres to a way of writing literature firmly based on classical models but aware of the overcoming of these.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
