JOURNAL ARTICLE

Sun, Moon, and Cucumbers: The Eternal and the Ephemeral in Praxilla's Adonis.

  • Published In: American Journal of Philology, 2025, v. 146, n. 1. P. 15 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Warwick, Celsiana 3 of 3

Abstract

This article argues that the juxtaposition of the sun, moon, and stars with ripe fruits in the extant fragment of Praxilla's Hymn to Adonis reflects the opposition in Archaic poetry between man's vegetal nature and the immortality of kleos aphthiton symbolized by eternal celestial bodies. The ripe fruits represent the short-lived youth and beauty celebrated by the female-oriented Adonis festival, while the celestial bodies represent the eternal fame closely bound up with adult warrior masculinity in epic and other genres. I suggest Praxilla uses this juxtaposition to critique the masculine poetic tradition's privileging of everlasting glory over transitory biological existence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additional Information

  • Source:American Journal of Philology. 2025/03, Vol. 146, Issue 1, p15
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Literature and Writing
  • Publication Date:2025
  • ISSN:0002-9475
  • DOI:10.1353/ajp.2025.a953882
  • Accession Number:184131802
  • 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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