Abstract

This independent study examines Martial’s relationship to myth and its authors through close-reading analysis of the Epigrammata, finding that Martial utilizes myth as a rhetorical device, as an object of invective, and as a statement of his work. This philological analysis is supplemented by secondary scholarship in Martial’s over-arching reputation, literary criticism, and intertextual significance. I begin with a focused analysis of Martial’s disavowal of myth before examining examples of myth’s appearance throughout the work, where Martial deems myth to be acceptable as a tool for real-world commentary. Finally, I explore Martial’s references to his predecessors, comparing Callimachus’ recusatio to Martial’s own. I find that Martial does not reject myth inherently or in its entirety, but instead rejects myth for its status as the subject-matter of the genres most popular in his era in order to assert the value of his epigrams as unique contributions to Silver-Age Rome’s literary climate.

Advisor

Shaya, Josephine

Department

Classical Studies

Disciplines

Classical Literature and Philology

Keywords

Martial, myth, Roman literature, epigram

Publication Date

2025

Degree Granted

Bachelor of Arts

Document Type

Senior Independent Study Thesis

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© Copyright 2025 Isabella Konrad