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Lucan's view in the Civil War Poem

发布时间:2017-02-17
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Lucan’s Point of View

History as we know is written by the victors, but Lucan’s historical poem Civil War challenges their familiar history, which in return challenges imperial Rome’s version of history. Lucan’s epic is a realistic poem and a re-appropriation of historical events but also contains elements of fictionalization. His style is represented through very graphic and vivid details from his point of view of events that were significant to him. This epic specifically is part of an audaciously negative statement about the Roman state and imperial regime under which he lived. His style of this poem is remarkable for historical, political, and stylistic elements and his voice is carried throughout every word. Although his descriptions are very detailed and grotesque, his metaphorical language is comprehended through his softly spoken but strong beliefs.

Lucan’s representation of violence is portrayed in a similar but very different manner than what is familiar in philosophy and mythology. His language is suggesting that his opinion and perspective of war was much different in his eyes. Lucan implies that the war that threatens Rome itself also seems to threaten the entire cosmos.

Much of his poem is dedicated to metaphorical comments, with the most common theme being death used as a metaphor or simile, with a father burying his son, to express the situation in Rome. Although much of his point of view is entailed in this poem, he makes room to correlate the past aspects of history in a particularly similar context. He borrows stylistics of Homer as well as Virgil delivering a political and rhetorical structure. Stoicism refers to the symbol or ideal of traditional Roman Republican values, which are the very things that are falling apart during the Civil War from Lucan’s point of view.

In book one, Lucan is suggesting individual power, which is unlike his ethics. “When Caesar sees how bent his army is on war, how fate is with him, he does not delay his fortune with any idleness…” (16). The moral outlook on Caesar’s character shadows and can be seen as parallel to Hector in the Iliad. It is evident that his language and perception is rather modernized compared to Homer and Virgil’s texts. His piety towards Caesar is expressed as a glorifying figure but counteracts with his own writing style. Caesar is depicted as impressive, but ethically problematic mostly in his failure to be stoic, in the eyes of Lucan. He is presented as a man who embraces chance and fortune whereas the stoics see fortune as enemy. What he is doing is both legally and philosophically problematic. “Caesar, raving for battle, enjoys no way of passage unless blood is shed…and that the fields he storms through are not vacant, that the journey itself is not a waste” (43-44). The cult of personality around Caesar was seen as a very negative trait from Lucan’s views because it could come close or lead to dictatorship. This is a man who thrives off of wars. Lucan’s depiction of Caesar is not necessarily history nor is it a fair portrait but it does contain some truth. Lucan is suggesting his up most honest perspective from the characters in this book. His use of violence is determined by the arrangement of scenes in which he makes clear how his structure of violence is relevant to his thoughts at that time. For him, it doesn’t matter when or how you die, only the journey matters.

Lucan’s approach accounts the gory war with sarcasm, disbelief, and a revolutionary attitude toward all tradition. The Greek and Roman gods of other epics are nearly absent in his story and replaced by the erratic and frequently aggressive Fortune. His position contains a diverse array of superstitions and divinatory practices. He utterly confronts the linear or sporadic nature of the earlier epics by frequently shifting between multiple plotlines and contributing loosely related intervals of both historical and mythical material. Although the poem is theoretically a historical epic, Lucan was truly more concerned with the significance of events rather than the events themselves. In general, the events throughout the poem are described in terms of insanity and blasphemy, and majority of the main characters such as Caesar and Pompey, are tremendously flawed and unappealing. There is a kind of political death, death of an idea, or death of a political system that Lucan is writing about in this epic.

In book two, he addresses, “Make us the enemies of each and every people—just turn away civil war” (31). His language is presenting morality in the tragedy of war, believing that civil war is immoral and not proper. It is apparent that death and violence in scenes are not depicted as glorious events full of heroism and honor, but rather gruesome and horrific portrayals that emphasize the moment rather than the individuality of the characters involved. He proceeds dramatically professing, “Do they have to produce such a crop of new crimes, to see who will rule the city? Hardly worth the price of civil wars, if neither one should win” (31). While Virgil's depiction emphasizes optimism toward the potential glories of Rome under Augustan rule, Lucan uses similar contexts but to present a bitter and gory pessimism regarding the loss of autonomy under the future empire. Things happen, reset, and happen again, much like Rome is stuck in a repeating nightmare. Ultimately, his means of commentary of war are essentially perceived as a sarcastic and humorous mockery that pertains to his very black and white judgments surrounding the idea of war.

A noticeable difference in Lucan’s text that separates him from other traditions is the lack of divine elements. The supernatural is at work in his poem but instead illustrate the gravity of the situation. The gods do not get directly involved, but they show signs through omens, comets, stars, lightning, eclipses, or blood foaming out of the sea. There was a widespread belief of magic in the ancient world, but with no definite distinction between magic and religion at that time. It tended to be more associated with women and with the lower classes, as a kind of illicit means of power. Lucan’s attitude creates a kid of tragic vision of history while his idea of stoicism is highly present. In his cynical tone he writes, “Then, lest a single ray of hope for the future ease their trembling minds…the menacing gods flooded the earth and sky and sea with prodigies” (20). Within this line, Lucan is subjecting those who fall for the mischievous immortals and presents himself as against the morality of idolization and dependence on higher powers.

Civil War can be seen as a literary exercise but also containing a political message. In book six, Lucan goes to great length to create a depiction of a witch. He is making a concise connection between the underworld and his personal opinion. He metaphorically uses the witches suggesting them to the gods and that the trickery and political power they are held to controls the actions of the immortals. “The madness of war is upon us, and wicked crimes will be called virtue…what is to beg for the gods for an end of it? Peace comes with tyrant” (25). When Lucan suggests comments that go against the idolization of supreme beings, I personally get a sense of religion or spiritual background. He is clearly stating that believing in virtuous gods is shameful and a crime itself. His words convey moral values or ethical principles that become problematic or challenging in his poem. He is constantly challenging character’s motives and intentions behind every thought and act of treachery. Lucan seems to be trying to make his voice and perspective heard because his way of thinking and battling is morally different than the norm. The satire between worshiped political ideals and figures around his poetic stance makes for a strong and unique philosophy making his poem functional around the reality of civil war and reality of epics.

Lucan’s metaphorical but harsh perspective is reflective of history but his modernized tone and rebellious position challenges truths of the past. He shares with us important details and a biased perspective of the morality and values of war. It is evident that Lucan is viewing life and time as a cycle; that you must take what is handed to you and go through perplexing obstacles to live a valuable life. His disbelief in the underworld reflects on his poem because no heroic values emerge from chaos and dedication to mortal beings is seen as immoral. The reiteration of historical events keeps him connected and allied to writers like Homer and Virgil. Lucan ultimately challenges the history of Rome and makes a drastic shift in the perception of war, violence, and death. With this, he is giving us a comparison to other philosophies and mythologies while also questioning their standards.

Works Cited

Lucan. Trans. Matthew Fox. Civil War. New York, New York: Penguin Classics, 2012. Print.

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