Lucan (M. Annaeus Lucanus, AD 39–65), the son of the wealthy M. Annaeus Mela and the nephew of Seneca, was born in Corduba (Cordova), Spain, and was brought to Rome as a baby. In AD 60, at a festival held in honor of Emperor Nero, Lucan praised the emperor in a panegyric, earning him promotion to one or two minor offices. However, after Lucan defeated Nero in a poetry contest, he was prohibited from further recitals or publication. As a result, the first three books of his epic poem, The Civil War, were likely not issued in 61 when they were completed. By 65, Lucan was composing the tenth book of the epic, but he then became involved in the unsuccessful plot of Piso against Nero. At the young age of twenty-six, Lucan was ordered to take his own life.

Quintilian, the famous Roman rhetorician, praised Lucan as a poet "full of fire and energy and a master of brilliant phrases." Lucan's epic stood second only to Virgil's in the estimation of antiquity. The epic chronicles the dramatic and stormy events of the war between Julius Caesar and the forces of the Roman Republic, led first by Pompey and later by Cato in Africa. The poem's narrative carries the reader from Caesar's fateful crossing of the Rubicon, through the pivotal Battle of Pharsalus and the death of Pompey, to Caesar's eventual victory in Egypt. The work is also known as the Pharsalia.

Julius Caesar emerges as a sinister hero in Lucan's epic verse chronicle. The poem vividly depicts the conflict between Caesar and the Republic, a conflict that would ultimately lead to the downfall of the Republican system and the rise of the Roman Empire under Caesar's rule. Lucan's epic is a complex and nuanced work, exploring the moral and political implications of the civil war that tore the Roman world apart.

The Pharsalia is a powerful and compelling work of literature, capturing the tumultuous events of a pivotal moment in Roman history. Lucan's skill as a poet is evident in his masterful use of language and his ability to craft a narrative that is both dramatic and thought-provoking. The epic's lasting legacy is a testament to the enduring impact of Lucan's artistic vision and his contribution to the literary heritage of the ancient world.

product information:

Attribute

Value

publisher

‎Harvard University Press; 6th edition (January 1, 1928)

language

‎English

hardcover

‎641 pages

isbn_10

‎0674992423

isbn_13

‎978-0674992429

item_weight

‎2.31 pounds

dimensions

‎4.25 x 1.25 x 6.37 inches

best_sellers_rank

#171,493 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
#105 in Ancient & Classical Literary Criticism (Books)
#175 in Ancient & Classical Poetry
#223 in Epic Poetry (Books)

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