In this monograph (originally a 2021 PhD dissertation), Bernhard Söllradl cleverly nuances Tim Stover’s optimistic reading of the Argonautica[1] by acknowledging the presence of darker elements in the epic. Rather than trying to harmonize the contrasting views featured in the Argonautica, he embraces the ambiguity of the poem as a key component for its interpretation in relation to the historical context. Since the ambivalence of the text is achieved through allusions to recent and contemporary events as well as by blending references to Vergil, Lucan and Seneca, Söllradl aptly combines historical and intertextual readings of the poem. The originality of the volume lies in the fact that Söllradl starts by reconstructing the historical evidence surrounding an aspect of Vespasian’s rule from historiographical sources (esp. Suetonius, Flavius Josephus and Tacitus), before comparing it to scenes in the Argonautica. In this thorough and detailed study, discrepancies between poetic fiction and historical realities are not explained away, but interpreted as the reflection of a hesitant but hopeful poet still deeply shaken by the end of Nero’s reign and the ensuing civil war of 69 CE.
In the introduction (chapter 1), Söllradl neatly and critically recapitulates the problem surrounding the dating of the Argonautica and the various political interpretations of the poem. The book is divided into three parts, each dealing with a specific theme, and although the sections are arranged to build up a progressive argument in a cover-to-cover reading, chapters are also designed as coherent units that can be read in isolation. To this end, each section is capped by a summary of its argument, which proves especially useful in longer sections such as those in the third and last part of the book.
Part 1 is concerned with the topic of civil war: although on the surface the Argonautica’s proem seems consistent with official Flavian propaganda advertising Vespasian’s victory in the Jewish war and minimizing his involvement in the civil war, allusions to Lucan’s epic cast doubt on Valerius Flaccus’ adhesion to this version of the story (chapter 2). This impression is further confirmed by the description of war episodes in the Argonautica. Both the nocturnal battle against the Doliones (chapter 3) and the war in Colchis (chapter 4) blur the distinction between external and civil war. Nonetheless, in a rewriting of Vergil’s and Lucan’s teleologies, Valerius presents the internal conflicts of the Argonautica as a necessary cycle in the expansion of the Empire. Thus, the Argonautica appears to correct the official narrative of the Flavian dynasty’s rise to power, while also replacing its more disturbing aspects within a long-term scheme of progress.
Part 2 explores the political aspects of Vespasian’s rule: while the Senate’s concerns about the imperial regime and dynastic succession are reflected in the Argonautica’s abusive tyrants and their unfortunate victims, the epic also contains examples of positive political leadership. Through a series of case studies featuring opposition (chapter 5), sanction and clemency (chapter 6) and succession (chapter 7) Söllradl reconciles both views by reading the various scenarios not as specific references to the Flavians, but as general examples of good or bad rulership. He successfully demonstrates that negative representations of power are systematically linked to Nero and contrasted with Vespasian, whose behavior is akin to Jupiter’s. Particularly brilliant is Söllradl’s analysis of Valerius’ use of the Phaethon myth to restrict the negative associations of dynastic succession to the Julio-Claudians (7.5).
Part 3 consists of one big chapter (8) on Vespasian’s interactions with the religious sphere. Although the emperor’s instrumentalization of divine signs is echoed in the epic through the manipulation of oracles and the staged revelation of past prophecies for rhetorical purposes, Söllradl resists the temptation to associate Jason with Vespasian. Instead, he shows how, despite a clear manifestation of divine support at the outset of the journey, repeated setbacks during the Argonautic expedition undermine Jason’s faith in the gods. Indeed, although the success of the quest for the golden fleece is guaranteed by Jupiter, other gods interfere and cause episodic disasters, thus resulting in a confused picture of divine will from a human perspective. Söllradl interprets this ambivalent portrayal of the divine apparatus as the reflection of contemporary religious doubt following the civil war. He further argues that by representing severe crises within the wider frame of an obscure, but divinely ordained plan, Valerius tries to make sense of the unfathomable events of 69 CE and emphasizes the need for Romans to cleanse themselves from the stain of civil war, just as the Argonautic heroes do.
The conclusion (chapter 9) is helpful in so far as it efficiently summarizes the book’s main arguments, but it does not add any further insights to the already very rich monograph. The usual bibliography and indexes complete the volume.
Throughout the book, historical and literary analogies are meticulously unpacked and explained, making it easy to follow the reasoning (although the lack of translation for the Latin passages might hinder non-classicists from fully appreciating Söllradl’s arguments). In short, this book provides a critical synthesis of both historical and literary scholarship on Valerius Flaccus’ epic and the Empire under Vespasian. It is a major update to our current reading of the Argonautica.
Notes
[1] Tim Stover, Epic and Empire in Vespasianic Rome. A New Reading of Valerius Flaccus’ ‘Argonautica’, Oxford 2012.