JOURNAL ARTICLE

From eschatology to scatology: Recent work on Virgil's Fourth Eclogue.

  • Published In: Bulletin of the Institute of Classical Studies, 2024, v. 67, n. 1. P. 26 1 of 3

  • Database: Humanities Source Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Hejduk, Julia D 3 of 3

Abstract

This article examines the evolving scholarly interpretations of Virgil's Fourth Eclogue, highlighting the persistent complexities and debates surrounding its prophetic and literary meanings since Robin Nisbet's 1978 study "Virgil's Fourth Eclogue: Easterners and Westerners." It outlines key issues such as the poem’s syncretic eschatology blending Eastern and Western traditions, the ambiguous identity of the puer (child) figure, and the poem’s rich intertextuality with Greek and Latin literature. The article also discusses recent scholarly attention to acrostics within the poem, including a controversial acrostic reading that may introduce ironic or subversive elements. Overall, it emphasizes the poem’s deliberate ambiguity and unresolved tensions, which continue to inspire diverse and often conflicting interpretations across historical and cultural contexts.

Additional Information

  • Source:Bulletin of the Institute of Classical Studies. 2024/06, Vol. 67, Issue 1, p26
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Literature and Writing
  • Publication Date:2024
  • ISSN:00760730
  • DOI:10.1093/bics/qbae011
  • Accession Number:182906110
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