Allegories of Farming from Greece and Rome: Philosophical Satire in Xenophon, Varro, and Virgil (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780521517263)

In this book Professor Kronenberg shows that Xenophon's Oeconomicus, Varro's De Re Rustica and Virgil's Georgics are not simply works on farming but belong to a tradition of philosophical satire which uses allegory and irony to question the meaning of morality. These works metaphorically connect farming and its related arts to political life; but instead of presenting farming in its traditional guise as a positive symbol, they use it to model the deficiencies of the active life, which in turn is juxtaposed to a preferred contemplative way of life. Although these three texts are not usually treated together, this book convincingly connects them with an original and provocative interpretation of their allegorical use of farming. It also fills an important gap in our understanding of the literary influences on the Georgics by showing that it is shaped not just by its poetic predecessors but by philosophical dialogue.

Author: Leah Kronenberg
ISBN-10: 0521517265
ISBN-13: 9780521517263
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Language: English
Published: 05/14/2009
Pages: 236
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.15lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.20w x 0.70d