Africa (Petrarch)
Africa is an epic poem in Latin hexameters by the 14th century Italian poet Petrarch (Francesco Petrarca). It tells the story of the Second Punic War, in which the Carthaginian general Hannibal invaded Italy, but Roman forces were eventually victorious after an invasion of north Africa led by Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus, the epic poem's hero. The first sections of Africa were written in the valley of Vaucluse after Petrarch's first visit to Rome in 1337.
Inspiration
The design of his epic poem and also the De Viris Illustribus were inspired after he visited Rome on his grand tour. Petrarch was a young man when he conceived Africa and notes this in his Letter to Posterity. The fact that he abandoned it early on is not entirely correct since it was far along when he received two invitations (from Rome and from Paris) in September 1340 each asking him to accept the crown as poet laureate.
While I was wandering in those mountains upon a Friday in Holy Week, the strong desire seized me to write an epic in an heroic strain, taking as my theme Scipio Africanus the Great, who had, strange to say, been dear to me from my childhood. But although I began the execution of this project with enthusiasm, I straightway abandoned it, owing to a variety of distractions. [1]
Petrarch writes that Cornelius Scipio was equally glorious on the battle field as Caesar, but also had the reputation of a chaste and temperate man, even a lover of solitude. Petrarch defines Hannibal's conqueror quel fiore antico di vertuti e d'arme. He felt kinship and admiration for this epic hero. In fact, in addition to making Scipio the hero of his poem, he gave him also special treatment in his De Viris Illustribus.[2]
History
A preliminary form of the poem was completed in time for the laurel coronation April 8th, 1341 (Easter Sunday). Petrarch continued to revise it however for the rest of his life. The text was not made public until 1397, three decades after his death. It was dedicated to Robert of Naples, king of Sicily. He says of this: I showed him my Africa which so delighted him that he asked that it might be dedicated to him. It could easily be inferred from this wording that the epic poem was far enough along to receive this flattering colloquy. [3] By 1343 the work was provvisoriamente finished as we have it today worldwide.[4]
Events
To Petrarch, his Africa was his croce e delizia for the rest of his life. Petrarch set great store by Africa and his other classicizing works, but the epic was not particularly well-received because of the literary transposition from Livy; only the two parts of the death of Magone and the love story of Sofonisba are generally considered as touching examples of elegiac lyrics. The editio princeps of the Africa was first published and printed, as part of Petrarch's collected works (Opera omnia), at Venice in 1501. [5] This was a banquet of compositions that he produced at a young age while in the middle of writing his Africa. The events of the journeys in Africa ultimately leading to the destruction of Carthage (Numidia) in Petrarch's poem written in hexameters is based on the Second Punic War. The Third Punic War lead to Carthage being razed. No people remained. The Roman name for Carthaginian was Punici or Poenici.
Subjects
Some of the subjects and how they relate to the poem are:
- Marcus Aemilius Lepidus - was of an ancient order of knighthood for priests and laymen, a Torquati. He was of the family Lepidi / Lepidus[6]
- Marcus Claudius Marcellus - Died sooner than he thought he might in a skirmish with the Carthaginians in 208 BC. Petrarch says that Livy (27. 27. 12) says Marcellus was over 60 years old at the time of his death. Petrarch also talks of Marcellus in his work Rerum memorandarum Libri 3.5.15.[7]
- Lucius Mummius Achaicus - An Italian that had a modest reputation. Petrarch says according to Livy (42) Mummius defeated the Achaean League and destroyed Corinth in 146 BC under pressure of the Roman Senate, even though against his nature normally.[8]
- Q. Fabius Maximus - known as the "Delayer." After a Roman defeat at Lake Trasimenus in 217 B.C. he was made Dictator.[9]
- Lucius Cornelius Scipio Asiaticus - younger brother of Cornelius Scipio. [10]
- Gnaeus Papirius Carbo - given the title as "the runner" because of a winning race. Petrarch says according to Livy (9.16.11-13) Papirius was the conqueror of the Samnites in 290 B.C. Petrarch also talks about Papirius in his Letters of Seniles 4.1.[11]
- Gaius Laelius - close friend of Cornelius Scipio.[12]
- Cato the Elder - a stern person with high moral and ethical principles.[13]
- Cicero - speaks of Cicero's Somnium Scipionis. It is found also in Cato's De re rustica (Book 6). Cicero's version is that Scipio the Younger dreams of Scipio the Elder. Petrarch's version is that of Scipio the Elder's father being killed fighting the Carthaginians in Spain in 211 B.C.[15]
- Aemilius Paulus - consul, killed at Battle of Cannae in 216 B.C. (Livy 22.44.49).[17]
- Julius Caesar - Caesar defeats Pompey in 48 B.C. at the battle of Pharsalus in Thessaly.[18]
- Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus - chosen as the main subject of the epic poem, defeats Hannibal of Carthage.[19]
- Hannibal of Carthage - arch enemy of Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus and Rome.[20]
- Gaius Claudius Nero - defeated the Carthaginians and killed Hasdrubal (Hannibal's brother), ordered Hasdrubal's head to be thrown in front of Hannibal's army. Hannibal with his army then withdrew to Bruttium (Livy 27.51).[21]
- Scipio Aemilianus Africanus - Final defeat and razed Carthage at the end of the Third Punic War, was given the agnomen Africanus because of this.[22]
Notes
- ^ Bergin and Wilson, p. ix.
