The golden flower of youth: baroque metaphors in Nonnus and Marino
Transcript of The golden flower of youth: baroque metaphors in Nonnus and Marino
The golden flower of youthbaroque metaphors in Nonnus and Marino
E M van Opstall
Nonnus of Panopolisrsquo mythological epic Dionysiaca on the god Dionysus (fifth-century
CE) is often characterized as lsquobaroquersquo This term poses a problem whether as a
historical term referring to the European seventeenth century or as a typological
category applicable to other periods of time it is much debated With regard to the
Dionysiaca it is nearly always applied rather intuitively To clarify its use I propose acomparison between a passage of the Dionysiaca and a passage of the Adone by the
seventeenth-century baroque poet Giambattista Marino I shall focus on one literary
device in particular poetic metaphor a distinctive feature of seventeenth-century
baroque poetry Following some preliminary remarks on the use of the term
lsquobaroquersquo I present a short introduction on Nonnus and Marino and on baroque
metaphor I then offer some tools for analysis followed by a detailed discussion of
the description of two beautiful satyr boys Nonnusrsquo Ampelus and Marinorsquos Pampino
Both poets are very fond of metaphors Close on the conceptual level but different inlinguistic expression their metaphors achieve a similar effect expressing change
instability illusion and metamorphosis mdash typically baroque preoccupations When
used to analyse and compare a creative principle the term lsquobaroquersquo can be a
stimulus for intertextual research
Nonnus of Panopolisrsquo vertiginous mythological epic Dionysiaca a poem in
forty-eight books on the pagan god Dionysus written in the fifth-century CE is
often characterized as lsquobaroquersquo This term poses a problem In the first place the
term lsquobaroquersquo (from the Portuguese lsquobarocorsquo lsquorough and irregular pearlrsquo)1 was used
for the first time by eighteenth-century art historians to describe the dynamic
exuberant curving style initiated by the European Counter-Reformation
(ca 1563ndash1648) As such it can refer to many artistic fields (architecture sculpture
painting literature and music) from many different countries although its precise
meaning is not always clear It is usually divided into different substyles the lsquoFlorid
Baroquersquo for Italy and Spain mdash dominated by Roman Catholic religious ideals and
motivations the lsquoClassical Baroquersquo (a contradiction in terms) for France mdash aris-
tocratic and courtly more subdued than its Southern counterpart and the
lsquoRestrained Baroquersquo for the Northern countries mdash Protestant simpler and less
ornate2 As a stylistic description it has subsequently been applied to other periods of
Correspondence VU University Department of Ancient Studies De Boelelaan 1105
1081 HV Amsterdam Netherlands emvanopstallvunl
1 For a different explanation of the origin of the term lsquobarocorsquo see Wellek (1946 77)
Classical Receptions Journal Vol 0 Iss 0 (2013) pp 1ndash25
The Author 2013 Published by Oxford University Press All rights reservedFor Permissions please email journalspermissionsoupcomdoi101093crjclt029
Classical Receptions Journal Advance Access published November 12 2013 by guest on N
ovember 13 2013
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ownloaded from
time and place and has become a general typological or psychological category
indicating a phenomenon occurring at the end of each period in no matter which
time or place Some see it as part of the binary opposition lsquoGothic-Baroque-
Romanticismrsquo versus lsquoClassical Antiquity-Renaissance-Neoclassicismrsquo and thus
constituting a kind of lsquoeternalrsquo Baroque3 Rene Wellek (1946 88ndash97) rejects
almost every attempt to define lsquobaroquersquo as being either too broad or too restricted
to be useful for concrete literary study As a second-best option he therefore pro-
poses to use lsquobaroquersquo as a period term embracing style and ideology or emotional
attitudes to show how certain stylistic devices express a definite view of the world4
Commentators using the term lsquobaroquersquo to describe Nonnusrsquo Dionysiaca do so in
different ways Often they are referring to the poemrsquos general overwhelming ex-
uberance its rich language its prolific digressions its twisting plot But the term is
also applied to more specific literary devices Nonnusrsquo fondness for variation para-
dox antithesis the creation of illusion the motif of circular movement To cite some
examples Albert Wifstrand (1933 81ndash82) argues that Nonnusrsquo verbs and epithets
indicating change becoming and transition create lsquoa real lsquolsquobaroquersquorsquo impressionrsquo
(lsquoeinen wahrhaften lsquolsquobarockenrsquorsquo Eindruckrsquo) Rudolf Keydell (1936 911ndash12) enumer-
ates augmentation accumulation the elaboration of often antithetic relations
musicality through alliteration and word play as elements of Nonnusrsquo lsquopredomin-
antly Baroque stylersquo (lsquodurchaus barocken Stilsrsquo) While discussing similar elements
DrsquoIppolito (1964 49ndash57) regards lsquobaroquersquo not only as a stylistic category but also
broadens the scope of the term he considers it a spiritual disposition a world view in
crisis He applies lsquobaroquersquo to everything which is the opposite of lsquoclassicalrsquo from
the Hellenistic period onwards While he regards Ovidrsquos Metamorphoses as the most
baroque poem of Roman Imperial literature Nonnusrsquo Dionysiaca is the supreme
example of Late Antique baroque presenting us with lsquoa total baroque vision of life
and artrsquo (lsquouna totale visione barocca della vita e dellrsquoartersquo) According to this theory
man was lost when he ceased to be part of the polis and consequently became
increasingly lsquobaroquersquo he found himself in a state of perpetual crisis running
from the third-century BCE up to the fifth-century CE Gianfranco Agosti
(1995 134 and 150ndash51) narrows the use of the term to stylistics considering
2 For this subdivision see Matthews and DeWitt Platt (2004 389)
3 For example Friedlander (1912 17) uses it for different lsquobaroque periods of poetryrsquo
(lsquoBarockperioden der Poesiersquo) from Late Hellenistic poetry onwards becoming fully
visible for the first time in Catullusrsquo artificial composition and affected style of poem
64 in lsquothe dissolution of the severe form into billows of images and feelingsrsquo DrsquoOrs
(1935) Huyghe (1969)
4 In his article Wellek offers a dazzling historical overview of the first technical evaluations
of the term lsquobaroquersquo its first application to other fields than art history (by Wolfflin in
1888) its geographical spread and its problematic use with regard to literature See also
Hatzfeld (1955) who also discusses the spread and the use of the term lsquobaroquersquo with
regard to literature proposing a strictly period-based and stylistic use of the term dir-
ectly following after the Italian Renaissance
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syncopated and non-linear narrative as typical of baroque style be it late antique
Greek baroque or Marinorsquos baroque To him baroque aesthetics mean an explor-
ation and an exaltation of disharmony centrifugality and broken time (lsquotempo
spezzatorsquo)5 In her book on Greek Poetry in the Egyptian Thebaid 200-600 AD
Laura Miguelez-Cavero (2008 188) equates poikil0a (variety) and baroque
The poikil0a has an effect on the overall design of the work [sc the Dionysiaca] but also at
small scale when in the composition of a particular passage several options are available
instead of choosing one Nonnus combines them all For instance when a male character in
the Dionysiaca meets a young woman instead of comparing her to only one goddess he
compares her to them all This feature no doubt baroque is characteristic of Byzantine
literature and can be found as well in compositions extant on papyrus
It is evident that the meaning of the term lsquobaroquersquo for Nonnusrsquo Dionysiaca varies
widely6 Because of its often facile use without clear definition there have been several
attempts in the past to reject it It has been called anachronistic and inadequate to
describe fifth-century poetry Margerete Riemschneider (1957) discusses Nonnusrsquo
preference for curved lines for the doubling of objects in images for paradox and
for associative composition but she explicitly refrains from using the term lsquobaroquersquo
considering it meaningless it either does not cover any one period in its entirety or is
simply used as a synonym of lsquoexaggeratedrsquo (pp 46ndash47)7 She does however call
Nonnus a lsquomanneristrsquo who does not insist on movement but rather avoids the static
(pp 53 55) Martin String (1966 3ndash4) is less sophistic but he also prefers to reserve
the use of lsquobaroquersquo for the seventeenth century For Wolfgang Fauth (1981 12) the
qualification of Nonnusrsquo poetry as lsquobaroquersquo is not exhaustive enough to describe all of
Nonnusrsquo characteristics and should therefore be avoided Francesco Tissoni (1998 56)
argues that although the term seems attractive it is too abstract and oversimplifying
its application to Nonnusrsquo Dionysiaca being anachronistic Recently the discussion has
been re-opened In his review of Miguelez-Caverorsquos book Silvio Bar (2010 73) ques-
tions the meaningfulness of the term lsquobaroquersquo in the context of Late Antique poetry
The term lsquobaroquersquo to describe the (Nonnian) poikil0a metaphorically is beloved and popu-
lar but needs further reflection one should especially question the meaning and the
usefulness of the metaphor
5 See also Agosti (1997 35) on Nonnusrsquo Paraphrase lsquoThe arduous depths of Johannine
theology are translated by Nonnus into a florid style the most accomplished expression
of baroque in Late Antiquityrsquo
6 See for recent exemples also Newbold (2010 82) lsquothe febrile baroque iconophile sen-
suality of the Dionysiacarsquo) and Giraudet (2011 I have not been able to consult this article)
7 See also Hernandez de la Fuente (2011 cautious with the use of baroque perhaps to be
replaced by mannerism) Both in the footsteps of Ernst Curtius (1948 ch 15) who
prefers the term lsquomannerismrsquo to lsquobaroquersquo as an a-historical conceptual instrument in
opposition to lsquoclassicismrsquo
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Instead of re-discussing the various standpoints in this debate which hover between
lsquotoo broadrsquo and lsquotoo restrictedrsquo (see Wellek above) I wish to take a different approach
and ask what happens when we compare a so-called lsquobaroquersquo poet from the fifth-
century CE with a poet from the seventeenth century who is widely regarded as the
most typical example of the Italian Baroque Do they use similar poetic mechanisms
Do they share stylistic and typological aspects In which way can a comparison help
to clarify the meaning and usefulness of the term lsquobaroquersquo in the case of Nonnusrsquo
Dionysiaca My analysis focuses on one literary device in particular the poetic figure
par excellence (as was already recognized by Aristotle) of poetic metaphor
Extravagant metaphors are seen as a distinctive feature of Italian Baroque poetry
as will be discussed below
In this article I present a comparison of Nonnus of Panopolis with Giambattista
Marino (1569ndash1625) The choice of this particular poet is not an arbitrary one
firstly Marino has been described as lsquothe most baroque of Baroque poetsrsquo (and by
some as lsquothe most talented charlatan in Italian literaturersquo)8 Secondly his gigantic
epic poem Adone (20 cantos 5123 ottave 40984 verses) is inspired by Nonnusrsquo
equally enormous epic poem Dionysiaca (48 books 20426 hexameters) there is
therefore at least some affinity between the two9 The sheer quantity of the verses
of both poets immediately calls for modesty I do not pretend to offer an exhaustive
comparison but rather restrict myself to a couple of short passages rich in meta-
phors and intimately linked on an intertextual level Nonnusrsquo description of the
young man Ampelus lover of the god Dionysus (Dion 10 177ndash92) and Marinorsquos
description of the young man Pampino lover of the god Dionysus (Ad 19 ott 66ndash
67) (partially) modelled on Nonnusrsquo Ampelus but with a different name (note the
pun lsquoAmpelusrsquo grape-vine mdash lsquoPampinorsquo vine-leaf a euphonic near-translation)
Nonnus and Marino some preliminary remarks
Nonnusrsquo mythological epic poem Dionysiaca was written in a turbulent period of
tensions between pagans and Christians10 It tells the history of the demi-god
Dionysus
The first books are dedicated to his ancestors beginning with the rape of Europa
by Zeus The next books describe his birth infancy and youth From book thirteen
8 Lind (1978 161) Although Marino is traditionally seen as the most baroque poet not
everybody agrees Hatzfeld (1955 159) for example sees Tasso as a representative of the
most pure baroque and Marino as a representative of an off-centred mannerism or
lsquobaroquismrsquo For a recent survey on the problem of Italian Baroque literature see
Russo (2012)
9 For a general introduction to Marinorsquos Adone see Martini (1993) For Nonnus and
Marino see Pozzi (1976 identifies the verses of Nonnus used by Marino ad loc)
Agosti (1995 148ndash51 on narrative structure) Tissoni (1998 56ndash62 an intertextual
comparison of a set of passages) and Gonnelli (2003 26ndash31 a brief survey)
10 See eg Shorrock (2011)
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onwards the central theme is Dionysusrsquo mission to bring happiness to mankind by
introducing the vine his travels eastwards to India and back again to Europe with
many military conquests and erotic adventures In the last book Dionysus is finally
deified The coherence of the narrative structure of the whole story is obscured by
the accumulation of loosely interrelated episodes full of metamorphoses and mytho-
logical exempla lsquoThe Dionysiaca has a verbal energy and a capacity for prolific
growth that makes it look like a literary version of the vine itselfrsquo as Shorrock
(2005 376) has vividly expressed it
The passage to be discussed in this article concerns Dionysusrsquo early years when
he meets Ampelus and falls in love But Ampelus is a proud and reckless satyr boy
against Dionysusrsquo will he rides a fierce bull falls from its back and is killed
Dionysus is deeply grieved but eventually finds consolation in Ampelusrsquo metamor-
phosis into a vine (the Greek word for vine is 4mplordquo) After this transformation
Ampelus will continue to play a central role in Dionysusrsquo mission to show mankind
the benefits of wine
The Greek text of the Dionysiaca (Laur 3216 of Maximus Planudes dd 1280)
arrived in Italy in the year 142311 Angelo Poliziano studied it from 1481 onwards
for him Nonnus like Ovid was a source of mythical information and inspiration
The editio princeps of the Dionysiaca dates from 1569 (by Falkenburg) and a first
Latin translation from 1605 (by Eilhard Lubin) Neither that Greek text nor the
Latin translation received much attention although a new edition of the text
(Hanau 1610) attracted negative criticism from Petrus Cunaeus Josephus
Justus Scaliger and Daniel Heinsius according to whom Nonnus could no longer
stand the test with Homer he was considered ignorant incomprehensible and
incapable of imitating the right models his narrative was judged chaotic and far
too digressive
Contemporary interest was clearly directed towards other more famous classical
authors But Marinorsquos personal taste was not completely in accordance with the
tradition of his time He was interested in many classical writers from different
periods not only the well known but also especially the lesser known from the
Hellenistic period up to Late Antiquity Among his Latin favourites were Virgil
Horace Ovid Pliny Statius Apuleius and above all Claudian His Greek favourites
included Apollonius of Rhodes Bion Achilleus Tatius Moschus pseudo-
Anacreon Musaeus and of course especially Nonnus Marino became lsquothe first
modern imitator of Nonnus and in a modern languagersquo12 His epic engages in a
11 For editors commentators and readers of Nonnus discussed here see Lind (1978) and
especially the excellent paragraph lsquoRicezione e Fortunarsquo by Tissoni (1998 44ndash62)
12 Lind (1978 161) For Marinorsquos innovative choice already signalled by contemporary
critics who oppose the couples Tasso-Homer and Marino-Nonnus see Pozzi (1976 93ndash
94) For the influence of Nonnus on other works by Marino such as Sampogna and
Atteone see De Malde (1993) pp 137ndash41
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lsquodialogue at distancersquo making use of various techniques verbal imitation whether
literal or modified transposition of verses amplification or condensation of epi-
sodes contamination by putting together different passages and arduous meta-
phor13 However since Marino could not read Greek he had to use Lubinrsquos
Latin translation probably in the bilingual edition by Lectius (1606) which contains
a huge corpus of Greek epic texts with Latin translations14 Thus while comparing
Nonnus and Marino we have to keep in mind that Marino read Nonnusrsquo hexameters
through Lubinrsquos pen Fortunately Lubin provided an extremely literal word-
for-word prose translation that poses no real problems for the purpose of the present
article Lubin rigorously respects the Greek word order as the following example
shows (Nonnus Dion 10 175ndash76)
ka0 pot qhr0wn 3p1 oslashwg0da d0skion 4lhrdquo
et aliquanto venans sub petra umbrosa sylvae
6likordquo 2iq oio oslashodTHORNpidi q lgto morrsquoI
aequalis iuvenis rosea delectabatur forma
Pozzi (1976 668) remarks that lsquoMarinorsquos language is extraordinary (its rhythm
prosody lexicon syntax) compared to the Lubinrsquos Latin translation which is
linguistically colourless and stylistically bloodlessrsquo Tissoni (1998 58) asserts that
a comparison with the arid translation of Nonnus by Lubin is useful in two ways lsquoit
permits us on the one hand to correctly evaluate Marinorsquos debt to the Dionysiaca
and on the other hand to become aware of his poetic ability which manifests itself in
extraordinary stylistic refinementrsquo Marino paraphrases and modifies Lubinrsquos trans-
lation lsquoreturning instinctively as it were to the original Greek textrsquo However he did
not use hexameters but ottava rima stanzas of eight verses in hendecasyllable with
rhyme scheme abababcc
LrsquoAdone composed during the Counter-Reformation between 1605 and 1623 and
published in Paris in 1623 tells the story of the goddess Venus and the human
Adonis Its narrative scheme is built around their union Adonis suffers shipwreck
and lands on Cyprus the island of Venus The goddess falls in love with him but
Adonis flees out of fear of her other lover the god Mars and turns into a parrot
Having regained his human shape he is taken captive by robbers Once free again
he wins a beauty contest and becomes king of Cyprus Eventually Adonis is killed by
13 See Tissoni (1998 59ndash62) who illustrates most of these techniques with passages for
metaphor he discusses Adone 1170 and Dion 12 9ndash14 followed by a parody of Marinorsquos
style in Stiglianirsquos Amante disperato 300ndash309 If not otherwise indicated the English
translations in this article are my own
14 Lectius Poetae graeci veteres carminis heroici scriptores qui extant omnes Aureliae
Allebrogum sumptibus Caldorianae Societatis MDCVI See Tissoni (1998 57ndash58) It
is difficult to quantify the importance of each of the individual models such as Ovid (see
Pozzi 1976 103ndash21 esp 117) and Claudian (see Agosti 1995 144ndash45 and 148) in the
development of his style
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a boar sent by his rival Mars In canto 19 four divinities mdash Ceres Bacchus Thetis
and Apollo mdash try to console Venus by relating stories of six other youths who met an
untimely death Hyacintus (25ndash62) Pampino (63ndash123) Acis (124ndash232) Calamus
and Carpus (233ndash51) Leander (252ndash92) and Achilles (293ndash325) Eventually after
his funeral Adonisrsquo heart is turned into a red anemone The poem ends with funeral
games in honour of Adonis The story line of the Adone like that of the Dionysiaca is
complicated it is constantly interrupted by digressions descriptions repetitions
unexpected turns and irregular symmetries Metamorphosis is one of its main
motifs Another recurrent motif is that of lsquosmoderato piacer che termina in
dogliarsquo (lsquoboundless joy ending in sorrowrsquo Adone 1 10 8) References to Nonnus
can be found especially in cantos 18 and 19 (Adone 18 193ndash208 Amorrsquos quest on
Earth cf Dion 33 57ndash142 Adone 19 65ndash123 the Pampinus episode cf Dion 10
189ndash93 11 194ndash483 12 117ndash37 and 138ndash397 the Ampelus episode Adone 19
235ndash51 the Calamus and Carpus episode cf Dion 11 370ndash481 Eros tries to con-
sole Bacchus in the same manner)
The passage to be discussed in this article is taken from the story of Pampino It is
modelled upon Nonnusrsquo story of Ampelus in Dion 10ndash12 but reduced to four major
moments the first meeting the love-affair Pampinorsquos death and his
metamorphosis
Baroque metaphor
For Aristotle simile and metaphor belong to the same category a simile (2kTHORNn) is
seen as an extended metaphor and a metaphor (mtarsquoor0) as an abbreviated simile
when Homer says of Achilles lsquo3rdquo d l wn p0rousnrsquo (lsquohe jumped forward like a
lionrsquo) he uses a simile (with the comparative adverb 3rdquo) and when he says of
Achilles lsquol wn p0rousnrsquo (lsquothe lion jumped forwardrsquo) he uses a metaphor
(Rhet III 1406b20ndash23) According to Aristotle metaphor is a more intelligent
device than simile because while a simile is explicit metaphor is an invitation to
reflection The proof of the creative intelligence of a poet lies in the ability to see
similarities and turn them into metaphors He distinguishes four types of meta-
phors that is from genus to species from species to genus from species to species
and from analogy He warns several times against far-fetched metaphors as being too
poetic for prose or lacking clarity In rhetorical treatises of later periods in Antiquity
metaphor is usually considered a typically poetical stylistic device not to be used too
often in prose following Aristotle (Poet 22 7ndash17 Rhet III 1405a3ndashb19
1406b5ndash07a19 see also Top I 17)
One finds a positive attitude towards metaphor similar to Aristotlersquos in the
Italian Baroque period Meraviglia mdash marvel mdash caused by the use of dazzling
metaphors became a key aesthetic concept15 Producing this kind of metaphors
15 For a short and clear discussion of Italian baroque literature including the concepts of
meraviglia concetto acutezza and ingegno see Cherchi (1996) For more extensive stu-
dies on the baroque metaphor see Conte (1972) for Italian Baroque and Peters (1972) for
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involved using new themes (including objects from everyday life such as the hour-
glass) and expressing them in innovative ways (called concetti and acutezze) Many
baroque poets pushed the creation of extravagant metaphors to the limit According
to some Marino was one of them but according to others he was quite moderate
One of the most important contemporary theorists of metaphor Emmanuele
Tesauro expands the four types of metaphor proposed by Aristotle into eight
types In the chapter on lsquoMetaphorrsquo of his aesthetical treatise The Aristotelian
Telescope (1654ndash70 267) he writes that metaphor (which he calls lsquothe queen of
figuresrsquo) transforms immediate reality offering lsquoto the mind of the listener in
just one word the sight of a whole theatre of marvelsrsquo (lsquoun pien teatro di meravi-
gliersquo) The more distant and unexpected the similarities between tenor and vehicle16
of a metaphor the greater the wonder of the reader and the more laudable the ability
(ingegno) of the poet The baroque poet operates like a telescope drawing
together remote notions belonging to distant realities Ideas about the relation be-
tween tenor and vehicle changed Peters (1972 325ndash26) states that during the
Renaissance
the conceptual metaphor was bound to a system of knowledge which pointed to immut-
able relationships Tesaurorsquos metaphor instead reveals relationships which are quite arbi-
trary and not related to the level of intellectual truth For in the earlier tradition it was the
words which uncovered the conceptual idea given in the metaphor whereas with
Tesauro the implication is that the metaphor itself creates a kind of reality and imposes it
on the word
Baroque metaphors no longer uncover a system of relations of unchangeable
correspondences expressing the stability embodied in creation Instead the baroque
ingegno accumulates series of unexpected sensual images consonant with the
instability and fluidity of the world In his Metafora barocca Conte (1972 40)
distinguishes one special type of baroque metaphor it is characterized by the
extension of the absence of the tenor and by the lateral ramification of the meaning
of the vehicle17 He illustrates this with the following verses of the Italian Baroque
poet and follower of Marino Francesco de Lemene (1634ndash1704) De Lemene
comparing a womanrsquos breasts with lilies and her lips with roses invites the bees
metaphors in the Adone Compare also the important study of Rousset (1954 185ndash89)
and Hallyn (1975) for metaphors in French Baroque literature
16 Originally coined by IA Richards (1936) these terms are still widely used in metaphor
studies In Saussurian terms tenor is the signified and vehicle the signifier see section lsquoA
set of practical tools for analysisrsquo below
17 lsquoLa Metafora barocca e caratterizzata dal prolungamento dellrsquoassenza del segno virtuale e
dalla diramazione laterale del significato del segno presentersquo To avoid confusion I trans-
late lsquosegno virtualersquo as tenor and lsquosegno presentersquo as vehicle
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to come lsquodrainrsquo (lsquosvenarersquo which means literally lsquoto cut someonersquos veinsrsquo lsquoto bleed
someone dryrsquo)
ite volate
a quel labbro a quel seno api ingegnose
per fabricar dolcezze ite svenate
di quel sen di quel labbro e gigli e rose
come fly
to this lip to this breast clever beesto make sweetness come drain
the lilies and roses of that breast that lip
Part of this metaphor is traditional belonging to the canon of beauty developed from
the Middle Ages to the Renaissance (the colour of) the womanrsquos breast is like lilies
(white) and that of her lip like roses (red)18 But the metaphor is pushed one step
further (and here begins a baroque novelty) the vehicle (the flowers) is amplified by
the summoning of the bees from the realm of associations of the tenor They are
invited to participate actively in the illusion The vehicle of the metaphor is given life
and motion as it were and whirls around itself in a figurative play a literary trompelrsquoœil This kind of extreme metaphor shows that the relation between vehicle and
tenor which had been stable during the Renaissance began to destabilize during the
Baroque the distance between the two increased and the vehicle became auto-
referential vehicles themselves referred to further vehicles instead of to tenors
A set of practical tools for analysis
Much more can of course be said on theories of baroque metaphor but the proposed
method of this article is to make a factual comparison between two passages of Nonnus
and Marino I will briefly present two modern models of metaphor that will both serve
as practical tools for analysis First a linguistic model for which I chose the model
presented by Pasini (1972) not because it is particularly innovative but because it offers
a clear insight into the gradual differences between simile and metaphor at the level of
expression in language19 And secondly a conceptual model as proposed by Lakoff
(1980) and Lakoff and Turner (1989) and further developed by Steen (forthcoming)
because their point of departure is the concepts that lie behind linguistic expressions
Lakoff (1980) and Lakoff and Turner (1989) conceived their theory as a reaction to the
traditional approach of metaphor as a rhetorical device showing that metaphors are
omnipresent in everyday life and language and work conventionally automatically and
unconsciously Steen (forthcoming) distinguishes between a communicational (delib-
erate versus non-deliberate) conceptual (conventional versus novel) and linguistic level
18 More on the canon of beauty follows in section lsquoTwo beautiful satyr boysrsquo below
19 In addition to Pasini I used from the huge amount of literature on metaphor Brooke-
Rose (1958) and Van Boven and Dorleijn (2003)
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of metaphor introducing by the backdoor literary metaphor (belonging to the cat-
egory of deliberate metaphor) in Conceptual Metaphor Theory
The literary function of a metaphor does not just reside in the underlying cross-domain
comparison that is the basis of every metaphor Metaphor in poetry is often multi-layered
with many relations to other aspects of the text and its language which makes it strongly
dependent on all sorts of other information throughout the poem and the knowledge it
assumes All of this may be seen as highly typical of the use of metaphor in poetry
Pasini (1972) discerns four linguistic stages between simile on the one hand and
metaphor on the other hand ranging from a closed to an open message Each stage
can be explained by an example a description and a diagrammatic representation20
His cheeks are fresh like roses
This simile with the comparative adverb lsquolikersquo as an indicator includes a tenor
(cheeks A) a vehicle (roses B) and a ground (or tertium comparationis fresh C) It
is a closed construction leaving no space for the imagination of the reader This kind
of comparison is judged the most rational of the four stages because it is the most
specific and requires no leap of imaginative intellect to understand the ground on
which the comparison is made
His cheeks are like roses
This comparison with indicator (like) tenor (cheeks A) and a vehicle (roses B) does
not contain a ground (C) In this case the reader has to supply one or more of the
characteristics of the rose (freshness or red colour or sweet perfume etc) by
generalization and add this information on his own account to the comparison
This type one step closer to metaphors of type (3) and (4) is called by some a
lsquometaphorical comparisonrsquo the process of supplying by generalization is already
present but the process of identification is still absent
20 I thank Jaap Fokkema (VU University) for drawing the four figures after Pasini (1972) who
in his turn is inspired by the Rhetorique Generale (Paris 1970) of the French lsquoGroupe mrsquo
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a His cheeks are roses
b The roses of his cheeks
This is a metaphor in praesentia it has a tenor (cheeks A) and a vehicle (roses B) but
being a metaphor it lacks both indicator and ground (C) In example (3a) the verb lsquoto
bersquo functions as a link and identifies the vehicle and the tenor with each other (in
French this use of the verb lsquoto bersquo is called lsquolrsquoest drsquoequivalencersquo)
On his face two roses
This is a metaphor in absentia in which the indicator the ground (C) as well as the
tenor (A) are absent and have to be supplied by the imagination of the reader The
vehicle lsquorosesrsquo refers not only to the concept of lsquorosesrsquo but also metaphorically to the
concept of lsquocheeksrsquo This kind of metaphor is the least rationalizing (the lsquoto bersquo of
example (3a) can still be considered a lsquorationalizingrsquo element) and the most open (the
reader has to generalize and to supply)
Lakoff presents a conceptual theory of everyday metaphor in Metaphors We LiveBy (1980) which is the basis of the study of poetical metaphor by Lakoff and Turner
in More Than Cool Reason a Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor (1989) He maintains
that the locus of metaphor is not in language (compare figure 4 below the line) but in
the way we conceptualize one mental domain in terms of another (compare figure 4
above the line) Metaphors make use of cross-domain conceptual mappings and are
cast in individual linguistic expressions21 In this theory the tenor is a linguistic
expression that belongs to the so-called target domain and the vehicle is a linguistic
expression that belongs to a so-called source domain The set of ontological corres-
pondences between these two domains can be represented in a mapping To give an
example a conceptual mapping of Pasinirsquos above-mentioned four types would look
like the following
People (target domain) plants (source domain)
youth corresponds to flowering
young person corresponds to blossoming rose
21 Interestingly the idea of the crossing of domains has been phrased in a less theoretical
and a more poetic way by Tesauro (1654ndash70 267)
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pink skin corresponds to red colour
young skin corresponds to freshness
aging corresponds to withering
So the tenor lsquocheeksrsquo belongs to the target domain lsquopeoplersquo and the vehicle lsquorosersquo
belongs to the source domain lsquoplantrsquo Thus while Pasinirsquos typology provides for a
formal analysis at a linguistic level Lakoffrsquos extra-linguistic concerns are centred on
a conceptual level His theory permits us to reflect on the concepts and ideas under-
lying metaphors
Two beautiful satyr boys
Ampelus
In this section I will discuss the two passages of Nonnus and Marino In Dionysiaca
10 175ndash92 the external narrator introduces the young Ampelus future lover of
Dionysus for the first time (as explained in paragraph II) He describes him as
follows
175 ka0 pot qhr0wn 3p1 oslashwg0da d0skion 4lhrdquo
6likordquo 2iq oio oslashodTHORNpidi q lgto morrsquoI
4dh g1r Frug0hrdquo 3p1 dir0da koNrordquo 2q0rwn
Amplordquo 2 xhto notrrsquo rdquo ernordquo ErTHORNtwn
o2d o3 3br1rdquo 4oulordquo ruqom noio gn0ou
180 4cnoa cion hrdquo car0ssto k0kla pariPrdquo
6bhrdquo cr0son 4nqordquo 2pisqop0roio d ca0thrdquo
b0trurdquo 3lik0ntrdquo prsquo 2rgursquo wn q on Œmwn
2plk rdquo ligurN d sunaiq0ssontrdquo 2ndasht
4sqmati koursquo0zonto parlkom nwn d kom0wn
185 2krorsquoan1rdquo 2n tll m sordquo gumno0mnordquo a2c1n
ka1 s lardquo 2k0ntiz lip0skiordquo oJ0 t l0mpi
mssorsquoan1rdquo n rsquoordquo 3gr1n 2nasc0zousa Slndashnh
ka1 st0matordquo oslashod oio ml0pnoordquo err rsquownndash
k ml wn drsquo 7lon Iar rsquoa0nto nisom nou d
190 k pod1rdquo 2rgursquo oio oslash0dwn ruqa0nto limTHORNn
2 d booglndashnwn rsquoa wn 2rsquogg i k0klN
2rsquoqalmo1rdquo l lizn 7lh sl0giz Slndashnh22
175 Once while hunting under a shady cliff of a wood
he was charmed by the rosy form of a young comrade
For under the ridge of the Phrygian hills the merry boyhad already matured Ampelus a new shoot of the gods of Love
For him no dainty bloom of a reddening chin
180 had marked the smooth circles of his snow-white cheeks
the golden flower of youth curling clusters of long hair
22 Greek text Chretien (1985) translation Rouse (1940) adapted
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ran down over his silvery-glistering shoulders
loosely and waving in the whispering wind
were lifted by its breath When the hair was blown aside
185 the bare neck appeared between just visible
and unshadowed light flashed from him just as the moon shines
half appearing when she pierces a damp cloudFrom his rosy mouth streamed a honey-breathing voice
Spring itself appeared from his limbs under the steps
190 of his silvery foot the meadow blushed with roses
and if he turned his eyes their bright iris gleaming
with the glow of a cowrsquos eye the light of the full moon shone
The satyr boy is described from head to toe (a procedure also propagated in exercises
on ekphrasis in the rhetorical handbooks of Late Antiquity see Aphthonius Prog
12) and in movement with major attention to the upper body parts the poet shows
us his cheeks (vv 179ndash81) hair shoulders neck (vv 181ndash87) mouth and voice
(v 188) moving on to his limbs and feet (vv 189ndash90) and eventually turns upwards
again towards eyes (vv 191ndash92) As often in erotic descriptions in Antiquity (espe-
cially from Hellenistic and Second Sophistic literature onwards) this passage
abounds with erotic topoi23 The setting is painted with stock images of the natural
world the shady wood the gentle breeze the flowery meadow these are all present
Everything (the satyr boy and his surroundings) is sweet young and blooming
The incredibly rich description of the effect of the different body parts ends in the
visual climax of the appearance of the moon first barely visible then half appearing
then fully visible The expressions 2krorsquoanndashrdquo (v 185) mssorsquoanndashrdquo (v 187) and 7lh
(v 192) also evoke the different stages of the cycle of the moon mdash new waxing and
full mdash intimately linked with the growth of plants in nature24
However many bucolic elements are used metaphorically the flower of youth a
rosy mouth a honey-breathing voice etc The metaphors in this description appeal
to all our senses to our eyes by the use of colours (red white golden silver) and
contrasts (brightndashdark) to our touch (his beardless cheeks) and to our ears and smell
(his honey-breathing voice) In her fascinating study of metaphors in the Dionysiaca
Daria Gigli Piccardi (1985) distinguishes in Nonnus three (archetypical) source
domains for metaphors of beauty two of which occur in this passage Firstly the
source domain lsquoflowersrsquo from individual flowers to spring meadows full of
23 The flowering youth of men around the age of their first beard the rosy mouth the
spring meadow are all common themes in Greek Hellenistic erotic literature but Nonnus
innovates by adding unusual elements (such as the neck also present in other descrip-
tions of beauty in the Dionysiaca) and particular formulations (see below) See Gigli
Piccardi (2003 700ndash703 ad vv 175ndash92) For a list of other studies on beauty in
Nonnus see Chretien (1985 142 ad vv 175ndash92)
24 Chretien (1985 144 ad v 192) and Gigli Piccardi (2003 700ndash701 ad vv 175ndash92)
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contrasting colours Secondly the source domain lsquoastral phenomenarsquo playing with
the opposition light-dark25
On a formal level we find only one simile in vv 186ndash87 introducing the theme of
the moon It belongs to Pasinirsquos type 1 (see section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo
above) unshadowed light (s lardquo lip0skiordquo tenor A) flashed (2k0ntiz ground C)
just as (oJ0 t indicator) half appearing the moon (Slndashnh vehicle B) shines (l0mpi
ground C) when she pierces a damp cloud (nrsquoordquo 3gr1n 2nasc0zousa vehicle B)
Besides this simile there are ten metaphors in praesentia (belonging to Pasinirsquos type 3)
and two metaphors in absentia (belonging to Pasinirsquos type 4) These metaphors are
expressed in a variety of ways which will be discussed below
(1) The most explicit type is the metaphor in apposition occurring very often in
Nonnus The comma after the tenor shows that we are dealing with such a metaphor
in apposition
tenor (A = noun) vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective) of X
a Amplordquo (A) notrrsquo rdquo e rnordquo (B) ErTHORNtwn (X) (v 178)
Ampelus (A) a new shoot (B) of the Loves (X)
b 3br1rdquo 4oulordquo ruqom noio gn0ou (A) 6bhrdquo (X) cr0son 4nqordquo (B) (vv 179-81)
the dainty bloom of a reddening chin (A) the golden flower (B) of youth (X)
(2) Another type of metaphor also very frequent in Nonnus links a metaphorical
adjective (vehicle) to a noun (tenor)
tenor (A = noun) thorn vehicle (B = metaphorical adjective)
a oslashodTHORNpidi (B) morrsquoI (A) (v 176) ndash rosy (B) form (A)
b cion hrdquo (B) pariPrdquo (A) (v 180) ndash snow-white (B) cheeks (A)
c 2rgursquo wn (B) Œmwn (A) (v 182) ndash silvery-glistering (B) shoulders (A)
d st0matordquo (A) oslashod oio (B) (v 188) ndash rosy (B) mouth (A)
e ml0pnoordquo (B) rsquownndash (A) (v 188) ndash a honey-breathing (B) voice (A)
f pod1rdquo (A) 2rgursquo oio (B) (v 190) ndash silvery (B) foot (A)
g booglndashnwn (B) rsquoa wn (A) (v 191) ndash cowrsquos eye (B) glow (A)
(3) In Nonnus the metaphor in absentia is restricted to the more common metaphors
of the flower domain In the following example the vehicle is a noun phrase whereas
the nature of the tenor becomes clear from the addition of a noun or noun phrase in
apposition It is to be noted that the word b0trurdquo is normally used for lsquoclusters of
vinersquo and points already to Ampelusrsquo future metamorphosis
vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective) of X (= noun thorn adjective in genitive)
a 2pisqop0roio d ca0thrdquo (X) b0trurdquo (B) 3lik0ntrdquo (vv 182-83) ndash curling clusters (B) of
long hair (A)
25 The third source domain individuated by Gigli Piccardi is that of lsquothe war of loversquo full of
contrasts between real and metaphorical weapons
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from X (= preposition thorn noun) appears vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective)
b k ml wn (A) 7lon Iar (B) rsquoa0nto (v 189)
From his limbs (A) spring itself (B) appeared
(4) As Gigli Piccardi (1985 70) already noticed Nonnus invented his own extended
metaphorical formula lsquoan autonomous linguistic constellationrsquo lsquowhen X becomes
visible Y appearsrsquo (sometimes followed by a comparison) Whereas the theme of the
moon is introduced by a comparison in vv 186ndash87 it is closed in vv 191ndash92 by such
a lsquoNonnianrsquo metaphor
2 d booglndashnwn rsquoa wn 2rsquogg i k0klN 2rsquoqalmo1rdquo l lizn (X) 7lh sl0giz Slndashnh (Y)
and if he turned his eyes with their bright iris gleaming with a cowrsquos eye glow (X) the light of the
full moon shone (Y)
The large number of metaphors cast in many different forms results in a descrip-
tion that is far from literal The blooming satyr boy and the blooming spring mingle
both being connected to the three phases of the moon Ampelus almost becomes
Bacchic nature himself His first meeting with the God already contains the promise
of his own future metamorphosis the expression b0trurdquo as noticed above being
one of its most explicit indicators26 The golden flower of youth not only contains
life but also death and resurrection Thus the totality of the metaphors expresses
perpetual change
Pampino
As we have seen in section lsquoBaroque metaphorrsquo the story of Pampino belongs to a set
of love-stories told by the gods to Venus as a consolation after the death of her lover
Adonis In Adone 19 ott 66ndash67 the god Dionysus describes the beautiful Pampino
ott 66 La bella fronte gli adorno Natura
di gentil maesta drsquoaria celeste
Dolce color di fragola matura
4 gli facea rosseggiar le guance oneste
Nela bocca ridea la grana pura
tra schiette perle in doppio fil conteste
ne quivi avea la rosa purpurina
8 prodotta ancor la sua dorata spina
ott 67 La notte tenebrosa il ciel turbato
si rischiarava dersquo begli occhi al lume
Il vago piede imporporava il prato
4 la bianca mano innargentava il fiume
Qualor lievrsquoaura con soave fiato
confondendogli il crin scotea le piume
26 See also Gigli Piccardi (1985 69) and (2003 700ndash1 ad vv 175ndash92)
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parea sparso su rsquol collo il bel tesoro
8 sovra un colle drsquoavorio un bosco drsquooro
ott 66 His beautiful forehead Nature adorned
with refined nobility with heavenly looks
The sweet colour of ripe strawberries4 painted his honest cheeks red
In his mouth pure pomegranate laughed
set between real pearls in a double row
There the purple rose had not
8 yet produced her golden thorns
ott 67 The shady night the darkened sky
brightened at the light of his beautiful eyesHis yearning foot turned the meadow purple
4 his white hand turned the river silver
When a gentle breeze with its soft breath
playing with his hair shook his feathers
on his neck the beautiful treasure seemed to spread out
8 on an ivory hill a forest of gold
This description of Pampino owes much to Nonnusrsquo description of Ampelus but is
at the same time different Since Marino uses and plays with the Renaissance canon
of beauty I will discuss this canon briefly in order to gain a better understanding of
the Pampino passage
The topos of beauty began to acquire fixed rules during the Middle Ages and was
completely canonized by the Renaissance27 From the Middle Ages onwards two
types of canon for feminine beauty were developed the short and the long canon
The short canon (used by Petrarch) focuses on the face mentioning hair eyes
mouth and cheeks Hand and breast are briefly referred to forehead and neck are
seldom included The long canon (used by Boccaccio and Ariosto) adds more detail
and leads the gaze further downwards from head to toe Central features of the short
canon are splendour (light) and colour (white) whereas the long canon emphasizes
harmonious proportions (of the body)
Renaissance poets use set comparisons and oppositions such as lsquoredrsquo versus
lsquowhitersquo But within these fixed boundaries there were ample possibilities for vari-
ance One way to play with conventions was the following a poet could mention only
one element of an opposition and thereby automatically evoke its counterpart in the
27 For an overview of Greek poetry up to the Byzantine period see Jax (1933) with dis-
turbing racist emphasis on lsquodas weibliche Schonheitsideal der weiszligen Rassersquo for the
Latin Middle-Ages see Faral (1962 esp p 75 ss) Sidonius Apollinarisrsquo portrait of
Theodoric (Ep I 2 2 sixth century) is seen as the best model for descriptions of persons
by Geoffroy de Vinsauf (Poetria nova 1210 CE) for the Renaissance see Pozzi (1979 and
1984)
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mind of the audience For example if he described a hand a foot was to be imagined
by the reader when a rose was mentioned it was intended that a lily be brought to
mind etc
Favourite source domains for metaphors were in the first place flowers roses
lilies and violets for colour and evanescence secondly precious materials pearls
rubies coral and gold for colour and diamond and sapphire for splendour and
thirdly lsquoheavenly bodiesrsquo stars and the sun for splendour and movement For
special effects these elements could be combined into homogeneous or heteroge-
neous couples a lily and a rose or ivory and a rose etc
How are these images used and constructed in the present passage from
Marino Marino combines the two canons adopting the short canon for his descrip-
tion of the young man and then enumerating his several parts from head to toe He
begins with the (moral) qualities given by Nature to Pampinorsquos forehead (ott 66
1ndash2) continues with his cheeks mouth and cheeks again (ott 66 3ndash8) then turns to
his eyes (ott 67 1ndash2) to his foot and hand (ott 67 3ndash4 the foot belonging to the
long canon) and finally to his hair and neck (ott 67 5ndash8) Marino adds various
(moral) qualifications The first octave is relatively quiet drawing as it were
Pampinorsquos portrait Its three source domains for the metaphors are lsquofruitrsquo lsquoprecious
materialsrsquo lsquoflowersrsquo (pomegranate pearl rose) connected with contrasting colours
(red white and golden) and positive qualifications (beautiful refined heavenly
sweet honest pure real) The second octave is stirred by movement the
sky brightens Pampinorsquos touch turns nature into something else the playing
wind shakes hair locks spreads out It also introduces the opposition light-dark
(shady night darken brighten light) The source domains of the second octave
are lsquobucolic landscapersquo (meadow river breeze) and lsquoprecious materialsrsquo
(silver gold)
As is to be expected Marino is fond of metaphors and expresses them in
various ways But unlike Nonnus he obviously prefers metaphors in absentia
(Pasinirsquos type 4 see section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo above)
The description of Pampino includes moral and physical qualities In ott 66 3ndash4
the strawberry (lsquodolce color di fragola maturarsquo lsquothe sweet colour of ripe strawberriesrsquo)
paving the way for the source domain lsquofruitrsquo is followed by a series of metaphors
(1) There are several instances of metaphors in absentia which are intelligible when
one looks at either the direct context in which they are embedded or at the existing
Renaissance conventions
vehicle (B = noun thorn- adjective)
a la grana pura (ott 66 5) ndash pure pomegranate (sc in his mouth gt tongue)
b schiette perle (ott 66 6) ndash real pearls (sc in double row gt teeth)
c rosa purpurina (ott 66 7) ndash purple rose (sc there gt on his cheeks gt beard)
d le piume (ott 67 6) ndash feathers (of his hair gt locks of hair)
e tesoro (ott 67 7) ndash treasure (his rich hair)
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(2) To these examples two metaphorical verbs can be added
vehicle (B = verb)
a imporporava (ott 67 3) ndash turned purpleb innargentava (ott 67 4) ndash turned silver
(3) The following metaphor in absentia is qualified by a metaphorical adjective
vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective)
la sua dorata spina (ott 66 8) ndash her golden thorns (reddish-blonde bristles)
(4) Another variant are the metaphors in absentia that combine two metaphorical
expressions
vehicle (B = noun) of vehicle (B = noun)
a colle (B) drsquoavorio (B) (ott 67 8) ndash an ivory hill (of his white neck)
b un bosco (B) drsquooro (B) (ott 67 8) ndash a forest of gold (of his blond hair)
(5) Taken together two final verses of ott 67 are an example of a typical baroque
metaphor (discussed in section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo) a concatenation
of metaphorical images Ott 67 7 is elaborated in the next verse by a metaphor in
apposition on neck (tenorrsquo) the beautiful treasure (tenorrsquorsquo) on an ivory hill (vehiclersquo)a forest of gold (vehiclersquorsquo) Both vehicles are from the source domain lsquolandscapersquo (hill
forest) and continue the image of the previous bucolic description (meadow river
breeze) But at the same time the lsquotreasurersquo (tenorrsquorsquo) is already itself a metaphor (for
lsquohairrsquo) from another source domain (lsquoprecious materialsrsquo) that is elaborated by its
own two metaphorical adjectives lsquoivoryrsquo and lsquogoldrsquo from the same source domain As
we have seen with the example of Lemene the image evokes a further image
creating a kind of lsquoliterary trompe lrsquoœilrsquo
On tenor (Arsquo = noun) tenor (Arsquorsquo = noun) on vehicle (Brsquo noun thorn Brsquorsquo adjec) vehiclersquorsquo
(Brsquorsquo noun thorn Brsquorsquo adjec)
su rsquol collo (Arsquo) il bel tesoro (Arsquorsquo) sovra un colle drsquoavorio (Brsquothorn Brsquorsquo) un bosco drsquooro (Brsquorsquothorn Brsquorsquo)
Some intertextual notes
Apart from the topoi shared by Nonnus and Marino it is easy to see that several of
Marinorsquos verses in ott 67 are closely modelled on Nonnus of course in Lubinrsquos
translation (ed 1606)28 Marino ott 67 1ndash2 (darkness flees before Pampinorsquos eyes)
28 175 Et aliquanto venans sub petra umbrosa sylvae Aequalis iuvenis rosea delectabatur
forma Nunc etenim Phrygiae sub colle puer ludens Ampelus crescebat nuper
enutritus ramus amorum Neque ipsi mollis lanugo rubentis menti 180 Imberbes
nivea signaverat circulos maxilla Iuventae aureum florem In tergum reiectarum vero
comarum Racemi flexuosi super splendidis currebant humeris Non complicati Suavi
vero una concitati cum aura Flatu elevabantur Retractis vero comis 185 In
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combines Nonnus vv 186ndash87 (Ampelusrsquo neck is like the moon shining though
clouds) and vv 191ndash92 (when Ampelus looks the moon shines) Marino ott 67
3ndash4 (Pampinorsquos foot and hand transform meadow and river) is like Nonnus vv
189ndash90 (Ampelusrsquo limbsfoot elicit spring and flowers in the meadow) Marino
ott 67 5ndash6 (the wind playing with Pampinorsquos hair and showing his neck) is similar
to Nonnus vv 183ndash85 (the wind playing with Ampelusrsquo hair and revealing his neck)
Marino was unable to borrow Nonnusrsquo image of Ampelusrsquo foot eliciting spring
because Falkenburgrsquos text and Lubinrsquos translation present a different textual reading
from Chretienrsquos Falkenburg does not have (drsquo7lon) Iar (lsquospringrsquo) but (g1r) 5niar
which was translated as lsquoemolumentumrsquo (lsquogainrsquo) by Lubin
There are however some significant differences To describe the effect of the
Ampelusrsquo neck and eyes Nonnus introduces the image of the moon emerging through
the clouds while evoking simultaneously the moon cycle He begins with a compari-
son and continues with a metaphor spread out over eight verses To describe the
instant effect of Pampinorsquos eyes Marino (or to be more precise the narrator
Dionysus) simply states a truth a hyperbolic truth the light of Pampinorsquos eyes illu-
minates darkness To describe the effect of the neck of the satyr boy he introduces the
landscape and treasure metaphor The importance of the neck seems to point towards
