"Morire come un artifex". Ancora sulle ultime parole di Nerone presso Svetonio ("Nero" 49)
Author(s)
Sommariva, Grazia
Date Issued
2006
Type
Book chapter
Abstract
A discussion of Nero’s last words "Qualis artifex pereo" in Suetonius’ dramatic report. The traditional exegesis of the line and of the word artifex are questioned. The noun "artifex" does not mean “great artist” but it is used by Nero in its usual and generic sense of “craftsman”, “artisan”. The damnatio deprives Nero of the apotheosis due to emperors, so he is complaining about the burial ceremonies prepared for him, as humble as those granted to poor craftsmen by their collegia.
Citation
Grazia Sommariva, "Morire come un artifex". Ancora sulle ultime parole di Nerone presso Svetonio (Nero 49), in G. Sommariva (a cura di), Amicitiae munus. Miscellanea di studi in memoria di Paola Sgrilli, La Spezia 2006, pp. 221-239
File(s)![Thumbnail Image]()
Name
Nerone2.pdf
Size
157.36 KB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
b27c1c409f2d9d8c63dfafce290f1103