- ^ Bergin and Wilson, p. x.
- ^ Bergin and Wilson, p. xi.
- ^ Bergin and Wilson, p. xii.
- ^ Bergin and Wilson, p. xiii
- ^ Bergin and Wilson, pp. 253, 59: Book 3, line 665 ...the fierce Torquati and the Lepidi...
- ^ Bergin and Wilson, pp. 244, page 14: Book 1, lines 502-504 Marcellus died, alas, too unsuspecting for his years, in straits most adverse.
- ^ Bergin and Wilson, pp. 252 page 27 Book 2, line 177 ...and modest Mummius...; page 58 Book 3, line 619-620 ...and now perhaps in Italy is born one to avenge that ghastly crime.
- ^ Bergin and Wilson, pp. 244, page 14: Book 1, line 515 Mark well this chief, called the Delayer by his countrymen...
- ^ Bergin and Wilson, pp. 246, page 27: Book 2, line 162 ...you will prevail under your younger brother's auspices.
- ^ Bergin and Wilson, p. 253 page 59: Book 3, line 667 ...the hero called by appellation that his winning race bestowed upon him...
- ^ Bergin and Wilson, pp. 197, page 40: Book 2, line 671 And men may err and blend the twain in one and speak of Laelius and Scipio as but one case of friendship and unique since time's beginning...
- ^ Bergin and Wilson, pp. 246, page 28: Book 2 lines 187-188 Rigid with virtue, one by one come forth the Catos...
- ^ Bergin and Wilson, pp. 246, page 28: Book 2 line 196 ...ferocious Sulla...
- ^ Bergin and Wilson, p. 243, pages 6-19: Book 1, lines 210-689 Scipio's dream. ...the weary Scipio laid down his head and gentle slumber closed his yielding lids. Then lo, from the calm welkin high above, clad in a cloud...
- ^ Bergin and Wilson, pp. 246, page 28: Book 2 lines 220-221 ...and none more worthy than he to win the title of "the Great."
- ^ Bergin and Wilson, pp. 244, pages 14-15: Book 1 lines 526-531 Yet to Aemilius Paulus envious Fate was more unkind. Observe the countless wounds that scar his noble breast. On Cannae's field, believing he was destined to lament for the last time the doom of mighty Rome, he chose not to survive the holocaust.
- ^ Bergin and Wilson, pp. 242, pages 69-72: These lines allude to the epics of Virgil (Aeneid), Statius (Thebaid and Achilleid), and Lucan (Pharsalia). Emathian: Thessalian; a reference to the battle of Pharsalus in Thessaly where Caesar defeated Pompey, 48 B.C. Lo, of fallen Troy one sings, a second tells the tale of Thebes...
- ^ Bergin and Wilson, pp. iv-xv, 51, 57, 89, 99, 102-104, 115, 125, 134, 182-204, 220-249, 256, 263
- ^ Bergin and Wilson, pp. 23, 114, 123-129, 131-134, 142-145, 149-154, 184, 191, 261, 267, page 6: Book 1, lines 190-197 A rumor too of ominour import had reached him from afar: the frantic raids of furious Hannibal, 'twas said, imperilled Ausonia's citadel's - nay more, to Rome's own walls the flaming tourch of war had come...
- ^ Bergin and Wilson, pp. 260, 124: Book 6 lines 553-556 "The destiny of Carthage and my line I have long known; my brother's severed head advised me of what jealous Fortune held in store for me."
- ^ Bergin and Wilson, pp. 7, 27, 28, 59, 246, 249, 269 (Livy 30.44.3), page 204: Book 8, lines 859-864 Who could doubt that such a leader, free of such concerns, would swiftly have brought haughty Carthage down to her deserved defeat and final ruin under the heel of Fate? For Scipio, men say... lines 872-874 Assuredly for Scipio's grandson the gods planned to save the long war's end, the name of Africanus.
External links
- Outline of contents in the Latin Vicipaedia
- Catholic Encyclopedia
- Literary Encyclopedia - Francesco Petrarch
Bibliography
- Petrarch's Africa English translation by Thomas G. Bergin + Alice S. Wilson. New Haven. Yale University Press 1977. ISBN 0-300-02062-7
- Ernest H. Wilkins, "Descriptions of pagan divinities from Petrarch to Chaucer" in Speculum vol. 32 (1957) pp. 511-522.