another intertext the description of feminine beauty in the Song of Songs29 The lovers
in the Song of Songs describe each other in metaphorical terms their eyes hair teeth
lips voice cheeks neck breast and overall fairness etc (he in 4 she in 5 10ndash16 he
again in 6 4ndash7 and 7 1ndash9) Among the many source domains in the Song of Songs
lsquofruitrsquo lsquoastral phenomenarsquo and lsquoprecious materialsrsquo are present too To give some
examples her temples are pomegranates (4 3) his arms are rods of gold set with topaz
(5 14) she appears like the dawn the moon the sun the stars (6 10) and last but not
least her neck is an ivory tower (7 4)30 Elsewhere in the Adone (as often in Italian
Baroque poetry) Christian imagery is also clearly present31
summitate apparens oriebatur media nudata cervix Et fulgorem eiaculabatur umbram
relinquens qualia lucet In medio apparens nubem humidam perrumpens Luna Et
oris rosei mel spirans (Lectius 1606 lsquospiansrsquo instead of lsquospiransrsquo) fluebat oratio Ex
membris enim emolumentum (Falkenburg reads g1r 5niar lsquogainrsquo where Chretien has
drsquo7lon Iar) apparebat Cum iret vero 190 Ex pede argenteo pedum (Falkenburg reads
2rgur oio pod8n instead of Chretienrsquos 2rgursquo oio oslashod8n) rubebat pratum Cum vero
faciei bovinae ventorum (Falkenburg has 2n mwn instead of Chretienrsquos rsquoa wn Lectius
1606 has lsquobavinaersquo for lsquobovinaersquo) illustri circulo Oculos circumvertisset tota resplen-
debat Luna
29 Parallels between the Song of Songs and Greek love poetry are already present in Greek
poetry from Antiquity see various articles in Hagedorn (2005)
30 Paradoxically Marino is closer to the Hebrew original (that he was unable to read) than
to the Latin translation of the Vulgate (which he must have used) the Vulgate turns most
of the original metaphors into similes with the indicator lsquosicutrsquo
31 For example the suggested parallel between Adone and Christ condemned by the
Inquisition a nymph acting as Judas revealing Adonersquos hiding place and committing
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Marino changes some of Nonnusrsquo explicit (rationalizing see Pasini section lsquoA set
of practical tools for analysisrsquo) images into more implicit (open see Pasini section
lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo) ones evoking a concatenation of associations
The image of Ampelusrsquo silvery footstep (Greek 2rguroioLatin argenteo) that
turned the meadow red with roses is adapted to Marinorsquos own time Pampinorsquos
foot is no longer silvery but lsquovagorsquo (a reminiscence of Petrarcarsquos lsquovago piersquo)32 and it
still turns the meadow purple but the reader has to supply the exact nature of the
purple (eg purple gt flower gt rose) Since in the Renaissance canon lsquofootrsquo evokes
lsquohandrsquo and since the colour lsquopurplersquo evokes the contrast lsquowhitersquo Pampinorsquos foot and
the purple meadow in ott 67 3 lead lsquospontaneouslyrsquo to lsquohis white handrsquo in ott 67 4
Finally Nonnusrsquo lsquosilveryrsquo is not lost but transformed into the metaphorical verb
lsquoturned into silverrsquo (an interesting invention to provoke a new contrast in the readerrsquos
mind because the story is situated in Phrygia with its proverbially gold-gleaming
river Pactolus)33
What can we conclude on the basis of the similarities and differences in the
passages of Nonnus and Marino about their use of metaphor
First it is evident that Nonnus and Marino are equally fond of metaphors
Nonnusrsquo eighteen verses contain twelve metaphors and one comparison Marinorsquo
sixteen verses contain twelve metaphors On a quantitative level the abundant and
cumulative use of metaphors by Nonnus could be called lsquobaroquersquo
Secondly we have seen that on a conceptual level Nonnus and Marino share some
characteristics but not all Both poets work with the contrasting couples red-white
and light-dark and use the source domain lsquoflowerrsquo But the more traditional source
domains lsquoprecious materialsrsquo and lsquofruitrsquo inherited by Marino from the Renaissance
canon of beauty are barely or not at all present in Nonnus at least not in this passage
Thirdly at the linguistic level Nonnus and Marino clearly employ different
kinds and complexities of metaphor Nonnus on the one hand uses a concatenation
of metaphors in praesentia crowned by his personal metaphorical formula in which
the appearance of the tenor simultaneously evokes the vehicle Linguistically speak-
ing the relation between tenor and vehicle remains visible and controllable
suicide Venus crying over Adonersquos body as Mary did over Jesusrsquo body Adone is not
wounded in his thigh as in Greek mythology but in his side See also Guardiani (2001)
and Gonnelli (2003 29ndash30 on pagan and Christian syncretism in Nonnusrsquo Paraphrasis
and Marinorsquos Adone) The last motif recurs in the fresco lsquoLa Morte di Adonersquo by Luca
Giordano (1682ndash85) Palazzo Medici-Riccardi Florence It is reminiscent of the parallel
between Dionysus and Christ also expressed in various mosaics for example in a Roman
mosaic depicting Dionysusrsquo discovery of Ariadne on Naxos (Syria 3rd-4th cent Miho
Museum Kyoto Japan cat NA) where Dionysus not only has a nimbus but also a
wound in his sidebreast (a later addition) (I thank Berenice Verhelst for pointing out
this mosaic to me)
32 For this intricate Renaissance style word play see Pozzi (1976) ad loc
33 See Nonn Dion 11 17ndash55 for the swimming contest with Dionysus and Ampelus and
the effect on the satyr boy of the golden water of the river Pactolus
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(lsquorationalrsquo lsquoclosedrsquo) Marino on the other hand prefers metaphors in absentia
opening the associative distance between vehicle and tenor to a maximum He uses
the auto-referential metaphor that is so typical of Baroque poetry Marinorsquos method
reflects instability the arbitrariness of the relation between tenor and vehicle seems to
express the absence of a shared and well-organized world with absolute values As
Conte (1972 37) puts it lsquoconfronted by a reality (human social politic cultural) in
crisis the baroque word denounces the prerogative of the word it speaks almost
exclusively of itself but speaking of itself it imitates takes possession of exorcizes
and even organizes the crisisrsquo Therefore on a linguistic level there seems to be more
method in Nonnusrsquo madness than in Marinorsquos
Finally what about the overall effect of the metaphors they use in their respective
descriptions Nonnus and Marino both describe beautiful beardless satyr boys
caught in a fleeting moment of radiant movement in an eroticizing bucolic setting
They put equal emphasis on the beauty and the fragility of youth and on the satyr
boyrsquos impact on the nature surrounding him As we have seen Nonnusrsquo metaphors
make Ampelus progressively intermingle with nature announcing the satyr boyrsquos
metamorphosis Even though they are classified as more lsquorationalrsquo on a linguistic
level (see Pasini) their effect is impressively irrational and open Just as Marinorsquos
metaphors they are constantly related to metamorphosis expressing change and
instability These are typical features of the Baroque that also explain at least partly
Marinorsquos affiliation with Nonnus
Conclusion
To return to the initial question of this article do we need the term lsquobaroquersquo to
characterize Nonnusrsquo poetry We have seen that the use of lsquobaroquersquo for other
periods than the seventeenth-century Baroque has met with positive and negative
reactions being found either too restricted or too broad and that the term lsquobaroquersquo
is often used for Nonnusrsquo Dionysiaca in an impressionistic way to indicate that his
aesthetics deviate from the lsquoclassicalrsquo Used in this sense lsquobaroquersquo can suggest
openness expansion abundance accumulation asymmetry moving musicality
optical illusion and the absence of a vanishing point as opposed to lsquoclassicalrsquo
with its connotation of contours closed nature unity harmony symmetry archi-
tectural fixity and converging perspectives Many of these tendencies known from
the historical Baroque are visible in Late Antique poetry
What about the other qualifications at hand such as poik0lordquo lsquojeweledrsquo and
lsquocumulativersquo Can they replace the term lsquobaroquersquo The first poikil0a is intimately
linked with Nonnusrsquo own poetics as becomes immediately clear from his prologue
where it refers to variety and polymorphism in the poem as a whole The poet wishes
that lsquoProteus of the many turnsrsquo the god of endless transformation lsquomay appear in
all his diversity of shapes since I twang my harp to a diversity of songsrsquo34 It is
34 Nonn Dion I 15 5rsquora rsquoan0h poik0lon Idordquo ecwn 7ti poik0lon 4mnon 2r0ssw (transl
Rouse 1940) The term poik0lordquo has been used very frequently by scholars to describe
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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nloaded from
applied to Late Antique literature as well as to art works both art forms being
intimately linked during this period Gianfranco Agosti (1997 34ndash35 see also
2006 361ss) expands its use understanding it lsquonot only as stylistic varietas but
above all as a code intended to characterize reality The concept of poikil0a goes
far beyond mere rhetorical or stylistic boundaries and becomes a peculiar way of
viewing realityrsquo When used in this way as a psychological category applied to the
relation between word and image it becomes a hermeneutic tool to explore Late
Antique world views
The second expression lsquojeweled stylersquo is used for Late Antique writers and
artists who place their words and phrases or their gems and colours in geometric
patterns The aim of these patterns is to create a symbolic unity which is considered
more important than linear narrative sequences in literature and realism in the visual
arts The term has been coined by Michael Roberts (1989) for the aesthetics of Latin
poetry from Late Antiquity (Ausonius Prudentius Claudian Sidonius etc) but
can be applied mutatis mutandis to Greek literature from the same period
The third expression lsquocumulative aestheticrsquo describes a similar attitude in Late
Antique art characterized by a particular attention to detail (lsquoexquisite miniatur-
izationrsquo) and by a preference for the re-use of precious elements from the past
(spolia) The sum of these separate entities forms a new unity and expresses a
new vision of the world Jas Elsner (2004) discusses the term in the context of the
visual arts but it can also be applied to literature
Poikil0a jeweled style and cumulative aesthetic are free of the charge of
anachronism They are related each of them covering several aspects of Late
Antique art and literature but not all In my opinion the term lsquobaroquersquo serves a
different purpose it can indicate generally the kind of expressive possibilities chosen
by an author provided that this sketchy characterization is subsequently elaborated
in order to lend the term lsquobaroquersquo a more specific significance especially by
comparing it to the lsquoBaroquersquo
The term lsquobaroquersquo as a general indication for Nonnusrsquo style invited me to com-
pare lsquobaroquersquo Nonnus with lsquoBaroque Marinorsquo I picked up the Tesaurorsquos telescope
to zoom in on metaphor and to study the lsquoqueen of figuresrsquo from close up Nonnusrsquo
metaphors clearly appealed to the poetic creativity of Marino There is much aes-
thetic affinity between the stylistic norms they adopted when composing metaphors
They use comparable expressive possibilities to articulate their vision of the world
even if these worlds are very different and even if the lsquomost Baroque of baroque
poetsrsquo goes one step further than Nonnus Zooming out again I conclude two things
Nonnusrsquo style on the basis of his own proemium See for example Lindsay (1965 379ndash
84) String (1966 33ndash70) Vian (1976 9ndash10) Gonzalez Senmartı (1981) Hopkinson
(1994) Whitby (1994 101 112 116) Agosti (1997) Shorrock (2001) Miguelez-
Cavero (2008 139ndash45 162ndash68) Hernandez de la Fuente (2011) As a poetical qualifica-
tion poikil0a is already present in Pindar see Nunlist (1998 118) For poikil0avarietas
in epideictic rhetoric of the Imperial Period see Pernot (1993 337)
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nloaded from
if not pinned down as a strictly historical category the term lsquobaroquersquo can to a
certain extent be applied to Nonnus and above all can invite further exploration of
the intertextual relationships between poets and be helpful in comparing artistic
norms from different periods of time Used in this way it does not replace nor is
replaced by the terms poikil0a lsquojeweled stylersquo and cumulative aesthetics but is a
stimulating tool to bring to light similarities and differences in poetic creativity not
only of metaphor but also of other characteristics which have been called lsquotypically
baroquersquo35 It can help to gain insight into the exact nature of a literary lsquodialogue at
distancersquo and could also prove fruitful in analysing and characterizing Marinorsquos
intertexutal relations with other authors from Antiquity
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank G Agosti M H Koenen P Lanfranchi and M Pearson for
their stimulating comments and lively discussions during the various stages of this
article as well as Jas Elsner the associate editor and the anonymous referees of
Classical Receptions Journal for their accurate and useful suggestions
References
G Agosti lsquoPoemi digressivi tardoantichi (e moderni)rsquo Compar(a)ison no 1 (1995) pp 131ndash51mdashmdash lsquoThe poikil0a of Paul the Bishoprsquo ZPE no 116 (1997) pp 31ndash38mdashmdash lsquoImmagini e poesia nella tarda antichita Per uno studio dellrsquoestetica visuale della poesia greca fra
III e IV sec d Crsquo Incontri Triestini di Filologia Classica 4 2004-2005 (2006) pp 351ndash74 Onlinesince 22 August 2006 httphdlhandlenet10077949 [accessed 4 July 2012]
S Bar Review of Miguelez-Cavero 2008 in Plekos no 12 (2010) pp 67ndash77 httpwwwplekosuni-muenchende2010r-caveropdf [accessed 4 July 2012]
E van Boven and G Dorleijn Literair Mechaniek Inleiding tot de Analyse van Verhalen en Gedichten(Bussum Coutinho 2003) esp pp 159ndash80 (lsquoBeeldspraakrsquo)
Ch Brooke-Rose A Grammar of Metaphor (London Secker amp Warburg 1958)P Cherchi lsquoPoetry Philosophy and Sciencersquo in P Brand and L Pertile (eds) The Cambridge History
of Italian Literature vol I The Seicento (Cambridge Cambridge University Press 1996)pp 301ndash17
G Chretien Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t IV chants IXndashX (Paris Les Belles Lettres1985)
G Conte La Metafora barocca Saggio sulle poetiche del Seicento (Milano Mursia 1972)E R Curtius Europaische Literatur und lateinisches Mittelalter (Bern Francke Verlag 1948)G DrsquoIppolito Studi Nonniani Lrsquoepillio nelle Dionisiache (Palermo Presso lrsquoAccademia 1964)E DrsquoOrs Du Baroque (Paris Gallimard 1935)
35 Other intertexual relations such as the ones briefly discussed by Tissoni (1998 59ndash62)
could be analysed according to the procedure of Rousset (1954) although he restricted
his method to the seventeenth-century French Baroque literature He formulated four
main criteria applicable to various seventeenth-century Baroque art forms (architecture
painting and literature) lsquoinstabilityrsquo lsquomobilityrsquo lsquometamorphosisrsquo and lsquodominance of
settingrsquo He subsequently applied these criteria to five literary instances first of all lsquoa type
of metaphorrsquo followed by lsquoa type of poemrsquo lsquoa poetic work as a wholersquo lsquoa theatrical work as
a wholersquo and lsquoa general attitudersquo ie lsquodisplayrsquo (1954 181ss)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
23 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
J Elsner lsquoLate Antique Art The Problem of the Concept and the Cumulative Aestheticrsquo in S Swainand M Edwards (eds) Approaching Late Antiquity The Transformation from Early to Late Empire(Oxford Oxford University Press 2004) pp 271ndash309
E Faral Les Arts Poetiques du XIIe et XIIIe siecle Recherches et Documents sur la Technique Litteraire duMoyen Age (Paris Champion 1962)
W Fauth Eidos Poikilon Zur Thematik der Metamorphose und zum Prinzip der Wandlung aus demGegensatz in den Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Gottingen Vandenhoeck amp Ruprecht 1981)
P Friedlander Johannes von Gaza und Paulus Silentiarius Kunstbeschreibungen Justinianischer Zeit(Leipzig Teubner 1912)
H de la Fuente lsquoThe One and the Many and the Circular Movement Neo-Platonism and Poetics inNonnus of Panopolisrsquo in Id (ed) New Perspectives on Late Antiquity (Newcastle-upon-TyneCambridge Scholars 2011)
F Gonnelli Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol II (canti XIIIndashXXIV) (Milano BibliotecaUniversale Rizzoli 2003)
V Giraudet lsquoLe rivage la presqursquoıle et le marais Espaces baroques chez Achille Tatius et Nonnos dePanopolisrsquo in R Poignault (ed) Presence du Roman grec et Latin (Clermont-Ferrand Centre deRecherches A Piganiol 2011) pp 147ndash66
Groupe m (J Dubois ea) Rhetorique generale (Paris du Seuil 1970)F Guardiani lsquoA Christological Metamorphosis in a Baroque Poemrsquo in J Goering ea (ed) Saints and
the Sacred Select Proceedings of the 3rd St Michaelrsquos College Annual Symposium (Feb 25-26 2000)(Ottawa Legas 2001) pp 185ndash95
A C Hagedorn (ed) Perspectives on the Song of Songs (Berlin De Gruyter 2005)F Hallyn Formes metaphoriques dans la poesie lyrique de lrsquoage baroque en France (Geneve Droz 1975)H Hatzfeld lsquoThe Baroque from the Viewpoint of the Literary Historianrsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art
Criticism 142 Second Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1955) 156ndash64N Hopkinson (ed) Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society
1994)R Huyghe lsquoLa seve du baroquersquo Baroque [online] no 4 (1969) Online since 3 May 2012 http
baroquerevuesorg304 [accessed 22 January 2013]K Jax Die weibliche Schonheit in der griechischen Dichtung (Innsbruck Wagner 1933)R Keydell lsquoNonnosrsquo in Th Klauser (ed) Reallexikon fur Antike und Christentum vol XVII
(Stuttgart Hiersemann 1936) vol XVII pp 902ndash20G Lakoff Metaphors We Live By (Chicago University of Chicago Press 1980)G Lakoff and M Turner More Than Cool Reason A Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor (Chicago
University of Chicago Press 1989)L R Lind lsquoNonnos and His Readersrsquo Res Publica Litterarum (1978) 159ndash70J Lindsay Leisure and Pleasure in Roman Egypt (London Muller 1965)V De Malde Giovan Battista Marino La Sampogna (Parma Fondazione Pietro Bembo Ugo Guanda
Editore 1993)A Martini Letteratura Italiana Le Opere Vol II Dal Cinquecento al Settecento A Asor Rosa (ed)
(Turin Einaudi 1993) pp 777ndash97R T Matthews and F DeWitt Platt The Western Humanities (Boston McGraw-Hill 2004)L Miguelez-Cavero Poems in Context Greek Poetry in the Egyptian Thebaid 200-600 AD (Berlin De
Gruyter 2008)R F Newbold lsquoMimesis and Illusion in Nonnus Deceit Distrust and the Search for Meaningrsquo
Helios 37 no 1 (2010) pp 81ndash106R Nunlist Poetologische Bildersprache in der fruhgriechischen Dichtung (Stuttgart Teubner 1998)G F Pasini lsquoDalla comparazione alla metaforarsquo Lingua e Stile 7 no 3 (1972) pp 441ndash69L Pernot La rhetorique de lrsquoeloge dans le monde greco-romain vol I (Paris Institut drsquoEtudes
Augustiennes 1993)S N Peters lsquoMetaphor and lsquolsquoMaravigliarsquorsquo Tradition and Innovation in the Adone of GB Marinorsquo
Lingua e Stile 7 no 2 (1972) pp 321ndash41D G Piccardi Metafora e Poetica in Nonno di Panopoli (Florence Universite degli Studi di Firenze
1985)mdashmdash Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol I (canti IndashXII) (Milano Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli
2003)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
24 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
G Pozzi Giovan Battista Marino vol II LrsquoAdone (Milano Mondadori 1976)mdashmdash lsquoIl ritratto della donna nella poesia drsquoinizio Cinquecento e la pittura di Giorgionersquo Lettere Italiane
311 gennaio-marzo (1979) pp 3ndash30mdashmdash lsquoTemi t0poi stereotipirsquo in A Asor Rosa (ed) Letteratura italiana III Le forme del testo I
Teoria e poesia (Torino Einaudi 1984) pp 391ndash436I A Richards The Philosophy of Rhetoric (New York Oxford University Press 1936)M Riemschneider lsquoDer Stil des Nonnosrsquo Berliner byzantinistische Arbeiten no 5 (1957) pp 46ndash70M Roberts The Jeweled Style Poetry and Poetics in Late Antiquity (Ithaca and London Cornell
University Press 1989)W H D Rouse Nonnus Dionysiaca (Cambridge MA Harvard University Press 1940)J Rousset La litterature de lrsquoage baroque en France Circe et le paon (Paris Corti 1954)E Russo lsquoSul barocco letterario in Italia Giudizi revisioni distinzionirsquo Les Dossiers du Grihl [Online]
2012-02 j 2012 Online since 25 June 2012 httpdossiersgrihlrevuesorg5223 [accessed 4 March2013]
A G Senmartı lsquoLa lsquolsquopoikiliarsquorsquo como principio estilıstico de las Dionisıacas de Nonorsquo AFB no 7(1981) pp 101ndash07
R Shorrock The Challenge of Epic Allusive Engagement in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Leiden Brill2001)
mdashmdash lsquoNonnusrsquo in J Foley (ed) A Companion to Ancient Epic (Oxford Wiley-Blackwell 2005)pp 374ndash85
mdashmdash The Myth of Paganism Nonnus Dionysus and the World of Late Antiquity (London BristolClassical Press 2011)
G Steen lsquoMetaphor and Stylersquo in P Stockwell and S Whiteley (eds) The Cambridge Handbook ofStylistics (Cambridge Cambridge University Press forthcoming 2014)
M String Untersuchungen zum Stil der Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Hamburg sn (disserta-tion) 1966)
E Tesauro Il Cannocchiale Aristotelico (Venice Baglioni 1654ndash70)F Tissoni Nonno di Panopoli I Canti di Penteo (Dionisiache 44ndash46) Commento (Florence La Nuova
Italia Editrice 1998)F Vian Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t I chants IndashII (Paris Les Belles Lettres 1976)R Wellek lsquoThe Concept of Baroque in Literary Scholarshiprsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism
52 Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1946) pp 77ndash109M Whitby lsquoFrom Moschus to Nonnus The Evolution of the Nonnian Stylersquo in N Hopkinson (ed)
Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society 1994) pp 99ndash155A Wifstrand Von Kallimachos zu Nonnos Metrisch-stilistische Untersuchungen zur spateren griechischen
Epik und zu verwandten Gedichtgattungen (Lund Gleerup 1933)H Wolfflin Renaissance und Barock Eine Untersuchung uber Wesen und Entstehung des Barockstils in
Italien (Munich T Ackermann 1888)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
25 of 25
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ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
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nloaded from
time and place and has become a general typological or psychological category
indicating a phenomenon occurring at the end of each period in no matter which
time or place Some see it as part of the binary opposition lsquoGothic-Baroque-
Romanticismrsquo versus lsquoClassical Antiquity-Renaissance-Neoclassicismrsquo and thus
constituting a kind of lsquoeternalrsquo Baroque3 Rene Wellek (1946 88ndash97) rejects
almost every attempt to define lsquobaroquersquo as being either too broad or too restricted
to be useful for concrete literary study As a second-best option he therefore pro-
poses to use lsquobaroquersquo as a period term embracing style and ideology or emotional
attitudes to show how certain stylistic devices express a definite view of the world4
Commentators using the term lsquobaroquersquo to describe Nonnusrsquo Dionysiaca do so in
different ways Often they are referring to the poemrsquos general overwhelming ex-
uberance its rich language its prolific digressions its twisting plot But the term is
also applied to more specific literary devices Nonnusrsquo fondness for variation para-
dox antithesis the creation of illusion the motif of circular movement To cite some
examples Albert Wifstrand (1933 81ndash82) argues that Nonnusrsquo verbs and epithets
indicating change becoming and transition create lsquoa real lsquolsquobaroquersquorsquo impressionrsquo
(lsquoeinen wahrhaften lsquolsquobarockenrsquorsquo Eindruckrsquo) Rudolf Keydell (1936 911ndash12) enumer-
ates augmentation accumulation the elaboration of often antithetic relations
musicality through alliteration and word play as elements of Nonnusrsquo lsquopredomin-
antly Baroque stylersquo (lsquodurchaus barocken Stilsrsquo) While discussing similar elements
DrsquoIppolito (1964 49ndash57) regards lsquobaroquersquo not only as a stylistic category but also
broadens the scope of the term he considers it a spiritual disposition a world view in
crisis He applies lsquobaroquersquo to everything which is the opposite of lsquoclassicalrsquo from
the Hellenistic period onwards While he regards Ovidrsquos Metamorphoses as the most
baroque poem of Roman Imperial literature Nonnusrsquo Dionysiaca is the supreme
example of Late Antique baroque presenting us with lsquoa total baroque vision of life
and artrsquo (lsquouna totale visione barocca della vita e dellrsquoartersquo) According to this theory
man was lost when he ceased to be part of the polis and consequently became
increasingly lsquobaroquersquo he found himself in a state of perpetual crisis running
from the third-century BCE up to the fifth-century CE Gianfranco Agosti
(1995 134 and 150ndash51) narrows the use of the term to stylistics considering
2 For this subdivision see Matthews and DeWitt Platt (2004 389)
3 For example Friedlander (1912 17) uses it for different lsquobaroque periods of poetryrsquo
(lsquoBarockperioden der Poesiersquo) from Late Hellenistic poetry onwards becoming fully
visible for the first time in Catullusrsquo artificial composition and affected style of poem
64 in lsquothe dissolution of the severe form into billows of images and feelingsrsquo DrsquoOrs
(1935) Huyghe (1969)
4 In his article Wellek offers a dazzling historical overview of the first technical evaluations
of the term lsquobaroquersquo its first application to other fields than art history (by Wolfflin in
1888) its geographical spread and its problematic use with regard to literature See also
Hatzfeld (1955) who also discusses the spread and the use of the term lsquobaroquersquo with
regard to literature proposing a strictly period-based and stylistic use of the term dir-
ectly following after the Italian Renaissance
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syncopated and non-linear narrative as typical of baroque style be it late antique
Greek baroque or Marinorsquos baroque To him baroque aesthetics mean an explor-
ation and an exaltation of disharmony centrifugality and broken time (lsquotempo
spezzatorsquo)5 In her book on Greek Poetry in the Egyptian Thebaid 200-600 AD
Laura Miguelez-Cavero (2008 188) equates poikil0a (variety) and baroque
The poikil0a has an effect on the overall design of the work [sc the Dionysiaca] but also at
small scale when in the composition of a particular passage several options are available
instead of choosing one Nonnus combines them all For instance when a male character in
the Dionysiaca meets a young woman instead of comparing her to only one goddess he
compares her to them all This feature no doubt baroque is characteristic of Byzantine
literature and can be found as well in compositions extant on papyrus
It is evident that the meaning of the term lsquobaroquersquo for Nonnusrsquo Dionysiaca varies
widely6 Because of its often facile use without clear definition there have been several
attempts in the past to reject it It has been called anachronistic and inadequate to
describe fifth-century poetry Margerete Riemschneider (1957) discusses Nonnusrsquo
preference for curved lines for the doubling of objects in images for paradox and
for associative composition but she explicitly refrains from using the term lsquobaroquersquo
considering it meaningless it either does not cover any one period in its entirety or is
simply used as a synonym of lsquoexaggeratedrsquo (pp 46ndash47)7 She does however call
Nonnus a lsquomanneristrsquo who does not insist on movement but rather avoids the static
(pp 53 55) Martin String (1966 3ndash4) is less sophistic but he also prefers to reserve
the use of lsquobaroquersquo for the seventeenth century For Wolfgang Fauth (1981 12) the
qualification of Nonnusrsquo poetry as lsquobaroquersquo is not exhaustive enough to describe all of
Nonnusrsquo characteristics and should therefore be avoided Francesco Tissoni (1998 56)
argues that although the term seems attractive it is too abstract and oversimplifying
its application to Nonnusrsquo Dionysiaca being anachronistic Recently the discussion has
been re-opened In his review of Miguelez-Caverorsquos book Silvio Bar (2010 73) ques-
tions the meaningfulness of the term lsquobaroquersquo in the context of Late Antique poetry
The term lsquobaroquersquo to describe the (Nonnian) poikil0a metaphorically is beloved and popu-
lar but needs further reflection one should especially question the meaning and the
usefulness of the metaphor
5 See also Agosti (1997 35) on Nonnusrsquo Paraphrase lsquoThe arduous depths of Johannine
theology are translated by Nonnus into a florid style the most accomplished expression
of baroque in Late Antiquityrsquo
6 See for recent exemples also Newbold (2010 82) lsquothe febrile baroque iconophile sen-
suality of the Dionysiacarsquo) and Giraudet (2011 I have not been able to consult this article)
7 See also Hernandez de la Fuente (2011 cautious with the use of baroque perhaps to be
replaced by mannerism) Both in the footsteps of Ernst Curtius (1948 ch 15) who
prefers the term lsquomannerismrsquo to lsquobaroquersquo as an a-historical conceptual instrument in
opposition to lsquoclassicismrsquo
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
3 of 25
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nloaded from
Instead of re-discussing the various standpoints in this debate which hover between
lsquotoo broadrsquo and lsquotoo restrictedrsquo (see Wellek above) I wish to take a different approach
and ask what happens when we compare a so-called lsquobaroquersquo poet from the fifth-
century CE with a poet from the seventeenth century who is widely regarded as the
most typical example of the Italian Baroque Do they use similar poetic mechanisms
Do they share stylistic and typological aspects In which way can a comparison help
to clarify the meaning and usefulness of the term lsquobaroquersquo in the case of Nonnusrsquo
Dionysiaca My analysis focuses on one literary device in particular the poetic figure
par excellence (as was already recognized by Aristotle) of poetic metaphor
Extravagant metaphors are seen as a distinctive feature of Italian Baroque poetry
as will be discussed below
In this article I present a comparison of Nonnus of Panopolis with Giambattista
Marino (1569ndash1625) The choice of this particular poet is not an arbitrary one
firstly Marino has been described as lsquothe most baroque of Baroque poetsrsquo (and by
some as lsquothe most talented charlatan in Italian literaturersquo)8 Secondly his gigantic
epic poem Adone (20 cantos 5123 ottave 40984 verses) is inspired by Nonnusrsquo
equally enormous epic poem Dionysiaca (48 books 20426 hexameters) there is
therefore at least some affinity between the two9 The sheer quantity of the verses
of both poets immediately calls for modesty I do not pretend to offer an exhaustive
comparison but rather restrict myself to a couple of short passages rich in meta-
phors and intimately linked on an intertextual level Nonnusrsquo description of the
young man Ampelus lover of the god Dionysus (Dion 10 177ndash92) and Marinorsquos
description of the young man Pampino lover of the god Dionysus (Ad 19 ott 66ndash
67) (partially) modelled on Nonnusrsquo Ampelus but with a different name (note the
pun lsquoAmpelusrsquo grape-vine mdash lsquoPampinorsquo vine-leaf a euphonic near-translation)
Nonnus and Marino some preliminary remarks
Nonnusrsquo mythological epic poem Dionysiaca was written in a turbulent period of
tensions between pagans and Christians10 It tells the history of the demi-god
Dionysus
The first books are dedicated to his ancestors beginning with the rape of Europa
by Zeus The next books describe his birth infancy and youth From book thirteen
8 Lind (1978 161) Although Marino is traditionally seen as the most baroque poet not
everybody agrees Hatzfeld (1955 159) for example sees Tasso as a representative of the
most pure baroque and Marino as a representative of an off-centred mannerism or
lsquobaroquismrsquo For a recent survey on the problem of Italian Baroque literature see
Russo (2012)
9 For a general introduction to Marinorsquos Adone see Martini (1993) For Nonnus and
Marino see Pozzi (1976 identifies the verses of Nonnus used by Marino ad loc)
Agosti (1995 148ndash51 on narrative structure) Tissoni (1998 56ndash62 an intertextual
comparison of a set of passages) and Gonnelli (2003 26ndash31 a brief survey)
10 See eg Shorrock (2011)
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onwards the central theme is Dionysusrsquo mission to bring happiness to mankind by
introducing the vine his travels eastwards to India and back again to Europe with
many military conquests and erotic adventures In the last book Dionysus is finally
deified The coherence of the narrative structure of the whole story is obscured by
the accumulation of loosely interrelated episodes full of metamorphoses and mytho-
logical exempla lsquoThe Dionysiaca has a verbal energy and a capacity for prolific
growth that makes it look like a literary version of the vine itselfrsquo as Shorrock
(2005 376) has vividly expressed it
The passage to be discussed in this article concerns Dionysusrsquo early years when
he meets Ampelus and falls in love But Ampelus is a proud and reckless satyr boy
against Dionysusrsquo will he rides a fierce bull falls from its back and is killed
Dionysus is deeply grieved but eventually finds consolation in Ampelusrsquo metamor-
phosis into a vine (the Greek word for vine is 4mplordquo) After this transformation
Ampelus will continue to play a central role in Dionysusrsquo mission to show mankind
the benefits of wine
The Greek text of the Dionysiaca (Laur 3216 of Maximus Planudes dd 1280)
arrived in Italy in the year 142311 Angelo Poliziano studied it from 1481 onwards
for him Nonnus like Ovid was a source of mythical information and inspiration
The editio princeps of the Dionysiaca dates from 1569 (by Falkenburg) and a first
Latin translation from 1605 (by Eilhard Lubin) Neither that Greek text nor the
Latin translation received much attention although a new edition of the text
(Hanau 1610) attracted negative criticism from Petrus Cunaeus Josephus
Justus Scaliger and Daniel Heinsius according to whom Nonnus could no longer
stand the test with Homer he was considered ignorant incomprehensible and
incapable of imitating the right models his narrative was judged chaotic and far
too digressive
Contemporary interest was clearly directed towards other more famous classical
authors But Marinorsquos personal taste was not completely in accordance with the
tradition of his time He was interested in many classical writers from different
periods not only the well known but also especially the lesser known from the
Hellenistic period up to Late Antiquity Among his Latin favourites were Virgil
Horace Ovid Pliny Statius Apuleius and above all Claudian His Greek favourites
included Apollonius of Rhodes Bion Achilleus Tatius Moschus pseudo-
Anacreon Musaeus and of course especially Nonnus Marino became lsquothe first
modern imitator of Nonnus and in a modern languagersquo12 His epic engages in a
11 For editors commentators and readers of Nonnus discussed here see Lind (1978) and
especially the excellent paragraph lsquoRicezione e Fortunarsquo by Tissoni (1998 44ndash62)
12 Lind (1978 161) For Marinorsquos innovative choice already signalled by contemporary
critics who oppose the couples Tasso-Homer and Marino-Nonnus see Pozzi (1976 93ndash
94) For the influence of Nonnus on other works by Marino such as Sampogna and
Atteone see De Malde (1993) pp 137ndash41
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lsquodialogue at distancersquo making use of various techniques verbal imitation whether
literal or modified transposition of verses amplification or condensation of epi-
sodes contamination by putting together different passages and arduous meta-
phor13 However since Marino could not read Greek he had to use Lubinrsquos
Latin translation probably in the bilingual edition by Lectius (1606) which contains
a huge corpus of Greek epic texts with Latin translations14 Thus while comparing
Nonnus and Marino we have to keep in mind that Marino read Nonnusrsquo hexameters
through Lubinrsquos pen Fortunately Lubin provided an extremely literal word-
for-word prose translation that poses no real problems for the purpose of the present
article Lubin rigorously respects the Greek word order as the following example
shows (Nonnus Dion 10 175ndash76)
ka0 pot qhr0wn 3p1 oslashwg0da d0skion 4lhrdquo
et aliquanto venans sub petra umbrosa sylvae
6likordquo 2iq oio oslashodTHORNpidi q lgto morrsquoI
aequalis iuvenis rosea delectabatur forma
Pozzi (1976 668) remarks that lsquoMarinorsquos language is extraordinary (its rhythm
prosody lexicon syntax) compared to the Lubinrsquos Latin translation which is
linguistically colourless and stylistically bloodlessrsquo Tissoni (1998 58) asserts that
a comparison with the arid translation of Nonnus by Lubin is useful in two ways lsquoit
permits us on the one hand to correctly evaluate Marinorsquos debt to the Dionysiaca
and on the other hand to become aware of his poetic ability which manifests itself in
extraordinary stylistic refinementrsquo Marino paraphrases and modifies Lubinrsquos trans-
lation lsquoreturning instinctively as it were to the original Greek textrsquo However he did
not use hexameters but ottava rima stanzas of eight verses in hendecasyllable with
rhyme scheme abababcc
LrsquoAdone composed during the Counter-Reformation between 1605 and 1623 and
published in Paris in 1623 tells the story of the goddess Venus and the human
Adonis Its narrative scheme is built around their union Adonis suffers shipwreck
and lands on Cyprus the island of Venus The goddess falls in love with him but
Adonis flees out of fear of her other lover the god Mars and turns into a parrot
Having regained his human shape he is taken captive by robbers Once free again
he wins a beauty contest and becomes king of Cyprus Eventually Adonis is killed by
13 See Tissoni (1998 59ndash62) who illustrates most of these techniques with passages for
metaphor he discusses Adone 1170 and Dion 12 9ndash14 followed by a parody of Marinorsquos
style in Stiglianirsquos Amante disperato 300ndash309 If not otherwise indicated the English
translations in this article are my own
14 Lectius Poetae graeci veteres carminis heroici scriptores qui extant omnes Aureliae
Allebrogum sumptibus Caldorianae Societatis MDCVI See Tissoni (1998 57ndash58) It
is difficult to quantify the importance of each of the individual models such as Ovid (see
Pozzi 1976 103ndash21 esp 117) and Claudian (see Agosti 1995 144ndash45 and 148) in the
development of his style
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a boar sent by his rival Mars In canto 19 four divinities mdash Ceres Bacchus Thetis
and Apollo mdash try to console Venus by relating stories of six other youths who met an
untimely death Hyacintus (25ndash62) Pampino (63ndash123) Acis (124ndash232) Calamus
and Carpus (233ndash51) Leander (252ndash92) and Achilles (293ndash325) Eventually after
his funeral Adonisrsquo heart is turned into a red anemone The poem ends with funeral
games in honour of Adonis The story line of the Adone like that of the Dionysiaca is
complicated it is constantly interrupted by digressions descriptions repetitions
unexpected turns and irregular symmetries Metamorphosis is one of its main
motifs Another recurrent motif is that of lsquosmoderato piacer che termina in
dogliarsquo (lsquoboundless joy ending in sorrowrsquo Adone 1 10 8) References to Nonnus
can be found especially in cantos 18 and 19 (Adone 18 193ndash208 Amorrsquos quest on
Earth cf Dion 33 57ndash142 Adone 19 65ndash123 the Pampinus episode cf Dion 10
189ndash93 11 194ndash483 12 117ndash37 and 138ndash397 the Ampelus episode Adone 19
235ndash51 the Calamus and Carpus episode cf Dion 11 370ndash481 Eros tries to con-
sole Bacchus in the same manner)
The passage to be discussed in this article is taken from the story of Pampino It is
modelled upon Nonnusrsquo story of Ampelus in Dion 10ndash12 but reduced to four major
moments the first meeting the love-affair Pampinorsquos death and his
metamorphosis
Baroque metaphor
For Aristotle simile and metaphor belong to the same category a simile (2kTHORNn) is
seen as an extended metaphor and a metaphor (mtarsquoor0) as an abbreviated simile
when Homer says of Achilles lsquo3rdquo d l wn p0rousnrsquo (lsquohe jumped forward like a
lionrsquo) he uses a simile (with the comparative adverb 3rdquo) and when he says of
Achilles lsquol wn p0rousnrsquo (lsquothe lion jumped forwardrsquo) he uses a metaphor
(Rhet III 1406b20ndash23) According to Aristotle metaphor is a more intelligent
device than simile because while a simile is explicit metaphor is an invitation to
reflection The proof of the creative intelligence of a poet lies in the ability to see
similarities and turn them into metaphors He distinguishes four types of meta-
phors that is from genus to species from species to genus from species to species
and from analogy He warns several times against far-fetched metaphors as being too
poetic for prose or lacking clarity In rhetorical treatises of later periods in Antiquity
metaphor is usually considered a typically poetical stylistic device not to be used too
often in prose following Aristotle (Poet 22 7ndash17 Rhet III 1405a3ndashb19
1406b5ndash07a19 see also Top I 17)
One finds a positive attitude towards metaphor similar to Aristotlersquos in the
Italian Baroque period Meraviglia mdash marvel mdash caused by the use of dazzling
metaphors became a key aesthetic concept15 Producing this kind of metaphors
15 For a short and clear discussion of Italian baroque literature including the concepts of
meraviglia concetto acutezza and ingegno see Cherchi (1996) For more extensive stu-
dies on the baroque metaphor see Conte (1972) for Italian Baroque and Peters (1972) for
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involved using new themes (including objects from everyday life such as the hour-
glass) and expressing them in innovative ways (called concetti and acutezze) Many
baroque poets pushed the creation of extravagant metaphors to the limit According
to some Marino was one of them but according to others he was quite moderate
One of the most important contemporary theorists of metaphor Emmanuele
Tesauro expands the four types of metaphor proposed by Aristotle into eight
types In the chapter on lsquoMetaphorrsquo of his aesthetical treatise The Aristotelian
Telescope (1654ndash70 267) he writes that metaphor (which he calls lsquothe queen of
figuresrsquo) transforms immediate reality offering lsquoto the mind of the listener in
just one word the sight of a whole theatre of marvelsrsquo (lsquoun pien teatro di meravi-
gliersquo) The more distant and unexpected the similarities between tenor and vehicle16
of a metaphor the greater the wonder of the reader and the more laudable the ability
(ingegno) of the poet The baroque poet operates like a telescope drawing
together remote notions belonging to distant realities Ideas about the relation be-
tween tenor and vehicle changed Peters (1972 325ndash26) states that during the
Renaissance
the conceptual metaphor was bound to a system of knowledge which pointed to immut-
able relationships Tesaurorsquos metaphor instead reveals relationships which are quite arbi-
trary and not related to the level of intellectual truth For in the earlier tradition it was the
words which uncovered the conceptual idea given in the metaphor whereas with
Tesauro the implication is that the metaphor itself creates a kind of reality and imposes it
on the word
Baroque metaphors no longer uncover a system of relations of unchangeable
correspondences expressing the stability embodied in creation Instead the baroque
ingegno accumulates series of unexpected sensual images consonant with the
instability and fluidity of the world In his Metafora barocca Conte (1972 40)
distinguishes one special type of baroque metaphor it is characterized by the
extension of the absence of the tenor and by the lateral ramification of the meaning
of the vehicle17 He illustrates this with the following verses of the Italian Baroque
poet and follower of Marino Francesco de Lemene (1634ndash1704) De Lemene
comparing a womanrsquos breasts with lilies and her lips with roses invites the bees
metaphors in the Adone Compare also the important study of Rousset (1954 185ndash89)
and Hallyn (1975) for metaphors in French Baroque literature
16 Originally coined by IA Richards (1936) these terms are still widely used in metaphor
studies In Saussurian terms tenor is the signified and vehicle the signifier see section lsquoA
set of practical tools for analysisrsquo below
17 lsquoLa Metafora barocca e caratterizzata dal prolungamento dellrsquoassenza del segno virtuale e
dalla diramazione laterale del significato del segno presentersquo To avoid confusion I trans-
late lsquosegno virtualersquo as tenor and lsquosegno presentersquo as vehicle
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to come lsquodrainrsquo (lsquosvenarersquo which means literally lsquoto cut someonersquos veinsrsquo lsquoto bleed
someone dryrsquo)
ite volate
a quel labbro a quel seno api ingegnose
per fabricar dolcezze ite svenate
di quel sen di quel labbro e gigli e rose
come fly
to this lip to this breast clever beesto make sweetness come drain
the lilies and roses of that breast that lip
Part of this metaphor is traditional belonging to the canon of beauty developed from
the Middle Ages to the Renaissance (the colour of) the womanrsquos breast is like lilies
(white) and that of her lip like roses (red)18 But the metaphor is pushed one step
further (and here begins a baroque novelty) the vehicle (the flowers) is amplified by
the summoning of the bees from the realm of associations of the tenor They are
invited to participate actively in the illusion The vehicle of the metaphor is given life
and motion as it were and whirls around itself in a figurative play a literary trompelrsquoœil This kind of extreme metaphor shows that the relation between vehicle and
tenor which had been stable during the Renaissance began to destabilize during the
Baroque the distance between the two increased and the vehicle became auto-
referential vehicles themselves referred to further vehicles instead of to tenors
A set of practical tools for analysis
Much more can of course be said on theories of baroque metaphor but the proposed
method of this article is to make a factual comparison between two passages of Nonnus
and Marino I will briefly present two modern models of metaphor that will both serve
as practical tools for analysis First a linguistic model for which I chose the model
presented by Pasini (1972) not because it is particularly innovative but because it offers
a clear insight into the gradual differences between simile and metaphor at the level of
expression in language19 And secondly a conceptual model as proposed by Lakoff
(1980) and Lakoff and Turner (1989) and further developed by Steen (forthcoming)
because their point of departure is the concepts that lie behind linguistic expressions
Lakoff (1980) and Lakoff and Turner (1989) conceived their theory as a reaction to the
traditional approach of metaphor as a rhetorical device showing that metaphors are
omnipresent in everyday life and language and work conventionally automatically and
unconsciously Steen (forthcoming) distinguishes between a communicational (delib-
erate versus non-deliberate) conceptual (conventional versus novel) and linguistic level
18 More on the canon of beauty follows in section lsquoTwo beautiful satyr boysrsquo below
19 In addition to Pasini I used from the huge amount of literature on metaphor Brooke-
Rose (1958) and Van Boven and Dorleijn (2003)
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of metaphor introducing by the backdoor literary metaphor (belonging to the cat-
egory of deliberate metaphor) in Conceptual Metaphor Theory
The literary function of a metaphor does not just reside in the underlying cross-domain
comparison that is the basis of every metaphor Metaphor in poetry is often multi-layered
with many relations to other aspects of the text and its language which makes it strongly
dependent on all sorts of other information throughout the poem and the knowledge it
assumes All of this may be seen as highly typical of the use of metaphor in poetry
Pasini (1972) discerns four linguistic stages between simile on the one hand and
metaphor on the other hand ranging from a closed to an open message Each stage
can be explained by an example a description and a diagrammatic representation20
His cheeks are fresh like roses
This simile with the comparative adverb lsquolikersquo as an indicator includes a tenor
(cheeks A) a vehicle (roses B) and a ground (or tertium comparationis fresh C) It
is a closed construction leaving no space for the imagination of the reader This kind
of comparison is judged the most rational of the four stages because it is the most
specific and requires no leap of imaginative intellect to understand the ground on
which the comparison is made
His cheeks are like roses
This comparison with indicator (like) tenor (cheeks A) and a vehicle (roses B) does
not contain a ground (C) In this case the reader has to supply one or more of the
characteristics of the rose (freshness or red colour or sweet perfume etc) by
generalization and add this information on his own account to the comparison
This type one step closer to metaphors of type (3) and (4) is called by some a
lsquometaphorical comparisonrsquo the process of supplying by generalization is already
present but the process of identification is still absent
20 I thank Jaap Fokkema (VU University) for drawing the four figures after Pasini (1972) who
in his turn is inspired by the Rhetorique Generale (Paris 1970) of the French lsquoGroupe mrsquo
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a His cheeks are roses
b The roses of his cheeks
This is a metaphor in praesentia it has a tenor (cheeks A) and a vehicle (roses B) but
being a metaphor it lacks both indicator and ground (C) In example (3a) the verb lsquoto
bersquo functions as a link and identifies the vehicle and the tenor with each other (in
French this use of the verb lsquoto bersquo is called lsquolrsquoest drsquoequivalencersquo)
On his face two roses
This is a metaphor in absentia in which the indicator the ground (C) as well as the
tenor (A) are absent and have to be supplied by the imagination of the reader The
vehicle lsquorosesrsquo refers not only to the concept of lsquorosesrsquo but also metaphorically to the
concept of lsquocheeksrsquo This kind of metaphor is the least rationalizing (the lsquoto bersquo of
example (3a) can still be considered a lsquorationalizingrsquo element) and the most open (the
reader has to generalize and to supply)
Lakoff presents a conceptual theory of everyday metaphor in Metaphors We LiveBy (1980) which is the basis of the study of poetical metaphor by Lakoff and Turner
in More Than Cool Reason a Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor (1989) He maintains
that the locus of metaphor is not in language (compare figure 4 below the line) but in
the way we conceptualize one mental domain in terms of another (compare figure 4
above the line) Metaphors make use of cross-domain conceptual mappings and are
cast in individual linguistic expressions21 In this theory the tenor is a linguistic
expression that belongs to the so-called target domain and the vehicle is a linguistic
expression that belongs to a so-called source domain The set of ontological corres-
pondences between these two domains can be represented in a mapping To give an
example a conceptual mapping of Pasinirsquos above-mentioned four types would look
like the following
People (target domain) plants (source domain)
youth corresponds to flowering
young person corresponds to blossoming rose
21 Interestingly the idea of the crossing of domains has been phrased in a less theoretical
and a more poetic way by Tesauro (1654ndash70 267)
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pink skin corresponds to red colour
young skin corresponds to freshness
aging corresponds to withering
So the tenor lsquocheeksrsquo belongs to the target domain lsquopeoplersquo and the vehicle lsquorosersquo
belongs to the source domain lsquoplantrsquo Thus while Pasinirsquos typology provides for a
formal analysis at a linguistic level Lakoffrsquos extra-linguistic concerns are centred on
