Lucian's Hermotimus. : essays about philosophy and satire in Greek literature of the Roman Empire
This dissertation considers the interaction between philosophy and satire in Greek literature of the Roman Empire through a detailed study of Lucian's Hermotimus. The argument is divided into three parts. Chapters 1, 2 and 3 show that recent studies of the dialogue value it according to two distinct ethic and aesthetic scholarly traditions (developmentalist and unitarian) which find themselves in opposition when defining the value of scepticism in Lucianic literature. Chapters 4 and 5 address the form of the Hermotimus, and argue that despite its aporetic tendencies its main character, Lycinus, gives a moral message. Chapters 6 and 7 examine the ways in which the Hermotimus is a parody of protreptic literature and invites its readers not to live in any particular way, but to think about the rhetoric of other protrepic and aporetic philosophical texts of the second century AD. In the dissertationâs conclusion some guidelines to reading the Hermotimus as a destabilizing aischrologic text are presented.
Garcia Ehrenfeld, Claudio
Lucian's Hermotimus. : essays about philosophy and satire in Greek literature of the Roman Empire. This dissertation considers the interaction between philosophy and satire in Greek literature of the Roman Empire through a detailed study of Lucian's Hermotimus. The argument is divided into three parts. Chapters 1, 2 and 3 show that recent studies of the dialogue value it according to two distinct ethic and aesthetic scholarly traditions (developmentalist and unitarian) which find themselves in opposition when defining the value of scepticism in Lucianic literature. Chapters 4 and 5 address the form of the Hermotimus, and argue that despite its aporetic tendencies its main character, Lycinus, gives a moral message. Chapters 6 and 7 examine the ways in which the Hermotimus is a parody of protreptic literature and invites its readers not to live in any particular way, but to think about the rhetoric of other protrepic and aporetic philosophical texts of the second century AD. In the dissertationâs conclusion some guidelines to reading the Hermotimus as a destabilizing aischrologic text are presented.
essay philosophy satire greek_literature roman_empire consider interaction philosophy satire greek_literature roman_empire detail_study argument divide_three_part show recent_study dialogue value accord two_distinct ethic aesthetic scholarly_tradition unitarian opposition define value scepticism literature address form argue_despite tendency main character give moral message examine_way literature invite reader live particular way_think rhetoric philosophical text conclusion guideline read text present