JOURNAL ARTICLE

Scribere Iussit Amor: Phaedra, Love, and (Roman) Law in Ovid's Heroides 4.

  • Published In: American Journal of Philology, 2024, v. 145, n. 2. P. 237 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Martorana, Simona 3 of 3

Abstract

This article examines the interplay between legal language and poetic discourse within Ovid's Heroides 4. As a knowledgeable reader of previous authors, as well as an expert in love poetry and Roman and divine law, the Ovidian Phaedra combines literary tradition, elegiac patterns, and legal discourse to portray her adulterous and incestuous relationship with Hippolytus as legitimate. Phaedra's ironical reinterpretation and manipulation of Roman legal concepts, along with her skillful use of sources and elegiac motifs, articulates Ovid's attempt to uncover the intrinsic arbitrariness and unreliability of contemporary (Augustan) juridical constructs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additional Information

  • Source:American Journal of Philology. 2024/06, Vol. 145, Issue 2, p237
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Literature and Writing
  • Publication Date:2024
  • ISSN:0002-9475
  • DOI:10.1353/ajp.2024.a936330
  • Accession Number:179531302
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of American Journal of Philology is the property of Johns Hopkins University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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