a conceptual level His theory permits us to reflect on the concepts and ideas under-
lying metaphors
Two beautiful satyr boys
Ampelus
In this section I will discuss the two passages of Nonnus and Marino In Dionysiaca
10 175ndash92 the external narrator introduces the young Ampelus future lover of
Dionysus for the first time (as explained in paragraph II) He describes him as
follows
175 ka0 pot qhr0wn 3p1 oslashwg0da d0skion 4lhrdquo
6likordquo 2iq oio oslashodTHORNpidi q lgto morrsquoI
4dh g1r Frug0hrdquo 3p1 dir0da koNrordquo 2q0rwn
Amplordquo 2 xhto notrrsquo rdquo ernordquo ErTHORNtwn
o2d o3 3br1rdquo 4oulordquo ruqom noio gn0ou
180 4cnoa cion hrdquo car0ssto k0kla pariPrdquo
6bhrdquo cr0son 4nqordquo 2pisqop0roio d ca0thrdquo
b0trurdquo 3lik0ntrdquo prsquo 2rgursquo wn q on Œmwn
2plk rdquo ligurN d sunaiq0ssontrdquo 2ndasht
4sqmati koursquo0zonto parlkom nwn d kom0wn
185 2krorsquoan1rdquo 2n tll m sordquo gumno0mnordquo a2c1n
ka1 s lardquo 2k0ntiz lip0skiordquo oJ0 t l0mpi
mssorsquoan1rdquo n rsquoordquo 3gr1n 2nasc0zousa Slndashnh
ka1 st0matordquo oslashod oio ml0pnoordquo err rsquownndash
k ml wn drsquo 7lon Iar rsquoa0nto nisom nou d
190 k pod1rdquo 2rgursquo oio oslash0dwn ruqa0nto limTHORNn
2 d booglndashnwn rsquoa wn 2rsquogg i k0klN
2rsquoqalmo1rdquo l lizn 7lh sl0giz Slndashnh22
175 Once while hunting under a shady cliff of a wood
he was charmed by the rosy form of a young comrade
For under the ridge of the Phrygian hills the merry boyhad already matured Ampelus a new shoot of the gods of Love
For him no dainty bloom of a reddening chin
180 had marked the smooth circles of his snow-white cheeks
the golden flower of youth curling clusters of long hair
22 Greek text Chretien (1985) translation Rouse (1940) adapted
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ran down over his silvery-glistering shoulders
loosely and waving in the whispering wind
were lifted by its breath When the hair was blown aside
185 the bare neck appeared between just visible
and unshadowed light flashed from him just as the moon shines
half appearing when she pierces a damp cloudFrom his rosy mouth streamed a honey-breathing voice
Spring itself appeared from his limbs under the steps
190 of his silvery foot the meadow blushed with roses
and if he turned his eyes their bright iris gleaming
with the glow of a cowrsquos eye the light of the full moon shone
The satyr boy is described from head to toe (a procedure also propagated in exercises
on ekphrasis in the rhetorical handbooks of Late Antiquity see Aphthonius Prog
12) and in movement with major attention to the upper body parts the poet shows
us his cheeks (vv 179ndash81) hair shoulders neck (vv 181ndash87) mouth and voice
(v 188) moving on to his limbs and feet (vv 189ndash90) and eventually turns upwards
again towards eyes (vv 191ndash92) As often in erotic descriptions in Antiquity (espe-
cially from Hellenistic and Second Sophistic literature onwards) this passage
abounds with erotic topoi23 The setting is painted with stock images of the natural
world the shady wood the gentle breeze the flowery meadow these are all present
Everything (the satyr boy and his surroundings) is sweet young and blooming
The incredibly rich description of the effect of the different body parts ends in the
visual climax of the appearance of the moon first barely visible then half appearing
then fully visible The expressions 2krorsquoanndashrdquo (v 185) mssorsquoanndashrdquo (v 187) and 7lh
(v 192) also evoke the different stages of the cycle of the moon mdash new waxing and
full mdash intimately linked with the growth of plants in nature24
However many bucolic elements are used metaphorically the flower of youth a
rosy mouth a honey-breathing voice etc The metaphors in this description appeal
to all our senses to our eyes by the use of colours (red white golden silver) and
contrasts (brightndashdark) to our touch (his beardless cheeks) and to our ears and smell
(his honey-breathing voice) In her fascinating study of metaphors in the Dionysiaca
Daria Gigli Piccardi (1985) distinguishes in Nonnus three (archetypical) source
domains for metaphors of beauty two of which occur in this passage Firstly the
source domain lsquoflowersrsquo from individual flowers to spring meadows full of
23 The flowering youth of men around the age of their first beard the rosy mouth the
spring meadow are all common themes in Greek Hellenistic erotic literature but Nonnus
innovates by adding unusual elements (such as the neck also present in other descrip-
tions of beauty in the Dionysiaca) and particular formulations (see below) See Gigli
Piccardi (2003 700ndash703 ad vv 175ndash92) For a list of other studies on beauty in
Nonnus see Chretien (1985 142 ad vv 175ndash92)
24 Chretien (1985 144 ad v 192) and Gigli Piccardi (2003 700ndash701 ad vv 175ndash92)
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contrasting colours Secondly the source domain lsquoastral phenomenarsquo playing with
the opposition light-dark25
On a formal level we find only one simile in vv 186ndash87 introducing the theme of
the moon It belongs to Pasinirsquos type 1 (see section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo
above) unshadowed light (s lardquo lip0skiordquo tenor A) flashed (2k0ntiz ground C)
just as (oJ0 t indicator) half appearing the moon (Slndashnh vehicle B) shines (l0mpi
ground C) when she pierces a damp cloud (nrsquoordquo 3gr1n 2nasc0zousa vehicle B)
Besides this simile there are ten metaphors in praesentia (belonging to Pasinirsquos type 3)
and two metaphors in absentia (belonging to Pasinirsquos type 4) These metaphors are
expressed in a variety of ways which will be discussed below
(1) The most explicit type is the metaphor in apposition occurring very often in
Nonnus The comma after the tenor shows that we are dealing with such a metaphor
in apposition
tenor (A = noun) vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective) of X
a Amplordquo (A) notrrsquo rdquo e rnordquo (B) ErTHORNtwn (X) (v 178)
Ampelus (A) a new shoot (B) of the Loves (X)
b 3br1rdquo 4oulordquo ruqom noio gn0ou (A) 6bhrdquo (X) cr0son 4nqordquo (B) (vv 179-81)
the dainty bloom of a reddening chin (A) the golden flower (B) of youth (X)
(2) Another type of metaphor also very frequent in Nonnus links a metaphorical
adjective (vehicle) to a noun (tenor)
tenor (A = noun) thorn vehicle (B = metaphorical adjective)
a oslashodTHORNpidi (B) morrsquoI (A) (v 176) ndash rosy (B) form (A)
b cion hrdquo (B) pariPrdquo (A) (v 180) ndash snow-white (B) cheeks (A)
c 2rgursquo wn (B) Œmwn (A) (v 182) ndash silvery-glistering (B) shoulders (A)
d st0matordquo (A) oslashod oio (B) (v 188) ndash rosy (B) mouth (A)
e ml0pnoordquo (B) rsquownndash (A) (v 188) ndash a honey-breathing (B) voice (A)
f pod1rdquo (A) 2rgursquo oio (B) (v 190) ndash silvery (B) foot (A)
g booglndashnwn (B) rsquoa wn (A) (v 191) ndash cowrsquos eye (B) glow (A)
(3) In Nonnus the metaphor in absentia is restricted to the more common metaphors
of the flower domain In the following example the vehicle is a noun phrase whereas
the nature of the tenor becomes clear from the addition of a noun or noun phrase in
apposition It is to be noted that the word b0trurdquo is normally used for lsquoclusters of
vinersquo and points already to Ampelusrsquo future metamorphosis
vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective) of X (= noun thorn adjective in genitive)
a 2pisqop0roio d ca0thrdquo (X) b0trurdquo (B) 3lik0ntrdquo (vv 182-83) ndash curling clusters (B) of
long hair (A)
25 The third source domain individuated by Gigli Piccardi is that of lsquothe war of loversquo full of
contrasts between real and metaphorical weapons
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from X (= preposition thorn noun) appears vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective)
b k ml wn (A) 7lon Iar (B) rsquoa0nto (v 189)
From his limbs (A) spring itself (B) appeared
(4) As Gigli Piccardi (1985 70) already noticed Nonnus invented his own extended
metaphorical formula lsquoan autonomous linguistic constellationrsquo lsquowhen X becomes
visible Y appearsrsquo (sometimes followed by a comparison) Whereas the theme of the
moon is introduced by a comparison in vv 186ndash87 it is closed in vv 191ndash92 by such
a lsquoNonnianrsquo metaphor
2 d booglndashnwn rsquoa wn 2rsquogg i k0klN 2rsquoqalmo1rdquo l lizn (X) 7lh sl0giz Slndashnh (Y)
and if he turned his eyes with their bright iris gleaming with a cowrsquos eye glow (X) the light of the
full moon shone (Y)
The large number of metaphors cast in many different forms results in a descrip-
tion that is far from literal The blooming satyr boy and the blooming spring mingle
both being connected to the three phases of the moon Ampelus almost becomes
Bacchic nature himself His first meeting with the God already contains the promise
of his own future metamorphosis the expression b0trurdquo as noticed above being
one of its most explicit indicators26 The golden flower of youth not only contains
life but also death and resurrection Thus the totality of the metaphors expresses
perpetual change
Pampino
As we have seen in section lsquoBaroque metaphorrsquo the story of Pampino belongs to a set
of love-stories told by the gods to Venus as a consolation after the death of her lover
Adonis In Adone 19 ott 66ndash67 the god Dionysus describes the beautiful Pampino
ott 66 La bella fronte gli adorno Natura
di gentil maesta drsquoaria celeste
Dolce color di fragola matura
4 gli facea rosseggiar le guance oneste
Nela bocca ridea la grana pura
tra schiette perle in doppio fil conteste
ne quivi avea la rosa purpurina
8 prodotta ancor la sua dorata spina
ott 67 La notte tenebrosa il ciel turbato
si rischiarava dersquo begli occhi al lume
Il vago piede imporporava il prato
4 la bianca mano innargentava il fiume
Qualor lievrsquoaura con soave fiato
confondendogli il crin scotea le piume
26 See also Gigli Piccardi (1985 69) and (2003 700ndash1 ad vv 175ndash92)
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parea sparso su rsquol collo il bel tesoro
8 sovra un colle drsquoavorio un bosco drsquooro
ott 66 His beautiful forehead Nature adorned
with refined nobility with heavenly looks
The sweet colour of ripe strawberries4 painted his honest cheeks red
In his mouth pure pomegranate laughed
set between real pearls in a double row
There the purple rose had not
8 yet produced her golden thorns
ott 67 The shady night the darkened sky
brightened at the light of his beautiful eyesHis yearning foot turned the meadow purple
4 his white hand turned the river silver
When a gentle breeze with its soft breath
playing with his hair shook his feathers
on his neck the beautiful treasure seemed to spread out
8 on an ivory hill a forest of gold
This description of Pampino owes much to Nonnusrsquo description of Ampelus but is
at the same time different Since Marino uses and plays with the Renaissance canon
of beauty I will discuss this canon briefly in order to gain a better understanding of
the Pampino passage
The topos of beauty began to acquire fixed rules during the Middle Ages and was
completely canonized by the Renaissance27 From the Middle Ages onwards two
types of canon for feminine beauty were developed the short and the long canon
The short canon (used by Petrarch) focuses on the face mentioning hair eyes
mouth and cheeks Hand and breast are briefly referred to forehead and neck are
seldom included The long canon (used by Boccaccio and Ariosto) adds more detail
and leads the gaze further downwards from head to toe Central features of the short
canon are splendour (light) and colour (white) whereas the long canon emphasizes
harmonious proportions (of the body)
Renaissance poets use set comparisons and oppositions such as lsquoredrsquo versus
lsquowhitersquo But within these fixed boundaries there were ample possibilities for vari-
ance One way to play with conventions was the following a poet could mention only
one element of an opposition and thereby automatically evoke its counterpart in the
27 For an overview of Greek poetry up to the Byzantine period see Jax (1933) with dis-
turbing racist emphasis on lsquodas weibliche Schonheitsideal der weiszligen Rassersquo for the
Latin Middle-Ages see Faral (1962 esp p 75 ss) Sidonius Apollinarisrsquo portrait of
Theodoric (Ep I 2 2 sixth century) is seen as the best model for descriptions of persons
by Geoffroy de Vinsauf (Poetria nova 1210 CE) for the Renaissance see Pozzi (1979 and
1984)
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mind of the audience For example if he described a hand a foot was to be imagined
by the reader when a rose was mentioned it was intended that a lily be brought to
mind etc
Favourite source domains for metaphors were in the first place flowers roses
lilies and violets for colour and evanescence secondly precious materials pearls
rubies coral and gold for colour and diamond and sapphire for splendour and
thirdly lsquoheavenly bodiesrsquo stars and the sun for splendour and movement For
special effects these elements could be combined into homogeneous or heteroge-
neous couples a lily and a rose or ivory and a rose etc
How are these images used and constructed in the present passage from
Marino Marino combines the two canons adopting the short canon for his descrip-
tion of the young man and then enumerating his several parts from head to toe He
begins with the (moral) qualities given by Nature to Pampinorsquos forehead (ott 66
1ndash2) continues with his cheeks mouth and cheeks again (ott 66 3ndash8) then turns to
his eyes (ott 67 1ndash2) to his foot and hand (ott 67 3ndash4 the foot belonging to the
long canon) and finally to his hair and neck (ott 67 5ndash8) Marino adds various
(moral) qualifications The first octave is relatively quiet drawing as it were
Pampinorsquos portrait Its three source domains for the metaphors are lsquofruitrsquo lsquoprecious
materialsrsquo lsquoflowersrsquo (pomegranate pearl rose) connected with contrasting colours
(red white and golden) and positive qualifications (beautiful refined heavenly
sweet honest pure real) The second octave is stirred by movement the
sky brightens Pampinorsquos touch turns nature into something else the playing
wind shakes hair locks spreads out It also introduces the opposition light-dark
(shady night darken brighten light) The source domains of the second octave
are lsquobucolic landscapersquo (meadow river breeze) and lsquoprecious materialsrsquo
(silver gold)
As is to be expected Marino is fond of metaphors and expresses them in
various ways But unlike Nonnus he obviously prefers metaphors in absentia
(Pasinirsquos type 4 see section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo above)
The description of Pampino includes moral and physical qualities In ott 66 3ndash4
the strawberry (lsquodolce color di fragola maturarsquo lsquothe sweet colour of ripe strawberriesrsquo)
paving the way for the source domain lsquofruitrsquo is followed by a series of metaphors
(1) There are several instances of metaphors in absentia which are intelligible when
one looks at either the direct context in which they are embedded or at the existing
Renaissance conventions
vehicle (B = noun thorn- adjective)
a la grana pura (ott 66 5) ndash pure pomegranate (sc in his mouth gt tongue)
b schiette perle (ott 66 6) ndash real pearls (sc in double row gt teeth)
c rosa purpurina (ott 66 7) ndash purple rose (sc there gt on his cheeks gt beard)
d le piume (ott 67 6) ndash feathers (of his hair gt locks of hair)
e tesoro (ott 67 7) ndash treasure (his rich hair)
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(2) To these examples two metaphorical verbs can be added
vehicle (B = verb)
a imporporava (ott 67 3) ndash turned purpleb innargentava (ott 67 4) ndash turned silver
(3) The following metaphor in absentia is qualified by a metaphorical adjective
vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective)
la sua dorata spina (ott 66 8) ndash her golden thorns (reddish-blonde bristles)
(4) Another variant are the metaphors in absentia that combine two metaphorical
expressions
vehicle (B = noun) of vehicle (B = noun)
a colle (B) drsquoavorio (B) (ott 67 8) ndash an ivory hill (of his white neck)
b un bosco (B) drsquooro (B) (ott 67 8) ndash a forest of gold (of his blond hair)
(5) Taken together two final verses of ott 67 are an example of a typical baroque
metaphor (discussed in section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo) a concatenation
of metaphorical images Ott 67 7 is elaborated in the next verse by a metaphor in
apposition on neck (tenorrsquo) the beautiful treasure (tenorrsquorsquo) on an ivory hill (vehiclersquo)a forest of gold (vehiclersquorsquo) Both vehicles are from the source domain lsquolandscapersquo (hill
forest) and continue the image of the previous bucolic description (meadow river
breeze) But at the same time the lsquotreasurersquo (tenorrsquorsquo) is already itself a metaphor (for
lsquohairrsquo) from another source domain (lsquoprecious materialsrsquo) that is elaborated by its
own two metaphorical adjectives lsquoivoryrsquo and lsquogoldrsquo from the same source domain As
we have seen with the example of Lemene the image evokes a further image
creating a kind of lsquoliterary trompe lrsquoœilrsquo
On tenor (Arsquo = noun) tenor (Arsquorsquo = noun) on vehicle (Brsquo noun thorn Brsquorsquo adjec) vehiclersquorsquo
(Brsquorsquo noun thorn Brsquorsquo adjec)
su rsquol collo (Arsquo) il bel tesoro (Arsquorsquo) sovra un colle drsquoavorio (Brsquothorn Brsquorsquo) un bosco drsquooro (Brsquorsquothorn Brsquorsquo)
Some intertextual notes
Apart from the topoi shared by Nonnus and Marino it is easy to see that several of
Marinorsquos verses in ott 67 are closely modelled on Nonnus of course in Lubinrsquos
translation (ed 1606)28 Marino ott 67 1ndash2 (darkness flees before Pampinorsquos eyes)
28 175 Et aliquanto venans sub petra umbrosa sylvae Aequalis iuvenis rosea delectabatur
forma Nunc etenim Phrygiae sub colle puer ludens Ampelus crescebat nuper
enutritus ramus amorum Neque ipsi mollis lanugo rubentis menti 180 Imberbes
nivea signaverat circulos maxilla Iuventae aureum florem In tergum reiectarum vero
comarum Racemi flexuosi super splendidis currebant humeris Non complicati Suavi
vero una concitati cum aura Flatu elevabantur Retractis vero comis 185 In
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combines Nonnus vv 186ndash87 (Ampelusrsquo neck is like the moon shining though
clouds) and vv 191ndash92 (when Ampelus looks the moon shines) Marino ott 67
3ndash4 (Pampinorsquos foot and hand transform meadow and river) is like Nonnus vv
189ndash90 (Ampelusrsquo limbsfoot elicit spring and flowers in the meadow) Marino
ott 67 5ndash6 (the wind playing with Pampinorsquos hair and showing his neck) is similar
to Nonnus vv 183ndash85 (the wind playing with Ampelusrsquo hair and revealing his neck)
Marino was unable to borrow Nonnusrsquo image of Ampelusrsquo foot eliciting spring
because Falkenburgrsquos text and Lubinrsquos translation present a different textual reading
from Chretienrsquos Falkenburg does not have (drsquo7lon) Iar (lsquospringrsquo) but (g1r) 5niar
which was translated as lsquoemolumentumrsquo (lsquogainrsquo) by Lubin
There are however some significant differences To describe the effect of the
Ampelusrsquo neck and eyes Nonnus introduces the image of the moon emerging through
the clouds while evoking simultaneously the moon cycle He begins with a compari-
son and continues with a metaphor spread out over eight verses To describe the
instant effect of Pampinorsquos eyes Marino (or to be more precise the narrator
Dionysus) simply states a truth a hyperbolic truth the light of Pampinorsquos eyes illu-
minates darkness To describe the effect of the neck of the satyr boy he introduces the
landscape and treasure metaphor The importance of the neck seems to point towards
another intertext the description of feminine beauty in the Song of Songs29 The lovers
in the Song of Songs describe each other in metaphorical terms their eyes hair teeth
lips voice cheeks neck breast and overall fairness etc (he in 4 she in 5 10ndash16 he
again in 6 4ndash7 and 7 1ndash9) Among the many source domains in the Song of Songs
lsquofruitrsquo lsquoastral phenomenarsquo and lsquoprecious materialsrsquo are present too To give some
examples her temples are pomegranates (4 3) his arms are rods of gold set with topaz
(5 14) she appears like the dawn the moon the sun the stars (6 10) and last but not
least her neck is an ivory tower (7 4)30 Elsewhere in the Adone (as often in Italian
Baroque poetry) Christian imagery is also clearly present31
summitate apparens oriebatur media nudata cervix Et fulgorem eiaculabatur umbram
relinquens qualia lucet In medio apparens nubem humidam perrumpens Luna Et
oris rosei mel spirans (Lectius 1606 lsquospiansrsquo instead of lsquospiransrsquo) fluebat oratio Ex
membris enim emolumentum (Falkenburg reads g1r 5niar lsquogainrsquo where Chretien has
drsquo7lon Iar) apparebat Cum iret vero 190 Ex pede argenteo pedum (Falkenburg reads
2rgur oio pod8n instead of Chretienrsquos 2rgursquo oio oslashod8n) rubebat pratum Cum vero
faciei bovinae ventorum (Falkenburg has 2n mwn instead of Chretienrsquos rsquoa wn Lectius
1606 has lsquobavinaersquo for lsquobovinaersquo) illustri circulo Oculos circumvertisset tota resplen-
debat Luna
29 Parallels between the Song of Songs and Greek love poetry are already present in Greek
poetry from Antiquity see various articles in Hagedorn (2005)
30 Paradoxically Marino is closer to the Hebrew original (that he was unable to read) than
to the Latin translation of the Vulgate (which he must have used) the Vulgate turns most
of the original metaphors into similes with the indicator lsquosicutrsquo
31 For example the suggested parallel between Adone and Christ condemned by the
Inquisition a nymph acting as Judas revealing Adonersquos hiding place and committing
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Marino changes some of Nonnusrsquo explicit (rationalizing see Pasini section lsquoA set
of practical tools for analysisrsquo) images into more implicit (open see Pasini section
lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo) ones evoking a concatenation of associations
The image of Ampelusrsquo silvery footstep (Greek 2rguroioLatin argenteo) that
turned the meadow red with roses is adapted to Marinorsquos own time Pampinorsquos
foot is no longer silvery but lsquovagorsquo (a reminiscence of Petrarcarsquos lsquovago piersquo)32 and it
still turns the meadow purple but the reader has to supply the exact nature of the
purple (eg purple gt flower gt rose) Since in the Renaissance canon lsquofootrsquo evokes
lsquohandrsquo and since the colour lsquopurplersquo evokes the contrast lsquowhitersquo Pampinorsquos foot and
the purple meadow in ott 67 3 lead lsquospontaneouslyrsquo to lsquohis white handrsquo in ott 67 4
Finally Nonnusrsquo lsquosilveryrsquo is not lost but transformed into the metaphorical verb
lsquoturned into silverrsquo (an interesting invention to provoke a new contrast in the readerrsquos
mind because the story is situated in Phrygia with its proverbially gold-gleaming
river Pactolus)33
What can we conclude on the basis of the similarities and differences in the
passages of Nonnus and Marino about their use of metaphor
First it is evident that Nonnus and Marino are equally fond of metaphors
Nonnusrsquo eighteen verses contain twelve metaphors and one comparison Marinorsquo
sixteen verses contain twelve metaphors On a quantitative level the abundant and
cumulative use of metaphors by Nonnus could be called lsquobaroquersquo
Secondly we have seen that on a conceptual level Nonnus and Marino share some
characteristics but not all Both poets work with the contrasting couples red-white
and light-dark and use the source domain lsquoflowerrsquo But the more traditional source
domains lsquoprecious materialsrsquo and lsquofruitrsquo inherited by Marino from the Renaissance
canon of beauty are barely or not at all present in Nonnus at least not in this passage
Thirdly at the linguistic level Nonnus and Marino clearly employ different
kinds and complexities of metaphor Nonnus on the one hand uses a concatenation
of metaphors in praesentia crowned by his personal metaphorical formula in which
the appearance of the tenor simultaneously evokes the vehicle Linguistically speak-
ing the relation between tenor and vehicle remains visible and controllable
suicide Venus crying over Adonersquos body as Mary did over Jesusrsquo body Adone is not
wounded in his thigh as in Greek mythology but in his side See also Guardiani (2001)
and Gonnelli (2003 29ndash30 on pagan and Christian syncretism in Nonnusrsquo Paraphrasis
and Marinorsquos Adone) The last motif recurs in the fresco lsquoLa Morte di Adonersquo by Luca
Giordano (1682ndash85) Palazzo Medici-Riccardi Florence It is reminiscent of the parallel
between Dionysus and Christ also expressed in various mosaics for example in a Roman
mosaic depicting Dionysusrsquo discovery of Ariadne on Naxos (Syria 3rd-4th cent Miho
Museum Kyoto Japan cat NA) where Dionysus not only has a nimbus but also a
wound in his sidebreast (a later addition) (I thank Berenice Verhelst for pointing out
this mosaic to me)
32 For this intricate Renaissance style word play see Pozzi (1976) ad loc
33 See Nonn Dion 11 17ndash55 for the swimming contest with Dionysus and Ampelus and
the effect on the satyr boy of the golden water of the river Pactolus
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(lsquorationalrsquo lsquoclosedrsquo) Marino on the other hand prefers metaphors in absentia
opening the associative distance between vehicle and tenor to a maximum He uses
the auto-referential metaphor that is so typical of Baroque poetry Marinorsquos method
reflects instability the arbitrariness of the relation between tenor and vehicle seems to
express the absence of a shared and well-organized world with absolute values As
Conte (1972 37) puts it lsquoconfronted by a reality (human social politic cultural) in
crisis the baroque word denounces the prerogative of the word it speaks almost
exclusively of itself but speaking of itself it imitates takes possession of exorcizes
and even organizes the crisisrsquo Therefore on a linguistic level there seems to be more
method in Nonnusrsquo madness than in Marinorsquos
Finally what about the overall effect of the metaphors they use in their respective
descriptions Nonnus and Marino both describe beautiful beardless satyr boys
caught in a fleeting moment of radiant movement in an eroticizing bucolic setting
They put equal emphasis on the beauty and the fragility of youth and on the satyr
boyrsquos impact on the nature surrounding him As we have seen Nonnusrsquo metaphors
make Ampelus progressively intermingle with nature announcing the satyr boyrsquos
metamorphosis Even though they are classified as more lsquorationalrsquo on a linguistic
level (see Pasini) their effect is impressively irrational and open Just as Marinorsquos
metaphors they are constantly related to metamorphosis expressing change and
instability These are typical features of the Baroque that also explain at least partly
Marinorsquos affiliation with Nonnus
Conclusion
To return to the initial question of this article do we need the term lsquobaroquersquo to
characterize Nonnusrsquo poetry We have seen that the use of lsquobaroquersquo for other
periods than the seventeenth-century Baroque has met with positive and negative
reactions being found either too restricted or too broad and that the term lsquobaroquersquo
is often used for Nonnusrsquo Dionysiaca in an impressionistic way to indicate that his
aesthetics deviate from the lsquoclassicalrsquo Used in this sense lsquobaroquersquo can suggest
openness expansion abundance accumulation asymmetry moving musicality
optical illusion and the absence of a vanishing point as opposed to lsquoclassicalrsquo
with its connotation of contours closed nature unity harmony symmetry archi-
tectural fixity and converging perspectives Many of these tendencies known from
the historical Baroque are visible in Late Antique poetry
What about the other qualifications at hand such as poik0lordquo lsquojeweledrsquo and
lsquocumulativersquo Can they replace the term lsquobaroquersquo The first poikil0a is intimately
linked with Nonnusrsquo own poetics as becomes immediately clear from his prologue
where it refers to variety and polymorphism in the poem as a whole The poet wishes
that lsquoProteus of the many turnsrsquo the god of endless transformation lsquomay appear in
all his diversity of shapes since I twang my harp to a diversity of songsrsquo34 It is
34 Nonn Dion I 15 5rsquora rsquoan0h poik0lon Idordquo ecwn 7ti poik0lon 4mnon 2r0ssw (transl
Rouse 1940) The term poik0lordquo has been used very frequently by scholars to describe
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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nloaded from
applied to Late Antique literature as well as to art works both art forms being
intimately linked during this period Gianfranco Agosti (1997 34ndash35 see also
2006 361ss) expands its use understanding it lsquonot only as stylistic varietas but
above all as a code intended to characterize reality The concept of poikil0a goes
far beyond mere rhetorical or stylistic boundaries and becomes a peculiar way of
viewing realityrsquo When used in this way as a psychological category applied to the
relation between word and image it becomes a hermeneutic tool to explore Late
Antique world views
The second expression lsquojeweled stylersquo is used for Late Antique writers and
artists who place their words and phrases or their gems and colours in geometric
patterns The aim of these patterns is to create a symbolic unity which is considered
more important than linear narrative sequences in literature and realism in the visual
arts The term has been coined by Michael Roberts (1989) for the aesthetics of Latin
poetry from Late Antiquity (Ausonius Prudentius Claudian Sidonius etc) but
can be applied mutatis mutandis to Greek literature from the same period
The third expression lsquocumulative aestheticrsquo describes a similar attitude in Late
Antique art characterized by a particular attention to detail (lsquoexquisite miniatur-
izationrsquo) and by a preference for the re-use of precious elements from the past
(spolia) The sum of these separate entities forms a new unity and expresses a
new vision of the world Jas Elsner (2004) discusses the term in the context of the
visual arts but it can also be applied to literature
Poikil0a jeweled style and cumulative aesthetic are free of the charge of
anachronism They are related each of them covering several aspects of Late
Antique art and literature but not all In my opinion the term lsquobaroquersquo serves a
different purpose it can indicate generally the kind of expressive possibilities chosen
by an author provided that this sketchy characterization is subsequently elaborated
in order to lend the term lsquobaroquersquo a more specific significance especially by
comparing it to the lsquoBaroquersquo
The term lsquobaroquersquo as a general indication for Nonnusrsquo style invited me to com-
pare lsquobaroquersquo Nonnus with lsquoBaroque Marinorsquo I picked up the Tesaurorsquos telescope
to zoom in on metaphor and to study the lsquoqueen of figuresrsquo from close up Nonnusrsquo
metaphors clearly appealed to the poetic creativity of Marino There is much aes-
thetic affinity between the stylistic norms they adopted when composing metaphors
They use comparable expressive possibilities to articulate their vision of the world
even if these worlds are very different and even if the lsquomost Baroque of baroque
poetsrsquo goes one step further than Nonnus Zooming out again I conclude two things
Nonnusrsquo style on the basis of his own proemium See for example Lindsay (1965 379ndash
84) String (1966 33ndash70) Vian (1976 9ndash10) Gonzalez Senmartı (1981) Hopkinson
(1994) Whitby (1994 101 112 116) Agosti (1997) Shorrock (2001) Miguelez-
Cavero (2008 139ndash45 162ndash68) Hernandez de la Fuente (2011) As a poetical qualifica-
tion poikil0a is already present in Pindar see Nunlist (1998 118) For poikil0avarietas
in epideictic rhetoric of the Imperial Period see Pernot (1993 337)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
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nloaded from
if not pinned down as a strictly historical category the term lsquobaroquersquo can to a
certain extent be applied to Nonnus and above all can invite further exploration of
the intertextual relationships between poets and be helpful in comparing artistic
norms from different periods of time Used in this way it does not replace nor is
replaced by the terms poikil0a lsquojeweled stylersquo and cumulative aesthetics but is a
stimulating tool to bring to light similarities and differences in poetic creativity not
only of metaphor but also of other characteristics which have been called lsquotypically
baroquersquo35 It can help to gain insight into the exact nature of a literary lsquodialogue at
distancersquo and could also prove fruitful in analysing and characterizing Marinorsquos
intertexutal relations with other authors from Antiquity
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank G Agosti M H Koenen P Lanfranchi and M Pearson for
their stimulating comments and lively discussions during the various stages of this
article as well as Jas Elsner the associate editor and the anonymous referees of
Classical Receptions Journal for their accurate and useful suggestions
References
G Agosti lsquoPoemi digressivi tardoantichi (e moderni)rsquo Compar(a)ison no 1 (1995) pp 131ndash51mdashmdash lsquoThe poikil0a of Paul the Bishoprsquo ZPE no 116 (1997) pp 31ndash38mdashmdash lsquoImmagini e poesia nella tarda antichita Per uno studio dellrsquoestetica visuale della poesia greca fra
III e IV sec d Crsquo Incontri Triestini di Filologia Classica 4 2004-2005 (2006) pp 351ndash74 Onlinesince 22 August 2006 httphdlhandlenet10077949 [accessed 4 July 2012]
S Bar Review of Miguelez-Cavero 2008 in Plekos no 12 (2010) pp 67ndash77 httpwwwplekosuni-muenchende2010r-caveropdf [accessed 4 July 2012]
E van Boven and G Dorleijn Literair Mechaniek Inleiding tot de Analyse van Verhalen en Gedichten(Bussum Coutinho 2003) esp pp 159ndash80 (lsquoBeeldspraakrsquo)
Ch Brooke-Rose A Grammar of Metaphor (London Secker amp Warburg 1958)P Cherchi lsquoPoetry Philosophy and Sciencersquo in P Brand and L Pertile (eds) The Cambridge History
of Italian Literature vol I The Seicento (Cambridge Cambridge University Press 1996)pp 301ndash17
G Chretien Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t IV chants IXndashX (Paris Les Belles Lettres1985)
G Conte La Metafora barocca Saggio sulle poetiche del Seicento (Milano Mursia 1972)E R Curtius Europaische Literatur und lateinisches Mittelalter (Bern Francke Verlag 1948)G DrsquoIppolito Studi Nonniani Lrsquoepillio nelle Dionisiache (Palermo Presso lrsquoAccademia 1964)E DrsquoOrs Du Baroque (Paris Gallimard 1935)
35 Other intertexual relations such as the ones briefly discussed by Tissoni (1998 59ndash62)
could be analysed according to the procedure of Rousset (1954) although he restricted
his method to the seventeenth-century French Baroque literature He formulated four
main criteria applicable to various seventeenth-century Baroque art forms (architecture
painting and literature) lsquoinstabilityrsquo lsquomobilityrsquo lsquometamorphosisrsquo and lsquodominance of
settingrsquo He subsequently applied these criteria to five literary instances first of all lsquoa type
of metaphorrsquo followed by lsquoa type of poemrsquo lsquoa poetic work as a wholersquo lsquoa theatrical work as
a wholersquo and lsquoa general attitudersquo ie lsquodisplayrsquo (1954 181ss)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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Dow
nloaded from
J Elsner lsquoLate Antique Art The Problem of the Concept and the Cumulative Aestheticrsquo in S Swainand M Edwards (eds) Approaching Late Antiquity The Transformation from Early to Late Empire(Oxford Oxford University Press 2004) pp 271ndash309
E Faral Les Arts Poetiques du XIIe et XIIIe siecle Recherches et Documents sur la Technique Litteraire duMoyen Age (Paris Champion 1962)
W Fauth Eidos Poikilon Zur Thematik der Metamorphose und zum Prinzip der Wandlung aus demGegensatz in den Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Gottingen Vandenhoeck amp Ruprecht 1981)
P Friedlander Johannes von Gaza und Paulus Silentiarius Kunstbeschreibungen Justinianischer Zeit(Leipzig Teubner 1912)
H de la Fuente lsquoThe One and the Many and the Circular Movement Neo-Platonism and Poetics inNonnus of Panopolisrsquo in Id (ed) New Perspectives on Late Antiquity (Newcastle-upon-TyneCambridge Scholars 2011)
F Gonnelli Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol II (canti XIIIndashXXIV) (Milano BibliotecaUniversale Rizzoli 2003)
V Giraudet lsquoLe rivage la presqursquoıle et le marais Espaces baroques chez Achille Tatius et Nonnos dePanopolisrsquo in R Poignault (ed) Presence du Roman grec et Latin (Clermont-Ferrand Centre deRecherches A Piganiol 2011) pp 147ndash66
Groupe m (J Dubois ea) Rhetorique generale (Paris du Seuil 1970)F Guardiani lsquoA Christological Metamorphosis in a Baroque Poemrsquo in J Goering ea (ed) Saints and
the Sacred Select Proceedings of the 3rd St Michaelrsquos College Annual Symposium (Feb 25-26 2000)(Ottawa Legas 2001) pp 185ndash95
A C Hagedorn (ed) Perspectives on the Song of Songs (Berlin De Gruyter 2005)F Hallyn Formes metaphoriques dans la poesie lyrique de lrsquoage baroque en France (Geneve Droz 1975)H Hatzfeld lsquoThe Baroque from the Viewpoint of the Literary Historianrsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art
Criticism 142 Second Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1955) 156ndash64N Hopkinson (ed) Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society
1994)R Huyghe lsquoLa seve du baroquersquo Baroque [online] no 4 (1969) Online since 3 May 2012 http
baroquerevuesorg304 [accessed 22 January 2013]K Jax Die weibliche Schonheit in der griechischen Dichtung (Innsbruck Wagner 1933)R Keydell lsquoNonnosrsquo in Th Klauser (ed) Reallexikon fur Antike und Christentum vol XVII
(Stuttgart Hiersemann 1936) vol XVII pp 902ndash20G Lakoff Metaphors We Live By (Chicago University of Chicago Press 1980)G Lakoff and M Turner More Than Cool Reason A Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor (Chicago
University of Chicago Press 1989)L R Lind lsquoNonnos and His Readersrsquo Res Publica Litterarum (1978) 159ndash70J Lindsay Leisure and Pleasure in Roman Egypt (London Muller 1965)V De Malde Giovan Battista Marino La Sampogna (Parma Fondazione Pietro Bembo Ugo Guanda
Editore 1993)A Martini Letteratura Italiana Le Opere Vol II Dal Cinquecento al Settecento A Asor Rosa (ed)
(Turin Einaudi 1993) pp 777ndash97R T Matthews and F DeWitt Platt The Western Humanities (Boston McGraw-Hill 2004)L Miguelez-Cavero Poems in Context Greek Poetry in the Egyptian Thebaid 200-600 AD (Berlin De
Gruyter 2008)R F Newbold lsquoMimesis and Illusion in Nonnus Deceit Distrust and the Search for Meaningrsquo
Helios 37 no 1 (2010) pp 81ndash106R Nunlist Poetologische Bildersprache in der fruhgriechischen Dichtung (Stuttgart Teubner 1998)G F Pasini lsquoDalla comparazione alla metaforarsquo Lingua e Stile 7 no 3 (1972) pp 441ndash69L Pernot La rhetorique de lrsquoeloge dans le monde greco-romain vol I (Paris Institut drsquoEtudes
Augustiennes 1993)S N Peters lsquoMetaphor and lsquolsquoMaravigliarsquorsquo Tradition and Innovation in the Adone of GB Marinorsquo
Lingua e Stile 7 no 2 (1972) pp 321ndash41D G Piccardi Metafora e Poetica in Nonno di Panopoli (Florence Universite degli Studi di Firenze
1985)mdashmdash Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol I (canti IndashXII) (Milano Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli
2003)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
24 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
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G Pozzi Giovan Battista Marino vol II LrsquoAdone (Milano Mondadori 1976)mdashmdash lsquoIl ritratto della donna nella poesia drsquoinizio Cinquecento e la pittura di Giorgionersquo Lettere Italiane
311 gennaio-marzo (1979) pp 3ndash30mdashmdash lsquoTemi t0poi stereotipirsquo in A Asor Rosa (ed) Letteratura italiana III Le forme del testo I
Teoria e poesia (Torino Einaudi 1984) pp 391ndash436I A Richards The Philosophy of Rhetoric (New York Oxford University Press 1936)M Riemschneider lsquoDer Stil des Nonnosrsquo Berliner byzantinistische Arbeiten no 5 (1957) pp 46ndash70M Roberts The Jeweled Style Poetry and Poetics in Late Antiquity (Ithaca and London Cornell
University Press 1989)W H D Rouse Nonnus Dionysiaca (Cambridge MA Harvard University Press 1940)J Rousset La litterature de lrsquoage baroque en France Circe et le paon (Paris Corti 1954)E Russo lsquoSul barocco letterario in Italia Giudizi revisioni distinzionirsquo Les Dossiers du Grihl [Online]
2012-02 j 2012 Online since 25 June 2012 httpdossiersgrihlrevuesorg5223 [accessed 4 March2013]
A G Senmartı lsquoLa lsquolsquopoikiliarsquorsquo como principio estilıstico de las Dionisıacas de Nonorsquo AFB no 7(1981) pp 101ndash07
R Shorrock The Challenge of Epic Allusive Engagement in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Leiden Brill2001)
mdashmdash lsquoNonnusrsquo in J Foley (ed) A Companion to Ancient Epic (Oxford Wiley-Blackwell 2005)pp 374ndash85
mdashmdash The Myth of Paganism Nonnus Dionysus and the World of Late Antiquity (London BristolClassical Press 2011)
G Steen lsquoMetaphor and Stylersquo in P Stockwell and S Whiteley (eds) The Cambridge Handbook ofStylistics (Cambridge Cambridge University Press forthcoming 2014)
M String Untersuchungen zum Stil der Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Hamburg sn (disserta-tion) 1966)
E Tesauro Il Cannocchiale Aristotelico (Venice Baglioni 1654ndash70)F Tissoni Nonno di Panopoli I Canti di Penteo (Dionisiache 44ndash46) Commento (Florence La Nuova
Italia Editrice 1998)F Vian Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t I chants IndashII (Paris Les Belles Lettres 1976)R Wellek lsquoThe Concept of Baroque in Literary Scholarshiprsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism
52 Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1946) pp 77ndash109M Whitby lsquoFrom Moschus to Nonnus The Evolution of the Nonnian Stylersquo in N Hopkinson (ed)
Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society 1994) pp 99ndash155A Wifstrand Von Kallimachos zu Nonnos Metrisch-stilistische Untersuchungen zur spateren griechischen
Epik und zu verwandten Gedichtgattungen (Lund Gleerup 1933)H Wolfflin Renaissance und Barock Eine Untersuchung uber Wesen und Entstehung des Barockstils in
Italien (Munich T Ackermann 1888)
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syncopated and non-linear narrative as typical of baroque style be it late antique
Greek baroque or Marinorsquos baroque To him baroque aesthetics mean an explor-
ation and an exaltation of disharmony centrifugality and broken time (lsquotempo
spezzatorsquo)5 In her book on Greek Poetry in the Egyptian Thebaid 200-600 AD
Laura Miguelez-Cavero (2008 188) equates poikil0a (variety) and baroque
The poikil0a has an effect on the overall design of the work [sc the Dionysiaca] but also at
small scale when in the composition of a particular passage several options are available
instead of choosing one Nonnus combines them all For instance when a male character in
the Dionysiaca meets a young woman instead of comparing her to only one goddess he
compares her to them all This feature no doubt baroque is characteristic of Byzantine
literature and can be found as well in compositions extant on papyrus
It is evident that the meaning of the term lsquobaroquersquo for Nonnusrsquo Dionysiaca varies
widely6 Because of its often facile use without clear definition there have been several
attempts in the past to reject it It has been called anachronistic and inadequate to
describe fifth-century poetry Margerete Riemschneider (1957) discusses Nonnusrsquo
preference for curved lines for the doubling of objects in images for paradox and
for associative composition but she explicitly refrains from using the term lsquobaroquersquo
considering it meaningless it either does not cover any one period in its entirety or is
simply used as a synonym of lsquoexaggeratedrsquo (pp 46ndash47)7 She does however call
Nonnus a lsquomanneristrsquo who does not insist on movement but rather avoids the static
(pp 53 55) Martin String (1966 3ndash4) is less sophistic but he also prefers to reserve
the use of lsquobaroquersquo for the seventeenth century For Wolfgang Fauth (1981 12) the
qualification of Nonnusrsquo poetry as lsquobaroquersquo is not exhaustive enough to describe all of
Nonnusrsquo characteristics and should therefore be avoided Francesco Tissoni (1998 56)
argues that although the term seems attractive it is too abstract and oversimplifying
its application to Nonnusrsquo Dionysiaca being anachronistic Recently the discussion has
been re-opened In his review of Miguelez-Caverorsquos book Silvio Bar (2010 73) ques-
tions the meaningfulness of the term lsquobaroquersquo in the context of Late Antique poetry
The term lsquobaroquersquo to describe the (Nonnian) poikil0a metaphorically is beloved and popu-
lar but needs further reflection one should especially question the meaning and the
usefulness of the metaphor
5 See also Agosti (1997 35) on Nonnusrsquo Paraphrase lsquoThe arduous depths of Johannine
theology are translated by Nonnus into a florid style the most accomplished expression
of baroque in Late Antiquityrsquo
6 See for recent exemples also Newbold (2010 82) lsquothe febrile baroque iconophile sen-
suality of the Dionysiacarsquo) and Giraudet (2011 I have not been able to consult this article)
7 See also Hernandez de la Fuente (2011 cautious with the use of baroque perhaps to be
replaced by mannerism) Both in the footsteps of Ernst Curtius (1948 ch 15) who
prefers the term lsquomannerismrsquo to lsquobaroquersquo as an a-historical conceptual instrument in
opposition to lsquoclassicismrsquo
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nloaded from
Instead of re-discussing the various standpoints in this debate which hover between
lsquotoo broadrsquo and lsquotoo restrictedrsquo (see Wellek above) I wish to take a different approach
and ask what happens when we compare a so-called lsquobaroquersquo poet from the fifth-
century CE with a poet from the seventeenth century who is widely regarded as the
most typical example of the Italian Baroque Do they use similar poetic mechanisms
Do they share stylistic and typological aspects In which way can a comparison help
to clarify the meaning and usefulness of the term lsquobaroquersquo in the case of Nonnusrsquo
Dionysiaca My analysis focuses on one literary device in particular the poetic figure
par excellence (as was already recognized by Aristotle) of poetic metaphor
Extravagant metaphors are seen as a distinctive feature of Italian Baroque poetry
as will be discussed below
In this article I present a comparison of Nonnus of Panopolis with Giambattista
Marino (1569ndash1625) The choice of this particular poet is not an arbitrary one
firstly Marino has been described as lsquothe most baroque of Baroque poetsrsquo (and by
some as lsquothe most talented charlatan in Italian literaturersquo)8 Secondly his gigantic
epic poem Adone (20 cantos 5123 ottave 40984 verses) is inspired by Nonnusrsquo
equally enormous epic poem Dionysiaca (48 books 20426 hexameters) there is
therefore at least some affinity between the two9 The sheer quantity of the verses
of both poets immediately calls for modesty I do not pretend to offer an exhaustive
comparison but rather restrict myself to a couple of short passages rich in meta-
phors and intimately linked on an intertextual level Nonnusrsquo description of the
young man Ampelus lover of the god Dionysus (Dion 10 177ndash92) and Marinorsquos
description of the young man Pampino lover of the god Dionysus (Ad 19 ott 66ndash
67) (partially) modelled on Nonnusrsquo Ampelus but with a different name (note the
pun lsquoAmpelusrsquo grape-vine mdash lsquoPampinorsquo vine-leaf a euphonic near-translation)
Nonnus and Marino some preliminary remarks
Nonnusrsquo mythological epic poem Dionysiaca was written in a turbulent period of
tensions between pagans and Christians10 It tells the history of the demi-god
Dionysus
The first books are dedicated to his ancestors beginning with the rape of Europa
by Zeus The next books describe his birth infancy and youth From book thirteen
8 Lind (1978 161) Although Marino is traditionally seen as the most baroque poet not
everybody agrees Hatzfeld (1955 159) for example sees Tasso as a representative of the
most pure baroque and Marino as a representative of an off-centred mannerism or
lsquobaroquismrsquo For a recent survey on the problem of Italian Baroque literature see
Russo (2012)
9 For a general introduction to Marinorsquos Adone see Martini (1993) For Nonnus and
Marino see Pozzi (1976 identifies the verses of Nonnus used by Marino ad loc)
Agosti (1995 148ndash51 on narrative structure) Tissoni (1998 56ndash62 an intertextual
comparison of a set of passages) and Gonnelli (2003 26ndash31 a brief survey)
10 See eg Shorrock (2011)
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onwards the central theme is Dionysusrsquo mission to bring happiness to mankind by
introducing the vine his travels eastwards to India and back again to Europe with
many military conquests and erotic adventures In the last book Dionysus is finally
deified The coherence of the narrative structure of the whole story is obscured by
the accumulation of loosely interrelated episodes full of metamorphoses and mytho-
logical exempla lsquoThe Dionysiaca has a verbal energy and a capacity for prolific
growth that makes it look like a literary version of the vine itselfrsquo as Shorrock
(2005 376) has vividly expressed it
The passage to be discussed in this article concerns Dionysusrsquo early years when
he meets Ampelus and falls in love But Ampelus is a proud and reckless satyr boy
against Dionysusrsquo will he rides a fierce bull falls from its back and is killed
Dionysus is deeply grieved but eventually finds consolation in Ampelusrsquo metamor-
phosis into a vine (the Greek word for vine is 4mplordquo) After this transformation
Ampelus will continue to play a central role in Dionysusrsquo mission to show mankind
the benefits of wine
The Greek text of the Dionysiaca (Laur 3216 of Maximus Planudes dd 1280)
arrived in Italy in the year 142311 Angelo Poliziano studied it from 1481 onwards
for him Nonnus like Ovid was a source of mythical information and inspiration
The editio princeps of the Dionysiaca dates from 1569 (by Falkenburg) and a first
Latin translation from 1605 (by Eilhard Lubin) Neither that Greek text nor the
Latin translation received much attention although a new edition of the text
(Hanau 1610) attracted negative criticism from Petrus Cunaeus Josephus
Justus Scaliger and Daniel Heinsius according to whom Nonnus could no longer
stand the test with Homer he was considered ignorant incomprehensible and
incapable of imitating the right models his narrative was judged chaotic and far
too digressive
Contemporary interest was clearly directed towards other more famous classical
authors But Marinorsquos personal taste was not completely in accordance with the
tradition of his time He was interested in many classical writers from different
periods not only the well known but also especially the lesser known from the
Hellenistic period up to Late Antiquity Among his Latin favourites were Virgil
Horace Ovid Pliny Statius Apuleius and above all Claudian His Greek favourites
included Apollonius of Rhodes Bion Achilleus Tatius Moschus pseudo-
Anacreon Musaeus and of course especially Nonnus Marino became lsquothe first
modern imitator of Nonnus and in a modern languagersquo12 His epic engages in a
11 For editors commentators and readers of Nonnus discussed here see Lind (1978) and
especially the excellent paragraph lsquoRicezione e Fortunarsquo by Tissoni (1998 44ndash62)
12 Lind (1978 161) For Marinorsquos innovative choice already signalled by contemporary
critics who oppose the couples Tasso-Homer and Marino-Nonnus see Pozzi (1976 93ndash
94) For the influence of Nonnus on other works by Marino such as Sampogna and
Atteone see De Malde (1993) pp 137ndash41
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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nloaded from
lsquodialogue at distancersquo making use of various techniques verbal imitation whether
literal or modified transposition of verses amplification or condensation of epi-
sodes contamination by putting together different passages and arduous meta-
phor13 However since Marino could not read Greek he had to use Lubinrsquos
Latin translation probably in the bilingual edition by Lectius (1606) which contains
a huge corpus of Greek epic texts with Latin translations14 Thus while comparing
Nonnus and Marino we have to keep in mind that Marino read Nonnusrsquo hexameters
through Lubinrsquos pen Fortunately Lubin provided an extremely literal word-
for-word prose translation that poses no real problems for the purpose of the present
article Lubin rigorously respects the Greek word order as the following example
