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- Title
Sortitus exitum facilem: Der Tod des Augustus bei Sueton.
- Authors
Dunsch, Boris
- Abstract
Augustus' last words according to Suetonius have been interpreted in some quarters as the cynical confession of an opportunist in pursuit of power, and indeed the self-dramatisation of monarchical rule since the Hellenistic period does exhibit theatrical elements. However, if his words are considered in the context of the multilayered semantics of a death scene that is clearly marked as artificial, they can be interpreted, according to others, as engaging a philosophical topos. However, the semantic complexity of the death scene goes far beyond this: we encounter a dynast who in the face of death stoically affirms his - for Rome - novel role and insists on the success of his actions in this role; who, against the backdrop of possible unrest after his death, stages in his inmost circle of courtiers an acclamation-like vote of confidence in his rule, in order to ensure the transfer of power to his successor; who, aware of the parallels, founded on his horoscope, between his political role and that of a stage-actor, offers his own commentary on his success, in a way that may not have been entirely understood even within his own most intimate circle.
- Subjects
DOGS; DOMESTIC animals; DOMESTICATION of dogs; TRAVEL with dogs; BARRY (Dog)
- Publication
Philologus -- Zeitschrift für Antike Literatur und Ihre Rezeption, 2015, Vol 159, Issue 2, p327
- ISSN
0031-7985
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1515/phil-2015-0012