shows (Nonnus Dion 10 175ndash76)
ka0 pot qhr0wn 3p1 oslashwg0da d0skion 4lhrdquo
et aliquanto venans sub petra umbrosa sylvae
6likordquo 2iq oio oslashodTHORNpidi q lgto morrsquoI
aequalis iuvenis rosea delectabatur forma
Pozzi (1976 668) remarks that lsquoMarinorsquos language is extraordinary (its rhythm
prosody lexicon syntax) compared to the Lubinrsquos Latin translation which is
linguistically colourless and stylistically bloodlessrsquo Tissoni (1998 58) asserts that
a comparison with the arid translation of Nonnus by Lubin is useful in two ways lsquoit
permits us on the one hand to correctly evaluate Marinorsquos debt to the Dionysiaca
and on the other hand to become aware of his poetic ability which manifests itself in
extraordinary stylistic refinementrsquo Marino paraphrases and modifies Lubinrsquos trans-
lation lsquoreturning instinctively as it were to the original Greek textrsquo However he did
not use hexameters but ottava rima stanzas of eight verses in hendecasyllable with
rhyme scheme abababcc
LrsquoAdone composed during the Counter-Reformation between 1605 and 1623 and
published in Paris in 1623 tells the story of the goddess Venus and the human
Adonis Its narrative scheme is built around their union Adonis suffers shipwreck
and lands on Cyprus the island of Venus The goddess falls in love with him but
Adonis flees out of fear of her other lover the god Mars and turns into a parrot
Having regained his human shape he is taken captive by robbers Once free again
he wins a beauty contest and becomes king of Cyprus Eventually Adonis is killed by
13 See Tissoni (1998 59ndash62) who illustrates most of these techniques with passages for
metaphor he discusses Adone 1170 and Dion 12 9ndash14 followed by a parody of Marinorsquos
style in Stiglianirsquos Amante disperato 300ndash309 If not otherwise indicated the English
translations in this article are my own
14 Lectius Poetae graeci veteres carminis heroici scriptores qui extant omnes Aureliae
Allebrogum sumptibus Caldorianae Societatis MDCVI See Tissoni (1998 57ndash58) It
is difficult to quantify the importance of each of the individual models such as Ovid (see
Pozzi 1976 103ndash21 esp 117) and Claudian (see Agosti 1995 144ndash45 and 148) in the
development of his style
E M V A N O P S T A L L
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a boar sent by his rival Mars In canto 19 four divinities mdash Ceres Bacchus Thetis
and Apollo mdash try to console Venus by relating stories of six other youths who met an
untimely death Hyacintus (25ndash62) Pampino (63ndash123) Acis (124ndash232) Calamus
and Carpus (233ndash51) Leander (252ndash92) and Achilles (293ndash325) Eventually after
his funeral Adonisrsquo heart is turned into a red anemone The poem ends with funeral
games in honour of Adonis The story line of the Adone like that of the Dionysiaca is
complicated it is constantly interrupted by digressions descriptions repetitions
unexpected turns and irregular symmetries Metamorphosis is one of its main
motifs Another recurrent motif is that of lsquosmoderato piacer che termina in
dogliarsquo (lsquoboundless joy ending in sorrowrsquo Adone 1 10 8) References to Nonnus
can be found especially in cantos 18 and 19 (Adone 18 193ndash208 Amorrsquos quest on
Earth cf Dion 33 57ndash142 Adone 19 65ndash123 the Pampinus episode cf Dion 10
189ndash93 11 194ndash483 12 117ndash37 and 138ndash397 the Ampelus episode Adone 19
235ndash51 the Calamus and Carpus episode cf Dion 11 370ndash481 Eros tries to con-
sole Bacchus in the same manner)
The passage to be discussed in this article is taken from the story of Pampino It is
modelled upon Nonnusrsquo story of Ampelus in Dion 10ndash12 but reduced to four major
moments the first meeting the love-affair Pampinorsquos death and his
metamorphosis
Baroque metaphor
For Aristotle simile and metaphor belong to the same category a simile (2kTHORNn) is
seen as an extended metaphor and a metaphor (mtarsquoor0) as an abbreviated simile
when Homer says of Achilles lsquo3rdquo d l wn p0rousnrsquo (lsquohe jumped forward like a
lionrsquo) he uses a simile (with the comparative adverb 3rdquo) and when he says of
Achilles lsquol wn p0rousnrsquo (lsquothe lion jumped forwardrsquo) he uses a metaphor
(Rhet III 1406b20ndash23) According to Aristotle metaphor is a more intelligent
device than simile because while a simile is explicit metaphor is an invitation to
reflection The proof of the creative intelligence of a poet lies in the ability to see
similarities and turn them into metaphors He distinguishes four types of meta-
phors that is from genus to species from species to genus from species to species
and from analogy He warns several times against far-fetched metaphors as being too
poetic for prose or lacking clarity In rhetorical treatises of later periods in Antiquity
metaphor is usually considered a typically poetical stylistic device not to be used too
often in prose following Aristotle (Poet 22 7ndash17 Rhet III 1405a3ndashb19
1406b5ndash07a19 see also Top I 17)
One finds a positive attitude towards metaphor similar to Aristotlersquos in the
Italian Baroque period Meraviglia mdash marvel mdash caused by the use of dazzling
metaphors became a key aesthetic concept15 Producing this kind of metaphors
15 For a short and clear discussion of Italian baroque literature including the concepts of
meraviglia concetto acutezza and ingegno see Cherchi (1996) For more extensive stu-
dies on the baroque metaphor see Conte (1972) for Italian Baroque and Peters (1972) for
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
7 of 25
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Dow
nloaded from
involved using new themes (including objects from everyday life such as the hour-
glass) and expressing them in innovative ways (called concetti and acutezze) Many
baroque poets pushed the creation of extravagant metaphors to the limit According
to some Marino was one of them but according to others he was quite moderate
One of the most important contemporary theorists of metaphor Emmanuele
Tesauro expands the four types of metaphor proposed by Aristotle into eight
types In the chapter on lsquoMetaphorrsquo of his aesthetical treatise The Aristotelian
Telescope (1654ndash70 267) he writes that metaphor (which he calls lsquothe queen of
figuresrsquo) transforms immediate reality offering lsquoto the mind of the listener in
just one word the sight of a whole theatre of marvelsrsquo (lsquoun pien teatro di meravi-
gliersquo) The more distant and unexpected the similarities between tenor and vehicle16
of a metaphor the greater the wonder of the reader and the more laudable the ability
(ingegno) of the poet The baroque poet operates like a telescope drawing
together remote notions belonging to distant realities Ideas about the relation be-
tween tenor and vehicle changed Peters (1972 325ndash26) states that during the
Renaissance
the conceptual metaphor was bound to a system of knowledge which pointed to immut-
able relationships Tesaurorsquos metaphor instead reveals relationships which are quite arbi-
trary and not related to the level of intellectual truth For in the earlier tradition it was the
words which uncovered the conceptual idea given in the metaphor whereas with
Tesauro the implication is that the metaphor itself creates a kind of reality and imposes it
on the word
Baroque metaphors no longer uncover a system of relations of unchangeable
correspondences expressing the stability embodied in creation Instead the baroque
ingegno accumulates series of unexpected sensual images consonant with the
instability and fluidity of the world In his Metafora barocca Conte (1972 40)
distinguishes one special type of baroque metaphor it is characterized by the
extension of the absence of the tenor and by the lateral ramification of the meaning
of the vehicle17 He illustrates this with the following verses of the Italian Baroque
poet and follower of Marino Francesco de Lemene (1634ndash1704) De Lemene
comparing a womanrsquos breasts with lilies and her lips with roses invites the bees
metaphors in the Adone Compare also the important study of Rousset (1954 185ndash89)
and Hallyn (1975) for metaphors in French Baroque literature
16 Originally coined by IA Richards (1936) these terms are still widely used in metaphor
studies In Saussurian terms tenor is the signified and vehicle the signifier see section lsquoA
set of practical tools for analysisrsquo below
17 lsquoLa Metafora barocca e caratterizzata dal prolungamento dellrsquoassenza del segno virtuale e
dalla diramazione laterale del significato del segno presentersquo To avoid confusion I trans-
late lsquosegno virtualersquo as tenor and lsquosegno presentersquo as vehicle
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to come lsquodrainrsquo (lsquosvenarersquo which means literally lsquoto cut someonersquos veinsrsquo lsquoto bleed
someone dryrsquo)
ite volate
a quel labbro a quel seno api ingegnose
per fabricar dolcezze ite svenate
di quel sen di quel labbro e gigli e rose
come fly
to this lip to this breast clever beesto make sweetness come drain
the lilies and roses of that breast that lip
Part of this metaphor is traditional belonging to the canon of beauty developed from
the Middle Ages to the Renaissance (the colour of) the womanrsquos breast is like lilies
(white) and that of her lip like roses (red)18 But the metaphor is pushed one step
further (and here begins a baroque novelty) the vehicle (the flowers) is amplified by
the summoning of the bees from the realm of associations of the tenor They are
invited to participate actively in the illusion The vehicle of the metaphor is given life
and motion as it were and whirls around itself in a figurative play a literary trompelrsquoœil This kind of extreme metaphor shows that the relation between vehicle and
tenor which had been stable during the Renaissance began to destabilize during the
Baroque the distance between the two increased and the vehicle became auto-
referential vehicles themselves referred to further vehicles instead of to tenors
A set of practical tools for analysis
Much more can of course be said on theories of baroque metaphor but the proposed
method of this article is to make a factual comparison between two passages of Nonnus
and Marino I will briefly present two modern models of metaphor that will both serve
as practical tools for analysis First a linguistic model for which I chose the model
presented by Pasini (1972) not because it is particularly innovative but because it offers
a clear insight into the gradual differences between simile and metaphor at the level of
expression in language19 And secondly a conceptual model as proposed by Lakoff
(1980) and Lakoff and Turner (1989) and further developed by Steen (forthcoming)
because their point of departure is the concepts that lie behind linguistic expressions
Lakoff (1980) and Lakoff and Turner (1989) conceived their theory as a reaction to the
traditional approach of metaphor as a rhetorical device showing that metaphors are
omnipresent in everyday life and language and work conventionally automatically and
unconsciously Steen (forthcoming) distinguishes between a communicational (delib-
erate versus non-deliberate) conceptual (conventional versus novel) and linguistic level
18 More on the canon of beauty follows in section lsquoTwo beautiful satyr boysrsquo below
19 In addition to Pasini I used from the huge amount of literature on metaphor Brooke-
Rose (1958) and Van Boven and Dorleijn (2003)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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of metaphor introducing by the backdoor literary metaphor (belonging to the cat-
egory of deliberate metaphor) in Conceptual Metaphor Theory
The literary function of a metaphor does not just reside in the underlying cross-domain
comparison that is the basis of every metaphor Metaphor in poetry is often multi-layered
with many relations to other aspects of the text and its language which makes it strongly
dependent on all sorts of other information throughout the poem and the knowledge it
assumes All of this may be seen as highly typical of the use of metaphor in poetry
Pasini (1972) discerns four linguistic stages between simile on the one hand and
metaphor on the other hand ranging from a closed to an open message Each stage
can be explained by an example a description and a diagrammatic representation20
His cheeks are fresh like roses
This simile with the comparative adverb lsquolikersquo as an indicator includes a tenor
(cheeks A) a vehicle (roses B) and a ground (or tertium comparationis fresh C) It
is a closed construction leaving no space for the imagination of the reader This kind
of comparison is judged the most rational of the four stages because it is the most
specific and requires no leap of imaginative intellect to understand the ground on
which the comparison is made
His cheeks are like roses
This comparison with indicator (like) tenor (cheeks A) and a vehicle (roses B) does
not contain a ground (C) In this case the reader has to supply one or more of the
characteristics of the rose (freshness or red colour or sweet perfume etc) by
generalization and add this information on his own account to the comparison
This type one step closer to metaphors of type (3) and (4) is called by some a
lsquometaphorical comparisonrsquo the process of supplying by generalization is already
present but the process of identification is still absent
20 I thank Jaap Fokkema (VU University) for drawing the four figures after Pasini (1972) who
in his turn is inspired by the Rhetorique Generale (Paris 1970) of the French lsquoGroupe mrsquo
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a His cheeks are roses
b The roses of his cheeks
This is a metaphor in praesentia it has a tenor (cheeks A) and a vehicle (roses B) but
being a metaphor it lacks both indicator and ground (C) In example (3a) the verb lsquoto
bersquo functions as a link and identifies the vehicle and the tenor with each other (in
French this use of the verb lsquoto bersquo is called lsquolrsquoest drsquoequivalencersquo)
On his face two roses
This is a metaphor in absentia in which the indicator the ground (C) as well as the
tenor (A) are absent and have to be supplied by the imagination of the reader The
vehicle lsquorosesrsquo refers not only to the concept of lsquorosesrsquo but also metaphorically to the
concept of lsquocheeksrsquo This kind of metaphor is the least rationalizing (the lsquoto bersquo of
example (3a) can still be considered a lsquorationalizingrsquo element) and the most open (the
reader has to generalize and to supply)
Lakoff presents a conceptual theory of everyday metaphor in Metaphors We LiveBy (1980) which is the basis of the study of poetical metaphor by Lakoff and Turner
in More Than Cool Reason a Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor (1989) He maintains
that the locus of metaphor is not in language (compare figure 4 below the line) but in
the way we conceptualize one mental domain in terms of another (compare figure 4
above the line) Metaphors make use of cross-domain conceptual mappings and are
cast in individual linguistic expressions21 In this theory the tenor is a linguistic
expression that belongs to the so-called target domain and the vehicle is a linguistic
expression that belongs to a so-called source domain The set of ontological corres-
pondences between these two domains can be represented in a mapping To give an
example a conceptual mapping of Pasinirsquos above-mentioned four types would look
like the following
People (target domain) plants (source domain)
youth corresponds to flowering
young person corresponds to blossoming rose
21 Interestingly the idea of the crossing of domains has been phrased in a less theoretical
and a more poetic way by Tesauro (1654ndash70 267)
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pink skin corresponds to red colour
young skin corresponds to freshness
aging corresponds to withering
So the tenor lsquocheeksrsquo belongs to the target domain lsquopeoplersquo and the vehicle lsquorosersquo
belongs to the source domain lsquoplantrsquo Thus while Pasinirsquos typology provides for a
formal analysis at a linguistic level Lakoffrsquos extra-linguistic concerns are centred on
a conceptual level His theory permits us to reflect on the concepts and ideas under-
lying metaphors
Two beautiful satyr boys
Ampelus
In this section I will discuss the two passages of Nonnus and Marino In Dionysiaca
10 175ndash92 the external narrator introduces the young Ampelus future lover of
Dionysus for the first time (as explained in paragraph II) He describes him as
follows
175 ka0 pot qhr0wn 3p1 oslashwg0da d0skion 4lhrdquo
6likordquo 2iq oio oslashodTHORNpidi q lgto morrsquoI
4dh g1r Frug0hrdquo 3p1 dir0da koNrordquo 2q0rwn
Amplordquo 2 xhto notrrsquo rdquo ernordquo ErTHORNtwn
o2d o3 3br1rdquo 4oulordquo ruqom noio gn0ou
180 4cnoa cion hrdquo car0ssto k0kla pariPrdquo
6bhrdquo cr0son 4nqordquo 2pisqop0roio d ca0thrdquo
b0trurdquo 3lik0ntrdquo prsquo 2rgursquo wn q on Œmwn
2plk rdquo ligurN d sunaiq0ssontrdquo 2ndasht
4sqmati koursquo0zonto parlkom nwn d kom0wn
185 2krorsquoan1rdquo 2n tll m sordquo gumno0mnordquo a2c1n
ka1 s lardquo 2k0ntiz lip0skiordquo oJ0 t l0mpi
mssorsquoan1rdquo n rsquoordquo 3gr1n 2nasc0zousa Slndashnh
ka1 st0matordquo oslashod oio ml0pnoordquo err rsquownndash
k ml wn drsquo 7lon Iar rsquoa0nto nisom nou d
190 k pod1rdquo 2rgursquo oio oslash0dwn ruqa0nto limTHORNn
2 d booglndashnwn rsquoa wn 2rsquogg i k0klN
2rsquoqalmo1rdquo l lizn 7lh sl0giz Slndashnh22
175 Once while hunting under a shady cliff of a wood
he was charmed by the rosy form of a young comrade
For under the ridge of the Phrygian hills the merry boyhad already matured Ampelus a new shoot of the gods of Love
For him no dainty bloom of a reddening chin
180 had marked the smooth circles of his snow-white cheeks
the golden flower of youth curling clusters of long hair
22 Greek text Chretien (1985) translation Rouse (1940) adapted
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ran down over his silvery-glistering shoulders
loosely and waving in the whispering wind
were lifted by its breath When the hair was blown aside
185 the bare neck appeared between just visible
and unshadowed light flashed from him just as the moon shines
half appearing when she pierces a damp cloudFrom his rosy mouth streamed a honey-breathing voice
Spring itself appeared from his limbs under the steps
190 of his silvery foot the meadow blushed with roses
and if he turned his eyes their bright iris gleaming
with the glow of a cowrsquos eye the light of the full moon shone
The satyr boy is described from head to toe (a procedure also propagated in exercises
on ekphrasis in the rhetorical handbooks of Late Antiquity see Aphthonius Prog
12) and in movement with major attention to the upper body parts the poet shows
us his cheeks (vv 179ndash81) hair shoulders neck (vv 181ndash87) mouth and voice
(v 188) moving on to his limbs and feet (vv 189ndash90) and eventually turns upwards
again towards eyes (vv 191ndash92) As often in erotic descriptions in Antiquity (espe-
cially from Hellenistic and Second Sophistic literature onwards) this passage
abounds with erotic topoi23 The setting is painted with stock images of the natural
world the shady wood the gentle breeze the flowery meadow these are all present
Everything (the satyr boy and his surroundings) is sweet young and blooming
The incredibly rich description of the effect of the different body parts ends in the
visual climax of the appearance of the moon first barely visible then half appearing
then fully visible The expressions 2krorsquoanndashrdquo (v 185) mssorsquoanndashrdquo (v 187) and 7lh
(v 192) also evoke the different stages of the cycle of the moon mdash new waxing and
full mdash intimately linked with the growth of plants in nature24
However many bucolic elements are used metaphorically the flower of youth a
rosy mouth a honey-breathing voice etc The metaphors in this description appeal
to all our senses to our eyes by the use of colours (red white golden silver) and
contrasts (brightndashdark) to our touch (his beardless cheeks) and to our ears and smell
(his honey-breathing voice) In her fascinating study of metaphors in the Dionysiaca
Daria Gigli Piccardi (1985) distinguishes in Nonnus three (archetypical) source
domains for metaphors of beauty two of which occur in this passage Firstly the
source domain lsquoflowersrsquo from individual flowers to spring meadows full of
23 The flowering youth of men around the age of their first beard the rosy mouth the
spring meadow are all common themes in Greek Hellenistic erotic literature but Nonnus
innovates by adding unusual elements (such as the neck also present in other descrip-
tions of beauty in the Dionysiaca) and particular formulations (see below) See Gigli
Piccardi (2003 700ndash703 ad vv 175ndash92) For a list of other studies on beauty in
Nonnus see Chretien (1985 142 ad vv 175ndash92)
24 Chretien (1985 144 ad v 192) and Gigli Piccardi (2003 700ndash701 ad vv 175ndash92)
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contrasting colours Secondly the source domain lsquoastral phenomenarsquo playing with
the opposition light-dark25
On a formal level we find only one simile in vv 186ndash87 introducing the theme of
the moon It belongs to Pasinirsquos type 1 (see section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo
above) unshadowed light (s lardquo lip0skiordquo tenor A) flashed (2k0ntiz ground C)
just as (oJ0 t indicator) half appearing the moon (Slndashnh vehicle B) shines (l0mpi
ground C) when she pierces a damp cloud (nrsquoordquo 3gr1n 2nasc0zousa vehicle B)
Besides this simile there are ten metaphors in praesentia (belonging to Pasinirsquos type 3)
and two metaphors in absentia (belonging to Pasinirsquos type 4) These metaphors are
expressed in a variety of ways which will be discussed below
(1) The most explicit type is the metaphor in apposition occurring very often in
Nonnus The comma after the tenor shows that we are dealing with such a metaphor
in apposition
tenor (A = noun) vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective) of X
a Amplordquo (A) notrrsquo rdquo e rnordquo (B) ErTHORNtwn (X) (v 178)
Ampelus (A) a new shoot (B) of the Loves (X)
b 3br1rdquo 4oulordquo ruqom noio gn0ou (A) 6bhrdquo (X) cr0son 4nqordquo (B) (vv 179-81)
the dainty bloom of a reddening chin (A) the golden flower (B) of youth (X)
(2) Another type of metaphor also very frequent in Nonnus links a metaphorical
adjective (vehicle) to a noun (tenor)
tenor (A = noun) thorn vehicle (B = metaphorical adjective)
a oslashodTHORNpidi (B) morrsquoI (A) (v 176) ndash rosy (B) form (A)
b cion hrdquo (B) pariPrdquo (A) (v 180) ndash snow-white (B) cheeks (A)
c 2rgursquo wn (B) Œmwn (A) (v 182) ndash silvery-glistering (B) shoulders (A)
d st0matordquo (A) oslashod oio (B) (v 188) ndash rosy (B) mouth (A)
e ml0pnoordquo (B) rsquownndash (A) (v 188) ndash a honey-breathing (B) voice (A)
f pod1rdquo (A) 2rgursquo oio (B) (v 190) ndash silvery (B) foot (A)
g booglndashnwn (B) rsquoa wn (A) (v 191) ndash cowrsquos eye (B) glow (A)
(3) In Nonnus the metaphor in absentia is restricted to the more common metaphors
of the flower domain In the following example the vehicle is a noun phrase whereas
the nature of the tenor becomes clear from the addition of a noun or noun phrase in
apposition It is to be noted that the word b0trurdquo is normally used for lsquoclusters of
vinersquo and points already to Ampelusrsquo future metamorphosis
vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective) of X (= noun thorn adjective in genitive)
a 2pisqop0roio d ca0thrdquo (X) b0trurdquo (B) 3lik0ntrdquo (vv 182-83) ndash curling clusters (B) of
long hair (A)
25 The third source domain individuated by Gigli Piccardi is that of lsquothe war of loversquo full of
contrasts between real and metaphorical weapons
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from X (= preposition thorn noun) appears vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective)
b k ml wn (A) 7lon Iar (B) rsquoa0nto (v 189)
From his limbs (A) spring itself (B) appeared
(4) As Gigli Piccardi (1985 70) already noticed Nonnus invented his own extended
metaphorical formula lsquoan autonomous linguistic constellationrsquo lsquowhen X becomes
visible Y appearsrsquo (sometimes followed by a comparison) Whereas the theme of the
moon is introduced by a comparison in vv 186ndash87 it is closed in vv 191ndash92 by such
a lsquoNonnianrsquo metaphor
2 d booglndashnwn rsquoa wn 2rsquogg i k0klN 2rsquoqalmo1rdquo l lizn (X) 7lh sl0giz Slndashnh (Y)
and if he turned his eyes with their bright iris gleaming with a cowrsquos eye glow (X) the light of the
full moon shone (Y)
The large number of metaphors cast in many different forms results in a descrip-
tion that is far from literal The blooming satyr boy and the blooming spring mingle
both being connected to the three phases of the moon Ampelus almost becomes
Bacchic nature himself His first meeting with the God already contains the promise
of his own future metamorphosis the expression b0trurdquo as noticed above being
one of its most explicit indicators26 The golden flower of youth not only contains
life but also death and resurrection Thus the totality of the metaphors expresses
perpetual change
Pampino
As we have seen in section lsquoBaroque metaphorrsquo the story of Pampino belongs to a set
of love-stories told by the gods to Venus as a consolation after the death of her lover
Adonis In Adone 19 ott 66ndash67 the god Dionysus describes the beautiful Pampino
ott 66 La bella fronte gli adorno Natura
di gentil maesta drsquoaria celeste
Dolce color di fragola matura
4 gli facea rosseggiar le guance oneste
Nela bocca ridea la grana pura
tra schiette perle in doppio fil conteste
ne quivi avea la rosa purpurina
8 prodotta ancor la sua dorata spina
ott 67 La notte tenebrosa il ciel turbato
si rischiarava dersquo begli occhi al lume
Il vago piede imporporava il prato
4 la bianca mano innargentava il fiume
Qualor lievrsquoaura con soave fiato
confondendogli il crin scotea le piume
26 See also Gigli Piccardi (1985 69) and (2003 700ndash1 ad vv 175ndash92)
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parea sparso su rsquol collo il bel tesoro
8 sovra un colle drsquoavorio un bosco drsquooro
ott 66 His beautiful forehead Nature adorned
with refined nobility with heavenly looks
The sweet colour of ripe strawberries4 painted his honest cheeks red
In his mouth pure pomegranate laughed
set between real pearls in a double row
There the purple rose had not
8 yet produced her golden thorns
ott 67 The shady night the darkened sky
brightened at the light of his beautiful eyesHis yearning foot turned the meadow purple
4 his white hand turned the river silver
When a gentle breeze with its soft breath
playing with his hair shook his feathers
on his neck the beautiful treasure seemed to spread out
8 on an ivory hill a forest of gold
This description of Pampino owes much to Nonnusrsquo description of Ampelus but is
at the same time different Since Marino uses and plays with the Renaissance canon
of beauty I will discuss this canon briefly in order to gain a better understanding of
the Pampino passage
The topos of beauty began to acquire fixed rules during the Middle Ages and was
completely canonized by the Renaissance27 From the Middle Ages onwards two
types of canon for feminine beauty were developed the short and the long canon
The short canon (used by Petrarch) focuses on the face mentioning hair eyes
mouth and cheeks Hand and breast are briefly referred to forehead and neck are
seldom included The long canon (used by Boccaccio and Ariosto) adds more detail
and leads the gaze further downwards from head to toe Central features of the short
canon are splendour (light) and colour (white) whereas the long canon emphasizes
harmonious proportions (of the body)
Renaissance poets use set comparisons and oppositions such as lsquoredrsquo versus
lsquowhitersquo But within these fixed boundaries there were ample possibilities for vari-
ance One way to play with conventions was the following a poet could mention only
one element of an opposition and thereby automatically evoke its counterpart in the
27 For an overview of Greek poetry up to the Byzantine period see Jax (1933) with dis-
turbing racist emphasis on lsquodas weibliche Schonheitsideal der weiszligen Rassersquo for the
Latin Middle-Ages see Faral (1962 esp p 75 ss) Sidonius Apollinarisrsquo portrait of
Theodoric (Ep I 2 2 sixth century) is seen as the best model for descriptions of persons
by Geoffroy de Vinsauf (Poetria nova 1210 CE) for the Renaissance see Pozzi (1979 and
1984)
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mind of the audience For example if he described a hand a foot was to be imagined
by the reader when a rose was mentioned it was intended that a lily be brought to
mind etc
Favourite source domains for metaphors were in the first place flowers roses
lilies and violets for colour and evanescence secondly precious materials pearls
rubies coral and gold for colour and diamond and sapphire for splendour and
thirdly lsquoheavenly bodiesrsquo stars and the sun for splendour and movement For
special effects these elements could be combined into homogeneous or heteroge-
neous couples a lily and a rose or ivory and a rose etc
How are these images used and constructed in the present passage from
Marino Marino combines the two canons adopting the short canon for his descrip-
tion of the young man and then enumerating his several parts from head to toe He
begins with the (moral) qualities given by Nature to Pampinorsquos forehead (ott 66
1ndash2) continues with his cheeks mouth and cheeks again (ott 66 3ndash8) then turns to
his eyes (ott 67 1ndash2) to his foot and hand (ott 67 3ndash4 the foot belonging to the
long canon) and finally to his hair and neck (ott 67 5ndash8) Marino adds various
(moral) qualifications The first octave is relatively quiet drawing as it were
Pampinorsquos portrait Its three source domains for the metaphors are lsquofruitrsquo lsquoprecious
materialsrsquo lsquoflowersrsquo (pomegranate pearl rose) connected with contrasting colours
(red white and golden) and positive qualifications (beautiful refined heavenly
sweet honest pure real) The second octave is stirred by movement the
sky brightens Pampinorsquos touch turns nature into something else the playing
wind shakes hair locks spreads out It also introduces the opposition light-dark
(shady night darken brighten light) The source domains of the second octave
are lsquobucolic landscapersquo (meadow river breeze) and lsquoprecious materialsrsquo
(silver gold)
As is to be expected Marino is fond of metaphors and expresses them in
various ways But unlike Nonnus he obviously prefers metaphors in absentia
(Pasinirsquos type 4 see section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo above)
The description of Pampino includes moral and physical qualities In ott 66 3ndash4
the strawberry (lsquodolce color di fragola maturarsquo lsquothe sweet colour of ripe strawberriesrsquo)
paving the way for the source domain lsquofruitrsquo is followed by a series of metaphors
(1) There are several instances of metaphors in absentia which are intelligible when
one looks at either the direct context in which they are embedded or at the existing
Renaissance conventions
vehicle (B = noun thorn- adjective)
a la grana pura (ott 66 5) ndash pure pomegranate (sc in his mouth gt tongue)
b schiette perle (ott 66 6) ndash real pearls (sc in double row gt teeth)
c rosa purpurina (ott 66 7) ndash purple rose (sc there gt on his cheeks gt beard)
d le piume (ott 67 6) ndash feathers (of his hair gt locks of hair)
e tesoro (ott 67 7) ndash treasure (his rich hair)
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(2) To these examples two metaphorical verbs can be added
vehicle (B = verb)
a imporporava (ott 67 3) ndash turned purpleb innargentava (ott 67 4) ndash turned silver
(3) The following metaphor in absentia is qualified by a metaphorical adjective
vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective)
la sua dorata spina (ott 66 8) ndash her golden thorns (reddish-blonde bristles)
(4) Another variant are the metaphors in absentia that combine two metaphorical
expressions
vehicle (B = noun) of vehicle (B = noun)
a colle (B) drsquoavorio (B) (ott 67 8) ndash an ivory hill (of his white neck)
b un bosco (B) drsquooro (B) (ott 67 8) ndash a forest of gold (of his blond hair)
(5) Taken together two final verses of ott 67 are an example of a typical baroque
metaphor (discussed in section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo) a concatenation
of metaphorical images Ott 67 7 is elaborated in the next verse by a metaphor in
apposition on neck (tenorrsquo) the beautiful treasure (tenorrsquorsquo) on an ivory hill (vehiclersquo)a forest of gold (vehiclersquorsquo) Both vehicles are from the source domain lsquolandscapersquo (hill
forest) and continue the image of the previous bucolic description (meadow river
breeze) But at the same time the lsquotreasurersquo (tenorrsquorsquo) is already itself a metaphor (for
lsquohairrsquo) from another source domain (lsquoprecious materialsrsquo) that is elaborated by its
own two metaphorical adjectives lsquoivoryrsquo and lsquogoldrsquo from the same source domain As
we have seen with the example of Lemene the image evokes a further image
creating a kind of lsquoliterary trompe lrsquoœilrsquo
On tenor (Arsquo = noun) tenor (Arsquorsquo = noun) on vehicle (Brsquo noun thorn Brsquorsquo adjec) vehiclersquorsquo
(Brsquorsquo noun thorn Brsquorsquo adjec)
su rsquol collo (Arsquo) il bel tesoro (Arsquorsquo) sovra un colle drsquoavorio (Brsquothorn Brsquorsquo) un bosco drsquooro (Brsquorsquothorn Brsquorsquo)
Some intertextual notes
Apart from the topoi shared by Nonnus and Marino it is easy to see that several of
Marinorsquos verses in ott 67 are closely modelled on Nonnus of course in Lubinrsquos
translation (ed 1606)28 Marino ott 67 1ndash2 (darkness flees before Pampinorsquos eyes)
28 175 Et aliquanto venans sub petra umbrosa sylvae Aequalis iuvenis rosea delectabatur
forma Nunc etenim Phrygiae sub colle puer ludens Ampelus crescebat nuper
enutritus ramus amorum Neque ipsi mollis lanugo rubentis menti 180 Imberbes
nivea signaverat circulos maxilla Iuventae aureum florem In tergum reiectarum vero
comarum Racemi flexuosi super splendidis currebant humeris Non complicati Suavi
vero una concitati cum aura Flatu elevabantur Retractis vero comis 185 In
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combines Nonnus vv 186ndash87 (Ampelusrsquo neck is like the moon shining though
clouds) and vv 191ndash92 (when Ampelus looks the moon shines) Marino ott 67
3ndash4 (Pampinorsquos foot and hand transform meadow and river) is like Nonnus vv
189ndash90 (Ampelusrsquo limbsfoot elicit spring and flowers in the meadow) Marino
ott 67 5ndash6 (the wind playing with Pampinorsquos hair and showing his neck) is similar
to Nonnus vv 183ndash85 (the wind playing with Ampelusrsquo hair and revealing his neck)
Marino was unable to borrow Nonnusrsquo image of Ampelusrsquo foot eliciting spring
because Falkenburgrsquos text and Lubinrsquos translation present a different textual reading
from Chretienrsquos Falkenburg does not have (drsquo7lon) Iar (lsquospringrsquo) but (g1r) 5niar
which was translated as lsquoemolumentumrsquo (lsquogainrsquo) by Lubin
There are however some significant differences To describe the effect of the
Ampelusrsquo neck and eyes Nonnus introduces the image of the moon emerging through
the clouds while evoking simultaneously the moon cycle He begins with a compari-
son and continues with a metaphor spread out over eight verses To describe the
instant effect of Pampinorsquos eyes Marino (or to be more precise the narrator
Dionysus) simply states a truth a hyperbolic truth the light of Pampinorsquos eyes illu-
minates darkness To describe the effect of the neck of the satyr boy he introduces the
landscape and treasure metaphor The importance of the neck seems to point towards
another intertext the description of feminine beauty in the Song of Songs29 The lovers
in the Song of Songs describe each other in metaphorical terms their eyes hair teeth
lips voice cheeks neck breast and overall fairness etc (he in 4 she in 5 10ndash16 he
again in 6 4ndash7 and 7 1ndash9) Among the many source domains in the Song of Songs
lsquofruitrsquo lsquoastral phenomenarsquo and lsquoprecious materialsrsquo are present too To give some
examples her temples are pomegranates (4 3) his arms are rods of gold set with topaz
(5 14) she appears like the dawn the moon the sun the stars (6 10) and last but not
least her neck is an ivory tower (7 4)30 Elsewhere in the Adone (as often in Italian
Baroque poetry) Christian imagery is also clearly present31
summitate apparens oriebatur media nudata cervix Et fulgorem eiaculabatur umbram
relinquens qualia lucet In medio apparens nubem humidam perrumpens Luna Et
oris rosei mel spirans (Lectius 1606 lsquospiansrsquo instead of lsquospiransrsquo) fluebat oratio Ex
membris enim emolumentum (Falkenburg reads g1r 5niar lsquogainrsquo where Chretien has
drsquo7lon Iar) apparebat Cum iret vero 190 Ex pede argenteo pedum (Falkenburg reads
2rgur oio pod8n instead of Chretienrsquos 2rgursquo oio oslashod8n) rubebat pratum Cum vero
faciei bovinae ventorum (Falkenburg has 2n mwn instead of Chretienrsquos rsquoa wn Lectius
1606 has lsquobavinaersquo for lsquobovinaersquo) illustri circulo Oculos circumvertisset tota resplen-
debat Luna
29 Parallels between the Song of Songs and Greek love poetry are already present in Greek
poetry from Antiquity see various articles in Hagedorn (2005)
30 Paradoxically Marino is closer to the Hebrew original (that he was unable to read) than
to the Latin translation of the Vulgate (which he must have used) the Vulgate turns most
of the original metaphors into similes with the indicator lsquosicutrsquo
31 For example the suggested parallel between Adone and Christ condemned by the
Inquisition a nymph acting as Judas revealing Adonersquos hiding place and committing
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Marino changes some of Nonnusrsquo explicit (rationalizing see Pasini section lsquoA set
of practical tools for analysisrsquo) images into more implicit (open see Pasini section
lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo) ones evoking a concatenation of associations
The image of Ampelusrsquo silvery footstep (Greek 2rguroioLatin argenteo) that
turned the meadow red with roses is adapted to Marinorsquos own time Pampinorsquos
foot is no longer silvery but lsquovagorsquo (a reminiscence of Petrarcarsquos lsquovago piersquo)32 and it
still turns the meadow purple but the reader has to supply the exact nature of the
purple (eg purple gt flower gt rose) Since in the Renaissance canon lsquofootrsquo evokes
lsquohandrsquo and since the colour lsquopurplersquo evokes the contrast lsquowhitersquo Pampinorsquos foot and
the purple meadow in ott 67 3 lead lsquospontaneouslyrsquo to lsquohis white handrsquo in ott 67 4
Finally Nonnusrsquo lsquosilveryrsquo is not lost but transformed into the metaphorical verb
lsquoturned into silverrsquo (an interesting invention to provoke a new contrast in the readerrsquos
mind because the story is situated in Phrygia with its proverbially gold-gleaming
river Pactolus)33
What can we conclude on the basis of the similarities and differences in the
passages of Nonnus and Marino about their use of metaphor
First it is evident that Nonnus and Marino are equally fond of metaphors
Nonnusrsquo eighteen verses contain twelve metaphors and one comparison Marinorsquo
sixteen verses contain twelve metaphors On a quantitative level the abundant and
cumulative use of metaphors by Nonnus could be called lsquobaroquersquo
Secondly we have seen that on a conceptual level Nonnus and Marino share some
characteristics but not all Both poets work with the contrasting couples red-white
and light-dark and use the source domain lsquoflowerrsquo But the more traditional source
domains lsquoprecious materialsrsquo and lsquofruitrsquo inherited by Marino from the Renaissance
canon of beauty are barely or not at all present in Nonnus at least not in this passage
Thirdly at the linguistic level Nonnus and Marino clearly employ different
kinds and complexities of metaphor Nonnus on the one hand uses a concatenation
of metaphors in praesentia crowned by his personal metaphorical formula in which
the appearance of the tenor simultaneously evokes the vehicle Linguistically speak-
ing the relation between tenor and vehicle remains visible and controllable
suicide Venus crying over Adonersquos body as Mary did over Jesusrsquo body Adone is not
wounded in his thigh as in Greek mythology but in his side See also Guardiani (2001)
and Gonnelli (2003 29ndash30 on pagan and Christian syncretism in Nonnusrsquo Paraphrasis
and Marinorsquos Adone) The last motif recurs in the fresco lsquoLa Morte di Adonersquo by Luca
Giordano (1682ndash85) Palazzo Medici-Riccardi Florence It is reminiscent of the parallel
between Dionysus and Christ also expressed in various mosaics for example in a Roman
mosaic depicting Dionysusrsquo discovery of Ariadne on Naxos (Syria 3rd-4th cent Miho
Museum Kyoto Japan cat NA) where Dionysus not only has a nimbus but also a
wound in his sidebreast (a later addition) (I thank Berenice Verhelst for pointing out
this mosaic to me)
32 For this intricate Renaissance style word play see Pozzi (1976) ad loc
33 See Nonn Dion 11 17ndash55 for the swimming contest with Dionysus and Ampelus and
the effect on the satyr boy of the golden water of the river Pactolus
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(lsquorationalrsquo lsquoclosedrsquo) Marino on the other hand prefers metaphors in absentia
opening the associative distance between vehicle and tenor to a maximum He uses
the auto-referential metaphor that is so typical of Baroque poetry Marinorsquos method
reflects instability the arbitrariness of the relation between tenor and vehicle seems to
express the absence of a shared and well-organized world with absolute values As
Conte (1972 37) puts it lsquoconfronted by a reality (human social politic cultural) in
crisis the baroque word denounces the prerogative of the word it speaks almost
exclusively of itself but speaking of itself it imitates takes possession of exorcizes
and even organizes the crisisrsquo Therefore on a linguistic level there seems to be more
method in Nonnusrsquo madness than in Marinorsquos
Finally what about the overall effect of the metaphors they use in their respective
descriptions Nonnus and Marino both describe beautiful beardless satyr boys
caught in a fleeting moment of radiant movement in an eroticizing bucolic setting
They put equal emphasis on the beauty and the fragility of youth and on the satyr
boyrsquos impact on the nature surrounding him As we have seen Nonnusrsquo metaphors
make Ampelus progressively intermingle with nature announcing the satyr boyrsquos
metamorphosis Even though they are classified as more lsquorationalrsquo on a linguistic
level (see Pasini) their effect is impressively irrational and open Just as Marinorsquos
metaphors they are constantly related to metamorphosis expressing change and
instability These are typical features of the Baroque that also explain at least partly
Marinorsquos affiliation with Nonnus
Conclusion
To return to the initial question of this article do we need the term lsquobaroquersquo to
characterize Nonnusrsquo poetry We have seen that the use of lsquobaroquersquo for other
periods than the seventeenth-century Baroque has met with positive and negative
reactions being found either too restricted or too broad and that the term lsquobaroquersquo
is often used for Nonnusrsquo Dionysiaca in an impressionistic way to indicate that his
aesthetics deviate from the lsquoclassicalrsquo Used in this sense lsquobaroquersquo can suggest
openness expansion abundance accumulation asymmetry moving musicality
optical illusion and the absence of a vanishing point as opposed to lsquoclassicalrsquo
with its connotation of contours closed nature unity harmony symmetry archi-
tectural fixity and converging perspectives Many of these tendencies known from
the historical Baroque are visible in Late Antique poetry
What about the other qualifications at hand such as poik0lordquo lsquojeweledrsquo and
lsquocumulativersquo Can they replace the term lsquobaroquersquo The first poikil0a is intimately
linked with Nonnusrsquo own poetics as becomes immediately clear from his prologue
where it refers to variety and polymorphism in the poem as a whole The poet wishes
that lsquoProteus of the many turnsrsquo the god of endless transformation lsquomay appear in
all his diversity of shapes since I twang my harp to a diversity of songsrsquo34 It is
34 Nonn Dion I 15 5rsquora rsquoan0h poik0lon Idordquo ecwn 7ti poik0lon 4mnon 2r0ssw (transl
Rouse 1940) The term poik0lordquo has been used very frequently by scholars to describe
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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Dow
nloaded from
applied to Late Antique literature as well as to art works both art forms being
intimately linked during this period Gianfranco Agosti (1997 34ndash35 see also
2006 361ss) expands its use understanding it lsquonot only as stylistic varietas but
above all as a code intended to characterize reality The concept of poikil0a goes
far beyond mere rhetorical or stylistic boundaries and becomes a peculiar way of
viewing realityrsquo When used in this way as a psychological category applied to the
relation between word and image it becomes a hermeneutic tool to explore Late
Antique world views
The second expression lsquojeweled stylersquo is used for Late Antique writers and
artists who place their words and phrases or their gems and colours in geometric
patterns The aim of these patterns is to create a symbolic unity which is considered
more important than linear narrative sequences in literature and realism in the visual
arts The term has been coined by Michael Roberts (1989) for the aesthetics of Latin
poetry from Late Antiquity (Ausonius Prudentius Claudian Sidonius etc) but
can be applied mutatis mutandis to Greek literature from the same period
The third expression lsquocumulative aestheticrsquo describes a similar attitude in Late
Antique art characterized by a particular attention to detail (lsquoexquisite miniatur-
izationrsquo) and by a preference for the re-use of precious elements from the past
(spolia) The sum of these separate entities forms a new unity and expresses a
new vision of the world Jas Elsner (2004) discusses the term in the context of the
visual arts but it can also be applied to literature
Poikil0a jeweled style and cumulative aesthetic are free of the charge of
anachronism They are related each of them covering several aspects of Late
Antique art and literature but not all In my opinion the term lsquobaroquersquo serves a
different purpose it can indicate generally the kind of expressive possibilities chosen
by an author provided that this sketchy characterization is subsequently elaborated
in order to lend the term lsquobaroquersquo a more specific significance especially by
comparing it to the lsquoBaroquersquo
The term lsquobaroquersquo as a general indication for Nonnusrsquo style invited me to com-
pare lsquobaroquersquo Nonnus with lsquoBaroque Marinorsquo I picked up the Tesaurorsquos telescope
to zoom in on metaphor and to study the lsquoqueen of figuresrsquo from close up Nonnusrsquo
metaphors clearly appealed to the poetic creativity of Marino There is much aes-
thetic affinity between the stylistic norms they adopted when composing metaphors
They use comparable expressive possibilities to articulate their vision of the world
even if these worlds are very different and even if the lsquomost Baroque of baroque
poetsrsquo goes one step further than Nonnus Zooming out again I conclude two things
Nonnusrsquo style on the basis of his own proemium See for example Lindsay (1965 379ndash
84) String (1966 33ndash70) Vian (1976 9ndash10) Gonzalez Senmartı (1981) Hopkinson
(1994) Whitby (1994 101 112 116) Agosti (1997) Shorrock (2001) Miguelez-
Cavero (2008 139ndash45 162ndash68) Hernandez de la Fuente (2011) As a poetical qualifica-
tion poikil0a is already present in Pindar see Nunlist (1998 118) For poikil0avarietas
in epideictic rhetoric of the Imperial Period see Pernot (1993 337)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
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Dow
nloaded from
if not pinned down as a strictly historical category the term lsquobaroquersquo can to a
certain extent be applied to Nonnus and above all can invite further exploration of
the intertextual relationships between poets and be helpful in comparing artistic
norms from different periods of time Used in this way it does not replace nor is
replaced by the terms poikil0a lsquojeweled stylersquo and cumulative aesthetics but is a
stimulating tool to bring to light similarities and differences in poetic creativity not
only of metaphor but also of other characteristics which have been called lsquotypically
baroquersquo35 It can help to gain insight into the exact nature of a literary lsquodialogue at
distancersquo and could also prove fruitful in analysing and characterizing Marinorsquos
intertexutal relations with other authors from Antiquity
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank G Agosti M H Koenen P Lanfranchi and M Pearson for
their stimulating comments and lively discussions during the various stages of this
article as well as Jas Elsner the associate editor and the anonymous referees of
Classical Receptions Journal for their accurate and useful suggestions
References
G Agosti lsquoPoemi digressivi tardoantichi (e moderni)rsquo Compar(a)ison no 1 (1995) pp 131ndash51mdashmdash lsquoThe poikil0a of Paul the Bishoprsquo ZPE no 116 (1997) pp 31ndash38mdashmdash lsquoImmagini e poesia nella tarda antichita Per uno studio dellrsquoestetica visuale della poesia greca fra
III e IV sec d Crsquo Incontri Triestini di Filologia Classica 4 2004-2005 (2006) pp 351ndash74 Onlinesince 22 August 2006 httphdlhandlenet10077949 [accessed 4 July 2012]
S Bar Review of Miguelez-Cavero 2008 in Plekos no 12 (2010) pp 67ndash77 httpwwwplekosuni-muenchende2010r-caveropdf [accessed 4 July 2012]
E van Boven and G Dorleijn Literair Mechaniek Inleiding tot de Analyse van Verhalen en Gedichten(Bussum Coutinho 2003) esp pp 159ndash80 (lsquoBeeldspraakrsquo)
Ch Brooke-Rose A Grammar of Metaphor (London Secker amp Warburg 1958)P Cherchi lsquoPoetry Philosophy and Sciencersquo in P Brand and L Pertile (eds) The Cambridge History
of Italian Literature vol I The Seicento (Cambridge Cambridge University Press 1996)pp 301ndash17
G Chretien Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t IV chants IXndashX (Paris Les Belles Lettres1985)
G Conte La Metafora barocca Saggio sulle poetiche del Seicento (Milano Mursia 1972)E R Curtius Europaische Literatur und lateinisches Mittelalter (Bern Francke Verlag 1948)G DrsquoIppolito Studi Nonniani Lrsquoepillio nelle Dionisiache (Palermo Presso lrsquoAccademia 1964)E DrsquoOrs Du Baroque (Paris Gallimard 1935)
35 Other intertexual relations such as the ones briefly discussed by Tissoni (1998 59ndash62)
could be analysed according to the procedure of Rousset (1954) although he restricted
his method to the seventeenth-century French Baroque literature He formulated four
main criteria applicable to various seventeenth-century Baroque art forms (architecture
painting and literature) lsquoinstabilityrsquo lsquomobilityrsquo lsquometamorphosisrsquo and lsquodominance of
settingrsquo He subsequently applied these criteria to five literary instances first of all lsquoa type
of metaphorrsquo followed by lsquoa type of poemrsquo lsquoa poetic work as a wholersquo lsquoa theatrical work as
a wholersquo and lsquoa general attitudersquo ie lsquodisplayrsquo (1954 181ss)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
23 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
J Elsner lsquoLate Antique Art The Problem of the Concept and the Cumulative Aestheticrsquo in S Swainand M Edwards (eds) Approaching Late Antiquity The Transformation from Early to Late Empire(Oxford Oxford University Press 2004) pp 271ndash309
E Faral Les Arts Poetiques du XIIe et XIIIe siecle Recherches et Documents sur la Technique Litteraire duMoyen Age (Paris Champion 1962)
W Fauth Eidos Poikilon Zur Thematik der Metamorphose und zum Prinzip der Wandlung aus demGegensatz in den Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Gottingen Vandenhoeck amp Ruprecht 1981)
P Friedlander Johannes von Gaza und Paulus Silentiarius Kunstbeschreibungen Justinianischer Zeit(Leipzig Teubner 1912)
H de la Fuente lsquoThe One and the Many and the Circular Movement Neo-Platonism and Poetics inNonnus of Panopolisrsquo in Id (ed) New Perspectives on Late Antiquity (Newcastle-upon-TyneCambridge Scholars 2011)
F Gonnelli Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol II (canti XIIIndashXXIV) (Milano BibliotecaUniversale Rizzoli 2003)
V Giraudet lsquoLe rivage la presqursquoıle et le marais Espaces baroques chez Achille Tatius et Nonnos dePanopolisrsquo in R Poignault (ed) Presence du Roman grec et Latin (Clermont-Ferrand Centre deRecherches A Piganiol 2011) pp 147ndash66
Groupe m (J Dubois ea) Rhetorique generale (Paris du Seuil 1970)F Guardiani lsquoA Christological Metamorphosis in a Baroque Poemrsquo in J Goering ea (ed) Saints and
the Sacred Select Proceedings of the 3rd St Michaelrsquos College Annual Symposium (Feb 25-26 2000)(Ottawa Legas 2001) pp 185ndash95
A C Hagedorn (ed) Perspectives on the Song of Songs (Berlin De Gruyter 2005)F Hallyn Formes metaphoriques dans la poesie lyrique de lrsquoage baroque en France (Geneve Droz 1975)H Hatzfeld lsquoThe Baroque from the Viewpoint of the Literary Historianrsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art
Criticism 142 Second Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1955) 156ndash64N Hopkinson (ed) Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society
1994)R Huyghe lsquoLa seve du baroquersquo Baroque [online] no 4 (1969) Online since 3 May 2012 http
baroquerevuesorg304 [accessed 22 January 2013]K Jax Die weibliche Schonheit in der griechischen Dichtung (Innsbruck Wagner 1933)R Keydell lsquoNonnosrsquo in Th Klauser (ed) Reallexikon fur Antike und Christentum vol XVII
(Stuttgart Hiersemann 1936) vol XVII pp 902ndash20G Lakoff Metaphors We Live By (Chicago University of Chicago Press 1980)G Lakoff and M Turner More Than Cool Reason A Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor (Chicago
University of Chicago Press 1989)L R Lind lsquoNonnos and His Readersrsquo Res Publica Litterarum (1978) 159ndash70J Lindsay Leisure and Pleasure in Roman Egypt (London Muller 1965)V De Malde Giovan Battista Marino La Sampogna (Parma Fondazione Pietro Bembo Ugo Guanda
Editore 1993)A Martini Letteratura Italiana Le Opere Vol II Dal Cinquecento al Settecento A Asor Rosa (ed)
(Turin Einaudi 1993) pp 777ndash97R T Matthews and F DeWitt Platt The Western Humanities (Boston McGraw-Hill 2004)L Miguelez-Cavero Poems in Context Greek Poetry in the Egyptian Thebaid 200-600 AD (Berlin De
Gruyter 2008)R F Newbold lsquoMimesis and Illusion in Nonnus Deceit Distrust and the Search for Meaningrsquo
Helios 37 no 1 (2010) pp 81ndash106R Nunlist Poetologische Bildersprache in der fruhgriechischen Dichtung (Stuttgart Teubner 1998)G F Pasini lsquoDalla comparazione alla metaforarsquo Lingua e Stile 7 no 3 (1972) pp 441ndash69L Pernot La rhetorique de lrsquoeloge dans le monde greco-romain vol I (Paris Institut drsquoEtudes
Augustiennes 1993)S N Peters lsquoMetaphor and lsquolsquoMaravigliarsquorsquo Tradition and Innovation in the Adone of GB Marinorsquo
Lingua e Stile 7 no 2 (1972) pp 321ndash41D G Piccardi Metafora e Poetica in Nonno di Panopoli (Florence Universite degli Studi di Firenze
1985)mdashmdash Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol I (canti IndashXII) (Milano Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli
2003)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
24 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
G Pozzi Giovan Battista Marino vol II LrsquoAdone (Milano Mondadori 1976)mdashmdash lsquoIl ritratto della donna nella poesia drsquoinizio Cinquecento e la pittura di Giorgionersquo Lettere Italiane
311 gennaio-marzo (1979) pp 3ndash30mdashmdash lsquoTemi t0poi stereotipirsquo in A Asor Rosa (ed) Letteratura italiana III Le forme del testo I
Teoria e poesia (Torino Einaudi 1984) pp 391ndash436I A Richards The Philosophy of Rhetoric (New York Oxford University Press 1936)M Riemschneider lsquoDer Stil des Nonnosrsquo Berliner byzantinistische Arbeiten no 5 (1957) pp 46ndash70M Roberts The Jeweled Style Poetry and Poetics in Late Antiquity (Ithaca and London Cornell
University Press 1989)W H D Rouse Nonnus Dionysiaca (Cambridge MA Harvard University Press 1940)J Rousset La litterature de lrsquoage baroque en France Circe et le paon (Paris Corti 1954)E Russo lsquoSul barocco letterario in Italia Giudizi revisioni distinzionirsquo Les Dossiers du Grihl [Online]
2012-02 j 2012 Online since 25 June 2012 httpdossiersgrihlrevuesorg5223 [accessed 4 March2013]
A G Senmartı lsquoLa lsquolsquopoikiliarsquorsquo como principio estilıstico de las Dionisıacas de Nonorsquo AFB no 7(1981) pp 101ndash07
R Shorrock The Challenge of Epic Allusive Engagement in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Leiden Brill2001)
mdashmdash lsquoNonnusrsquo in J Foley (ed) A Companion to Ancient Epic (Oxford Wiley-Blackwell 2005)pp 374ndash85
mdashmdash The Myth of Paganism Nonnus Dionysus and the World of Late Antiquity (London BristolClassical Press 2011)
G Steen lsquoMetaphor and Stylersquo in P Stockwell and S Whiteley (eds) The Cambridge Handbook ofStylistics (Cambridge Cambridge University Press forthcoming 2014)
M String Untersuchungen zum Stil der Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Hamburg sn (disserta-tion) 1966)
E Tesauro Il Cannocchiale Aristotelico (Venice Baglioni 1654ndash70)F Tissoni Nonno di Panopoli I Canti di Penteo (Dionisiache 44ndash46) Commento (Florence La Nuova
Italia Editrice 1998)F Vian Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t I chants IndashII (Paris Les Belles Lettres 1976)R Wellek lsquoThe Concept of Baroque in Literary Scholarshiprsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism
52 Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1946) pp 77ndash109M Whitby lsquoFrom Moschus to Nonnus The Evolution of the Nonnian Stylersquo in N Hopkinson (ed)
Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society 1994) pp 99ndash155A Wifstrand Von Kallimachos zu Nonnos Metrisch-stilistische Untersuchungen zur spateren griechischen
Epik und zu verwandten Gedichtgattungen (Lund Gleerup 1933)H Wolfflin Renaissance und Barock Eine Untersuchung uber Wesen und Entstehung des Barockstils in
Italien (Munich T Ackermann 1888)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
25 of 25
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ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
Instead of re-discussing the various standpoints in this debate which hover between
lsquotoo broadrsquo and lsquotoo restrictedrsquo (see Wellek above) I wish to take a different approach
and ask what happens when we compare a so-called lsquobaroquersquo poet from the fifth-
century CE with a poet from the seventeenth century who is widely regarded as the
most typical example of the Italian Baroque Do they use similar poetic mechanisms
Do they share stylistic and typological aspects In which way can a comparison help
to clarify the meaning and usefulness of the term lsquobaroquersquo in the case of Nonnusrsquo
Dionysiaca My analysis focuses on one literary device in particular the poetic figure
par excellence (as was already recognized by Aristotle) of poetic metaphor
Extravagant metaphors are seen as a distinctive feature of Italian Baroque poetry
as will be discussed below
In this article I present a comparison of Nonnus of Panopolis with Giambattista
Marino (1569ndash1625) The choice of this particular poet is not an arbitrary one
firstly Marino has been described as lsquothe most baroque of Baroque poetsrsquo (and by
some as lsquothe most talented charlatan in Italian literaturersquo)8 Secondly his gigantic
epic poem Adone (20 cantos 5123 ottave 40984 verses) is inspired by Nonnusrsquo
equally enormous epic poem Dionysiaca (48 books 20426 hexameters) there is
therefore at least some affinity between the two9 The sheer quantity of the verses
of both poets immediately calls for modesty I do not pretend to offer an exhaustive
comparison but rather restrict myself to a couple of short passages rich in meta-
phors and intimately linked on an intertextual level Nonnusrsquo description of the
young man Ampelus lover of the god Dionysus (Dion 10 177ndash92) and Marinorsquos
description of the young man Pampino lover of the god Dionysus (Ad 19 ott 66ndash
67) (partially) modelled on Nonnusrsquo Ampelus but with a different name (note the
pun lsquoAmpelusrsquo grape-vine mdash lsquoPampinorsquo vine-leaf a euphonic near-translation)
Nonnus and Marino some preliminary remarks
Nonnusrsquo mythological epic poem Dionysiaca was written in a turbulent period of
tensions between pagans and Christians10 It tells the history of the demi-god
Dionysus
The first books are dedicated to his ancestors beginning with the rape of Europa
by Zeus The next books describe his birth infancy and youth From book thirteen
8 Lind (1978 161) Although Marino is traditionally seen as the most baroque poet not
everybody agrees Hatzfeld (1955 159) for example sees Tasso as a representative of the
most pure baroque and Marino as a representative of an off-centred mannerism or
lsquobaroquismrsquo For a recent survey on the problem of Italian Baroque literature see
Russo (2012)
9 For a general introduction to Marinorsquos Adone see Martini (1993) For Nonnus and
Marino see Pozzi (1976 identifies the verses of Nonnus used by Marino ad loc)
Agosti (1995 148ndash51 on narrative structure) Tissoni (1998 56ndash62 an intertextual
comparison of a set of passages) and Gonnelli (2003 26ndash31 a brief survey)
10 See eg Shorrock (2011)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
4 of 25
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Dow
nloaded from
onwards the central theme is Dionysusrsquo mission to bring happiness to mankind by
introducing the vine his travels eastwards to India and back again to Europe with
many military conquests and erotic adventures In the last book Dionysus is finally
deified The coherence of the narrative structure of the whole story is obscured by
the accumulation of loosely interrelated episodes full of metamorphoses and mytho-
logical exempla lsquoThe Dionysiaca has a verbal energy and a capacity for prolific
growth that makes it look like a literary version of the vine itselfrsquo as Shorrock
(2005 376) has vividly expressed it
The passage to be discussed in this article concerns Dionysusrsquo early years when
he meets Ampelus and falls in love But Ampelus is a proud and reckless satyr boy
against Dionysusrsquo will he rides a fierce bull falls from its back and is killed
Dionysus is deeply grieved but eventually finds consolation in Ampelusrsquo metamor-
phosis into a vine (the Greek word for vine is 4mplordquo) After this transformation
Ampelus will continue to play a central role in Dionysusrsquo mission to show mankind
the benefits of wine
The Greek text of the Dionysiaca (Laur 3216 of Maximus Planudes dd 1280)
arrived in Italy in the year 142311 Angelo Poliziano studied it from 1481 onwards
for him Nonnus like Ovid was a source of mythical information and inspiration
The editio princeps of the Dionysiaca dates from 1569 (by Falkenburg) and a first
Latin translation from 1605 (by Eilhard Lubin) Neither that Greek text nor the
Latin translation received much attention although a new edition of the text
(Hanau 1610) attracted negative criticism from Petrus Cunaeus Josephus
Justus Scaliger and Daniel Heinsius according to whom Nonnus could no longer
stand the test with Homer he was considered ignorant incomprehensible and
incapable of imitating the right models his narrative was judged chaotic and far
too digressive
Contemporary interest was clearly directed towards other more famous classical
authors But Marinorsquos personal taste was not completely in accordance with the
tradition of his time He was interested in many classical writers from different
periods not only the well known but also especially the lesser known from the
Hellenistic period up to Late Antiquity Among his Latin favourites were Virgil
Horace Ovid Pliny Statius Apuleius and above all Claudian His Greek favourites
included Apollonius of Rhodes Bion Achilleus Tatius Moschus pseudo-
Anacreon Musaeus and of course especially Nonnus Marino became lsquothe first
modern imitator of Nonnus and in a modern languagersquo12 His epic engages in a
11 For editors commentators and readers of Nonnus discussed here see Lind (1978) and
especially the excellent paragraph lsquoRicezione e Fortunarsquo by Tissoni (1998 44ndash62)
12 Lind (1978 161) For Marinorsquos innovative choice already signalled by contemporary
critics who oppose the couples Tasso-Homer and Marino-Nonnus see Pozzi (1976 93ndash
94) For the influence of Nonnus on other works by Marino such as Sampogna and
Atteone see De Malde (1993) pp 137ndash41
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
5 of 25
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Dow
nloaded from
lsquodialogue at distancersquo making use of various techniques verbal imitation whether
literal or modified transposition of verses amplification or condensation of epi-
sodes contamination by putting together different passages and arduous meta-
phor13 However since Marino could not read Greek he had to use Lubinrsquos
Latin translation probably in the bilingual edition by Lectius (1606) which contains
a huge corpus of Greek epic texts with Latin translations14 Thus while comparing
Nonnus and Marino we have to keep in mind that Marino read Nonnusrsquo hexameters
through Lubinrsquos pen Fortunately Lubin provided an extremely literal word-
for-word prose translation that poses no real problems for the purpose of the present
article Lubin rigorously respects the Greek word order as the following example
shows (Nonnus Dion 10 175ndash76)
ka0 pot qhr0wn 3p1 oslashwg0da d0skion 4lhrdquo
et aliquanto venans sub petra umbrosa sylvae
6likordquo 2iq oio oslashodTHORNpidi q lgto morrsquoI
aequalis iuvenis rosea delectabatur forma
Pozzi (1976 668) remarks that lsquoMarinorsquos language is extraordinary (its rhythm
prosody lexicon syntax) compared to the Lubinrsquos Latin translation which is
linguistically colourless and stylistically bloodlessrsquo Tissoni (1998 58) asserts that
a comparison with the arid translation of Nonnus by Lubin is useful in two ways lsquoit
permits us on the one hand to correctly evaluate Marinorsquos debt to the Dionysiaca
and on the other hand to become aware of his poetic ability which manifests itself in
extraordinary stylistic refinementrsquo Marino paraphrases and modifies Lubinrsquos trans-
lation lsquoreturning instinctively as it were to the original Greek textrsquo However he did
not use hexameters but ottava rima stanzas of eight verses in hendecasyllable with
rhyme scheme abababcc
LrsquoAdone composed during the Counter-Reformation between 1605 and 1623 and
published in Paris in 1623 tells the story of the goddess Venus and the human
Adonis Its narrative scheme is built around their union Adonis suffers shipwreck
and lands on Cyprus the island of Venus The goddess falls in love with him but
Adonis flees out of fear of her other lover the god Mars and turns into a parrot
Having regained his human shape he is taken captive by robbers Once free again
he wins a beauty contest and becomes king of Cyprus Eventually Adonis is killed by
13 See Tissoni (1998 59ndash62) who illustrates most of these techniques with passages for
metaphor he discusses Adone 1170 and Dion 12 9ndash14 followed by a parody of Marinorsquos
style in Stiglianirsquos Amante disperato 300ndash309 If not otherwise indicated the English
translations in this article are my own
14 Lectius Poetae graeci veteres carminis heroici scriptores qui extant omnes Aureliae
Allebrogum sumptibus Caldorianae Societatis MDCVI See Tissoni (1998 57ndash58) It
is difficult to quantify the importance of each of the individual models such as Ovid (see
Pozzi 1976 103ndash21 esp 117) and Claudian (see Agosti 1995 144ndash45 and 148) in the
development of his style
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a boar sent by his rival Mars In canto 19 four divinities mdash Ceres Bacchus Thetis
and Apollo mdash try to console Venus by relating stories of six other youths who met an
untimely death Hyacintus (25ndash62) Pampino (63ndash123) Acis (124ndash232) Calamus
and Carpus (233ndash51) Leander (252ndash92) and Achilles (293ndash325) Eventually after
his funeral Adonisrsquo heart is turned into a red anemone The poem ends with funeral
games in honour of Adonis The story line of the Adone like that of the Dionysiaca is
complicated it is constantly interrupted by digressions descriptions repetitions
unexpected turns and irregular symmetries Metamorphosis is one of its main
motifs Another recurrent motif is that of lsquosmoderato piacer che termina in
dogliarsquo (lsquoboundless joy ending in sorrowrsquo Adone 1 10 8) References to Nonnus
can be found especially in cantos 18 and 19 (Adone 18 193ndash208 Amorrsquos quest on
Earth cf Dion 33 57ndash142 Adone 19 65ndash123 the Pampinus episode cf Dion 10
189ndash93 11 194ndash483 12 117ndash37 and 138ndash397 the Ampelus episode Adone 19
235ndash51 the Calamus and Carpus episode cf Dion 11 370ndash481 Eros tries to con-
sole Bacchus in the same manner)
The passage to be discussed in this article is taken from the story of Pampino It is
modelled upon Nonnusrsquo story of Ampelus in Dion 10ndash12 but reduced to four major
moments the first meeting the love-affair Pampinorsquos death and his
metamorphosis
Baroque metaphor
For Aristotle simile and metaphor belong to the same category a simile (2kTHORNn) is
seen as an extended metaphor and a metaphor (mtarsquoor0) as an abbreviated simile
when Homer says of Achilles lsquo3rdquo d l wn p0rousnrsquo (lsquohe jumped forward like a
lionrsquo) he uses a simile (with the comparative adverb 3rdquo) and when he says of
Achilles lsquol wn p0rousnrsquo (lsquothe lion jumped forwardrsquo) he uses a metaphor
(Rhet III 1406b20ndash23) According to Aristotle metaphor is a more intelligent
device than simile because while a simile is explicit metaphor is an invitation to
reflection The proof of the creative intelligence of a poet lies in the ability to see
similarities and turn them into metaphors He distinguishes four types of meta-
phors that is from genus to species from species to genus from species to species
and from analogy He warns several times against far-fetched metaphors as being too
poetic for prose or lacking clarity In rhetorical treatises of later periods in Antiquity
metaphor is usually considered a typically poetical stylistic device not to be used too
often in prose following Aristotle (Poet 22 7ndash17 Rhet III 1405a3ndashb19
1406b5ndash07a19 see also Top I 17)
One finds a positive attitude towards metaphor similar to Aristotlersquos in the
Italian Baroque period Meraviglia mdash marvel mdash caused by the use of dazzling
metaphors became a key aesthetic concept15 Producing this kind of metaphors
15 For a short and clear discussion of Italian baroque literature including the concepts of
meraviglia concetto acutezza and ingegno see Cherchi (1996) For more extensive stu-
dies on the baroque metaphor see Conte (1972) for Italian Baroque and Peters (1972) for
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involved using new themes (including objects from everyday life such as the hour-
glass) and expressing them in innovative ways (called concetti and acutezze) Many
baroque poets pushed the creation of extravagant metaphors to the limit According
to some Marino was one of them but according to others he was quite moderate
One of the most important contemporary theorists of metaphor Emmanuele
Tesauro expands the four types of metaphor proposed by Aristotle into eight
types In the chapter on lsquoMetaphorrsquo of his aesthetical treatise The Aristotelian
Telescope (1654ndash70 267) he writes that metaphor (which he calls lsquothe queen of
figuresrsquo) transforms immediate reality offering lsquoto the mind of the listener in
just one word the sight of a whole theatre of marvelsrsquo (lsquoun pien teatro di meravi-
gliersquo) The more distant and unexpected the similarities between tenor and vehicle16
of a metaphor the greater the wonder of the reader and the more laudable the ability
(ingegno) of the poet The baroque poet operates like a telescope drawing
together remote notions belonging to distant realities Ideas about the relation be-
tween tenor and vehicle changed Peters (1972 325ndash26) states that during the
Renaissance
the conceptual metaphor was bound to a system of knowledge which pointed to immut-
able relationships Tesaurorsquos metaphor instead reveals relationships which are quite arbi-
trary and not related to the level of intellectual truth For in the earlier tradition it was the
words which uncovered the conceptual idea given in the metaphor whereas with
Tesauro the implication is that the metaphor itself creates a kind of reality and imposes it
on the word
Baroque metaphors no longer uncover a system of relations of unchangeable
correspondences expressing the stability embodied in creation Instead the baroque
ingegno accumulates series of unexpected sensual images consonant with the
instability and fluidity of the world In his Metafora barocca Conte (1972 40)
distinguishes one special type of baroque metaphor it is characterized by the
extension of the absence of the tenor and by the lateral ramification of the meaning
of the vehicle17 He illustrates this with the following verses of the Italian Baroque
poet and follower of Marino Francesco de Lemene (1634ndash1704) De Lemene
comparing a womanrsquos breasts with lilies and her lips with roses invites the bees
metaphors in the Adone Compare also the important study of Rousset (1954 185ndash89)
and Hallyn (1975) for metaphors in French Baroque literature
16 Originally coined by IA Richards (1936) these terms are still widely used in metaphor
studies In Saussurian terms tenor is the signified and vehicle the signifier see section lsquoA
set of practical tools for analysisrsquo below
17 lsquoLa Metafora barocca e caratterizzata dal prolungamento dellrsquoassenza del segno virtuale e
dalla diramazione laterale del significato del segno presentersquo To avoid confusion I trans-
late lsquosegno virtualersquo as tenor and lsquosegno presentersquo as vehicle
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to come lsquodrainrsquo (lsquosvenarersquo which means literally lsquoto cut someonersquos veinsrsquo lsquoto bleed
someone dryrsquo)
ite volate
a quel labbro a quel seno api ingegnose
per fabricar dolcezze ite svenate
di quel sen di quel labbro e gigli e rose
come fly
to this lip to this breast clever beesto make sweetness come drain
the lilies and roses of that breast that lip
Part of this metaphor is traditional belonging to the canon of beauty developed from
the Middle Ages to the Renaissance (the colour of) the womanrsquos breast is like lilies
(white) and that of her lip like roses (red)18 But the metaphor is pushed one step
further (and here begins a baroque novelty) the vehicle (the flowers) is amplified by
the summoning of the bees from the realm of associations of the tenor They are
invited to participate actively in the illusion The vehicle of the metaphor is given life
and motion as it were and whirls around itself in a figurative play a literary trompelrsquoœil This kind of extreme metaphor shows that the relation between vehicle and
tenor which had been stable during the Renaissance began to destabilize during the
Baroque the distance between the two increased and the vehicle became auto-
referential vehicles themselves referred to further vehicles instead of to tenors
A set of practical tools for analysis
Much more can of course be said on theories of baroque metaphor but the proposed
method of this article is to make a factual comparison between two passages of Nonnus
and Marino I will briefly present two modern models of metaphor that will both serve
as practical tools for analysis First a linguistic model for which I chose the model
presented by Pasini (1972) not because it is particularly innovative but because it offers
a clear insight into the gradual differences between simile and metaphor at the level of
expression in language19 And secondly a conceptual model as proposed by Lakoff
(1980) and Lakoff and Turner (1989) and further developed by Steen (forthcoming)
because their point of departure is the concepts that lie behind linguistic expressions
Lakoff (1980) and Lakoff and Turner (1989) conceived their theory as a reaction to the
traditional approach of metaphor as a rhetorical device showing that metaphors are
omnipresent in everyday life and language and work conventionally automatically and
unconsciously Steen (forthcoming) distinguishes between a communicational (delib-
erate versus non-deliberate) conceptual (conventional versus novel) and linguistic level
18 More on the canon of beauty follows in section lsquoTwo beautiful satyr boysrsquo below
19 In addition to Pasini I used from the huge amount of literature on metaphor Brooke-
Rose (1958) and Van Boven and Dorleijn (2003)
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of metaphor introducing by the backdoor literary metaphor (belonging to the cat-
egory of deliberate metaphor) in Conceptual Metaphor Theory
The literary function of a metaphor does not just reside in the underlying cross-domain
comparison that is the basis of every metaphor Metaphor in poetry is often multi-layered
with many relations to other aspects of the text and its language which makes it strongly
dependent on all sorts of other information throughout the poem and the knowledge it
assumes All of this may be seen as highly typical of the use of metaphor in poetry
Pasini (1972) discerns four linguistic stages between simile on the one hand and
metaphor on the other hand ranging from a closed to an open message Each stage
can be explained by an example a description and a diagrammatic representation20
His cheeks are fresh like roses
This simile with the comparative adverb lsquolikersquo as an indicator includes a tenor
(cheeks A) a vehicle (roses B) and a ground (or tertium comparationis fresh C) It
is a closed construction leaving no space for the imagination of the reader This kind
of comparison is judged the most rational of the four stages because it is the most
specific and requires no leap of imaginative intellect to understand the ground on
which the comparison is made
His cheeks are like roses
This comparison with indicator (like) tenor (cheeks A) and a vehicle (roses B) does
not contain a ground (C) In this case the reader has to supply one or more of the
characteristics of the rose (freshness or red colour or sweet perfume etc) by
generalization and add this information on his own account to the comparison
This type one step closer to metaphors of type (3) and (4) is called by some a
lsquometaphorical comparisonrsquo the process of supplying by generalization is already
present but the process of identification is still absent
20 I thank Jaap Fokkema (VU University) for drawing the four figures after Pasini (1972) who
in his turn is inspired by the Rhetorique Generale (Paris 1970) of the French lsquoGroupe mrsquo
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a His cheeks are roses
b The roses of his cheeks
This is a metaphor in praesentia it has a tenor (cheeks A) and a vehicle (roses B) but
being a metaphor it lacks both indicator and ground (C) In example (3a) the verb lsquoto
bersquo functions as a link and identifies the vehicle and the tenor with each other (in
French this use of the verb lsquoto bersquo is called lsquolrsquoest drsquoequivalencersquo)
On his face two roses
This is a metaphor in absentia in which the indicator the ground (C) as well as the
tenor (A) are absent and have to be supplied by the imagination of the reader The
vehicle lsquorosesrsquo refers not only to the concept of lsquorosesrsquo but also metaphorically to the
concept of lsquocheeksrsquo This kind of metaphor is the least rationalizing (the lsquoto bersquo of
example (3a) can still be considered a lsquorationalizingrsquo element) and the most open (the
reader has to generalize and to supply)
Lakoff presents a conceptual theory of everyday metaphor in Metaphors We LiveBy (1980) which is the basis of the study of poetical metaphor by Lakoff and Turner
in More Than Cool Reason a Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor (1989) He maintains
that the locus of metaphor is not in language (compare figure 4 below the line) but in
the way we conceptualize one mental domain in terms of another (compare figure 4
above the line) Metaphors make use of cross-domain conceptual mappings and are
cast in individual linguistic expressions21 In this theory the tenor is a linguistic
expression that belongs to the so-called target domain and the vehicle is a linguistic
expression that belongs to a so-called source domain The set of ontological corres-
pondences between these two domains can be represented in a mapping To give an
example a conceptual mapping of Pasinirsquos above-mentioned four types would look
like the following
People (target domain) plants (source domain)
youth corresponds to flowering
young person corresponds to blossoming rose
21 Interestingly the idea of the crossing of domains has been phrased in a less theoretical
and a more poetic way by Tesauro (1654ndash70 267)
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pink skin corresponds to red colour
young skin corresponds to freshness
aging corresponds to withering
So the tenor lsquocheeksrsquo belongs to the target domain lsquopeoplersquo and the vehicle lsquorosersquo
belongs to the source domain lsquoplantrsquo Thus while Pasinirsquos typology provides for a
formal analysis at a linguistic level Lakoffrsquos extra-linguistic concerns are centred on
a conceptual level His theory permits us to reflect on the concepts and ideas under-
lying metaphors
Two beautiful satyr boys
Ampelus
In this section I will discuss the two passages of Nonnus and Marino In Dionysiaca
10 175ndash92 the external narrator introduces the young Ampelus future lover of
Dionysus for the first time (as explained in paragraph II) He describes him as
follows
175 ka0 pot qhr0wn 3p1 oslashwg0da d0skion 4lhrdquo
6likordquo 2iq oio oslashodTHORNpidi q lgto morrsquoI
4dh g1r Frug0hrdquo 3p1 dir0da koNrordquo 2q0rwn
Amplordquo 2 xhto notrrsquo rdquo ernordquo ErTHORNtwn
o2d o3 3br1rdquo 4oulordquo ruqom noio gn0ou
180 4cnoa cion hrdquo car0ssto k0kla pariPrdquo
6bhrdquo cr0son 4nqordquo 2pisqop0roio d ca0thrdquo
b0trurdquo 3lik0ntrdquo prsquo 2rgursquo wn q on Œmwn
2plk rdquo ligurN d sunaiq0ssontrdquo 2ndasht
4sqmati koursquo0zonto parlkom nwn d kom0wn
185 2krorsquoan1rdquo 2n tll m sordquo gumno0mnordquo a2c1n
ka1 s lardquo 2k0ntiz lip0skiordquo oJ0 t l0mpi
mssorsquoan1rdquo n rsquoordquo 3gr1n 2nasc0zousa Slndashnh
ka1 st0matordquo oslashod oio ml0pnoordquo err rsquownndash
k ml wn drsquo 7lon Iar rsquoa0nto nisom nou d
190 k pod1rdquo 2rgursquo oio oslash0dwn ruqa0nto limTHORNn
2 d booglndashnwn rsquoa wn 2rsquogg i k0klN
2rsquoqalmo1rdquo l lizn 7lh sl0giz Slndashnh22
175 Once while hunting under a shady cliff of a wood
he was charmed by the rosy form of a young comrade
For under the ridge of the Phrygian hills the merry boyhad already matured Ampelus a new shoot of the gods of Love
For him no dainty bloom of a reddening chin
180 had marked the smooth circles of his snow-white cheeks
the golden flower of youth curling clusters of long hair
22 Greek text Chretien (1985) translation Rouse (1940) adapted
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ran down over his silvery-glistering shoulders
loosely and waving in the whispering wind
were lifted by its breath When the hair was blown aside
185 the bare neck appeared between just visible
and unshadowed light flashed from him just as the moon shines
half appearing when she pierces a damp cloudFrom his rosy mouth streamed a honey-breathing voice
Spring itself appeared from his limbs under the steps
190 of his silvery foot the meadow blushed with roses
and if he turned his eyes their bright iris gleaming
with the glow of a cowrsquos eye the light of the full moon shone
The satyr boy is described from head to toe (a procedure also propagated in exercises
on ekphrasis in the rhetorical handbooks of Late Antiquity see Aphthonius Prog
12) and in movement with major attention to the upper body parts the poet shows
us his cheeks (vv 179ndash81) hair shoulders neck (vv 181ndash87) mouth and voice
(v 188) moving on to his limbs and feet (vv 189ndash90) and eventually turns upwards
again towards eyes (vv 191ndash92) As often in erotic descriptions in Antiquity (espe-
cially from Hellenistic and Second Sophistic literature onwards) this passage
abounds with erotic topoi23 The setting is painted with stock images of the natural
world the shady wood the gentle breeze the flowery meadow these are all present
Everything (the satyr boy and his surroundings) is sweet young and blooming
The incredibly rich description of the effect of the different body parts ends in the
visual climax of the appearance of the moon first barely visible then half appearing
then fully visible The expressions 2krorsquoanndashrdquo (v 185) mssorsquoanndashrdquo (v 187) and 7lh
(v 192) also evoke the different stages of the cycle of the moon mdash new waxing and
full mdash intimately linked with the growth of plants in nature24
However many bucolic elements are used metaphorically the flower of youth a
rosy mouth a honey-breathing voice etc The metaphors in this description appeal
to all our senses to our eyes by the use of colours (red white golden silver) and
contrasts (brightndashdark) to our touch (his beardless cheeks) and to our ears and smell
(his honey-breathing voice) In her fascinating study of metaphors in the Dionysiaca
Daria Gigli Piccardi (1985) distinguishes in Nonnus three (archetypical) source
domains for metaphors of beauty two of which occur in this passage Firstly the
source domain lsquoflowersrsquo from individual flowers to spring meadows full of
23 The flowering youth of men around the age of their first beard the rosy mouth the
spring meadow are all common themes in Greek Hellenistic erotic literature but Nonnus
innovates by adding unusual elements (such as the neck also present in other descrip-
tions of beauty in the Dionysiaca) and particular formulations (see below) See Gigli
Piccardi (2003 700ndash703 ad vv 175ndash92) For a list of other studies on beauty in
Nonnus see Chretien (1985 142 ad vv 175ndash92)
24 Chretien (1985 144 ad v 192) and Gigli Piccardi (2003 700ndash701 ad vv 175ndash92)
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contrasting colours Secondly the source domain lsquoastral phenomenarsquo playing with
the opposition light-dark25
On a formal level we find only one simile in vv 186ndash87 introducing the theme of
the moon It belongs to Pasinirsquos type 1 (see section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo
above) unshadowed light (s lardquo lip0skiordquo tenor A) flashed (2k0ntiz ground C)
just as (oJ0 t indicator) half appearing the moon (Slndashnh vehicle B) shines (l0mpi
ground C) when she pierces a damp cloud (nrsquoordquo 3gr1n 2nasc0zousa vehicle B)
Besides this simile there are ten metaphors in praesentia (belonging to Pasinirsquos type 3)
and two metaphors in absentia (belonging to Pasinirsquos type 4) These metaphors are
expressed in a variety of ways which will be discussed below
(1) The most explicit type is the metaphor in apposition occurring very often in
Nonnus The comma after the tenor shows that we are dealing with such a metaphor
in apposition
tenor (A = noun) vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective) of X
a Amplordquo (A) notrrsquo rdquo e rnordquo (B) ErTHORNtwn (X) (v 178)
Ampelus (A) a new shoot (B) of the Loves (X)
b 3br1rdquo 4oulordquo ruqom noio gn0ou (A) 6bhrdquo (X) cr0son 4nqordquo (B) (vv 179-81)
the dainty bloom of a reddening chin (A) the golden flower (B) of youth (X)
(2) Another type of metaphor also very frequent in Nonnus links a metaphorical
adjective (vehicle) to a noun (tenor)
tenor (A = noun) thorn vehicle (B = metaphorical adjective)
a oslashodTHORNpidi (B) morrsquoI (A) (v 176) ndash rosy (B) form (A)
b cion hrdquo (B) pariPrdquo (A) (v 180) ndash snow-white (B) cheeks (A)
c 2rgursquo wn (B) Œmwn (A) (v 182) ndash silvery-glistering (B) shoulders (A)
d st0matordquo (A) oslashod oio (B) (v 188) ndash rosy (B) mouth (A)
e ml0pnoordquo (B) rsquownndash (A) (v 188) ndash a honey-breathing (B) voice (A)
f pod1rdquo (A) 2rgursquo oio (B) (v 190) ndash silvery (B) foot (A)
g booglndashnwn (B) rsquoa wn (A) (v 191) ndash cowrsquos eye (B) glow (A)
(3) In Nonnus the metaphor in absentia is restricted to the more common metaphors
of the flower domain In the following example the vehicle is a noun phrase whereas
the nature of the tenor becomes clear from the addition of a noun or noun phrase in
apposition It is to be noted that the word b0trurdquo is normally used for lsquoclusters of
vinersquo and points already to Ampelusrsquo future metamorphosis
vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective) of X (= noun thorn adjective in genitive)
a 2pisqop0roio d ca0thrdquo (X) b0trurdquo (B) 3lik0ntrdquo (vv 182-83) ndash curling clusters (B) of
long hair (A)
25 The third source domain individuated by Gigli Piccardi is that of lsquothe war of loversquo full of
contrasts between real and metaphorical weapons
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from X (= preposition thorn noun) appears vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective)
b k ml wn (A) 7lon Iar (B) rsquoa0nto (v 189)
From his limbs (A) spring itself (B) appeared
(4) As Gigli Piccardi (1985 70) already noticed Nonnus invented his own extended
metaphorical formula lsquoan autonomous linguistic constellationrsquo lsquowhen X becomes
visible Y appearsrsquo (sometimes followed by a comparison) Whereas the theme of the
moon is introduced by a comparison in vv 186ndash87 it is closed in vv 191ndash92 by such
a lsquoNonnianrsquo metaphor
2 d booglndashnwn rsquoa wn 2rsquogg i k0klN 2rsquoqalmo1rdquo l lizn (X) 7lh sl0giz Slndashnh (Y)
and if he turned his eyes with their bright iris gleaming with a cowrsquos eye glow (X) the light of the
full moon shone (Y)
The large number of metaphors cast in many different forms results in a descrip-
tion that is far from literal The blooming satyr boy and the blooming spring mingle
both being connected to the three phases of the moon Ampelus almost becomes
Bacchic nature himself His first meeting with the God already contains the promise
of his own future metamorphosis the expression b0trurdquo as noticed above being
one of its most explicit indicators26 The golden flower of youth not only contains
life but also death and resurrection Thus the totality of the metaphors expresses
perpetual change
Pampino
As we have seen in section lsquoBaroque metaphorrsquo the story of Pampino belongs to a set
of love-stories told by the gods to Venus as a consolation after the death of her lover
Adonis In Adone 19 ott 66ndash67 the god Dionysus describes the beautiful Pampino
ott 66 La bella fronte gli adorno Natura
di gentil maesta drsquoaria celeste
Dolce color di fragola matura
4 gli facea rosseggiar le guance oneste
Nela bocca ridea la grana pura
tra schiette perle in doppio fil conteste
ne quivi avea la rosa purpurina
8 prodotta ancor la sua dorata spina
ott 67 La notte tenebrosa il ciel turbato
si rischiarava dersquo begli occhi al lume
Il vago piede imporporava il prato
4 la bianca mano innargentava il fiume
Qualor lievrsquoaura con soave fiato
confondendogli il crin scotea le piume
26 See also Gigli Piccardi (1985 69) and (2003 700ndash1 ad vv 175ndash92)
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parea sparso su rsquol collo il bel tesoro
8 sovra un colle drsquoavorio un bosco drsquooro
ott 66 His beautiful forehead Nature adorned
with refined nobility with heavenly looks
The sweet colour of ripe strawberries4 painted his honest cheeks red
In his mouth pure pomegranate laughed
set between real pearls in a double row
There the purple rose had not
8 yet produced her golden thorns
ott 67 The shady night the darkened sky
brightened at the light of his beautiful eyesHis yearning foot turned the meadow purple
4 his white hand turned the river silver
When a gentle breeze with its soft breath
playing with his hair shook his feathers
on his neck the beautiful treasure seemed to spread out
8 on an ivory hill a forest of gold
This description of Pampino owes much to Nonnusrsquo description of Ampelus but is
at the same time different Since Marino uses and plays with the Renaissance canon
of beauty I will discuss this canon briefly in order to gain a better understanding of
the Pampino passage
The topos of beauty began to acquire fixed rules during the Middle Ages and was
completely canonized by the Renaissance27 From the Middle Ages onwards two
types of canon for feminine beauty were developed the short and the long canon
The short canon (used by Petrarch) focuses on the face mentioning hair eyes
mouth and cheeks Hand and breast are briefly referred to forehead and neck are
seldom included The long canon (used by Boccaccio and Ariosto) adds more detail
and leads the gaze further downwards from head to toe Central features of the short
canon are splendour (light) and colour (white) whereas the long canon emphasizes
harmonious proportions (of the body)
Renaissance poets use set comparisons and oppositions such as lsquoredrsquo versus
lsquowhitersquo But within these fixed boundaries there were ample possibilities for vari-
ance One way to play with conventions was the following a poet could mention only
one element of an opposition and thereby automatically evoke its counterpart in the
27 For an overview of Greek poetry up to the Byzantine period see Jax (1933) with dis-
turbing racist emphasis on lsquodas weibliche Schonheitsideal der weiszligen Rassersquo for the
Latin Middle-Ages see Faral (1962 esp p 75 ss) Sidonius Apollinarisrsquo portrait of
Theodoric (Ep I 2 2 sixth century) is seen as the best model for descriptions of persons
by Geoffroy de Vinsauf (Poetria nova 1210 CE) for the Renaissance see Pozzi (1979 and
1984)
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mind of the audience For example if he described a hand a foot was to be imagined
by the reader when a rose was mentioned it was intended that a lily be brought to
mind etc
Favourite source domains for metaphors were in the first place flowers roses
lilies and violets for colour and evanescence secondly precious materials pearls
rubies coral and gold for colour and diamond and sapphire for splendour and
thirdly lsquoheavenly bodiesrsquo stars and the sun for splendour and movement For
special effects these elements could be combined into homogeneous or heteroge-
neous couples a lily and a rose or ivory and a rose etc
How are these images used and constructed in the present passage from
Marino Marino combines the two canons adopting the short canon for his descrip-
tion of the young man and then enumerating his several parts from head to toe He
begins with the (moral) qualities given by Nature to Pampinorsquos forehead (ott 66
1ndash2) continues with his cheeks mouth and cheeks again (ott 66 3ndash8) then turns to
his eyes (ott 67 1ndash2) to his foot and hand (ott 67 3ndash4 the foot belonging to the
long canon) and finally to his hair and neck (ott 67 5ndash8) Marino adds various
(moral) qualifications The first octave is relatively quiet drawing as it were
Pampinorsquos portrait Its three source domains for the metaphors are lsquofruitrsquo lsquoprecious
materialsrsquo lsquoflowersrsquo (pomegranate pearl rose) connected with contrasting colours
(red white and golden) and positive qualifications (beautiful refined heavenly
sweet honest pure real) The second octave is stirred by movement the
sky brightens Pampinorsquos touch turns nature into something else the playing
wind shakes hair locks spreads out It also introduces the opposition light-dark
(shady night darken brighten light) The source domains of the second octave
are lsquobucolic landscapersquo (meadow river breeze) and lsquoprecious materialsrsquo
(silver gold)
As is to be expected Marino is fond of metaphors and expresses them in
various ways But unlike Nonnus he obviously prefers metaphors in absentia
(Pasinirsquos type 4 see section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo above)
The description of Pampino includes moral and physical qualities In ott 66 3ndash4
the strawberry (lsquodolce color di fragola maturarsquo lsquothe sweet colour of ripe strawberriesrsquo)
paving the way for the source domain lsquofruitrsquo is followed by a series of metaphors
(1) There are several instances of metaphors in absentia which are intelligible when
one looks at either the direct context in which they are embedded or at the existing
Renaissance conventions
vehicle (B = noun thorn- adjective)
a la grana pura (ott 66 5) ndash pure pomegranate (sc in his mouth gt tongue)
b schiette perle (ott 66 6) ndash real pearls (sc in double row gt teeth)
c rosa purpurina (ott 66 7) ndash purple rose (sc there gt on his cheeks gt beard)
d le piume (ott 67 6) ndash feathers (of his hair gt locks of hair)
e tesoro (ott 67 7) ndash treasure (his rich hair)
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(2) To these examples two metaphorical verbs can be added
vehicle (B = verb)
a imporporava (ott 67 3) ndash turned purpleb innargentava (ott 67 4) ndash turned silver
(3) The following metaphor in absentia is qualified by a metaphorical adjective
vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective)
la sua dorata spina (ott 66 8) ndash her golden thorns (reddish-blonde bristles)
(4) Another variant are the metaphors in absentia that combine two metaphorical
expressions
vehicle (B = noun) of vehicle (B = noun)
a colle (B) drsquoavorio (B) (ott 67 8) ndash an ivory hill (of his white neck)
b un bosco (B) drsquooro (B) (ott 67 8) ndash a forest of gold (of his blond hair)
(5) Taken together two final verses of ott 67 are an example of a typical baroque
metaphor (discussed in section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo) a concatenation
of metaphorical images Ott 67 7 is elaborated in the next verse by a metaphor in
apposition on neck (tenorrsquo) the beautiful treasure (tenorrsquorsquo) on an ivory hill (vehiclersquo)a forest of gold (vehiclersquorsquo) Both vehicles are from the source domain lsquolandscapersquo (hill
forest) and continue the image of the previous bucolic description (meadow river
breeze) But at the same time the lsquotreasurersquo (tenorrsquorsquo) is already itself a metaphor (for
lsquohairrsquo) from another source domain (lsquoprecious materialsrsquo) that is elaborated by its
own two metaphorical adjectives lsquoivoryrsquo and lsquogoldrsquo from the same source domain As
we have seen with the example of Lemene the image evokes a further image
creating a kind of lsquoliterary trompe lrsquoœilrsquo
On tenor (Arsquo = noun) tenor (Arsquorsquo = noun) on vehicle (Brsquo noun thorn Brsquorsquo adjec) vehiclersquorsquo
(Brsquorsquo noun thorn Brsquorsquo adjec)
su rsquol collo (Arsquo) il bel tesoro (Arsquorsquo) sovra un colle drsquoavorio (Brsquothorn Brsquorsquo) un bosco drsquooro (Brsquorsquothorn Brsquorsquo)
Some intertextual notes
Apart from the topoi shared by Nonnus and Marino it is easy to see that several of
Marinorsquos verses in ott 67 are closely modelled on Nonnus of course in Lubinrsquos
translation (ed 1606)28 Marino ott 67 1ndash2 (darkness flees before Pampinorsquos eyes)
28 175 Et aliquanto venans sub petra umbrosa sylvae Aequalis iuvenis rosea delectabatur
forma Nunc etenim Phrygiae sub colle puer ludens Ampelus crescebat nuper
enutritus ramus amorum Neque ipsi mollis lanugo rubentis menti 180 Imberbes
nivea signaverat circulos maxilla Iuventae aureum florem In tergum reiectarum vero
comarum Racemi flexuosi super splendidis currebant humeris Non complicati Suavi
vero una concitati cum aura Flatu elevabantur Retractis vero comis 185 In
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combines Nonnus vv 186ndash87 (Ampelusrsquo neck is like the moon shining though
clouds) and vv 191ndash92 (when Ampelus looks the moon shines) Marino ott 67
3ndash4 (Pampinorsquos foot and hand transform meadow and river) is like Nonnus vv
189ndash90 (Ampelusrsquo limbsfoot elicit spring and flowers in the meadow) Marino
ott 67 5ndash6 (the wind playing with Pampinorsquos hair and showing his neck) is similar
to Nonnus vv 183ndash85 (the wind playing with Ampelusrsquo hair and revealing his neck)
Marino was unable to borrow Nonnusrsquo image of Ampelusrsquo foot eliciting spring
because Falkenburgrsquos text and Lubinrsquos translation present a different textual reading
from Chretienrsquos Falkenburg does not have (drsquo7lon) Iar (lsquospringrsquo) but (g1r) 5niar
which was translated as lsquoemolumentumrsquo (lsquogainrsquo) by Lubin
There are however some significant differences To describe the effect of the
Ampelusrsquo neck and eyes Nonnus introduces the image of the moon emerging through
the clouds while evoking simultaneously the moon cycle He begins with a compari-
son and continues with a metaphor spread out over eight verses To describe the
instant effect of Pampinorsquos eyes Marino (or to be more precise the narrator
Dionysus) simply states a truth a hyperbolic truth the light of Pampinorsquos eyes illu-
minates darkness To describe the effect of the neck of the satyr boy he introduces the
landscape and treasure metaphor The importance of the neck seems to point towards
another intertext the description of feminine beauty in the Song of Songs29 The lovers
in the Song of Songs describe each other in metaphorical terms their eyes hair teeth
lips voice cheeks neck breast and overall fairness etc (he in 4 she in 5 10ndash16 he
again in 6 4ndash7 and 7 1ndash9) Among the many source domains in the Song of Songs
lsquofruitrsquo lsquoastral phenomenarsquo and lsquoprecious materialsrsquo are present too To give some
examples her temples are pomegranates (4 3) his arms are rods of gold set with topaz
(5 14) she appears like the dawn the moon the sun the stars (6 10) and last but not
least her neck is an ivory tower (7 4)30 Elsewhere in the Adone (as often in Italian
Baroque poetry) Christian imagery is also clearly present31
summitate apparens oriebatur media nudata cervix Et fulgorem eiaculabatur umbram
relinquens qualia lucet In medio apparens nubem humidam perrumpens Luna Et
oris rosei mel spirans (Lectius 1606 lsquospiansrsquo instead of lsquospiransrsquo) fluebat oratio Ex
membris enim emolumentum (Falkenburg reads g1r 5niar lsquogainrsquo where Chretien has
drsquo7lon Iar) apparebat Cum iret vero 190 Ex pede argenteo pedum (Falkenburg reads
2rgur oio pod8n instead of Chretienrsquos 2rgursquo oio oslashod8n) rubebat pratum Cum vero
faciei bovinae ventorum (Falkenburg has 2n mwn instead of Chretienrsquos rsquoa wn Lectius
1606 has lsquobavinaersquo for lsquobovinaersquo) illustri circulo Oculos circumvertisset tota resplen-
debat Luna
29 Parallels between the Song of Songs and Greek love poetry are already present in Greek
poetry from Antiquity see various articles in Hagedorn (2005)
30 Paradoxically Marino is closer to the Hebrew original (that he was unable to read) than
to the Latin translation of the Vulgate (which he must have used) the Vulgate turns most
of the original metaphors into similes with the indicator lsquosicutrsquo
31 For example the suggested parallel between Adone and Christ condemned by the
Inquisition a nymph acting as Judas revealing Adonersquos hiding place and committing
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nloaded from
Marino changes some of Nonnusrsquo explicit (rationalizing see Pasini section lsquoA set
of practical tools for analysisrsquo) images into more implicit (open see Pasini section
lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo) ones evoking a concatenation of associations
The image of Ampelusrsquo silvery footstep (Greek 2rguroioLatin argenteo) that
turned the meadow red with roses is adapted to Marinorsquos own time Pampinorsquos
foot is no longer silvery but lsquovagorsquo (a reminiscence of Petrarcarsquos lsquovago piersquo)32 and it
still turns the meadow purple but the reader has to supply the exact nature of the
purple (eg purple gt flower gt rose) Since in the Renaissance canon lsquofootrsquo evokes
lsquohandrsquo and since the colour lsquopurplersquo evokes the contrast lsquowhitersquo Pampinorsquos foot and
the purple meadow in ott 67 3 lead lsquospontaneouslyrsquo to lsquohis white handrsquo in ott 67 4
Finally Nonnusrsquo lsquosilveryrsquo is not lost but transformed into the metaphorical verb
lsquoturned into silverrsquo (an interesting invention to provoke a new contrast in the readerrsquos
mind because the story is situated in Phrygia with its proverbially gold-gleaming
river Pactolus)33
What can we conclude on the basis of the similarities and differences in the
passages of Nonnus and Marino about their use of metaphor
First it is evident that Nonnus and Marino are equally fond of metaphors
Nonnusrsquo eighteen verses contain twelve metaphors and one comparison Marinorsquo
sixteen verses contain twelve metaphors On a quantitative level the abundant and
cumulative use of metaphors by Nonnus could be called lsquobaroquersquo
Secondly we have seen that on a conceptual level Nonnus and Marino share some
characteristics but not all Both poets work with the contrasting couples red-white
and light-dark and use the source domain lsquoflowerrsquo But the more traditional source
domains lsquoprecious materialsrsquo and lsquofruitrsquo inherited by Marino from the Renaissance
canon of beauty are barely or not at all present in Nonnus at least not in this passage
Thirdly at the linguistic level Nonnus and Marino clearly employ different
kinds and complexities of metaphor Nonnus on the one hand uses a concatenation
of metaphors in praesentia crowned by his personal metaphorical formula in which
the appearance of the tenor simultaneously evokes the vehicle Linguistically speak-
ing the relation between tenor and vehicle remains visible and controllable
suicide Venus crying over Adonersquos body as Mary did over Jesusrsquo body Adone is not
wounded in his thigh as in Greek mythology but in his side See also Guardiani (2001)
and Gonnelli (2003 29ndash30 on pagan and Christian syncretism in Nonnusrsquo Paraphrasis
and Marinorsquos Adone) The last motif recurs in the fresco lsquoLa Morte di Adonersquo by Luca
Giordano (1682ndash85) Palazzo Medici-Riccardi Florence It is reminiscent of the parallel
between Dionysus and Christ also expressed in various mosaics for example in a Roman
mosaic depicting Dionysusrsquo discovery of Ariadne on Naxos (Syria 3rd-4th cent Miho
Museum Kyoto Japan cat NA) where Dionysus not only has a nimbus but also a
wound in his sidebreast (a later addition) (I thank Berenice Verhelst for pointing out
this mosaic to me)
32 For this intricate Renaissance style word play see Pozzi (1976) ad loc
33 See Nonn Dion 11 17ndash55 for the swimming contest with Dionysus and Ampelus and
the effect on the satyr boy of the golden water of the river Pactolus
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(lsquorationalrsquo lsquoclosedrsquo) Marino on the other hand prefers metaphors in absentia
opening the associative distance between vehicle and tenor to a maximum He uses
the auto-referential metaphor that is so typical of Baroque poetry Marinorsquos method
reflects instability the arbitrariness of the relation between tenor and vehicle seems to
express the absence of a shared and well-organized world with absolute values As
Conte (1972 37) puts it lsquoconfronted by a reality (human social politic cultural) in
crisis the baroque word denounces the prerogative of the word it speaks almost
exclusively of itself but speaking of itself it imitates takes possession of exorcizes
and even organizes the crisisrsquo Therefore on a linguistic level there seems to be more
method in Nonnusrsquo madness than in Marinorsquos
Finally what about the overall effect of the metaphors they use in their respective
descriptions Nonnus and Marino both describe beautiful beardless satyr boys
caught in a fleeting moment of radiant movement in an eroticizing bucolic setting
They put equal emphasis on the beauty and the fragility of youth and on the satyr
boyrsquos impact on the nature surrounding him As we have seen Nonnusrsquo metaphors
make Ampelus progressively intermingle with nature announcing the satyr boyrsquos
metamorphosis Even though they are classified as more lsquorationalrsquo on a linguistic
level (see Pasini) their effect is impressively irrational and open Just as Marinorsquos
metaphors they are constantly related to metamorphosis expressing change and
instability These are typical features of the Baroque that also explain at least partly
Marinorsquos affiliation with Nonnus
Conclusion
To return to the initial question of this article do we need the term lsquobaroquersquo to
characterize Nonnusrsquo poetry We have seen that the use of lsquobaroquersquo for other
periods than the seventeenth-century Baroque has met with positive and negative
reactions being found either too restricted or too broad and that the term lsquobaroquersquo
is often used for Nonnusrsquo Dionysiaca in an impressionistic way to indicate that his
aesthetics deviate from the lsquoclassicalrsquo Used in this sense lsquobaroquersquo can suggest
openness expansion abundance accumulation asymmetry moving musicality
optical illusion and the absence of a vanishing point as opposed to lsquoclassicalrsquo
with its connotation of contours closed nature unity harmony symmetry archi-
tectural fixity and converging perspectives Many of these tendencies known from
the historical Baroque are visible in Late Antique poetry
What about the other qualifications at hand such as poik0lordquo lsquojeweledrsquo and
lsquocumulativersquo Can they replace the term lsquobaroquersquo The first poikil0a is intimately
linked with Nonnusrsquo own poetics as becomes immediately clear from his prologue
where it refers to variety and polymorphism in the poem as a whole The poet wishes
that lsquoProteus of the many turnsrsquo the god of endless transformation lsquomay appear in
all his diversity of shapes since I twang my harp to a diversity of songsrsquo34 It is
34 Nonn Dion I 15 5rsquora rsquoan0h poik0lon Idordquo ecwn 7ti poik0lon 4mnon 2r0ssw (transl
Rouse 1940) The term poik0lordquo has been used very frequently by scholars to describe
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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nloaded from
applied to Late Antique literature as well as to art works both art forms being
intimately linked during this period Gianfranco Agosti (1997 34ndash35 see also
2006 361ss) expands its use understanding it lsquonot only as stylistic varietas but
above all as a code intended to characterize reality The concept of poikil0a goes
far beyond mere rhetorical or stylistic boundaries and becomes a peculiar way of
viewing realityrsquo When used in this way as a psychological category applied to the
relation between word and image it becomes a hermeneutic tool to explore Late
Antique world views
The second expression lsquojeweled stylersquo is used for Late Antique writers and
artists who place their words and phrases or their gems and colours in geometric
patterns The aim of these patterns is to create a symbolic unity which is considered
more important than linear narrative sequences in literature and realism in the visual
arts The term has been coined by Michael Roberts (1989) for the aesthetics of Latin
poetry from Late Antiquity (Ausonius Prudentius Claudian Sidonius etc) but
can be applied mutatis mutandis to Greek literature from the same period
The third expression lsquocumulative aestheticrsquo describes a similar attitude in Late
Antique art characterized by a particular attention to detail (lsquoexquisite miniatur-
izationrsquo) and by a preference for the re-use of precious elements from the past
(spolia) The sum of these separate entities forms a new unity and expresses a
new vision of the world Jas Elsner (2004) discusses the term in the context of the
visual arts but it can also be applied to literature
Poikil0a jeweled style and cumulative aesthetic are free of the charge of
anachronism They are related each of them covering several aspects of Late
Antique art and literature but not all In my opinion the term lsquobaroquersquo serves a
different purpose it can indicate generally the kind of expressive possibilities chosen
by an author provided that this sketchy characterization is subsequently elaborated
in order to lend the term lsquobaroquersquo a more specific significance especially by
comparing it to the lsquoBaroquersquo
The term lsquobaroquersquo as a general indication for Nonnusrsquo style invited me to com-
pare lsquobaroquersquo Nonnus with lsquoBaroque Marinorsquo I picked up the Tesaurorsquos telescope
to zoom in on metaphor and to study the lsquoqueen of figuresrsquo from close up Nonnusrsquo
metaphors clearly appealed to the poetic creativity of Marino There is much aes-
thetic affinity between the stylistic norms they adopted when composing metaphors
They use comparable expressive possibilities to articulate their vision of the world
even if these worlds are very different and even if the lsquomost Baroque of baroque
poetsrsquo goes one step further than Nonnus Zooming out again I conclude two things
Nonnusrsquo style on the basis of his own proemium See for example Lindsay (1965 379ndash
84) String (1966 33ndash70) Vian (1976 9ndash10) Gonzalez Senmartı (1981) Hopkinson
(1994) Whitby (1994 101 112 116) Agosti (1997) Shorrock (2001) Miguelez-
Cavero (2008 139ndash45 162ndash68) Hernandez de la Fuente (2011) As a poetical qualifica-
tion poikil0a is already present in Pindar see Nunlist (1998 118) For poikil0avarietas
in epideictic rhetoric of the Imperial Period see Pernot (1993 337)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
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nloaded from
if not pinned down as a strictly historical category the term lsquobaroquersquo can to a
certain extent be applied to Nonnus and above all can invite further exploration of
the intertextual relationships between poets and be helpful in comparing artistic
norms from different periods of time Used in this way it does not replace nor is
replaced by the terms poikil0a lsquojeweled stylersquo and cumulative aesthetics but is a
stimulating tool to bring to light similarities and differences in poetic creativity not
only of metaphor but also of other characteristics which have been called lsquotypically
baroquersquo35 It can help to gain insight into the exact nature of a literary lsquodialogue at
distancersquo and could also prove fruitful in analysing and characterizing Marinorsquos
intertexutal relations with other authors from Antiquity
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank G Agosti M H Koenen P Lanfranchi and M Pearson for
their stimulating comments and lively discussions during the various stages of this
article as well as Jas Elsner the associate editor and the anonymous referees of
Classical Receptions Journal for their accurate and useful suggestions
References
G Agosti lsquoPoemi digressivi tardoantichi (e moderni)rsquo Compar(a)ison no 1 (1995) pp 131ndash51mdashmdash lsquoThe poikil0a of Paul the Bishoprsquo ZPE no 116 (1997) pp 31ndash38mdashmdash lsquoImmagini e poesia nella tarda antichita Per uno studio dellrsquoestetica visuale della poesia greca fra
III e IV sec d Crsquo Incontri Triestini di Filologia Classica 4 2004-2005 (2006) pp 351ndash74 Onlinesince 22 August 2006 httphdlhandlenet10077949 [accessed 4 July 2012]
S Bar Review of Miguelez-Cavero 2008 in Plekos no 12 (2010) pp 67ndash77 httpwwwplekosuni-muenchende2010r-caveropdf [accessed 4 July 2012]
E van Boven and G Dorleijn Literair Mechaniek Inleiding tot de Analyse van Verhalen en Gedichten(Bussum Coutinho 2003) esp pp 159ndash80 (lsquoBeeldspraakrsquo)
Ch Brooke-Rose A Grammar of Metaphor (London Secker amp Warburg 1958)P Cherchi lsquoPoetry Philosophy and Sciencersquo in P Brand and L Pertile (eds) The Cambridge History
of Italian Literature vol I The Seicento (Cambridge Cambridge University Press 1996)pp 301ndash17
G Chretien Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t IV chants IXndashX (Paris Les Belles Lettres1985)
G Conte La Metafora barocca Saggio sulle poetiche del Seicento (Milano Mursia 1972)E R Curtius Europaische Literatur und lateinisches Mittelalter (Bern Francke Verlag 1948)G DrsquoIppolito Studi Nonniani Lrsquoepillio nelle Dionisiache (Palermo Presso lrsquoAccademia 1964)E DrsquoOrs Du Baroque (Paris Gallimard 1935)
35 Other intertexual relations such as the ones briefly discussed by Tissoni (1998 59ndash62)
could be analysed according to the procedure of Rousset (1954) although he restricted
his method to the seventeenth-century French Baroque literature He formulated four
main criteria applicable to various seventeenth-century Baroque art forms (architecture
painting and literature) lsquoinstabilityrsquo lsquomobilityrsquo lsquometamorphosisrsquo and lsquodominance of
settingrsquo He subsequently applied these criteria to five literary instances first of all lsquoa type
of metaphorrsquo followed by lsquoa type of poemrsquo lsquoa poetic work as a wholersquo lsquoa theatrical work as
a wholersquo and lsquoa general attitudersquo ie lsquodisplayrsquo (1954 181ss)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
23 of 25
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ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
J Elsner lsquoLate Antique Art The Problem of the Concept and the Cumulative Aestheticrsquo in S Swainand M Edwards (eds) Approaching Late Antiquity The Transformation from Early to Late Empire(Oxford Oxford University Press 2004) pp 271ndash309
E Faral Les Arts Poetiques du XIIe et XIIIe siecle Recherches et Documents sur la Technique Litteraire duMoyen Age (Paris Champion 1962)
W Fauth Eidos Poikilon Zur Thematik der Metamorphose und zum Prinzip der Wandlung aus demGegensatz in den Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Gottingen Vandenhoeck amp Ruprecht 1981)
P Friedlander Johannes von Gaza und Paulus Silentiarius Kunstbeschreibungen Justinianischer Zeit(Leipzig Teubner 1912)
H de la Fuente lsquoThe One and the Many and the Circular Movement Neo-Platonism and Poetics inNonnus of Panopolisrsquo in Id (ed) New Perspectives on Late Antiquity (Newcastle-upon-TyneCambridge Scholars 2011)
F Gonnelli Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol II (canti XIIIndashXXIV) (Milano BibliotecaUniversale Rizzoli 2003)
V Giraudet lsquoLe rivage la presqursquoıle et le marais Espaces baroques chez Achille Tatius et Nonnos dePanopolisrsquo in R Poignault (ed) Presence du Roman grec et Latin (Clermont-Ferrand Centre deRecherches A Piganiol 2011) pp 147ndash66
Groupe m (J Dubois ea) Rhetorique generale (Paris du Seuil 1970)F Guardiani lsquoA Christological Metamorphosis in a Baroque Poemrsquo in J Goering ea (ed) Saints and
the Sacred Select Proceedings of the 3rd St Michaelrsquos College Annual Symposium (Feb 25-26 2000)(Ottawa Legas 2001) pp 185ndash95
A C Hagedorn (ed) Perspectives on the Song of Songs (Berlin De Gruyter 2005)F Hallyn Formes metaphoriques dans la poesie lyrique de lrsquoage baroque en France (Geneve Droz 1975)H Hatzfeld lsquoThe Baroque from the Viewpoint of the Literary Historianrsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art
Criticism 142 Second Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1955) 156ndash64N Hopkinson (ed) Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society
1994)R Huyghe lsquoLa seve du baroquersquo Baroque [online] no 4 (1969) Online since 3 May 2012 http
baroquerevuesorg304 [accessed 22 January 2013]K Jax Die weibliche Schonheit in der griechischen Dichtung (Innsbruck Wagner 1933)R Keydell lsquoNonnosrsquo in Th Klauser (ed) Reallexikon fur Antike und Christentum vol XVII
(Stuttgart Hiersemann 1936) vol XVII pp 902ndash20G Lakoff Metaphors We Live By (Chicago University of Chicago Press 1980)G Lakoff and M Turner More Than Cool Reason A Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor (Chicago
University of Chicago Press 1989)L R Lind lsquoNonnos and His Readersrsquo Res Publica Litterarum (1978) 159ndash70J Lindsay Leisure and Pleasure in Roman Egypt (London Muller 1965)V De Malde Giovan Battista Marino La Sampogna (Parma Fondazione Pietro Bembo Ugo Guanda
Editore 1993)A Martini Letteratura Italiana Le Opere Vol II Dal Cinquecento al Settecento A Asor Rosa (ed)
(Turin Einaudi 1993) pp 777ndash97R T Matthews and F DeWitt Platt The Western Humanities (Boston McGraw-Hill 2004)L Miguelez-Cavero Poems in Context Greek Poetry in the Egyptian Thebaid 200-600 AD (Berlin De
Gruyter 2008)R F Newbold lsquoMimesis and Illusion in Nonnus Deceit Distrust and the Search for Meaningrsquo
Helios 37 no 1 (2010) pp 81ndash106R Nunlist Poetologische Bildersprache in der fruhgriechischen Dichtung (Stuttgart Teubner 1998)G F Pasini lsquoDalla comparazione alla metaforarsquo Lingua e Stile 7 no 3 (1972) pp 441ndash69L Pernot La rhetorique de lrsquoeloge dans le monde greco-romain vol I (Paris Institut drsquoEtudes
Augustiennes 1993)S N Peters lsquoMetaphor and lsquolsquoMaravigliarsquorsquo Tradition and Innovation in the Adone of GB Marinorsquo
Lingua e Stile 7 no 2 (1972) pp 321ndash41D G Piccardi Metafora e Poetica in Nonno di Panopoli (Florence Universite degli Studi di Firenze
1985)mdashmdash Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol I (canti IndashXII) (Milano Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli
2003)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
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ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
G Pozzi Giovan Battista Marino vol II LrsquoAdone (Milano Mondadori 1976)mdashmdash lsquoIl ritratto della donna nella poesia drsquoinizio Cinquecento e la pittura di Giorgionersquo Lettere Italiane
311 gennaio-marzo (1979) pp 3ndash30mdashmdash lsquoTemi t0poi stereotipirsquo in A Asor Rosa (ed) Letteratura italiana III Le forme del testo I
Teoria e poesia (Torino Einaudi 1984) pp 391ndash436I A Richards The Philosophy of Rhetoric (New York Oxford University Press 1936)M Riemschneider lsquoDer Stil des Nonnosrsquo Berliner byzantinistische Arbeiten no 5 (1957) pp 46ndash70M Roberts The Jeweled Style Poetry and Poetics in Late Antiquity (Ithaca and London Cornell
University Press 1989)W H D Rouse Nonnus Dionysiaca (Cambridge MA Harvard University Press 1940)J Rousset La litterature de lrsquoage baroque en France Circe et le paon (Paris Corti 1954)E Russo lsquoSul barocco letterario in Italia Giudizi revisioni distinzionirsquo Les Dossiers du Grihl [Online]
2012-02 j 2012 Online since 25 June 2012 httpdossiersgrihlrevuesorg5223 [accessed 4 March2013]
A G Senmartı lsquoLa lsquolsquopoikiliarsquorsquo como principio estilıstico de las Dionisıacas de Nonorsquo AFB no 7(1981) pp 101ndash07
R Shorrock The Challenge of Epic Allusive Engagement in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Leiden Brill2001)
mdashmdash lsquoNonnusrsquo in J Foley (ed) A Companion to Ancient Epic (Oxford Wiley-Blackwell 2005)pp 374ndash85
mdashmdash The Myth of Paganism Nonnus Dionysus and the World of Late Antiquity (London BristolClassical Press 2011)
G Steen lsquoMetaphor and Stylersquo in P Stockwell and S Whiteley (eds) The Cambridge Handbook ofStylistics (Cambridge Cambridge University Press forthcoming 2014)
M String Untersuchungen zum Stil der Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Hamburg sn (disserta-tion) 1966)
E Tesauro Il Cannocchiale Aristotelico (Venice Baglioni 1654ndash70)F Tissoni Nonno di Panopoli I Canti di Penteo (Dionisiache 44ndash46) Commento (Florence La Nuova
Italia Editrice 1998)F Vian Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t I chants IndashII (Paris Les Belles Lettres 1976)R Wellek lsquoThe Concept of Baroque in Literary Scholarshiprsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism
52 Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1946) pp 77ndash109M Whitby lsquoFrom Moschus to Nonnus The Evolution of the Nonnian Stylersquo in N Hopkinson (ed)
Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society 1994) pp 99ndash155A Wifstrand Von Kallimachos zu Nonnos Metrisch-stilistische Untersuchungen zur spateren griechischen
Epik und zu verwandten Gedichtgattungen (Lund Gleerup 1933)H Wolfflin Renaissance und Barock Eine Untersuchung uber Wesen und Entstehung des Barockstils in
Italien (Munich T Ackermann 1888)
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onwards the central theme is Dionysusrsquo mission to bring happiness to mankind by
introducing the vine his travels eastwards to India and back again to Europe with
many military conquests and erotic adventures In the last book Dionysus is finally
deified The coherence of the narrative structure of the whole story is obscured by
the accumulation of loosely interrelated episodes full of metamorphoses and mytho-
logical exempla lsquoThe Dionysiaca has a verbal energy and a capacity for prolific
growth that makes it look like a literary version of the vine itselfrsquo as Shorrock
(2005 376) has vividly expressed it
The passage to be discussed in this article concerns Dionysusrsquo early years when
he meets Ampelus and falls in love But Ampelus is a proud and reckless satyr boy
against Dionysusrsquo will he rides a fierce bull falls from its back and is killed
Dionysus is deeply grieved but eventually finds consolation in Ampelusrsquo metamor-
phosis into a vine (the Greek word for vine is 4mplordquo) After this transformation
Ampelus will continue to play a central role in Dionysusrsquo mission to show mankind
the benefits of wine
The Greek text of the Dionysiaca (Laur 3216 of Maximus Planudes dd 1280)
arrived in Italy in the year 142311 Angelo Poliziano studied it from 1481 onwards
for him Nonnus like Ovid was a source of mythical information and inspiration
The editio princeps of the Dionysiaca dates from 1569 (by Falkenburg) and a first
Latin translation from 1605 (by Eilhard Lubin) Neither that Greek text nor the
Latin translation received much attention although a new edition of the text
(Hanau 1610) attracted negative criticism from Petrus Cunaeus Josephus
Justus Scaliger and Daniel Heinsius according to whom Nonnus could no longer
stand the test with Homer he was considered ignorant incomprehensible and
incapable of imitating the right models his narrative was judged chaotic and far
too digressive
Contemporary interest was clearly directed towards other more famous classical
authors But Marinorsquos personal taste was not completely in accordance with the
tradition of his time He was interested in many classical writers from different
periods not only the well known but also especially the lesser known from the
Hellenistic period up to Late Antiquity Among his Latin favourites were Virgil
Horace Ovid Pliny Statius Apuleius and above all Claudian His Greek favourites
included Apollonius of Rhodes Bion Achilleus Tatius Moschus pseudo-
Anacreon Musaeus and of course especially Nonnus Marino became lsquothe first
modern imitator of Nonnus and in a modern languagersquo12 His epic engages in a
11 For editors commentators and readers of Nonnus discussed here see Lind (1978) and
especially the excellent paragraph lsquoRicezione e Fortunarsquo by Tissoni (1998 44ndash62)
12 Lind (1978 161) For Marinorsquos innovative choice already signalled by contemporary
critics who oppose the couples Tasso-Homer and Marino-Nonnus see Pozzi (1976 93ndash
94) For the influence of Nonnus on other works by Marino such as Sampogna and
Atteone see De Malde (1993) pp 137ndash41
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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nloaded from
lsquodialogue at distancersquo making use of various techniques verbal imitation whether
literal or modified transposition of verses amplification or condensation of epi-
sodes contamination by putting together different passages and arduous meta-
phor13 However since Marino could not read Greek he had to use Lubinrsquos
Latin translation probably in the bilingual edition by Lectius (1606) which contains
a huge corpus of Greek epic texts with Latin translations14 Thus while comparing
Nonnus and Marino we have to keep in mind that Marino read Nonnusrsquo hexameters
through Lubinrsquos pen Fortunately Lubin provided an extremely literal word-
for-word prose translation that poses no real problems for the purpose of the present
article Lubin rigorously respects the Greek word order as the following example
shows (Nonnus Dion 10 175ndash76)
ka0 pot qhr0wn 3p1 oslashwg0da d0skion 4lhrdquo
et aliquanto venans sub petra umbrosa sylvae
6likordquo 2iq oio oslashodTHORNpidi q lgto morrsquoI
aequalis iuvenis rosea delectabatur forma
Pozzi (1976 668) remarks that lsquoMarinorsquos language is extraordinary (its rhythm
prosody lexicon syntax) compared to the Lubinrsquos Latin translation which is
linguistically colourless and stylistically bloodlessrsquo Tissoni (1998 58) asserts that
a comparison with the arid translation of Nonnus by Lubin is useful in two ways lsquoit
permits us on the one hand to correctly evaluate Marinorsquos debt to the Dionysiaca
and on the other hand to become aware of his poetic ability which manifests itself in
extraordinary stylistic refinementrsquo Marino paraphrases and modifies Lubinrsquos trans-
lation lsquoreturning instinctively as it were to the original Greek textrsquo However he did
not use hexameters but ottava rima stanzas of eight verses in hendecasyllable with
rhyme scheme abababcc
LrsquoAdone composed during the Counter-Reformation between 1605 and 1623 and
published in Paris in 1623 tells the story of the goddess Venus and the human
Adonis Its narrative scheme is built around their union Adonis suffers shipwreck
and lands on Cyprus the island of Venus The goddess falls in love with him but
Adonis flees out of fear of her other lover the god Mars and turns into a parrot
Having regained his human shape he is taken captive by robbers Once free again
he wins a beauty contest and becomes king of Cyprus Eventually Adonis is killed by
13 See Tissoni (1998 59ndash62) who illustrates most of these techniques with passages for
metaphor he discusses Adone 1170 and Dion 12 9ndash14 followed by a parody of Marinorsquos
style in Stiglianirsquos Amante disperato 300ndash309 If not otherwise indicated the English
translations in this article are my own
14 Lectius Poetae graeci veteres carminis heroici scriptores qui extant omnes Aureliae
Allebrogum sumptibus Caldorianae Societatis MDCVI See Tissoni (1998 57ndash58) It
is difficult to quantify the importance of each of the individual models such as Ovid (see
Pozzi 1976 103ndash21 esp 117) and Claudian (see Agosti 1995 144ndash45 and 148) in the
development of his style
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a boar sent by his rival Mars In canto 19 four divinities mdash Ceres Bacchus Thetis
and Apollo mdash try to console Venus by relating stories of six other youths who met an
untimely death Hyacintus (25ndash62) Pampino (63ndash123) Acis (124ndash232) Calamus
and Carpus (233ndash51) Leander (252ndash92) and Achilles (293ndash325) Eventually after
his funeral Adonisrsquo heart is turned into a red anemone The poem ends with funeral
games in honour of Adonis The story line of the Adone like that of the Dionysiaca is
complicated it is constantly interrupted by digressions descriptions repetitions
unexpected turns and irregular symmetries Metamorphosis is one of its main
motifs Another recurrent motif is that of lsquosmoderato piacer che termina in
dogliarsquo (lsquoboundless joy ending in sorrowrsquo Adone 1 10 8) References to Nonnus
can be found especially in cantos 18 and 19 (Adone 18 193ndash208 Amorrsquos quest on
Earth cf Dion 33 57ndash142 Adone 19 65ndash123 the Pampinus episode cf Dion 10
189ndash93 11 194ndash483 12 117ndash37 and 138ndash397 the Ampelus episode Adone 19
235ndash51 the Calamus and Carpus episode cf Dion 11 370ndash481 Eros tries to con-
sole Bacchus in the same manner)
The passage to be discussed in this article is taken from the story of Pampino It is
modelled upon Nonnusrsquo story of Ampelus in Dion 10ndash12 but reduced to four major
moments the first meeting the love-affair Pampinorsquos death and his
metamorphosis
Baroque metaphor
For Aristotle simile and metaphor belong to the same category a simile (2kTHORNn) is
seen as an extended metaphor and a metaphor (mtarsquoor0) as an abbreviated simile
when Homer says of Achilles lsquo3rdquo d l wn p0rousnrsquo (lsquohe jumped forward like a
lionrsquo) he uses a simile (with the comparative adverb 3rdquo) and when he says of
Achilles lsquol wn p0rousnrsquo (lsquothe lion jumped forwardrsquo) he uses a metaphor
(Rhet III 1406b20ndash23) According to Aristotle metaphor is a more intelligent
device than simile because while a simile is explicit metaphor is an invitation to
reflection The proof of the creative intelligence of a poet lies in the ability to see
similarities and turn them into metaphors He distinguishes four types of meta-
phors that is from genus to species from species to genus from species to species
and from analogy He warns several times against far-fetched metaphors as being too
poetic for prose or lacking clarity In rhetorical treatises of later periods in Antiquity
metaphor is usually considered a typically poetical stylistic device not to be used too
often in prose following Aristotle (Poet 22 7ndash17 Rhet III 1405a3ndashb19
1406b5ndash07a19 see also Top I 17)
One finds a positive attitude towards metaphor similar to Aristotlersquos in the
Italian Baroque period Meraviglia mdash marvel mdash caused by the use of dazzling
metaphors became a key aesthetic concept15 Producing this kind of metaphors
15 For a short and clear discussion of Italian baroque literature including the concepts of
meraviglia concetto acutezza and ingegno see Cherchi (1996) For more extensive stu-
dies on the baroque metaphor see Conte (1972) for Italian Baroque and Peters (1972) for
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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nloaded from
involved using new themes (including objects from everyday life such as the hour-
glass) and expressing them in innovative ways (called concetti and acutezze) Many
baroque poets pushed the creation of extravagant metaphors to the limit According
to some Marino was one of them but according to others he was quite moderate
One of the most important contemporary theorists of metaphor Emmanuele
Tesauro expands the four types of metaphor proposed by Aristotle into eight
types In the chapter on lsquoMetaphorrsquo of his aesthetical treatise The Aristotelian
Telescope (1654ndash70 267) he writes that metaphor (which he calls lsquothe queen of
figuresrsquo) transforms immediate reality offering lsquoto the mind of the listener in
just one word the sight of a whole theatre of marvelsrsquo (lsquoun pien teatro di meravi-
gliersquo) The more distant and unexpected the similarities between tenor and vehicle16
of a metaphor the greater the wonder of the reader and the more laudable the ability
(ingegno) of the poet The baroque poet operates like a telescope drawing
together remote notions belonging to distant realities Ideas about the relation be-
tween tenor and vehicle changed Peters (1972 325ndash26) states that during the
Renaissance
the conceptual metaphor was bound to a system of knowledge which pointed to immut-
able relationships Tesaurorsquos metaphor instead reveals relationships which are quite arbi-
trary and not related to the level of intellectual truth For in the earlier tradition it was the
words which uncovered the conceptual idea given in the metaphor whereas with
Tesauro the implication is that the metaphor itself creates a kind of reality and imposes it
on the word
Baroque metaphors no longer uncover a system of relations of unchangeable
correspondences expressing the stability embodied in creation Instead the baroque
ingegno accumulates series of unexpected sensual images consonant with the
instability and fluidity of the world In his Metafora barocca Conte (1972 40)
distinguishes one special type of baroque metaphor it is characterized by the
extension of the absence of the tenor and by the lateral ramification of the meaning
of the vehicle17 He illustrates this with the following verses of the Italian Baroque
poet and follower of Marino Francesco de Lemene (1634ndash1704) De Lemene
comparing a womanrsquos breasts with lilies and her lips with roses invites the bees
metaphors in the Adone Compare also the important study of Rousset (1954 185ndash89)
and Hallyn (1975) for metaphors in French Baroque literature
16 Originally coined by IA Richards (1936) these terms are still widely used in metaphor
studies In Saussurian terms tenor is the signified and vehicle the signifier see section lsquoA
set of practical tools for analysisrsquo below
17 lsquoLa Metafora barocca e caratterizzata dal prolungamento dellrsquoassenza del segno virtuale e
dalla diramazione laterale del significato del segno presentersquo To avoid confusion I trans-
late lsquosegno virtualersquo as tenor and lsquosegno presentersquo as vehicle
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to come lsquodrainrsquo (lsquosvenarersquo which means literally lsquoto cut someonersquos veinsrsquo lsquoto bleed
someone dryrsquo)
ite volate
a quel labbro a quel seno api ingegnose
per fabricar dolcezze ite svenate
di quel sen di quel labbro e gigli e rose
come fly
to this lip to this breast clever beesto make sweetness come drain
the lilies and roses of that breast that lip
Part of this metaphor is traditional belonging to the canon of beauty developed from
the Middle Ages to the Renaissance (the colour of) the womanrsquos breast is like lilies
(white) and that of her lip like roses (red)18 But the metaphor is pushed one step
further (and here begins a baroque novelty) the vehicle (the flowers) is amplified by
the summoning of the bees from the realm of associations of the tenor They are
invited to participate actively in the illusion The vehicle of the metaphor is given life
and motion as it were and whirls around itself in a figurative play a literary trompelrsquoœil This kind of extreme metaphor shows that the relation between vehicle and
tenor which had been stable during the Renaissance began to destabilize during the
Baroque the distance between the two increased and the vehicle became auto-
referential vehicles themselves referred to further vehicles instead of to tenors
A set of practical tools for analysis
Much more can of course be said on theories of baroque metaphor but the proposed
method of this article is to make a factual comparison between two passages of Nonnus
and Marino I will briefly present two modern models of metaphor that will both serve
as practical tools for analysis First a linguistic model for which I chose the model
presented by Pasini (1972) not because it is particularly innovative but because it offers
a clear insight into the gradual differences between simile and metaphor at the level of
expression in language19 And secondly a conceptual model as proposed by Lakoff
(1980) and Lakoff and Turner (1989) and further developed by Steen (forthcoming)
because their point of departure is the concepts that lie behind linguistic expressions
Lakoff (1980) and Lakoff and Turner (1989) conceived their theory as a reaction to the
traditional approach of metaphor as a rhetorical device showing that metaphors are
omnipresent in everyday life and language and work conventionally automatically and
unconsciously Steen (forthcoming) distinguishes between a communicational (delib-
erate versus non-deliberate) conceptual (conventional versus novel) and linguistic level
18 More on the canon of beauty follows in section lsquoTwo beautiful satyr boysrsquo below
19 In addition to Pasini I used from the huge amount of literature on metaphor Brooke-
Rose (1958) and Van Boven and Dorleijn (2003)
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nloaded from
of metaphor introducing by the backdoor literary metaphor (belonging to the cat-
egory of deliberate metaphor) in Conceptual Metaphor Theory
The literary function of a metaphor does not just reside in the underlying cross-domain
comparison that is the basis of every metaphor Metaphor in poetry is often multi-layered
with many relations to other aspects of the text and its language which makes it strongly
dependent on all sorts of other information throughout the poem and the knowledge it
assumes All of this may be seen as highly typical of the use of metaphor in poetry
Pasini (1972) discerns four linguistic stages between simile on the one hand and
metaphor on the other hand ranging from a closed to an open message Each stage
can be explained by an example a description and a diagrammatic representation20
His cheeks are fresh like roses
This simile with the comparative adverb lsquolikersquo as an indicator includes a tenor
(cheeks A) a vehicle (roses B) and a ground (or tertium comparationis fresh C) It
is a closed construction leaving no space for the imagination of the reader This kind
of comparison is judged the most rational of the four stages because it is the most
specific and requires no leap of imaginative intellect to understand the ground on
which the comparison is made
His cheeks are like roses
This comparison with indicator (like) tenor (cheeks A) and a vehicle (roses B) does
not contain a ground (C) In this case the reader has to supply one or more of the
characteristics of the rose (freshness or red colour or sweet perfume etc) by
generalization and add this information on his own account to the comparison
This type one step closer to metaphors of type (3) and (4) is called by some a
lsquometaphorical comparisonrsquo the process of supplying by generalization is already
present but the process of identification is still absent
20 I thank Jaap Fokkema (VU University) for drawing the four figures after Pasini (1972) who
in his turn is inspired by the Rhetorique Generale (Paris 1970) of the French lsquoGroupe mrsquo
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a His cheeks are roses
b The roses of his cheeks
This is a metaphor in praesentia it has a tenor (cheeks A) and a vehicle (roses B) but
being a metaphor it lacks both indicator and ground (C) In example (3a) the verb lsquoto
bersquo functions as a link and identifies the vehicle and the tenor with each other (in
French this use of the verb lsquoto bersquo is called lsquolrsquoest drsquoequivalencersquo)
On his face two roses
This is a metaphor in absentia in which the indicator the ground (C) as well as the
tenor (A) are absent and have to be supplied by the imagination of the reader The
vehicle lsquorosesrsquo refers not only to the concept of lsquorosesrsquo but also metaphorically to the
concept of lsquocheeksrsquo This kind of metaphor is the least rationalizing (the lsquoto bersquo of
example (3a) can still be considered a lsquorationalizingrsquo element) and the most open (the
reader has to generalize and to supply)
Lakoff presents a conceptual theory of everyday metaphor in Metaphors We LiveBy (1980) which is the basis of the study of poetical metaphor by Lakoff and Turner
in More Than Cool Reason a Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor (1989) He maintains
that the locus of metaphor is not in language (compare figure 4 below the line) but in
the way we conceptualize one mental domain in terms of another (compare figure 4
above the line) Metaphors make use of cross-domain conceptual mappings and are
cast in individual linguistic expressions21 In this theory the tenor is a linguistic
expression that belongs to the so-called target domain and the vehicle is a linguistic
expression that belongs to a so-called source domain The set of ontological corres-
pondences between these two domains can be represented in a mapping To give an
example a conceptual mapping of Pasinirsquos above-mentioned four types would look
like the following
People (target domain) plants (source domain)
youth corresponds to flowering
young person corresponds to blossoming rose
21 Interestingly the idea of the crossing of domains has been phrased in a less theoretical
and a more poetic way by Tesauro (1654ndash70 267)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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pink skin corresponds to red colour
young skin corresponds to freshness
aging corresponds to withering
So the tenor lsquocheeksrsquo belongs to the target domain lsquopeoplersquo and the vehicle lsquorosersquo
belongs to the source domain lsquoplantrsquo Thus while Pasinirsquos typology provides for a
formal analysis at a linguistic level Lakoffrsquos extra-linguistic concerns are centred on
a conceptual level His theory permits us to reflect on the concepts and ideas under-
lying metaphors
Two beautiful satyr boys
Ampelus
In this section I will discuss the two passages of Nonnus and Marino In Dionysiaca
10 175ndash92 the external narrator introduces the young Ampelus future lover of
Dionysus for the first time (as explained in paragraph II) He describes him as
follows
175 ka0 pot qhr0wn 3p1 oslashwg0da d0skion 4lhrdquo
6likordquo 2iq oio oslashodTHORNpidi q lgto morrsquoI
4dh g1r Frug0hrdquo 3p1 dir0da koNrordquo 2q0rwn
Amplordquo 2 xhto notrrsquo rdquo ernordquo ErTHORNtwn
o2d o3 3br1rdquo 4oulordquo ruqom noio gn0ou
180 4cnoa cion hrdquo car0ssto k0kla pariPrdquo
6bhrdquo cr0son 4nqordquo 2pisqop0roio d ca0thrdquo
b0trurdquo 3lik0ntrdquo prsquo 2rgursquo wn q on Œmwn
2plk rdquo ligurN d sunaiq0ssontrdquo 2ndasht
4sqmati koursquo0zonto parlkom nwn d kom0wn
185 2krorsquoan1rdquo 2n tll m sordquo gumno0mnordquo a2c1n
ka1 s lardquo 2k0ntiz lip0skiordquo oJ0 t l0mpi
mssorsquoan1rdquo n rsquoordquo 3gr1n 2nasc0zousa Slndashnh
ka1 st0matordquo oslashod oio ml0pnoordquo err rsquownndash
k ml wn drsquo 7lon Iar rsquoa0nto nisom nou d
190 k pod1rdquo 2rgursquo oio oslash0dwn ruqa0nto limTHORNn
2 d booglndashnwn rsquoa wn 2rsquogg i k0klN
2rsquoqalmo1rdquo l lizn 7lh sl0giz Slndashnh22
175 Once while hunting under a shady cliff of a wood
he was charmed by the rosy form of a young comrade
For under the ridge of the Phrygian hills the merry boyhad already matured Ampelus a new shoot of the gods of Love
For him no dainty bloom of a reddening chin
180 had marked the smooth circles of his snow-white cheeks
the golden flower of youth curling clusters of long hair
22 Greek text Chretien (1985) translation Rouse (1940) adapted
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ran down over his silvery-glistering shoulders
loosely and waving in the whispering wind
were lifted by its breath When the hair was blown aside
185 the bare neck appeared between just visible
and unshadowed light flashed from him just as the moon shines
half appearing when she pierces a damp cloudFrom his rosy mouth streamed a honey-breathing voice
Spring itself appeared from his limbs under the steps
190 of his silvery foot the meadow blushed with roses
and if he turned his eyes their bright iris gleaming
with the glow of a cowrsquos eye the light of the full moon shone
The satyr boy is described from head to toe (a procedure also propagated in exercises
on ekphrasis in the rhetorical handbooks of Late Antiquity see Aphthonius Prog
12) and in movement with major attention to the upper body parts the poet shows
us his cheeks (vv 179ndash81) hair shoulders neck (vv 181ndash87) mouth and voice
(v 188) moving on to his limbs and feet (vv 189ndash90) and eventually turns upwards
again towards eyes (vv 191ndash92) As often in erotic descriptions in Antiquity (espe-
cially from Hellenistic and Second Sophistic literature onwards) this passage
abounds with erotic topoi23 The setting is painted with stock images of the natural
world the shady wood the gentle breeze the flowery meadow these are all present
Everything (the satyr boy and his surroundings) is sweet young and blooming
The incredibly rich description of the effect of the different body parts ends in the
visual climax of the appearance of the moon first barely visible then half appearing
then fully visible The expressions 2krorsquoanndashrdquo (v 185) mssorsquoanndashrdquo (v 187) and 7lh
(v 192) also evoke the different stages of the cycle of the moon mdash new waxing and
full mdash intimately linked with the growth of plants in nature24
However many bucolic elements are used metaphorically the flower of youth a
rosy mouth a honey-breathing voice etc The metaphors in this description appeal
to all our senses to our eyes by the use of colours (red white golden silver) and
contrasts (brightndashdark) to our touch (his beardless cheeks) and to our ears and smell
(his honey-breathing voice) In her fascinating study of metaphors in the Dionysiaca
Daria Gigli Piccardi (1985) distinguishes in Nonnus three (archetypical) source
domains for metaphors of beauty two of which occur in this passage Firstly the
source domain lsquoflowersrsquo from individual flowers to spring meadows full of
23 The flowering youth of men around the age of their first beard the rosy mouth the
spring meadow are all common themes in Greek Hellenistic erotic literature but Nonnus
innovates by adding unusual elements (such as the neck also present in other descrip-
tions of beauty in the Dionysiaca) and particular formulations (see below) See Gigli
Piccardi (2003 700ndash703 ad vv 175ndash92) For a list of other studies on beauty in
Nonnus see Chretien (1985 142 ad vv 175ndash92)
24 Chretien (1985 144 ad v 192) and Gigli Piccardi (2003 700ndash701 ad vv 175ndash92)
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contrasting colours Secondly the source domain lsquoastral phenomenarsquo playing with
the opposition light-dark25
On a formal level we find only one simile in vv 186ndash87 introducing the theme of
the moon It belongs to Pasinirsquos type 1 (see section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo
above) unshadowed light (s lardquo lip0skiordquo tenor A) flashed (2k0ntiz ground C)
just as (oJ0 t indicator) half appearing the moon (Slndashnh vehicle B) shines (l0mpi
ground C) when she pierces a damp cloud (nrsquoordquo 3gr1n 2nasc0zousa vehicle B)
Besides this simile there are ten metaphors in praesentia (belonging to Pasinirsquos type 3)
and two metaphors in absentia (belonging to Pasinirsquos type 4) These metaphors are
expressed in a variety of ways which will be discussed below
(1) The most explicit type is the metaphor in apposition occurring very often in
Nonnus The comma after the tenor shows that we are dealing with such a metaphor
in apposition
tenor (A = noun) vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective) of X
a Amplordquo (A) notrrsquo rdquo e rnordquo (B) ErTHORNtwn (X) (v 178)
Ampelus (A) a new shoot (B) of the Loves (X)
b 3br1rdquo 4oulordquo ruqom noio gn0ou (A) 6bhrdquo (X) cr0son 4nqordquo (B) (vv 179-81)
the dainty bloom of a reddening chin (A) the golden flower (B) of youth (X)
(2) Another type of metaphor also very frequent in Nonnus links a metaphorical
adjective (vehicle) to a noun (tenor)
tenor (A = noun) thorn vehicle (B = metaphorical adjective)
a oslashodTHORNpidi (B) morrsquoI (A) (v 176) ndash rosy (B) form (A)
b cion hrdquo (B) pariPrdquo (A) (v 180) ndash snow-white (B) cheeks (A)
c 2rgursquo wn (B) Œmwn (A) (v 182) ndash silvery-glistering (B) shoulders (A)
d st0matordquo (A) oslashod oio (B) (v 188) ndash rosy (B) mouth (A)
e ml0pnoordquo (B) rsquownndash (A) (v 188) ndash a honey-breathing (B) voice (A)
f pod1rdquo (A) 2rgursquo oio (B) (v 190) ndash silvery (B) foot (A)
g booglndashnwn (B) rsquoa wn (A) (v 191) ndash cowrsquos eye (B) glow (A)
(3) In Nonnus the metaphor in absentia is restricted to the more common metaphors
of the flower domain In the following example the vehicle is a noun phrase whereas
the nature of the tenor becomes clear from the addition of a noun or noun phrase in
apposition It is to be noted that the word b0trurdquo is normally used for lsquoclusters of
vinersquo and points already to Ampelusrsquo future metamorphosis
vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective) of X (= noun thorn adjective in genitive)
a 2pisqop0roio d ca0thrdquo (X) b0trurdquo (B) 3lik0ntrdquo (vv 182-83) ndash curling clusters (B) of
long hair (A)
25 The third source domain individuated by Gigli Piccardi is that of lsquothe war of loversquo full of
contrasts between real and metaphorical weapons
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from X (= preposition thorn noun) appears vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective)
b k ml wn (A) 7lon Iar (B) rsquoa0nto (v 189)
From his limbs (A) spring itself (B) appeared
(4) As Gigli Piccardi (1985 70) already noticed Nonnus invented his own extended
metaphorical formula lsquoan autonomous linguistic constellationrsquo lsquowhen X becomes
visible Y appearsrsquo (sometimes followed by a comparison) Whereas the theme of the
moon is introduced by a comparison in vv 186ndash87 it is closed in vv 191ndash92 by such
a lsquoNonnianrsquo metaphor
2 d booglndashnwn rsquoa wn 2rsquogg i k0klN 2rsquoqalmo1rdquo l lizn (X) 7lh sl0giz Slndashnh (Y)
and if he turned his eyes with their bright iris gleaming with a cowrsquos eye glow (X) the light of the
full moon shone (Y)
The large number of metaphors cast in many different forms results in a descrip-
tion that is far from literal The blooming satyr boy and the blooming spring mingle
both being connected to the three phases of the moon Ampelus almost becomes
Bacchic nature himself His first meeting with the God already contains the promise
of his own future metamorphosis the expression b0trurdquo as noticed above being
one of its most explicit indicators26 The golden flower of youth not only contains
life but also death and resurrection Thus the totality of the metaphors expresses
perpetual change
Pampino
As we have seen in section lsquoBaroque metaphorrsquo the story of Pampino belongs to a set
of love-stories told by the gods to Venus as a consolation after the death of her lover
Adonis In Adone 19 ott 66ndash67 the god Dionysus describes the beautiful Pampino
ott 66 La bella fronte gli adorno Natura
di gentil maesta drsquoaria celeste
Dolce color di fragola matura
4 gli facea rosseggiar le guance oneste
Nela bocca ridea la grana pura
tra schiette perle in doppio fil conteste
ne quivi avea la rosa purpurina
8 prodotta ancor la sua dorata spina
ott 67 La notte tenebrosa il ciel turbato
si rischiarava dersquo begli occhi al lume
Il vago piede imporporava il prato
4 la bianca mano innargentava il fiume
Qualor lievrsquoaura con soave fiato
confondendogli il crin scotea le piume
26 See also Gigli Piccardi (1985 69) and (2003 700ndash1 ad vv 175ndash92)
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parea sparso su rsquol collo il bel tesoro
8 sovra un colle drsquoavorio un bosco drsquooro
ott 66 His beautiful forehead Nature adorned
with refined nobility with heavenly looks
The sweet colour of ripe strawberries4 painted his honest cheeks red
In his mouth pure pomegranate laughed
set between real pearls in a double row
There the purple rose had not
8 yet produced her golden thorns
ott 67 The shady night the darkened sky
brightened at the light of his beautiful eyesHis yearning foot turned the meadow purple
4 his white hand turned the river silver
When a gentle breeze with its soft breath
playing with his hair shook his feathers
on his neck the beautiful treasure seemed to spread out
8 on an ivory hill a forest of gold
This description of Pampino owes much to Nonnusrsquo description of Ampelus but is
at the same time different Since Marino uses and plays with the Renaissance canon
of beauty I will discuss this canon briefly in order to gain a better understanding of
the Pampino passage
The topos of beauty began to acquire fixed rules during the Middle Ages and was
completely canonized by the Renaissance27 From the Middle Ages onwards two
types of canon for feminine beauty were developed the short and the long canon
The short canon (used by Petrarch) focuses on the face mentioning hair eyes
mouth and cheeks Hand and breast are briefly referred to forehead and neck are
seldom included The long canon (used by Boccaccio and Ariosto) adds more detail
and leads the gaze further downwards from head to toe Central features of the short
canon are splendour (light) and colour (white) whereas the long canon emphasizes
harmonious proportions (of the body)
Renaissance poets use set comparisons and oppositions such as lsquoredrsquo versus
lsquowhitersquo But within these fixed boundaries there were ample possibilities for vari-
ance One way to play with conventions was the following a poet could mention only
one element of an opposition and thereby automatically evoke its counterpart in the
27 For an overview of Greek poetry up to the Byzantine period see Jax (1933) with dis-
turbing racist emphasis on lsquodas weibliche Schonheitsideal der weiszligen Rassersquo for the
Latin Middle-Ages see Faral (1962 esp p 75 ss) Sidonius Apollinarisrsquo portrait of
Theodoric (Ep I 2 2 sixth century) is seen as the best model for descriptions of persons
by Geoffroy de Vinsauf (Poetria nova 1210 CE) for the Renaissance see Pozzi (1979 and
1984)
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mind of the audience For example if he described a hand a foot was to be imagined
by the reader when a rose was mentioned it was intended that a lily be brought to
mind etc
Favourite source domains for metaphors were in the first place flowers roses
lilies and violets for colour and evanescence secondly precious materials pearls
rubies coral and gold for colour and diamond and sapphire for splendour and
thirdly lsquoheavenly bodiesrsquo stars and the sun for splendour and movement For
special effects these elements could be combined into homogeneous or heteroge-
neous couples a lily and a rose or ivory and a rose etc
How are these images used and constructed in the present passage from
Marino Marino combines the two canons adopting the short canon for his descrip-
tion of the young man and then enumerating his several parts from head to toe He
begins with the (moral) qualities given by Nature to Pampinorsquos forehead (ott 66
1ndash2) continues with his cheeks mouth and cheeks again (ott 66 3ndash8) then turns to
his eyes (ott 67 1ndash2) to his foot and hand (ott 67 3ndash4 the foot belonging to the
long canon) and finally to his hair and neck (ott 67 5ndash8) Marino adds various
(moral) qualifications The first octave is relatively quiet drawing as it were
Pampinorsquos portrait Its three source domains for the metaphors are lsquofruitrsquo lsquoprecious
materialsrsquo lsquoflowersrsquo (pomegranate pearl rose) connected with contrasting colours
(red white and golden) and positive qualifications (beautiful refined heavenly
sweet honest pure real) The second octave is stirred by movement the
sky brightens Pampinorsquos touch turns nature into something else the playing
wind shakes hair locks spreads out It also introduces the opposition light-dark
(shady night darken brighten light) The source domains of the second octave
are lsquobucolic landscapersquo (meadow river breeze) and lsquoprecious materialsrsquo
(silver gold)
As is to be expected Marino is fond of metaphors and expresses them in
various ways But unlike Nonnus he obviously prefers metaphors in absentia
(Pasinirsquos type 4 see section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo above)
The description of Pampino includes moral and physical qualities In ott 66 3ndash4
the strawberry (lsquodolce color di fragola maturarsquo lsquothe sweet colour of ripe strawberriesrsquo)
paving the way for the source domain lsquofruitrsquo is followed by a series of metaphors
(1) There are several instances of metaphors in absentia which are intelligible when
one looks at either the direct context in which they are embedded or at the existing
Renaissance conventions
vehicle (B = noun thorn- adjective)
a la grana pura (ott 66 5) ndash pure pomegranate (sc in his mouth gt tongue)
b schiette perle (ott 66 6) ndash real pearls (sc in double row gt teeth)
c rosa purpurina (ott 66 7) ndash purple rose (sc there gt on his cheeks gt beard)
d le piume (ott 67 6) ndash feathers (of his hair gt locks of hair)
e tesoro (ott 67 7) ndash treasure (his rich hair)
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(2) To these examples two metaphorical verbs can be added
vehicle (B = verb)
a imporporava (ott 67 3) ndash turned purpleb innargentava (ott 67 4) ndash turned silver
(3) The following metaphor in absentia is qualified by a metaphorical adjective
vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective)
la sua dorata spina (ott 66 8) ndash her golden thorns (reddish-blonde bristles)
(4) Another variant are the metaphors in absentia that combine two metaphorical
expressions
vehicle (B = noun) of vehicle (B = noun)
a colle (B) drsquoavorio (B) (ott 67 8) ndash an ivory hill (of his white neck)
b un bosco (B) drsquooro (B) (ott 67 8) ndash a forest of gold (of his blond hair)
(5) Taken together two final verses of ott 67 are an example of a typical baroque
metaphor (discussed in section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo) a concatenation
of metaphorical images Ott 67 7 is elaborated in the next verse by a metaphor in
apposition on neck (tenorrsquo) the beautiful treasure (tenorrsquorsquo) on an ivory hill (vehiclersquo)a forest of gold (vehiclersquorsquo) Both vehicles are from the source domain lsquolandscapersquo (hill
forest) and continue the image of the previous bucolic description (meadow river
breeze) But at the same time the lsquotreasurersquo (tenorrsquorsquo) is already itself a metaphor (for
lsquohairrsquo) from another source domain (lsquoprecious materialsrsquo) that is elaborated by its
own two metaphorical adjectives lsquoivoryrsquo and lsquogoldrsquo from the same source domain As
we have seen with the example of Lemene the image evokes a further image
creating a kind of lsquoliterary trompe lrsquoœilrsquo
On tenor (Arsquo = noun) tenor (Arsquorsquo = noun) on vehicle (Brsquo noun thorn Brsquorsquo adjec) vehiclersquorsquo
(Brsquorsquo noun thorn Brsquorsquo adjec)
su rsquol collo (Arsquo) il bel tesoro (Arsquorsquo) sovra un colle drsquoavorio (Brsquothorn Brsquorsquo) un bosco drsquooro (Brsquorsquothorn Brsquorsquo)
Some intertextual notes
Apart from the topoi shared by Nonnus and Marino it is easy to see that several of
Marinorsquos verses in ott 67 are closely modelled on Nonnus of course in Lubinrsquos
translation (ed 1606)28 Marino ott 67 1ndash2 (darkness flees before Pampinorsquos eyes)
28 175 Et aliquanto venans sub petra umbrosa sylvae Aequalis iuvenis rosea delectabatur
forma Nunc etenim Phrygiae sub colle puer ludens Ampelus crescebat nuper
enutritus ramus amorum Neque ipsi mollis lanugo rubentis menti 180 Imberbes
nivea signaverat circulos maxilla Iuventae aureum florem In tergum reiectarum vero
comarum Racemi flexuosi super splendidis currebant humeris Non complicati Suavi
vero una concitati cum aura Flatu elevabantur Retractis vero comis 185 In
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combines Nonnus vv 186ndash87 (Ampelusrsquo neck is like the moon shining though
clouds) and vv 191ndash92 (when Ampelus looks the moon shines) Marino ott 67
3ndash4 (Pampinorsquos foot and hand transform meadow and river) is like Nonnus vv
189ndash90 (Ampelusrsquo limbsfoot elicit spring and flowers in the meadow) Marino
ott 67 5ndash6 (the wind playing with Pampinorsquos hair and showing his neck) is similar
to Nonnus vv 183ndash85 (the wind playing with Ampelusrsquo hair and revealing his neck)
Marino was unable to borrow Nonnusrsquo image of Ampelusrsquo foot eliciting spring
because Falkenburgrsquos text and Lubinrsquos translation present a different textual reading
from Chretienrsquos Falkenburg does not have (drsquo7lon) Iar (lsquospringrsquo) but (g1r) 5niar
which was translated as lsquoemolumentumrsquo (lsquogainrsquo) by Lubin
There are however some significant differences To describe the effect of the
Ampelusrsquo neck and eyes Nonnus introduces the image of the moon emerging through
the clouds while evoking simultaneously the moon cycle He begins with a compari-
son and continues with a metaphor spread out over eight verses To describe the
instant effect of Pampinorsquos eyes Marino (or to be more precise the narrator
Dionysus) simply states a truth a hyperbolic truth the light of Pampinorsquos eyes illu-
minates darkness To describe the effect of the neck of the satyr boy he introduces the
landscape and treasure metaphor The importance of the neck seems to point towards
another intertext the description of feminine beauty in the Song of Songs29 The lovers
in the Song of Songs describe each other in metaphorical terms their eyes hair teeth
lips voice cheeks neck breast and overall fairness etc (he in 4 she in 5 10ndash16 he
again in 6 4ndash7 and 7 1ndash9) Among the many source domains in the Song of Songs
lsquofruitrsquo lsquoastral phenomenarsquo and lsquoprecious materialsrsquo are present too To give some
examples her temples are pomegranates (4 3) his arms are rods of gold set with topaz
(5 14) she appears like the dawn the moon the sun the stars (6 10) and last but not
least her neck is an ivory tower (7 4)30 Elsewhere in the Adone (as often in Italian
Baroque poetry) Christian imagery is also clearly present31
summitate apparens oriebatur media nudata cervix Et fulgorem eiaculabatur umbram
relinquens qualia lucet In medio apparens nubem humidam perrumpens Luna Et
oris rosei mel spirans (Lectius 1606 lsquospiansrsquo instead of lsquospiransrsquo) fluebat oratio Ex
membris enim emolumentum (Falkenburg reads g1r 5niar lsquogainrsquo where Chretien has
drsquo7lon Iar) apparebat Cum iret vero 190 Ex pede argenteo pedum (Falkenburg reads
2rgur oio pod8n instead of Chretienrsquos 2rgursquo oio oslashod8n) rubebat pratum Cum vero
faciei bovinae ventorum (Falkenburg has 2n mwn instead of Chretienrsquos rsquoa wn Lectius
1606 has lsquobavinaersquo for lsquobovinaersquo) illustri circulo Oculos circumvertisset tota resplen-
debat Luna
29 Parallels between the Song of Songs and Greek love poetry are already present in Greek
poetry from Antiquity see various articles in Hagedorn (2005)
30 Paradoxically Marino is closer to the Hebrew original (that he was unable to read) than
to the Latin translation of the Vulgate (which he must have used) the Vulgate turns most
of the original metaphors into similes with the indicator lsquosicutrsquo
31 For example the suggested parallel between Adone and Christ condemned by the
Inquisition a nymph acting as Judas revealing Adonersquos hiding place and committing
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Marino changes some of Nonnusrsquo explicit (rationalizing see Pasini section lsquoA set
of practical tools for analysisrsquo) images into more implicit (open see Pasini section
lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo) ones evoking a concatenation of associations
The image of Ampelusrsquo silvery footstep (Greek 2rguroioLatin argenteo) that
turned the meadow red with roses is adapted to Marinorsquos own time Pampinorsquos
foot is no longer silvery but lsquovagorsquo (a reminiscence of Petrarcarsquos lsquovago piersquo)32 and it
still turns the meadow purple but the reader has to supply the exact nature of the
purple (eg purple gt flower gt rose) Since in the Renaissance canon lsquofootrsquo evokes
lsquohandrsquo and since the colour lsquopurplersquo evokes the contrast lsquowhitersquo Pampinorsquos foot and
the purple meadow in ott 67 3 lead lsquospontaneouslyrsquo to lsquohis white handrsquo in ott 67 4
Finally Nonnusrsquo lsquosilveryrsquo is not lost but transformed into the metaphorical verb
lsquoturned into silverrsquo (an interesting invention to provoke a new contrast in the readerrsquos
mind because the story is situated in Phrygia with its proverbially gold-gleaming
river Pactolus)33
What can we conclude on the basis of the similarities and differences in the
passages of Nonnus and Marino about their use of metaphor
First it is evident that Nonnus and Marino are equally fond of metaphors
Nonnusrsquo eighteen verses contain twelve metaphors and one comparison Marinorsquo
sixteen verses contain twelve metaphors On a quantitative level the abundant and
cumulative use of metaphors by Nonnus could be called lsquobaroquersquo
Secondly we have seen that on a conceptual level Nonnus and Marino share some
characteristics but not all Both poets work with the contrasting couples red-white
and light-dark and use the source domain lsquoflowerrsquo But the more traditional source
domains lsquoprecious materialsrsquo and lsquofruitrsquo inherited by Marino from the Renaissance
canon of beauty are barely or not at all present in Nonnus at least not in this passage
Thirdly at the linguistic level Nonnus and Marino clearly employ different
kinds and complexities of metaphor Nonnus on the one hand uses a concatenation
of metaphors in praesentia crowned by his personal metaphorical formula in which
the appearance of the tenor simultaneously evokes the vehicle Linguistically speak-
ing the relation between tenor and vehicle remains visible and controllable
suicide Venus crying over Adonersquos body as Mary did over Jesusrsquo body Adone is not
wounded in his thigh as in Greek mythology but in his side See also Guardiani (2001)
and Gonnelli (2003 29ndash30 on pagan and Christian syncretism in Nonnusrsquo Paraphrasis
and Marinorsquos Adone) The last motif recurs in the fresco lsquoLa Morte di Adonersquo by Luca
Giordano (1682ndash85) Palazzo Medici-Riccardi Florence It is reminiscent of the parallel
between Dionysus and Christ also expressed in various mosaics for example in a Roman
mosaic depicting Dionysusrsquo discovery of Ariadne on Naxos (Syria 3rd-4th cent Miho
Museum Kyoto Japan cat NA) where Dionysus not only has a nimbus but also a
wound in his sidebreast (a later addition) (I thank Berenice Verhelst for pointing out
this mosaic to me)
32 For this intricate Renaissance style word play see Pozzi (1976) ad loc
33 See Nonn Dion 11 17ndash55 for the swimming contest with Dionysus and Ampelus and
the effect on the satyr boy of the golden water of the river Pactolus
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(lsquorationalrsquo lsquoclosedrsquo) Marino on the other hand prefers metaphors in absentia
opening the associative distance between vehicle and tenor to a maximum He uses
the auto-referential metaphor that is so typical of Baroque poetry Marinorsquos method
reflects instability the arbitrariness of the relation between tenor and vehicle seems to
express the absence of a shared and well-organized world with absolute values As
Conte (1972 37) puts it lsquoconfronted by a reality (human social politic cultural) in
crisis the baroque word denounces the prerogative of the word it speaks almost
exclusively of itself but speaking of itself it imitates takes possession of exorcizes
and even organizes the crisisrsquo Therefore on a linguistic level there seems to be more
method in Nonnusrsquo madness than in Marinorsquos
Finally what about the overall effect of the metaphors they use in their respective
descriptions Nonnus and Marino both describe beautiful beardless satyr boys
caught in a fleeting moment of radiant movement in an eroticizing bucolic setting
They put equal emphasis on the beauty and the fragility of youth and on the satyr
boyrsquos impact on the nature surrounding him As we have seen Nonnusrsquo metaphors
make Ampelus progressively intermingle with nature announcing the satyr boyrsquos
metamorphosis Even though they are classified as more lsquorationalrsquo on a linguistic
level (see Pasini) their effect is impressively irrational and open Just as Marinorsquos
metaphors they are constantly related to metamorphosis expressing change and
instability These are typical features of the Baroque that also explain at least partly
Marinorsquos affiliation with Nonnus
Conclusion
To return to the initial question of this article do we need the term lsquobaroquersquo to
characterize Nonnusrsquo poetry We have seen that the use of lsquobaroquersquo for other
periods than the seventeenth-century Baroque has met with positive and negative
reactions being found either too restricted or too broad and that the term lsquobaroquersquo
is often used for Nonnusrsquo Dionysiaca in an impressionistic way to indicate that his
aesthetics deviate from the lsquoclassicalrsquo Used in this sense lsquobaroquersquo can suggest
openness expansion abundance accumulation asymmetry moving musicality
optical illusion and the absence of a vanishing point as opposed to lsquoclassicalrsquo
with its connotation of contours closed nature unity harmony symmetry archi-
tectural fixity and converging perspectives Many of these tendencies known from
the historical Baroque are visible in Late Antique poetry
What about the other qualifications at hand such as poik0lordquo lsquojeweledrsquo and
lsquocumulativersquo Can they replace the term lsquobaroquersquo The first poikil0a is intimately
linked with Nonnusrsquo own poetics as becomes immediately clear from his prologue
where it refers to variety and polymorphism in the poem as a whole The poet wishes
that lsquoProteus of the many turnsrsquo the god of endless transformation lsquomay appear in
all his diversity of shapes since I twang my harp to a diversity of songsrsquo34 It is
34 Nonn Dion I 15 5rsquora rsquoan0h poik0lon Idordquo ecwn 7ti poik0lon 4mnon 2r0ssw (transl
Rouse 1940) The term poik0lordquo has been used very frequently by scholars to describe
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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nloaded from
applied to Late Antique literature as well as to art works both art forms being
intimately linked during this period Gianfranco Agosti (1997 34ndash35 see also
2006 361ss) expands its use understanding it lsquonot only as stylistic varietas but
above all as a code intended to characterize reality The concept of poikil0a goes
far beyond mere rhetorical or stylistic boundaries and becomes a peculiar way of
viewing realityrsquo When used in this way as a psychological category applied to the
relation between word and image it becomes a hermeneutic tool to explore Late
Antique world views
The second expression lsquojeweled stylersquo is used for Late Antique writers and
artists who place their words and phrases or their gems and colours in geometric
patterns The aim of these patterns is to create a symbolic unity which is considered
more important than linear narrative sequences in literature and realism in the visual
arts The term has been coined by Michael Roberts (1989) for the aesthetics of Latin
poetry from Late Antiquity (Ausonius Prudentius Claudian Sidonius etc) but
can be applied mutatis mutandis to Greek literature from the same period
The third expression lsquocumulative aestheticrsquo describes a similar attitude in Late
Antique art characterized by a particular attention to detail (lsquoexquisite miniatur-
izationrsquo) and by a preference for the re-use of precious elements from the past
(spolia) The sum of these separate entities forms a new unity and expresses a
new vision of the world Jas Elsner (2004) discusses the term in the context of the
visual arts but it can also be applied to literature
Poikil0a jeweled style and cumulative aesthetic are free of the charge of
anachronism They are related each of them covering several aspects of Late
Antique art and literature but not all In my opinion the term lsquobaroquersquo serves a
different purpose it can indicate generally the kind of expressive possibilities chosen
by an author provided that this sketchy characterization is subsequently elaborated
in order to lend the term lsquobaroquersquo a more specific significance especially by
comparing it to the lsquoBaroquersquo
The term lsquobaroquersquo as a general indication for Nonnusrsquo style invited me to com-
pare lsquobaroquersquo Nonnus with lsquoBaroque Marinorsquo I picked up the Tesaurorsquos telescope
to zoom in on metaphor and to study the lsquoqueen of figuresrsquo from close up Nonnusrsquo
metaphors clearly appealed to the poetic creativity of Marino There is much aes-
thetic affinity between the stylistic norms they adopted when composing metaphors
They use comparable expressive possibilities to articulate their vision of the world
even if these worlds are very different and even if the lsquomost Baroque of baroque
poetsrsquo goes one step further than Nonnus Zooming out again I conclude two things
Nonnusrsquo style on the basis of his own proemium See for example Lindsay (1965 379ndash
84) String (1966 33ndash70) Vian (1976 9ndash10) Gonzalez Senmartı (1981) Hopkinson
(1994) Whitby (1994 101 112 116) Agosti (1997) Shorrock (2001) Miguelez-
Cavero (2008 139ndash45 162ndash68) Hernandez de la Fuente (2011) As a poetical qualifica-
tion poikil0a is already present in Pindar see Nunlist (1998 118) For poikil0avarietas
in epideictic rhetoric of the Imperial Period see Pernot (1993 337)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
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nloaded from
if not pinned down as a strictly historical category the term lsquobaroquersquo can to a
certain extent be applied to Nonnus and above all can invite further exploration of
the intertextual relationships between poets and be helpful in comparing artistic
norms from different periods of time Used in this way it does not replace nor is
replaced by the terms poikil0a lsquojeweled stylersquo and cumulative aesthetics but is a
stimulating tool to bring to light similarities and differences in poetic creativity not
only of metaphor but also of other characteristics which have been called lsquotypically
baroquersquo35 It can help to gain insight into the exact nature of a literary lsquodialogue at
distancersquo and could also prove fruitful in analysing and characterizing Marinorsquos
intertexutal relations with other authors from Antiquity
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank G Agosti M H Koenen P Lanfranchi and M Pearson for
their stimulating comments and lively discussions during the various stages of this
article as well as Jas Elsner the associate editor and the anonymous referees of
Classical Receptions Journal for their accurate and useful suggestions
References
G Agosti lsquoPoemi digressivi tardoantichi (e moderni)rsquo Compar(a)ison no 1 (1995) pp 131ndash51mdashmdash lsquoThe poikil0a of Paul the Bishoprsquo ZPE no 116 (1997) pp 31ndash38mdashmdash lsquoImmagini e poesia nella tarda antichita Per uno studio dellrsquoestetica visuale della poesia greca fra
III e IV sec d Crsquo Incontri Triestini di Filologia Classica 4 2004-2005 (2006) pp 351ndash74 Onlinesince 22 August 2006 httphdlhandlenet10077949 [accessed 4 July 2012]
S Bar Review of Miguelez-Cavero 2008 in Plekos no 12 (2010) pp 67ndash77 httpwwwplekosuni-muenchende2010r-caveropdf [accessed 4 July 2012]
E van Boven and G Dorleijn Literair Mechaniek Inleiding tot de Analyse van Verhalen en Gedichten(Bussum Coutinho 2003) esp pp 159ndash80 (lsquoBeeldspraakrsquo)
Ch Brooke-Rose A Grammar of Metaphor (London Secker amp Warburg 1958)P Cherchi lsquoPoetry Philosophy and Sciencersquo in P Brand and L Pertile (eds) The Cambridge History
of Italian Literature vol I The Seicento (Cambridge Cambridge University Press 1996)pp 301ndash17
G Chretien Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t IV chants IXndashX (Paris Les Belles Lettres1985)
G Conte La Metafora barocca Saggio sulle poetiche del Seicento (Milano Mursia 1972)E R Curtius Europaische Literatur und lateinisches Mittelalter (Bern Francke Verlag 1948)G DrsquoIppolito Studi Nonniani Lrsquoepillio nelle Dionisiache (Palermo Presso lrsquoAccademia 1964)E DrsquoOrs Du Baroque (Paris Gallimard 1935)
35 Other intertexual relations such as the ones briefly discussed by Tissoni (1998 59ndash62)
could be analysed according to the procedure of Rousset (1954) although he restricted
his method to the seventeenth-century French Baroque literature He formulated four
main criteria applicable to various seventeenth-century Baroque art forms (architecture
painting and literature) lsquoinstabilityrsquo lsquomobilityrsquo lsquometamorphosisrsquo and lsquodominance of
settingrsquo He subsequently applied these criteria to five literary instances first of all lsquoa type
of metaphorrsquo followed by lsquoa type of poemrsquo lsquoa poetic work as a wholersquo lsquoa theatrical work as
a wholersquo and lsquoa general attitudersquo ie lsquodisplayrsquo (1954 181ss)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
23 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
J Elsner lsquoLate Antique Art The Problem of the Concept and the Cumulative Aestheticrsquo in S Swainand M Edwards (eds) Approaching Late Antiquity The Transformation from Early to Late Empire(Oxford Oxford University Press 2004) pp 271ndash309
E Faral Les Arts Poetiques du XIIe et XIIIe siecle Recherches et Documents sur la Technique Litteraire duMoyen Age (Paris Champion 1962)
W Fauth Eidos Poikilon Zur Thematik der Metamorphose und zum Prinzip der Wandlung aus demGegensatz in den Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Gottingen Vandenhoeck amp Ruprecht 1981)
P Friedlander Johannes von Gaza und Paulus Silentiarius Kunstbeschreibungen Justinianischer Zeit(Leipzig Teubner 1912)
H de la Fuente lsquoThe One and the Many and the Circular Movement Neo-Platonism and Poetics inNonnus of Panopolisrsquo in Id (ed) New Perspectives on Late Antiquity (Newcastle-upon-TyneCambridge Scholars 2011)
F Gonnelli Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol II (canti XIIIndashXXIV) (Milano BibliotecaUniversale Rizzoli 2003)
V Giraudet lsquoLe rivage la presqursquoıle et le marais Espaces baroques chez Achille Tatius et Nonnos dePanopolisrsquo in R Poignault (ed) Presence du Roman grec et Latin (Clermont-Ferrand Centre deRecherches A Piganiol 2011) pp 147ndash66
Groupe m (J Dubois ea) Rhetorique generale (Paris du Seuil 1970)F Guardiani lsquoA Christological Metamorphosis in a Baroque Poemrsquo in J Goering ea (ed) Saints and
the Sacred Select Proceedings of the 3rd St Michaelrsquos College Annual Symposium (Feb 25-26 2000)(Ottawa Legas 2001) pp 185ndash95
A C Hagedorn (ed) Perspectives on the Song of Songs (Berlin De Gruyter 2005)F Hallyn Formes metaphoriques dans la poesie lyrique de lrsquoage baroque en France (Geneve Droz 1975)H Hatzfeld lsquoThe Baroque from the Viewpoint of the Literary Historianrsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art
Criticism 142 Second Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1955) 156ndash64N Hopkinson (ed) Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society
1994)R Huyghe lsquoLa seve du baroquersquo Baroque [online] no 4 (1969) Online since 3 May 2012 http
baroquerevuesorg304 [accessed 22 January 2013]K Jax Die weibliche Schonheit in der griechischen Dichtung (Innsbruck Wagner 1933)R Keydell lsquoNonnosrsquo in Th Klauser (ed) Reallexikon fur Antike und Christentum vol XVII
(Stuttgart Hiersemann 1936) vol XVII pp 902ndash20G Lakoff Metaphors We Live By (Chicago University of Chicago Press 1980)G Lakoff and M Turner More Than Cool Reason A Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor (Chicago
University of Chicago Press 1989)L R Lind lsquoNonnos and His Readersrsquo Res Publica Litterarum (1978) 159ndash70J Lindsay Leisure and Pleasure in Roman Egypt (London Muller 1965)V De Malde Giovan Battista Marino La Sampogna (Parma Fondazione Pietro Bembo Ugo Guanda
Editore 1993)A Martini Letteratura Italiana Le Opere Vol II Dal Cinquecento al Settecento A Asor Rosa (ed)
(Turin Einaudi 1993) pp 777ndash97R T Matthews and F DeWitt Platt The Western Humanities (Boston McGraw-Hill 2004)L Miguelez-Cavero Poems in Context Greek Poetry in the Egyptian Thebaid 200-600 AD (Berlin De
Gruyter 2008)R F Newbold lsquoMimesis and Illusion in Nonnus Deceit Distrust and the Search for Meaningrsquo
Helios 37 no 1 (2010) pp 81ndash106R Nunlist Poetologische Bildersprache in der fruhgriechischen Dichtung (Stuttgart Teubner 1998)G F Pasini lsquoDalla comparazione alla metaforarsquo Lingua e Stile 7 no 3 (1972) pp 441ndash69L Pernot La rhetorique de lrsquoeloge dans le monde greco-romain vol I (Paris Institut drsquoEtudes
Augustiennes 1993)S N Peters lsquoMetaphor and lsquolsquoMaravigliarsquorsquo Tradition and Innovation in the Adone of GB Marinorsquo
Lingua e Stile 7 no 2 (1972) pp 321ndash41D G Piccardi Metafora e Poetica in Nonno di Panopoli (Florence Universite degli Studi di Firenze
1985)mdashmdash Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol I (canti IndashXII) (Milano Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli
2003)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
24 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
G Pozzi Giovan Battista Marino vol II LrsquoAdone (Milano Mondadori 1976)mdashmdash lsquoIl ritratto della donna nella poesia drsquoinizio Cinquecento e la pittura di Giorgionersquo Lettere Italiane
311 gennaio-marzo (1979) pp 3ndash30mdashmdash lsquoTemi t0poi stereotipirsquo in A Asor Rosa (ed) Letteratura italiana III Le forme del testo I
Teoria e poesia (Torino Einaudi 1984) pp 391ndash436I A Richards The Philosophy of Rhetoric (New York Oxford University Press 1936)M Riemschneider lsquoDer Stil des Nonnosrsquo Berliner byzantinistische Arbeiten no 5 (1957) pp 46ndash70M Roberts The Jeweled Style Poetry and Poetics in Late Antiquity (Ithaca and London Cornell
University Press 1989)W H D Rouse Nonnus Dionysiaca (Cambridge MA Harvard University Press 1940)J Rousset La litterature de lrsquoage baroque en France Circe et le paon (Paris Corti 1954)E Russo lsquoSul barocco letterario in Italia Giudizi revisioni distinzionirsquo Les Dossiers du Grihl [Online]
2012-02 j 2012 Online since 25 June 2012 httpdossiersgrihlrevuesorg5223 [accessed 4 March2013]
A G Senmartı lsquoLa lsquolsquopoikiliarsquorsquo como principio estilıstico de las Dionisıacas de Nonorsquo AFB no 7(1981) pp 101ndash07
R Shorrock The Challenge of Epic Allusive Engagement in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Leiden Brill2001)
mdashmdash lsquoNonnusrsquo in J Foley (ed) A Companion to Ancient Epic (Oxford Wiley-Blackwell 2005)pp 374ndash85
mdashmdash The Myth of Paganism Nonnus Dionysus and the World of Late Antiquity (London BristolClassical Press 2011)
G Steen lsquoMetaphor and Stylersquo in P Stockwell and S Whiteley (eds) The Cambridge Handbook ofStylistics (Cambridge Cambridge University Press forthcoming 2014)
M String Untersuchungen zum Stil der Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Hamburg sn (disserta-tion) 1966)
E Tesauro Il Cannocchiale Aristotelico (Venice Baglioni 1654ndash70)F Tissoni Nonno di Panopoli I Canti di Penteo (Dionisiache 44ndash46) Commento (Florence La Nuova
Italia Editrice 1998)F Vian Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t I chants IndashII (Paris Les Belles Lettres 1976)R Wellek lsquoThe Concept of Baroque in Literary Scholarshiprsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism
52 Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1946) pp 77ndash109M Whitby lsquoFrom Moschus to Nonnus The Evolution of the Nonnian Stylersquo in N Hopkinson (ed)
Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society 1994) pp 99ndash155A Wifstrand Von Kallimachos zu Nonnos Metrisch-stilistische Untersuchungen zur spateren griechischen
Epik und zu verwandten Gedichtgattungen (Lund Gleerup 1933)H Wolfflin Renaissance und Barock Eine Untersuchung uber Wesen und Entstehung des Barockstils in
Italien (Munich T Ackermann 1888)
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lsquodialogue at distancersquo making use of various techniques verbal imitation whether
literal or modified transposition of verses amplification or condensation of epi-
sodes contamination by putting together different passages and arduous meta-
phor13 However since Marino could not read Greek he had to use Lubinrsquos
Latin translation probably in the bilingual edition by Lectius (1606) which contains
a huge corpus of Greek epic texts with Latin translations14 Thus while comparing
Nonnus and Marino we have to keep in mind that Marino read Nonnusrsquo hexameters
through Lubinrsquos pen Fortunately Lubin provided an extremely literal word-
for-word prose translation that poses no real problems for the purpose of the present
article Lubin rigorously respects the Greek word order as the following example
shows (Nonnus Dion 10 175ndash76)
ka0 pot qhr0wn 3p1 oslashwg0da d0skion 4lhrdquo
et aliquanto venans sub petra umbrosa sylvae
6likordquo 2iq oio oslashodTHORNpidi q lgto morrsquoI
aequalis iuvenis rosea delectabatur forma
Pozzi (1976 668) remarks that lsquoMarinorsquos language is extraordinary (its rhythm
prosody lexicon syntax) compared to the Lubinrsquos Latin translation which is
linguistically colourless and stylistically bloodlessrsquo Tissoni (1998 58) asserts that
a comparison with the arid translation of Nonnus by Lubin is useful in two ways lsquoit
permits us on the one hand to correctly evaluate Marinorsquos debt to the Dionysiaca
and on the other hand to become aware of his poetic ability which manifests itself in
extraordinary stylistic refinementrsquo Marino paraphrases and modifies Lubinrsquos trans-
lation lsquoreturning instinctively as it were to the original Greek textrsquo However he did
not use hexameters but ottava rima stanzas of eight verses in hendecasyllable with
rhyme scheme abababcc
LrsquoAdone composed during the Counter-Reformation between 1605 and 1623 and
published in Paris in 1623 tells the story of the goddess Venus and the human
Adonis Its narrative scheme is built around their union Adonis suffers shipwreck
and lands on Cyprus the island of Venus The goddess falls in love with him but
Adonis flees out of fear of her other lover the god Mars and turns into a parrot
Having regained his human shape he is taken captive by robbers Once free again
he wins a beauty contest and becomes king of Cyprus Eventually Adonis is killed by
13 See Tissoni (1998 59ndash62) who illustrates most of these techniques with passages for
metaphor he discusses Adone 1170 and Dion 12 9ndash14 followed by a parody of Marinorsquos
style in Stiglianirsquos Amante disperato 300ndash309 If not otherwise indicated the English
translations in this article are my own
14 Lectius Poetae graeci veteres carminis heroici scriptores qui extant omnes Aureliae
Allebrogum sumptibus Caldorianae Societatis MDCVI See Tissoni (1998 57ndash58) It
is difficult to quantify the importance of each of the individual models such as Ovid (see
Pozzi 1976 103ndash21 esp 117) and Claudian (see Agosti 1995 144ndash45 and 148) in the
development of his style
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a boar sent by his rival Mars In canto 19 four divinities mdash Ceres Bacchus Thetis
and Apollo mdash try to console Venus by relating stories of six other youths who met an
untimely death Hyacintus (25ndash62) Pampino (63ndash123) Acis (124ndash232) Calamus
and Carpus (233ndash51) Leander (252ndash92) and Achilles (293ndash325) Eventually after
his funeral Adonisrsquo heart is turned into a red anemone The poem ends with funeral
games in honour of Adonis The story line of the Adone like that of the Dionysiaca is
complicated it is constantly interrupted by digressions descriptions repetitions
unexpected turns and irregular symmetries Metamorphosis is one of its main
motifs Another recurrent motif is that of lsquosmoderato piacer che termina in
dogliarsquo (lsquoboundless joy ending in sorrowrsquo Adone 1 10 8) References to Nonnus
can be found especially in cantos 18 and 19 (Adone 18 193ndash208 Amorrsquos quest on
Earth cf Dion 33 57ndash142 Adone 19 65ndash123 the Pampinus episode cf Dion 10
189ndash93 11 194ndash483 12 117ndash37 and 138ndash397 the Ampelus episode Adone 19
235ndash51 the Calamus and Carpus episode cf Dion 11 370ndash481 Eros tries to con-
sole Bacchus in the same manner)
The passage to be discussed in this article is taken from the story of Pampino It is
modelled upon Nonnusrsquo story of Ampelus in Dion 10ndash12 but reduced to four major
moments the first meeting the love-affair Pampinorsquos death and his
metamorphosis
Baroque metaphor
For Aristotle simile and metaphor belong to the same category a simile (2kTHORNn) is
seen as an extended metaphor and a metaphor (mtarsquoor0) as an abbreviated simile
when Homer says of Achilles lsquo3rdquo d l wn p0rousnrsquo (lsquohe jumped forward like a
lionrsquo) he uses a simile (with the comparative adverb 3rdquo) and when he says of
Achilles lsquol wn p0rousnrsquo (lsquothe lion jumped forwardrsquo) he uses a metaphor
(Rhet III 1406b20ndash23) According to Aristotle metaphor is a more intelligent
device than simile because while a simile is explicit metaphor is an invitation to
reflection The proof of the creative intelligence of a poet lies in the ability to see
similarities and turn them into metaphors He distinguishes four types of meta-
phors that is from genus to species from species to genus from species to species
and from analogy He warns several times against far-fetched metaphors as being too
poetic for prose or lacking clarity In rhetorical treatises of later periods in Antiquity
metaphor is usually considered a typically poetical stylistic device not to be used too
often in prose following Aristotle (Poet 22 7ndash17 Rhet III 1405a3ndashb19
1406b5ndash07a19 see also Top I 17)
One finds a positive attitude towards metaphor similar to Aristotlersquos in the
Italian Baroque period Meraviglia mdash marvel mdash caused by the use of dazzling
metaphors became a key aesthetic concept15 Producing this kind of metaphors
15 For a short and clear discussion of Italian baroque literature including the concepts of
meraviglia concetto acutezza and ingegno see Cherchi (1996) For more extensive stu-
dies on the baroque metaphor see Conte (1972) for Italian Baroque and Peters (1972) for
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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nloaded from
involved using new themes (including objects from everyday life such as the hour-
glass) and expressing them in innovative ways (called concetti and acutezze) Many
baroque poets pushed the creation of extravagant metaphors to the limit According
to some Marino was one of them but according to others he was quite moderate
One of the most important contemporary theorists of metaphor Emmanuele
Tesauro expands the four types of metaphor proposed by Aristotle into eight
types In the chapter on lsquoMetaphorrsquo of his aesthetical treatise The Aristotelian
Telescope (1654ndash70 267) he writes that metaphor (which he calls lsquothe queen of
figuresrsquo) transforms immediate reality offering lsquoto the mind of the listener in
just one word the sight of a whole theatre of marvelsrsquo (lsquoun pien teatro di meravi-
gliersquo) The more distant and unexpected the similarities between tenor and vehicle16
of a metaphor the greater the wonder of the reader and the more laudable the ability
(ingegno) of the poet The baroque poet operates like a telescope drawing
together remote notions belonging to distant realities Ideas about the relation be-
tween tenor and vehicle changed Peters (1972 325ndash26) states that during the
Renaissance
the conceptual metaphor was bound to a system of knowledge which pointed to immut-
able relationships Tesaurorsquos metaphor instead reveals relationships which are quite arbi-
trary and not related to the level of intellectual truth For in the earlier tradition it was the
words which uncovered the conceptual idea given in the metaphor whereas with
Tesauro the implication is that the metaphor itself creates a kind of reality and imposes it
on the word
Baroque metaphors no longer uncover a system of relations of unchangeable
correspondences expressing the stability embodied in creation Instead the baroque
ingegno accumulates series of unexpected sensual images consonant with the
instability and fluidity of the world In his Metafora barocca Conte (1972 40)
distinguishes one special type of baroque metaphor it is characterized by the
extension of the absence of the tenor and by the lateral ramification of the meaning
of the vehicle17 He illustrates this with the following verses of the Italian Baroque
poet and follower of Marino Francesco de Lemene (1634ndash1704) De Lemene
comparing a womanrsquos breasts with lilies and her lips with roses invites the bees
metaphors in the Adone Compare also the important study of Rousset (1954 185ndash89)
and Hallyn (1975) for metaphors in French Baroque literature
16 Originally coined by IA Richards (1936) these terms are still widely used in metaphor
studies In Saussurian terms tenor is the signified and vehicle the signifier see section lsquoA
set of practical tools for analysisrsquo below
17 lsquoLa Metafora barocca e caratterizzata dal prolungamento dellrsquoassenza del segno virtuale e
dalla diramazione laterale del significato del segno presentersquo To avoid confusion I trans-
late lsquosegno virtualersquo as tenor and lsquosegno presentersquo as vehicle
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to come lsquodrainrsquo (lsquosvenarersquo which means literally lsquoto cut someonersquos veinsrsquo lsquoto bleed
someone dryrsquo)
ite volate
a quel labbro a quel seno api ingegnose
per fabricar dolcezze ite svenate
di quel sen di quel labbro e gigli e rose
come fly
to this lip to this breast clever beesto make sweetness come drain
the lilies and roses of that breast that lip
Part of this metaphor is traditional belonging to the canon of beauty developed from
the Middle Ages to the Renaissance (the colour of) the womanrsquos breast is like lilies
(white) and that of her lip like roses (red)18 But the metaphor is pushed one step
further (and here begins a baroque novelty) the vehicle (the flowers) is amplified by
the summoning of the bees from the realm of associations of the tenor They are
invited to participate actively in the illusion The vehicle of the metaphor is given life
and motion as it were and whirls around itself in a figurative play a literary trompelrsquoœil This kind of extreme metaphor shows that the relation between vehicle and
tenor which had been stable during the Renaissance began to destabilize during the
Baroque the distance between the two increased and the vehicle became auto-
referential vehicles themselves referred to further vehicles instead of to tenors
A set of practical tools for analysis
Much more can of course be said on theories of baroque metaphor but the proposed
method of this article is to make a factual comparison between two passages of Nonnus
and Marino I will briefly present two modern models of metaphor that will both serve
as practical tools for analysis First a linguistic model for which I chose the model
presented by Pasini (1972) not because it is particularly innovative but because it offers
a clear insight into the gradual differences between simile and metaphor at the level of
expression in language19 And secondly a conceptual model as proposed by Lakoff
(1980) and Lakoff and Turner (1989) and further developed by Steen (forthcoming)
because their point of departure is the concepts that lie behind linguistic expressions
Lakoff (1980) and Lakoff and Turner (1989) conceived their theory as a reaction to the
traditional approach of metaphor as a rhetorical device showing that metaphors are
omnipresent in everyday life and language and work conventionally automatically and
unconsciously Steen (forthcoming) distinguishes between a communicational (delib-
erate versus non-deliberate) conceptual (conventional versus novel) and linguistic level
18 More on the canon of beauty follows in section lsquoTwo beautiful satyr boysrsquo below
19 In addition to Pasini I used from the huge amount of literature on metaphor Brooke-
Rose (1958) and Van Boven and Dorleijn (2003)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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nloaded from
of metaphor introducing by the backdoor literary metaphor (belonging to the cat-
egory of deliberate metaphor) in Conceptual Metaphor Theory
The literary function of a metaphor does not just reside in the underlying cross-domain
comparison that is the basis of every metaphor Metaphor in poetry is often multi-layered
with many relations to other aspects of the text and its language which makes it strongly
dependent on all sorts of other information throughout the poem and the knowledge it
assumes All of this may be seen as highly typical of the use of metaphor in poetry
Pasini (1972) discerns four linguistic stages between simile on the one hand and
metaphor on the other hand ranging from a closed to an open message Each stage
can be explained by an example a description and a diagrammatic representation20
His cheeks are fresh like roses
This simile with the comparative adverb lsquolikersquo as an indicator includes a tenor
(cheeks A) a vehicle (roses B) and a ground (or tertium comparationis fresh C) It
is a closed construction leaving no space for the imagination of the reader This kind
of comparison is judged the most rational of the four stages because it is the most
specific and requires no leap of imaginative intellect to understand the ground on
which the comparison is made
His cheeks are like roses
This comparison with indicator (like) tenor (cheeks A) and a vehicle (roses B) does
not contain a ground (C) In this case the reader has to supply one or more of the
characteristics of the rose (freshness or red colour or sweet perfume etc) by
generalization and add this information on his own account to the comparison
This type one step closer to metaphors of type (3) and (4) is called by some a
lsquometaphorical comparisonrsquo the process of supplying by generalization is already
present but the process of identification is still absent
20 I thank Jaap Fokkema (VU University) for drawing the four figures after Pasini (1972) who
in his turn is inspired by the Rhetorique Generale (Paris 1970) of the French lsquoGroupe mrsquo
E M V A N O P S T A L L
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a His cheeks are roses
b The roses of his cheeks
This is a metaphor in praesentia it has a tenor (cheeks A) and a vehicle (roses B) but
being a metaphor it lacks both indicator and ground (C) In example (3a) the verb lsquoto
bersquo functions as a link and identifies the vehicle and the tenor with each other (in
French this use of the verb lsquoto bersquo is called lsquolrsquoest drsquoequivalencersquo)
On his face two roses
This is a metaphor in absentia in which the indicator the ground (C) as well as the
tenor (A) are absent and have to be supplied by the imagination of the reader The
vehicle lsquorosesrsquo refers not only to the concept of lsquorosesrsquo but also metaphorically to the
concept of lsquocheeksrsquo This kind of metaphor is the least rationalizing (the lsquoto bersquo of
example (3a) can still be considered a lsquorationalizingrsquo element) and the most open (the
reader has to generalize and to supply)
Lakoff presents a conceptual theory of everyday metaphor in Metaphors We LiveBy (1980) which is the basis of the study of poetical metaphor by Lakoff and Turner
in More Than Cool Reason a Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor (1989) He maintains
that the locus of metaphor is not in language (compare figure 4 below the line) but in
the way we conceptualize one mental domain in terms of another (compare figure 4
above the line) Metaphors make use of cross-domain conceptual mappings and are
cast in individual linguistic expressions21 In this theory the tenor is a linguistic
expression that belongs to the so-called target domain and the vehicle is a linguistic
expression that belongs to a so-called source domain The set of ontological corres-
pondences between these two domains can be represented in a mapping To give an
example a conceptual mapping of Pasinirsquos above-mentioned four types would look
like the following
People (target domain) plants (source domain)
youth corresponds to flowering
young person corresponds to blossoming rose
21 Interestingly the idea of the crossing of domains has been phrased in a less theoretical
and a more poetic way by Tesauro (1654ndash70 267)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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nloaded from
pink skin corresponds to red colour
young skin corresponds to freshness
aging corresponds to withering
So the tenor lsquocheeksrsquo belongs to the target domain lsquopeoplersquo and the vehicle lsquorosersquo
belongs to the source domain lsquoplantrsquo Thus while Pasinirsquos typology provides for a
formal analysis at a linguistic level Lakoffrsquos extra-linguistic concerns are centred on
a conceptual level His theory permits us to reflect on the concepts and ideas under-
lying metaphors
Two beautiful satyr boys
Ampelus
In this section I will discuss the two passages of Nonnus and Marino In Dionysiaca
10 175ndash92 the external narrator introduces the young Ampelus future lover of
Dionysus for the first time (as explained in paragraph II) He describes him as
follows
175 ka0 pot qhr0wn 3p1 oslashwg0da d0skion 4lhrdquo
6likordquo 2iq oio oslashodTHORNpidi q lgto morrsquoI
4dh g1r Frug0hrdquo 3p1 dir0da koNrordquo 2q0rwn
Amplordquo 2 xhto notrrsquo rdquo ernordquo ErTHORNtwn
o2d o3 3br1rdquo 4oulordquo ruqom noio gn0ou
180 4cnoa cion hrdquo car0ssto k0kla pariPrdquo
6bhrdquo cr0son 4nqordquo 2pisqop0roio d ca0thrdquo
b0trurdquo 3lik0ntrdquo prsquo 2rgursquo wn q on Œmwn
2plk rdquo ligurN d sunaiq0ssontrdquo 2ndasht
4sqmati koursquo0zonto parlkom nwn d kom0wn
185 2krorsquoan1rdquo 2n tll m sordquo gumno0mnordquo a2c1n
ka1 s lardquo 2k0ntiz lip0skiordquo oJ0 t l0mpi
mssorsquoan1rdquo n rsquoordquo 3gr1n 2nasc0zousa Slndashnh
ka1 st0matordquo oslashod oio ml0pnoordquo err rsquownndash
k ml wn drsquo 7lon Iar rsquoa0nto nisom nou d
190 k pod1rdquo 2rgursquo oio oslash0dwn ruqa0nto limTHORNn
2 d booglndashnwn rsquoa wn 2rsquogg i k0klN
2rsquoqalmo1rdquo l lizn 7lh sl0giz Slndashnh22
175 Once while hunting under a shady cliff of a wood
he was charmed by the rosy form of a young comrade
For under the ridge of the Phrygian hills the merry boyhad already matured Ampelus a new shoot of the gods of Love
For him no dainty bloom of a reddening chin
180 had marked the smooth circles of his snow-white cheeks
the golden flower of youth curling clusters of long hair
22 Greek text Chretien (1985) translation Rouse (1940) adapted
E M V A N O P S T A L L
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ran down over his silvery-glistering shoulders
loosely and waving in the whispering wind
were lifted by its breath When the hair was blown aside
185 the bare neck appeared between just visible
and unshadowed light flashed from him just as the moon shines
half appearing when she pierces a damp cloudFrom his rosy mouth streamed a honey-breathing voice
Spring itself appeared from his limbs under the steps
190 of his silvery foot the meadow blushed with roses
and if he turned his eyes their bright iris gleaming
with the glow of a cowrsquos eye the light of the full moon shone
The satyr boy is described from head to toe (a procedure also propagated in exercises
on ekphrasis in the rhetorical handbooks of Late Antiquity see Aphthonius Prog
12) and in movement with major attention to the upper body parts the poet shows
us his cheeks (vv 179ndash81) hair shoulders neck (vv 181ndash87) mouth and voice
(v 188) moving on to his limbs and feet (vv 189ndash90) and eventually turns upwards
again towards eyes (vv 191ndash92) As often in erotic descriptions in Antiquity (espe-
cially from Hellenistic and Second Sophistic literature onwards) this passage
abounds with erotic topoi23 The setting is painted with stock images of the natural
world the shady wood the gentle breeze the flowery meadow these are all present
Everything (the satyr boy and his surroundings) is sweet young and blooming
The incredibly rich description of the effect of the different body parts ends in the
visual climax of the appearance of the moon first barely visible then half appearing
then fully visible The expressions 2krorsquoanndashrdquo (v 185) mssorsquoanndashrdquo (v 187) and 7lh
(v 192) also evoke the different stages of the cycle of the moon mdash new waxing and
full mdash intimately linked with the growth of plants in nature24
However many bucolic elements are used metaphorically the flower of youth a
rosy mouth a honey-breathing voice etc The metaphors in this description appeal
to all our senses to our eyes by the use of colours (red white golden silver) and
contrasts (brightndashdark) to our touch (his beardless cheeks) and to our ears and smell
(his honey-breathing voice) In her fascinating study of metaphors in the Dionysiaca
Daria Gigli Piccardi (1985) distinguishes in Nonnus three (archetypical) source
domains for metaphors of beauty two of which occur in this passage Firstly the
source domain lsquoflowersrsquo from individual flowers to spring meadows full of
23 The flowering youth of men around the age of their first beard the rosy mouth the
spring meadow are all common themes in Greek Hellenistic erotic literature but Nonnus
innovates by adding unusual elements (such as the neck also present in other descrip-
tions of beauty in the Dionysiaca) and particular formulations (see below) See Gigli
Piccardi (2003 700ndash703 ad vv 175ndash92) For a list of other studies on beauty in
Nonnus see Chretien (1985 142 ad vv 175ndash92)
24 Chretien (1985 144 ad v 192) and Gigli Piccardi (2003 700ndash701 ad vv 175ndash92)
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contrasting colours Secondly the source domain lsquoastral phenomenarsquo playing with
the opposition light-dark25
On a formal level we find only one simile in vv 186ndash87 introducing the theme of
the moon It belongs to Pasinirsquos type 1 (see section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo
above) unshadowed light (s lardquo lip0skiordquo tenor A) flashed (2k0ntiz ground C)
just as (oJ0 t indicator) half appearing the moon (Slndashnh vehicle B) shines (l0mpi
ground C) when she pierces a damp cloud (nrsquoordquo 3gr1n 2nasc0zousa vehicle B)
Besides this simile there are ten metaphors in praesentia (belonging to Pasinirsquos type 3)
and two metaphors in absentia (belonging to Pasinirsquos type 4) These metaphors are
expressed in a variety of ways which will be discussed below
(1) The most explicit type is the metaphor in apposition occurring very often in
Nonnus The comma after the tenor shows that we are dealing with such a metaphor
in apposition
tenor (A = noun) vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective) of X
a Amplordquo (A) notrrsquo rdquo e rnordquo (B) ErTHORNtwn (X) (v 178)
Ampelus (A) a new shoot (B) of the Loves (X)
b 3br1rdquo 4oulordquo ruqom noio gn0ou (A) 6bhrdquo (X) cr0son 4nqordquo (B) (vv 179-81)
the dainty bloom of a reddening chin (A) the golden flower (B) of youth (X)
(2) Another type of metaphor also very frequent in Nonnus links a metaphorical
adjective (vehicle) to a noun (tenor)
tenor (A = noun) thorn vehicle (B = metaphorical adjective)
a oslashodTHORNpidi (B) morrsquoI (A) (v 176) ndash rosy (B) form (A)
b cion hrdquo (B) pariPrdquo (A) (v 180) ndash snow-white (B) cheeks (A)
c 2rgursquo wn (B) Œmwn (A) (v 182) ndash silvery-glistering (B) shoulders (A)
d st0matordquo (A) oslashod oio (B) (v 188) ndash rosy (B) mouth (A)
e ml0pnoordquo (B) rsquownndash (A) (v 188) ndash a honey-breathing (B) voice (A)
f pod1rdquo (A) 2rgursquo oio (B) (v 190) ndash silvery (B) foot (A)
g booglndashnwn (B) rsquoa wn (A) (v 191) ndash cowrsquos eye (B) glow (A)
(3) In Nonnus the metaphor in absentia is restricted to the more common metaphors
of the flower domain In the following example the vehicle is a noun phrase whereas
the nature of the tenor becomes clear from the addition of a noun or noun phrase in
apposition It is to be noted that the word b0trurdquo is normally used for lsquoclusters of
vinersquo and points already to Ampelusrsquo future metamorphosis
vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective) of X (= noun thorn adjective in genitive)
a 2pisqop0roio d ca0thrdquo (X) b0trurdquo (B) 3lik0ntrdquo (vv 182-83) ndash curling clusters (B) of
long hair (A)
25 The third source domain individuated by Gigli Piccardi is that of lsquothe war of loversquo full of
contrasts between real and metaphorical weapons
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from X (= preposition thorn noun) appears vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective)
b k ml wn (A) 7lon Iar (B) rsquoa0nto (v 189)
From his limbs (A) spring itself (B) appeared
(4) As Gigli Piccardi (1985 70) already noticed Nonnus invented his own extended
metaphorical formula lsquoan autonomous linguistic constellationrsquo lsquowhen X becomes
visible Y appearsrsquo (sometimes followed by a comparison) Whereas the theme of the
moon is introduced by a comparison in vv 186ndash87 it is closed in vv 191ndash92 by such
a lsquoNonnianrsquo metaphor
2 d booglndashnwn rsquoa wn 2rsquogg i k0klN 2rsquoqalmo1rdquo l lizn (X) 7lh sl0giz Slndashnh (Y)
and if he turned his eyes with their bright iris gleaming with a cowrsquos eye glow (X) the light of the
full moon shone (Y)
The large number of metaphors cast in many different forms results in a descrip-
tion that is far from literal The blooming satyr boy and the blooming spring mingle
both being connected to the three phases of the moon Ampelus almost becomes
Bacchic nature himself His first meeting with the God already contains the promise
of his own future metamorphosis the expression b0trurdquo as noticed above being
one of its most explicit indicators26 The golden flower of youth not only contains
life but also death and resurrection Thus the totality of the metaphors expresses
perpetual change
Pampino
As we have seen in section lsquoBaroque metaphorrsquo the story of Pampino belongs to a set
of love-stories told by the gods to Venus as a consolation after the death of her lover
Adonis In Adone 19 ott 66ndash67 the god Dionysus describes the beautiful Pampino
ott 66 La bella fronte gli adorno Natura
di gentil maesta drsquoaria celeste
Dolce color di fragola matura
4 gli facea rosseggiar le guance oneste
Nela bocca ridea la grana pura
tra schiette perle in doppio fil conteste
ne quivi avea la rosa purpurina
8 prodotta ancor la sua dorata spina
ott 67 La notte tenebrosa il ciel turbato
si rischiarava dersquo begli occhi al lume
Il vago piede imporporava il prato
4 la bianca mano innargentava il fiume
Qualor lievrsquoaura con soave fiato
confondendogli il crin scotea le piume
26 See also Gigli Piccardi (1985 69) and (2003 700ndash1 ad vv 175ndash92)
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parea sparso su rsquol collo il bel tesoro
8 sovra un colle drsquoavorio un bosco drsquooro
ott 66 His beautiful forehead Nature adorned
with refined nobility with heavenly looks
The sweet colour of ripe strawberries4 painted his honest cheeks red
In his mouth pure pomegranate laughed
set between real pearls in a double row
There the purple rose had not
8 yet produced her golden thorns
ott 67 The shady night the darkened sky
brightened at the light of his beautiful eyesHis yearning foot turned the meadow purple
4 his white hand turned the river silver
When a gentle breeze with its soft breath
playing with his hair shook his feathers
on his neck the beautiful treasure seemed to spread out
8 on an ivory hill a forest of gold
This description of Pampino owes much to Nonnusrsquo description of Ampelus but is
at the same time different Since Marino uses and plays with the Renaissance canon
of beauty I will discuss this canon briefly in order to gain a better understanding of
the Pampino passage
The topos of beauty began to acquire fixed rules during the Middle Ages and was
completely canonized by the Renaissance27 From the Middle Ages onwards two
types of canon for feminine beauty were developed the short and the long canon
The short canon (used by Petrarch) focuses on the face mentioning hair eyes
mouth and cheeks Hand and breast are briefly referred to forehead and neck are
seldom included The long canon (used by Boccaccio and Ariosto) adds more detail
and leads the gaze further downwards from head to toe Central features of the short
canon are splendour (light) and colour (white) whereas the long canon emphasizes
harmonious proportions (of the body)
Renaissance poets use set comparisons and oppositions such as lsquoredrsquo versus
lsquowhitersquo But within these fixed boundaries there were ample possibilities for vari-
ance One way to play with conventions was the following a poet could mention only
one element of an opposition and thereby automatically evoke its counterpart in the
27 For an overview of Greek poetry up to the Byzantine period see Jax (1933) with dis-
turbing racist emphasis on lsquodas weibliche Schonheitsideal der weiszligen Rassersquo for the
Latin Middle-Ages see Faral (1962 esp p 75 ss) Sidonius Apollinarisrsquo portrait of
Theodoric (Ep I 2 2 sixth century) is seen as the best model for descriptions of persons
by Geoffroy de Vinsauf (Poetria nova 1210 CE) for the Renaissance see Pozzi (1979 and
1984)
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mind of the audience For example if he described a hand a foot was to be imagined
by the reader when a rose was mentioned it was intended that a lily be brought to
mind etc
Favourite source domains for metaphors were in the first place flowers roses
lilies and violets for colour and evanescence secondly precious materials pearls
rubies coral and gold for colour and diamond and sapphire for splendour and
thirdly lsquoheavenly bodiesrsquo stars and the sun for splendour and movement For
special effects these elements could be combined into homogeneous or heteroge-
neous couples a lily and a rose or ivory and a rose etc
How are these images used and constructed in the present passage from
Marino Marino combines the two canons adopting the short canon for his descrip-
tion of the young man and then enumerating his several parts from head to toe He
begins with the (moral) qualities given by Nature to Pampinorsquos forehead (ott 66
1ndash2) continues with his cheeks mouth and cheeks again (ott 66 3ndash8) then turns to
his eyes (ott 67 1ndash2) to his foot and hand (ott 67 3ndash4 the foot belonging to the
long canon) and finally to his hair and neck (ott 67 5ndash8) Marino adds various
(moral) qualifications The first octave is relatively quiet drawing as it were
Pampinorsquos portrait Its three source domains for the metaphors are lsquofruitrsquo lsquoprecious
materialsrsquo lsquoflowersrsquo (pomegranate pearl rose) connected with contrasting colours
(red white and golden) and positive qualifications (beautiful refined heavenly
sweet honest pure real) The second octave is stirred by movement the
sky brightens Pampinorsquos touch turns nature into something else the playing
wind shakes hair locks spreads out It also introduces the opposition light-dark
(shady night darken brighten light) The source domains of the second octave
are lsquobucolic landscapersquo (meadow river breeze) and lsquoprecious materialsrsquo
(silver gold)
As is to be expected Marino is fond of metaphors and expresses them in
various ways But unlike Nonnus he obviously prefers metaphors in absentia
(Pasinirsquos type 4 see section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo above)
The description of Pampino includes moral and physical qualities In ott 66 3ndash4
the strawberry (lsquodolce color di fragola maturarsquo lsquothe sweet colour of ripe strawberriesrsquo)
paving the way for the source domain lsquofruitrsquo is followed by a series of metaphors
(1) There are several instances of metaphors in absentia which are intelligible when
one looks at either the direct context in which they are embedded or at the existing
Renaissance conventions
vehicle (B = noun thorn- adjective)
a la grana pura (ott 66 5) ndash pure pomegranate (sc in his mouth gt tongue)
b schiette perle (ott 66 6) ndash real pearls (sc in double row gt teeth)
c rosa purpurina (ott 66 7) ndash purple rose (sc there gt on his cheeks gt beard)
d le piume (ott 67 6) ndash feathers (of his hair gt locks of hair)
e tesoro (ott 67 7) ndash treasure (his rich hair)
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(2) To these examples two metaphorical verbs can be added
vehicle (B = verb)
a imporporava (ott 67 3) ndash turned purpleb innargentava (ott 67 4) ndash turned silver
(3) The following metaphor in absentia is qualified by a metaphorical adjective
vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective)
la sua dorata spina (ott 66 8) ndash her golden thorns (reddish-blonde bristles)
(4) Another variant are the metaphors in absentia that combine two metaphorical
expressions
vehicle (B = noun) of vehicle (B = noun)
a colle (B) drsquoavorio (B) (ott 67 8) ndash an ivory hill (of his white neck)
b un bosco (B) drsquooro (B) (ott 67 8) ndash a forest of gold (of his blond hair)
(5) Taken together two final verses of ott 67 are an example of a typical baroque
metaphor (discussed in section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo) a concatenation
of metaphorical images Ott 67 7 is elaborated in the next verse by a metaphor in
apposition on neck (tenorrsquo) the beautiful treasure (tenorrsquorsquo) on an ivory hill (vehiclersquo)a forest of gold (vehiclersquorsquo) Both vehicles are from the source domain lsquolandscapersquo (hill
forest) and continue the image of the previous bucolic description (meadow river
breeze) But at the same time the lsquotreasurersquo (tenorrsquorsquo) is already itself a metaphor (for
lsquohairrsquo) from another source domain (lsquoprecious materialsrsquo) that is elaborated by its
own two metaphorical adjectives lsquoivoryrsquo and lsquogoldrsquo from the same source domain As
we have seen with the example of Lemene the image evokes a further image
creating a kind of lsquoliterary trompe lrsquoœilrsquo
On tenor (Arsquo = noun) tenor (Arsquorsquo = noun) on vehicle (Brsquo noun thorn Brsquorsquo adjec) vehiclersquorsquo
(Brsquorsquo noun thorn Brsquorsquo adjec)
su rsquol collo (Arsquo) il bel tesoro (Arsquorsquo) sovra un colle drsquoavorio (Brsquothorn Brsquorsquo) un bosco drsquooro (Brsquorsquothorn Brsquorsquo)
Some intertextual notes
Apart from the topoi shared by Nonnus and Marino it is easy to see that several of
Marinorsquos verses in ott 67 are closely modelled on Nonnus of course in Lubinrsquos
translation (ed 1606)28 Marino ott 67 1ndash2 (darkness flees before Pampinorsquos eyes)
28 175 Et aliquanto venans sub petra umbrosa sylvae Aequalis iuvenis rosea delectabatur
forma Nunc etenim Phrygiae sub colle puer ludens Ampelus crescebat nuper
enutritus ramus amorum Neque ipsi mollis lanugo rubentis menti 180 Imberbes
nivea signaverat circulos maxilla Iuventae aureum florem In tergum reiectarum vero
comarum Racemi flexuosi super splendidis currebant humeris Non complicati Suavi
vero una concitati cum aura Flatu elevabantur Retractis vero comis 185 In
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combines Nonnus vv 186ndash87 (Ampelusrsquo neck is like the moon shining though
clouds) and vv 191ndash92 (when Ampelus looks the moon shines) Marino ott 67
3ndash4 (Pampinorsquos foot and hand transform meadow and river) is like Nonnus vv
189ndash90 (Ampelusrsquo limbsfoot elicit spring and flowers in the meadow) Marino
ott 67 5ndash6 (the wind playing with Pampinorsquos hair and showing his neck) is similar
to Nonnus vv 183ndash85 (the wind playing with Ampelusrsquo hair and revealing his neck)
Marino was unable to borrow Nonnusrsquo image of Ampelusrsquo foot eliciting spring
because Falkenburgrsquos text and Lubinrsquos translation present a different textual reading
from Chretienrsquos Falkenburg does not have (drsquo7lon) Iar (lsquospringrsquo) but (g1r) 5niar
which was translated as lsquoemolumentumrsquo (lsquogainrsquo) by Lubin
There are however some significant differences To describe the effect of the
Ampelusrsquo neck and eyes Nonnus introduces the image of the moon emerging through
the clouds while evoking simultaneously the moon cycle He begins with a compari-
son and continues with a metaphor spread out over eight verses To describe the
instant effect of Pampinorsquos eyes Marino (or to be more precise the narrator
Dionysus) simply states a truth a hyperbolic truth the light of Pampinorsquos eyes illu-
minates darkness To describe the effect of the neck of the satyr boy he introduces the
landscape and treasure metaphor The importance of the neck seems to point towards
another intertext the description of feminine beauty in the Song of Songs29 The lovers
in the Song of Songs describe each other in metaphorical terms their eyes hair teeth
lips voice cheeks neck breast and overall fairness etc (he in 4 she in 5 10ndash16 he
again in 6 4ndash7 and 7 1ndash9) Among the many source domains in the Song of Songs
lsquofruitrsquo lsquoastral phenomenarsquo and lsquoprecious materialsrsquo are present too To give some
examples her temples are pomegranates (4 3) his arms are rods of gold set with topaz
(5 14) she appears like the dawn the moon the sun the stars (6 10) and last but not
least her neck is an ivory tower (7 4)30 Elsewhere in the Adone (as often in Italian
Baroque poetry) Christian imagery is also clearly present31
summitate apparens oriebatur media nudata cervix Et fulgorem eiaculabatur umbram
relinquens qualia lucet In medio apparens nubem humidam perrumpens Luna Et
oris rosei mel spirans (Lectius 1606 lsquospiansrsquo instead of lsquospiransrsquo) fluebat oratio Ex
membris enim emolumentum (Falkenburg reads g1r 5niar lsquogainrsquo where Chretien has
drsquo7lon Iar) apparebat Cum iret vero 190 Ex pede argenteo pedum (Falkenburg reads
2rgur oio pod8n instead of Chretienrsquos 2rgursquo oio oslashod8n) rubebat pratum Cum vero
faciei bovinae ventorum (Falkenburg has 2n mwn instead of Chretienrsquos rsquoa wn Lectius
1606 has lsquobavinaersquo for lsquobovinaersquo) illustri circulo Oculos circumvertisset tota resplen-
debat Luna
29 Parallels between the Song of Songs and Greek love poetry are already present in Greek
poetry from Antiquity see various articles in Hagedorn (2005)
30 Paradoxically Marino is closer to the Hebrew original (that he was unable to read) than
to the Latin translation of the Vulgate (which he must have used) the Vulgate turns most
of the original metaphors into similes with the indicator lsquosicutrsquo
31 For example the suggested parallel between Adone and Christ condemned by the
Inquisition a nymph acting as Judas revealing Adonersquos hiding place and committing
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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Marino changes some of Nonnusrsquo explicit (rationalizing see Pasini section lsquoA set
of practical tools for analysisrsquo) images into more implicit (open see Pasini section
lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo) ones evoking a concatenation of associations
The image of Ampelusrsquo silvery footstep (Greek 2rguroioLatin argenteo) that
turned the meadow red with roses is adapted to Marinorsquos own time Pampinorsquos
foot is no longer silvery but lsquovagorsquo (a reminiscence of Petrarcarsquos lsquovago piersquo)32 and it
still turns the meadow purple but the reader has to supply the exact nature of the
purple (eg purple gt flower gt rose) Since in the Renaissance canon lsquofootrsquo evokes
lsquohandrsquo and since the colour lsquopurplersquo evokes the contrast lsquowhitersquo Pampinorsquos foot and
the purple meadow in ott 67 3 lead lsquospontaneouslyrsquo to lsquohis white handrsquo in ott 67 4
Finally Nonnusrsquo lsquosilveryrsquo is not lost but transformed into the metaphorical verb
lsquoturned into silverrsquo (an interesting invention to provoke a new contrast in the readerrsquos
mind because the story is situated in Phrygia with its proverbially gold-gleaming
river Pactolus)33
What can we conclude on the basis of the similarities and differences in the
passages of Nonnus and Marino about their use of metaphor
First it is evident that Nonnus and Marino are equally fond of metaphors
Nonnusrsquo eighteen verses contain twelve metaphors and one comparison Marinorsquo
sixteen verses contain twelve metaphors On a quantitative level the abundant and
cumulative use of metaphors by Nonnus could be called lsquobaroquersquo
Secondly we have seen that on a conceptual level Nonnus and Marino share some
characteristics but not all Both poets work with the contrasting couples red-white
and light-dark and use the source domain lsquoflowerrsquo But the more traditional source
domains lsquoprecious materialsrsquo and lsquofruitrsquo inherited by Marino from the Renaissance
canon of beauty are barely or not at all present in Nonnus at least not in this passage
Thirdly at the linguistic level Nonnus and Marino clearly employ different
kinds and complexities of metaphor Nonnus on the one hand uses a concatenation
of metaphors in praesentia crowned by his personal metaphorical formula in which
the appearance of the tenor simultaneously evokes the vehicle Linguistically speak-
ing the relation between tenor and vehicle remains visible and controllable
suicide Venus crying over Adonersquos body as Mary did over Jesusrsquo body Adone is not
wounded in his thigh as in Greek mythology but in his side See also Guardiani (2001)
and Gonnelli (2003 29ndash30 on pagan and Christian syncretism in Nonnusrsquo Paraphrasis
and Marinorsquos Adone) The last motif recurs in the fresco lsquoLa Morte di Adonersquo by Luca
Giordano (1682ndash85) Palazzo Medici-Riccardi Florence It is reminiscent of the parallel
between Dionysus and Christ also expressed in various mosaics for example in a Roman
mosaic depicting Dionysusrsquo discovery of Ariadne on Naxos (Syria 3rd-4th cent Miho
Museum Kyoto Japan cat NA) where Dionysus not only has a nimbus but also a
wound in his sidebreast (a later addition) (I thank Berenice Verhelst for pointing out
this mosaic to me)
32 For this intricate Renaissance style word play see Pozzi (1976) ad loc
33 See Nonn Dion 11 17ndash55 for the swimming contest with Dionysus and Ampelus and
the effect on the satyr boy of the golden water of the river Pactolus
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(lsquorationalrsquo lsquoclosedrsquo) Marino on the other hand prefers metaphors in absentia
opening the associative distance between vehicle and tenor to a maximum He uses
the auto-referential metaphor that is so typical of Baroque poetry Marinorsquos method
reflects instability the arbitrariness of the relation between tenor and vehicle seems to
express the absence of a shared and well-organized world with absolute values As
Conte (1972 37) puts it lsquoconfronted by a reality (human social politic cultural) in
crisis the baroque word denounces the prerogative of the word it speaks almost
exclusively of itself but speaking of itself it imitates takes possession of exorcizes
and even organizes the crisisrsquo Therefore on a linguistic level there seems to be more
method in Nonnusrsquo madness than in Marinorsquos
Finally what about the overall effect of the metaphors they use in their respective
descriptions Nonnus and Marino both describe beautiful beardless satyr boys
caught in a fleeting moment of radiant movement in an eroticizing bucolic setting
They put equal emphasis on the beauty and the fragility of youth and on the satyr
boyrsquos impact on the nature surrounding him As we have seen Nonnusrsquo metaphors
make Ampelus progressively intermingle with nature announcing the satyr boyrsquos
metamorphosis Even though they are classified as more lsquorationalrsquo on a linguistic
level (see Pasini) their effect is impressively irrational and open Just as Marinorsquos
metaphors they are constantly related to metamorphosis expressing change and
instability These are typical features of the Baroque that also explain at least partly
Marinorsquos affiliation with Nonnus
Conclusion
To return to the initial question of this article do we need the term lsquobaroquersquo to
characterize Nonnusrsquo poetry We have seen that the use of lsquobaroquersquo for other
periods than the seventeenth-century Baroque has met with positive and negative
reactions being found either too restricted or too broad and that the term lsquobaroquersquo
is often used for Nonnusrsquo Dionysiaca in an impressionistic way to indicate that his
aesthetics deviate from the lsquoclassicalrsquo Used in this sense lsquobaroquersquo can suggest
openness expansion abundance accumulation asymmetry moving musicality
optical illusion and the absence of a vanishing point as opposed to lsquoclassicalrsquo
with its connotation of contours closed nature unity harmony symmetry archi-
tectural fixity and converging perspectives Many of these tendencies known from
the historical Baroque are visible in Late Antique poetry
What about the other qualifications at hand such as poik0lordquo lsquojeweledrsquo and
lsquocumulativersquo Can they replace the term lsquobaroquersquo The first poikil0a is intimately
linked with Nonnusrsquo own poetics as becomes immediately clear from his prologue
where it refers to variety and polymorphism in the poem as a whole The poet wishes
that lsquoProteus of the many turnsrsquo the god of endless transformation lsquomay appear in
all his diversity of shapes since I twang my harp to a diversity of songsrsquo34 It is
34 Nonn Dion I 15 5rsquora rsquoan0h poik0lon Idordquo ecwn 7ti poik0lon 4mnon 2r0ssw (transl
Rouse 1940) The term poik0lordquo has been used very frequently by scholars to describe
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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applied to Late Antique literature as well as to art works both art forms being
intimately linked during this period Gianfranco Agosti (1997 34ndash35 see also
2006 361ss) expands its use understanding it lsquonot only as stylistic varietas but
above all as a code intended to characterize reality The concept of poikil0a goes
far beyond mere rhetorical or stylistic boundaries and becomes a peculiar way of
viewing realityrsquo When used in this way as a psychological category applied to the
relation between word and image it becomes a hermeneutic tool to explore Late
Antique world views
The second expression lsquojeweled stylersquo is used for Late Antique writers and
artists who place their words and phrases or their gems and colours in geometric
patterns The aim of these patterns is to create a symbolic unity which is considered
more important than linear narrative sequences in literature and realism in the visual
arts The term has been coined by Michael Roberts (1989) for the aesthetics of Latin
poetry from Late Antiquity (Ausonius Prudentius Claudian Sidonius etc) but
can be applied mutatis mutandis to Greek literature from the same period
The third expression lsquocumulative aestheticrsquo describes a similar attitude in Late
Antique art characterized by a particular attention to detail (lsquoexquisite miniatur-
izationrsquo) and by a preference for the re-use of precious elements from the past
(spolia) The sum of these separate entities forms a new unity and expresses a
new vision of the world Jas Elsner (2004) discusses the term in the context of the
visual arts but it can also be applied to literature
Poikil0a jeweled style and cumulative aesthetic are free of the charge of
anachronism They are related each of them covering several aspects of Late
Antique art and literature but not all In my opinion the term lsquobaroquersquo serves a
different purpose it can indicate generally the kind of expressive possibilities chosen
by an author provided that this sketchy characterization is subsequently elaborated
in order to lend the term lsquobaroquersquo a more specific significance especially by
comparing it to the lsquoBaroquersquo
The term lsquobaroquersquo as a general indication for Nonnusrsquo style invited me to com-
pare lsquobaroquersquo Nonnus with lsquoBaroque Marinorsquo I picked up the Tesaurorsquos telescope
to zoom in on metaphor and to study the lsquoqueen of figuresrsquo from close up Nonnusrsquo
metaphors clearly appealed to the poetic creativity of Marino There is much aes-
thetic affinity between the stylistic norms they adopted when composing metaphors
They use comparable expressive possibilities to articulate their vision of the world
even if these worlds are very different and even if the lsquomost Baroque of baroque
poetsrsquo goes one step further than Nonnus Zooming out again I conclude two things
Nonnusrsquo style on the basis of his own proemium See for example Lindsay (1965 379ndash
84) String (1966 33ndash70) Vian (1976 9ndash10) Gonzalez Senmartı (1981) Hopkinson
(1994) Whitby (1994 101 112 116) Agosti (1997) Shorrock (2001) Miguelez-
Cavero (2008 139ndash45 162ndash68) Hernandez de la Fuente (2011) As a poetical qualifica-
tion poikil0a is already present in Pindar see Nunlist (1998 118) For poikil0avarietas
in epideictic rhetoric of the Imperial Period see Pernot (1993 337)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
22 of 25
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Dow
nloaded from
if not pinned down as a strictly historical category the term lsquobaroquersquo can to a
certain extent be applied to Nonnus and above all can invite further exploration of
the intertextual relationships between poets and be helpful in comparing artistic
norms from different periods of time Used in this way it does not replace nor is
replaced by the terms poikil0a lsquojeweled stylersquo and cumulative aesthetics but is a
stimulating tool to bring to light similarities and differences in poetic creativity not
only of metaphor but also of other characteristics which have been called lsquotypically
baroquersquo35 It can help to gain insight into the exact nature of a literary lsquodialogue at
distancersquo and could also prove fruitful in analysing and characterizing Marinorsquos
intertexutal relations with other authors from Antiquity
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank G Agosti M H Koenen P Lanfranchi and M Pearson for
their stimulating comments and lively discussions during the various stages of this
article as well as Jas Elsner the associate editor and the anonymous referees of
Classical Receptions Journal for their accurate and useful suggestions
References
G Agosti lsquoPoemi digressivi tardoantichi (e moderni)rsquo Compar(a)ison no 1 (1995) pp 131ndash51mdashmdash lsquoThe poikil0a of Paul the Bishoprsquo ZPE no 116 (1997) pp 31ndash38mdashmdash lsquoImmagini e poesia nella tarda antichita Per uno studio dellrsquoestetica visuale della poesia greca fra
III e IV sec d Crsquo Incontri Triestini di Filologia Classica 4 2004-2005 (2006) pp 351ndash74 Onlinesince 22 August 2006 httphdlhandlenet10077949 [accessed 4 July 2012]
S Bar Review of Miguelez-Cavero 2008 in Plekos no 12 (2010) pp 67ndash77 httpwwwplekosuni-muenchende2010r-caveropdf [accessed 4 July 2012]
E van Boven and G Dorleijn Literair Mechaniek Inleiding tot de Analyse van Verhalen en Gedichten(Bussum Coutinho 2003) esp pp 159ndash80 (lsquoBeeldspraakrsquo)
Ch Brooke-Rose A Grammar of Metaphor (London Secker amp Warburg 1958)P Cherchi lsquoPoetry Philosophy and Sciencersquo in P Brand and L Pertile (eds) The Cambridge History
of Italian Literature vol I The Seicento (Cambridge Cambridge University Press 1996)pp 301ndash17
G Chretien Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t IV chants IXndashX (Paris Les Belles Lettres1985)
G Conte La Metafora barocca Saggio sulle poetiche del Seicento (Milano Mursia 1972)E R Curtius Europaische Literatur und lateinisches Mittelalter (Bern Francke Verlag 1948)G DrsquoIppolito Studi Nonniani Lrsquoepillio nelle Dionisiache (Palermo Presso lrsquoAccademia 1964)E DrsquoOrs Du Baroque (Paris Gallimard 1935)
35 Other intertexual relations such as the ones briefly discussed by Tissoni (1998 59ndash62)
could be analysed according to the procedure of Rousset (1954) although he restricted
his method to the seventeenth-century French Baroque literature He formulated four
main criteria applicable to various seventeenth-century Baroque art forms (architecture
painting and literature) lsquoinstabilityrsquo lsquomobilityrsquo lsquometamorphosisrsquo and lsquodominance of
settingrsquo He subsequently applied these criteria to five literary instances first of all lsquoa type
of metaphorrsquo followed by lsquoa type of poemrsquo lsquoa poetic work as a wholersquo lsquoa theatrical work as
a wholersquo and lsquoa general attitudersquo ie lsquodisplayrsquo (1954 181ss)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
23 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
J Elsner lsquoLate Antique Art The Problem of the Concept and the Cumulative Aestheticrsquo in S Swainand M Edwards (eds) Approaching Late Antiquity The Transformation from Early to Late Empire(Oxford Oxford University Press 2004) pp 271ndash309
E Faral Les Arts Poetiques du XIIe et XIIIe siecle Recherches et Documents sur la Technique Litteraire duMoyen Age (Paris Champion 1962)
W Fauth Eidos Poikilon Zur Thematik der Metamorphose und zum Prinzip der Wandlung aus demGegensatz in den Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Gottingen Vandenhoeck amp Ruprecht 1981)
P Friedlander Johannes von Gaza und Paulus Silentiarius Kunstbeschreibungen Justinianischer Zeit(Leipzig Teubner 1912)
H de la Fuente lsquoThe One and the Many and the Circular Movement Neo-Platonism and Poetics inNonnus of Panopolisrsquo in Id (ed) New Perspectives on Late Antiquity (Newcastle-upon-TyneCambridge Scholars 2011)
F Gonnelli Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol II (canti XIIIndashXXIV) (Milano BibliotecaUniversale Rizzoli 2003)
V Giraudet lsquoLe rivage la presqursquoıle et le marais Espaces baroques chez Achille Tatius et Nonnos dePanopolisrsquo in R Poignault (ed) Presence du Roman grec et Latin (Clermont-Ferrand Centre deRecherches A Piganiol 2011) pp 147ndash66
Groupe m (J Dubois ea) Rhetorique generale (Paris du Seuil 1970)F Guardiani lsquoA Christological Metamorphosis in a Baroque Poemrsquo in J Goering ea (ed) Saints and
the Sacred Select Proceedings of the 3rd St Michaelrsquos College Annual Symposium (Feb 25-26 2000)(Ottawa Legas 2001) pp 185ndash95
A C Hagedorn (ed) Perspectives on the Song of Songs (Berlin De Gruyter 2005)F Hallyn Formes metaphoriques dans la poesie lyrique de lrsquoage baroque en France (Geneve Droz 1975)H Hatzfeld lsquoThe Baroque from the Viewpoint of the Literary Historianrsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art
Criticism 142 Second Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1955) 156ndash64N Hopkinson (ed) Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society
1994)R Huyghe lsquoLa seve du baroquersquo Baroque [online] no 4 (1969) Online since 3 May 2012 http
baroquerevuesorg304 [accessed 22 January 2013]K Jax Die weibliche Schonheit in der griechischen Dichtung (Innsbruck Wagner 1933)R Keydell lsquoNonnosrsquo in Th Klauser (ed) Reallexikon fur Antike und Christentum vol XVII
(Stuttgart Hiersemann 1936) vol XVII pp 902ndash20G Lakoff Metaphors We Live By (Chicago University of Chicago Press 1980)G Lakoff and M Turner More Than Cool Reason A Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor (Chicago
University of Chicago Press 1989)L R Lind lsquoNonnos and His Readersrsquo Res Publica Litterarum (1978) 159ndash70J Lindsay Leisure and Pleasure in Roman Egypt (London Muller 1965)V De Malde Giovan Battista Marino La Sampogna (Parma Fondazione Pietro Bembo Ugo Guanda
Editore 1993)A Martini Letteratura Italiana Le Opere Vol II Dal Cinquecento al Settecento A Asor Rosa (ed)
(Turin Einaudi 1993) pp 777ndash97R T Matthews and F DeWitt Platt The Western Humanities (Boston McGraw-Hill 2004)L Miguelez-Cavero Poems in Context Greek Poetry in the Egyptian Thebaid 200-600 AD (Berlin De
Gruyter 2008)R F Newbold lsquoMimesis and Illusion in Nonnus Deceit Distrust and the Search for Meaningrsquo
Helios 37 no 1 (2010) pp 81ndash106R Nunlist Poetologische Bildersprache in der fruhgriechischen Dichtung (Stuttgart Teubner 1998)G F Pasini lsquoDalla comparazione alla metaforarsquo Lingua e Stile 7 no 3 (1972) pp 441ndash69L Pernot La rhetorique de lrsquoeloge dans le monde greco-romain vol I (Paris Institut drsquoEtudes
Augustiennes 1993)S N Peters lsquoMetaphor and lsquolsquoMaravigliarsquorsquo Tradition and Innovation in the Adone of GB Marinorsquo
Lingua e Stile 7 no 2 (1972) pp 321ndash41D G Piccardi Metafora e Poetica in Nonno di Panopoli (Florence Universite degli Studi di Firenze
1985)mdashmdash Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol I (canti IndashXII) (Milano Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli
2003)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
24 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
G Pozzi Giovan Battista Marino vol II LrsquoAdone (Milano Mondadori 1976)mdashmdash lsquoIl ritratto della donna nella poesia drsquoinizio Cinquecento e la pittura di Giorgionersquo Lettere Italiane
311 gennaio-marzo (1979) pp 3ndash30mdashmdash lsquoTemi t0poi stereotipirsquo in A Asor Rosa (ed) Letteratura italiana III Le forme del testo I
Teoria e poesia (Torino Einaudi 1984) pp 391ndash436I A Richards The Philosophy of Rhetoric (New York Oxford University Press 1936)M Riemschneider lsquoDer Stil des Nonnosrsquo Berliner byzantinistische Arbeiten no 5 (1957) pp 46ndash70M Roberts The Jeweled Style Poetry and Poetics in Late Antiquity (Ithaca and London Cornell
University Press 1989)W H D Rouse Nonnus Dionysiaca (Cambridge MA Harvard University Press 1940)J Rousset La litterature de lrsquoage baroque en France Circe et le paon (Paris Corti 1954)E Russo lsquoSul barocco letterario in Italia Giudizi revisioni distinzionirsquo Les Dossiers du Grihl [Online]
2012-02 j 2012 Online since 25 June 2012 httpdossiersgrihlrevuesorg5223 [accessed 4 March2013]
A G Senmartı lsquoLa lsquolsquopoikiliarsquorsquo como principio estilıstico de las Dionisıacas de Nonorsquo AFB no 7(1981) pp 101ndash07
R Shorrock The Challenge of Epic Allusive Engagement in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Leiden Brill2001)
mdashmdash lsquoNonnusrsquo in J Foley (ed) A Companion to Ancient Epic (Oxford Wiley-Blackwell 2005)pp 374ndash85
mdashmdash The Myth of Paganism Nonnus Dionysus and the World of Late Antiquity (London BristolClassical Press 2011)
G Steen lsquoMetaphor and Stylersquo in P Stockwell and S Whiteley (eds) The Cambridge Handbook ofStylistics (Cambridge Cambridge University Press forthcoming 2014)
M String Untersuchungen zum Stil der Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Hamburg sn (disserta-tion) 1966)
E Tesauro Il Cannocchiale Aristotelico (Venice Baglioni 1654ndash70)F Tissoni Nonno di Panopoli I Canti di Penteo (Dionisiache 44ndash46) Commento (Florence La Nuova
Italia Editrice 1998)F Vian Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t I chants IndashII (Paris Les Belles Lettres 1976)R Wellek lsquoThe Concept of Baroque in Literary Scholarshiprsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism
52 Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1946) pp 77ndash109M Whitby lsquoFrom Moschus to Nonnus The Evolution of the Nonnian Stylersquo in N Hopkinson (ed)
Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society 1994) pp 99ndash155A Wifstrand Von Kallimachos zu Nonnos Metrisch-stilistische Untersuchungen zur spateren griechischen
Epik und zu verwandten Gedichtgattungen (Lund Gleerup 1933)H Wolfflin Renaissance und Barock Eine Untersuchung uber Wesen und Entstehung des Barockstils in
Italien (Munich T Ackermann 1888)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
25 of 25
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ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
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a boar sent by his rival Mars In canto 19 four divinities mdash Ceres Bacchus Thetis
and Apollo mdash try to console Venus by relating stories of six other youths who met an
untimely death Hyacintus (25ndash62) Pampino (63ndash123) Acis (124ndash232) Calamus
and Carpus (233ndash51) Leander (252ndash92) and Achilles (293ndash325) Eventually after
his funeral Adonisrsquo heart is turned into a red anemone The poem ends with funeral
games in honour of Adonis The story line of the Adone like that of the Dionysiaca is
complicated it is constantly interrupted by digressions descriptions repetitions
unexpected turns and irregular symmetries Metamorphosis is one of its main
motifs Another recurrent motif is that of lsquosmoderato piacer che termina in
dogliarsquo (lsquoboundless joy ending in sorrowrsquo Adone 1 10 8) References to Nonnus
can be found especially in cantos 18 and 19 (Adone 18 193ndash208 Amorrsquos quest on
Earth cf Dion 33 57ndash142 Adone 19 65ndash123 the Pampinus episode cf Dion 10
189ndash93 11 194ndash483 12 117ndash37 and 138ndash397 the Ampelus episode Adone 19
235ndash51 the Calamus and Carpus episode cf Dion 11 370ndash481 Eros tries to con-
sole Bacchus in the same manner)
The passage to be discussed in this article is taken from the story of Pampino It is
modelled upon Nonnusrsquo story of Ampelus in Dion 10ndash12 but reduced to four major
moments the first meeting the love-affair Pampinorsquos death and his
metamorphosis
Baroque metaphor
For Aristotle simile and metaphor belong to the same category a simile (2kTHORNn) is
seen as an extended metaphor and a metaphor (mtarsquoor0) as an abbreviated simile
when Homer says of Achilles lsquo3rdquo d l wn p0rousnrsquo (lsquohe jumped forward like a
lionrsquo) he uses a simile (with the comparative adverb 3rdquo) and when he says of
Achilles lsquol wn p0rousnrsquo (lsquothe lion jumped forwardrsquo) he uses a metaphor
(Rhet III 1406b20ndash23) According to Aristotle metaphor is a more intelligent
device than simile because while a simile is explicit metaphor is an invitation to
reflection The proof of the creative intelligence of a poet lies in the ability to see
similarities and turn them into metaphors He distinguishes four types of meta-
phors that is from genus to species from species to genus from species to species
and from analogy He warns several times against far-fetched metaphors as being too
poetic for prose or lacking clarity In rhetorical treatises of later periods in Antiquity
metaphor is usually considered a typically poetical stylistic device not to be used too
often in prose following Aristotle (Poet 22 7ndash17 Rhet III 1405a3ndashb19
1406b5ndash07a19 see also Top I 17)
One finds a positive attitude towards metaphor similar to Aristotlersquos in the
Italian Baroque period Meraviglia mdash marvel mdash caused by the use of dazzling
metaphors became a key aesthetic concept15 Producing this kind of metaphors
15 For a short and clear discussion of Italian baroque literature including the concepts of
meraviglia concetto acutezza and ingegno see Cherchi (1996) For more extensive stu-
dies on the baroque metaphor see Conte (1972) for Italian Baroque and Peters (1972) for
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
7 of 25
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nloaded from
involved using new themes (including objects from everyday life such as the hour-
glass) and expressing them in innovative ways (called concetti and acutezze) Many
baroque poets pushed the creation of extravagant metaphors to the limit According
to some Marino was one of them but according to others he was quite moderate
One of the most important contemporary theorists of metaphor Emmanuele
Tesauro expands the four types of metaphor proposed by Aristotle into eight
types In the chapter on lsquoMetaphorrsquo of his aesthetical treatise The Aristotelian
Telescope (1654ndash70 267) he writes that metaphor (which he calls lsquothe queen of
figuresrsquo) transforms immediate reality offering lsquoto the mind of the listener in
just one word the sight of a whole theatre of marvelsrsquo (lsquoun pien teatro di meravi-
gliersquo) The more distant and unexpected the similarities between tenor and vehicle16
of a metaphor the greater the wonder of the reader and the more laudable the ability
(ingegno) of the poet The baroque poet operates like a telescope drawing
together remote notions belonging to distant realities Ideas about the relation be-
tween tenor and vehicle changed Peters (1972 325ndash26) states that during the
Renaissance
the conceptual metaphor was bound to a system of knowledge which pointed to immut-
able relationships Tesaurorsquos metaphor instead reveals relationships which are quite arbi-
trary and not related to the level of intellectual truth For in the earlier tradition it was the
words which uncovered the conceptual idea given in the metaphor whereas with
Tesauro the implication is that the metaphor itself creates a kind of reality and imposes it
on the word
Baroque metaphors no longer uncover a system of relations of unchangeable
correspondences expressing the stability embodied in creation Instead the baroque
ingegno accumulates series of unexpected sensual images consonant with the
instability and fluidity of the world In his Metafora barocca Conte (1972 40)
distinguishes one special type of baroque metaphor it is characterized by the
extension of the absence of the tenor and by the lateral ramification of the meaning
of the vehicle17 He illustrates this with the following verses of the Italian Baroque
poet and follower of Marino Francesco de Lemene (1634ndash1704) De Lemene
comparing a womanrsquos breasts with lilies and her lips with roses invites the bees
metaphors in the Adone Compare also the important study of Rousset (1954 185ndash89)
and Hallyn (1975) for metaphors in French Baroque literature
16 Originally coined by IA Richards (1936) these terms are still widely used in metaphor
studies In Saussurian terms tenor is the signified and vehicle the signifier see section lsquoA
set of practical tools for analysisrsquo below
17 lsquoLa Metafora barocca e caratterizzata dal prolungamento dellrsquoassenza del segno virtuale e
dalla diramazione laterale del significato del segno presentersquo To avoid confusion I trans-
late lsquosegno virtualersquo as tenor and lsquosegno presentersquo as vehicle
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to come lsquodrainrsquo (lsquosvenarersquo which means literally lsquoto cut someonersquos veinsrsquo lsquoto bleed
someone dryrsquo)
ite volate
a quel labbro a quel seno api ingegnose
per fabricar dolcezze ite svenate
di quel sen di quel labbro e gigli e rose
come fly
to this lip to this breast clever beesto make sweetness come drain
the lilies and roses of that breast that lip
Part of this metaphor is traditional belonging to the canon of beauty developed from
the Middle Ages to the Renaissance (the colour of) the womanrsquos breast is like lilies
(white) and that of her lip like roses (red)18 But the metaphor is pushed one step
further (and here begins a baroque novelty) the vehicle (the flowers) is amplified by
the summoning of the bees from the realm of associations of the tenor They are
invited to participate actively in the illusion The vehicle of the metaphor is given life
and motion as it were and whirls around itself in a figurative play a literary trompelrsquoœil This kind of extreme metaphor shows that the relation between vehicle and
tenor which had been stable during the Renaissance began to destabilize during the
Baroque the distance between the two increased and the vehicle became auto-
referential vehicles themselves referred to further vehicles instead of to tenors
A set of practical tools for analysis
Much more can of course be said on theories of baroque metaphor but the proposed
method of this article is to make a factual comparison between two passages of Nonnus
and Marino I will briefly present two modern models of metaphor that will both serve
as practical tools for analysis First a linguistic model for which I chose the model
presented by Pasini (1972) not because it is particularly innovative but because it offers
a clear insight into the gradual differences between simile and metaphor at the level of
expression in language19 And secondly a conceptual model as proposed by Lakoff
(1980) and Lakoff and Turner (1989) and further developed by Steen (forthcoming)
because their point of departure is the concepts that lie behind linguistic expressions
Lakoff (1980) and Lakoff and Turner (1989) conceived their theory as a reaction to the
traditional approach of metaphor as a rhetorical device showing that metaphors are
omnipresent in everyday life and language and work conventionally automatically and
unconsciously Steen (forthcoming) distinguishes between a communicational (delib-
erate versus non-deliberate) conceptual (conventional versus novel) and linguistic level
18 More on the canon of beauty follows in section lsquoTwo beautiful satyr boysrsquo below
19 In addition to Pasini I used from the huge amount of literature on metaphor Brooke-
Rose (1958) and Van Boven and Dorleijn (2003)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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Dow
nloaded from
of metaphor introducing by the backdoor literary metaphor (belonging to the cat-
egory of deliberate metaphor) in Conceptual Metaphor Theory
The literary function of a metaphor does not just reside in the underlying cross-domain
comparison that is the basis of every metaphor Metaphor in poetry is often multi-layered
with many relations to other aspects of the text and its language which makes it strongly
dependent on all sorts of other information throughout the poem and the knowledge it
assumes All of this may be seen as highly typical of the use of metaphor in poetry
Pasini (1972) discerns four linguistic stages between simile on the one hand and
metaphor on the other hand ranging from a closed to an open message Each stage
can be explained by an example a description and a diagrammatic representation20
His cheeks are fresh like roses
This simile with the comparative adverb lsquolikersquo as an indicator includes a tenor
(cheeks A) a vehicle (roses B) and a ground (or tertium comparationis fresh C) It
is a closed construction leaving no space for the imagination of the reader This kind
of comparison is judged the most rational of the four stages because it is the most
specific and requires no leap of imaginative intellect to understand the ground on
which the comparison is made
His cheeks are like roses
This comparison with indicator (like) tenor (cheeks A) and a vehicle (roses B) does
not contain a ground (C) In this case the reader has to supply one or more of the
characteristics of the rose (freshness or red colour or sweet perfume etc) by
generalization and add this information on his own account to the comparison
This type one step closer to metaphors of type (3) and (4) is called by some a
lsquometaphorical comparisonrsquo the process of supplying by generalization is already
present but the process of identification is still absent
20 I thank Jaap Fokkema (VU University) for drawing the four figures after Pasini (1972) who
in his turn is inspired by the Rhetorique Generale (Paris 1970) of the French lsquoGroupe mrsquo
E M V A N O P S T A L L
10 of 25
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a His cheeks are roses
b The roses of his cheeks
This is a metaphor in praesentia it has a tenor (cheeks A) and a vehicle (roses B) but
being a metaphor it lacks both indicator and ground (C) In example (3a) the verb lsquoto
bersquo functions as a link and identifies the vehicle and the tenor with each other (in
French this use of the verb lsquoto bersquo is called lsquolrsquoest drsquoequivalencersquo)
On his face two roses
This is a metaphor in absentia in which the indicator the ground (C) as well as the
tenor (A) are absent and have to be supplied by the imagination of the reader The
vehicle lsquorosesrsquo refers not only to the concept of lsquorosesrsquo but also metaphorically to the
concept of lsquocheeksrsquo This kind of metaphor is the least rationalizing (the lsquoto bersquo of
example (3a) can still be considered a lsquorationalizingrsquo element) and the most open (the
reader has to generalize and to supply)
Lakoff presents a conceptual theory of everyday metaphor in Metaphors We LiveBy (1980) which is the basis of the study of poetical metaphor by Lakoff and Turner
in More Than Cool Reason a Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor (1989) He maintains
that the locus of metaphor is not in language (compare figure 4 below the line) but in
the way we conceptualize one mental domain in terms of another (compare figure 4
above the line) Metaphors make use of cross-domain conceptual mappings and are
cast in individual linguistic expressions21 In this theory the tenor is a linguistic
expression that belongs to the so-called target domain and the vehicle is a linguistic
expression that belongs to a so-called source domain The set of ontological corres-
pondences between these two domains can be represented in a mapping To give an
example a conceptual mapping of Pasinirsquos above-mentioned four types would look
like the following
People (target domain) plants (source domain)
youth corresponds to flowering
young person corresponds to blossoming rose
21 Interestingly the idea of the crossing of domains has been phrased in a less theoretical
and a more poetic way by Tesauro (1654ndash70 267)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
11 of 25
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Dow
nloaded from
pink skin corresponds to red colour
young skin corresponds to freshness
aging corresponds to withering
So the tenor lsquocheeksrsquo belongs to the target domain lsquopeoplersquo and the vehicle lsquorosersquo
belongs to the source domain lsquoplantrsquo Thus while Pasinirsquos typology provides for a
formal analysis at a linguistic level Lakoffrsquos extra-linguistic concerns are centred on
a conceptual level His theory permits us to reflect on the concepts and ideas under-
lying metaphors
Two beautiful satyr boys
Ampelus
In this section I will discuss the two passages of Nonnus and Marino In Dionysiaca
10 175ndash92 the external narrator introduces the young Ampelus future lover of
Dionysus for the first time (as explained in paragraph II) He describes him as
follows
175 ka0 pot qhr0wn 3p1 oslashwg0da d0skion 4lhrdquo
6likordquo 2iq oio oslashodTHORNpidi q lgto morrsquoI
4dh g1r Frug0hrdquo 3p1 dir0da koNrordquo 2q0rwn
Amplordquo 2 xhto notrrsquo rdquo ernordquo ErTHORNtwn
o2d o3 3br1rdquo 4oulordquo ruqom noio gn0ou
180 4cnoa cion hrdquo car0ssto k0kla pariPrdquo
6bhrdquo cr0son 4nqordquo 2pisqop0roio d ca0thrdquo
b0trurdquo 3lik0ntrdquo prsquo 2rgursquo wn q on Œmwn
2plk rdquo ligurN d sunaiq0ssontrdquo 2ndasht
4sqmati koursquo0zonto parlkom nwn d kom0wn
185 2krorsquoan1rdquo 2n tll m sordquo gumno0mnordquo a2c1n
ka1 s lardquo 2k0ntiz lip0skiordquo oJ0 t l0mpi
mssorsquoan1rdquo n rsquoordquo 3gr1n 2nasc0zousa Slndashnh
ka1 st0matordquo oslashod oio ml0pnoordquo err rsquownndash
k ml wn drsquo 7lon Iar rsquoa0nto nisom nou d
190 k pod1rdquo 2rgursquo oio oslash0dwn ruqa0nto limTHORNn
2 d booglndashnwn rsquoa wn 2rsquogg i k0klN
2rsquoqalmo1rdquo l lizn 7lh sl0giz Slndashnh22
175 Once while hunting under a shady cliff of a wood
he was charmed by the rosy form of a young comrade
For under the ridge of the Phrygian hills the merry boyhad already matured Ampelus a new shoot of the gods of Love
For him no dainty bloom of a reddening chin
180 had marked the smooth circles of his snow-white cheeks
the golden flower of youth curling clusters of long hair
22 Greek text Chretien (1985) translation Rouse (1940) adapted
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ran down over his silvery-glistering shoulders
loosely and waving in the whispering wind
were lifted by its breath When the hair was blown aside
185 the bare neck appeared between just visible
and unshadowed light flashed from him just as the moon shines
half appearing when she pierces a damp cloudFrom his rosy mouth streamed a honey-breathing voice
Spring itself appeared from his limbs under the steps
190 of his silvery foot the meadow blushed with roses
and if he turned his eyes their bright iris gleaming
with the glow of a cowrsquos eye the light of the full moon shone
The satyr boy is described from head to toe (a procedure also propagated in exercises
on ekphrasis in the rhetorical handbooks of Late Antiquity see Aphthonius Prog
12) and in movement with major attention to the upper body parts the poet shows
us his cheeks (vv 179ndash81) hair shoulders neck (vv 181ndash87) mouth and voice
(v 188) moving on to his limbs and feet (vv 189ndash90) and eventually turns upwards
again towards eyes (vv 191ndash92) As often in erotic descriptions in Antiquity (espe-
cially from Hellenistic and Second Sophistic literature onwards) this passage
abounds with erotic topoi23 The setting is painted with stock images of the natural
world the shady wood the gentle breeze the flowery meadow these are all present
Everything (the satyr boy and his surroundings) is sweet young and blooming
The incredibly rich description of the effect of the different body parts ends in the
visual climax of the appearance of the moon first barely visible then half appearing
then fully visible The expressions 2krorsquoanndashrdquo (v 185) mssorsquoanndashrdquo (v 187) and 7lh
(v 192) also evoke the different stages of the cycle of the moon mdash new waxing and
full mdash intimately linked with the growth of plants in nature24
However many bucolic elements are used metaphorically the flower of youth a
rosy mouth a honey-breathing voice etc The metaphors in this description appeal
to all our senses to our eyes by the use of colours (red white golden silver) and
contrasts (brightndashdark) to our touch (his beardless cheeks) and to our ears and smell
(his honey-breathing voice) In her fascinating study of metaphors in the Dionysiaca
Daria Gigli Piccardi (1985) distinguishes in Nonnus three (archetypical) source
domains for metaphors of beauty two of which occur in this passage Firstly the
source domain lsquoflowersrsquo from individual flowers to spring meadows full of
23 The flowering youth of men around the age of their first beard the rosy mouth the
spring meadow are all common themes in Greek Hellenistic erotic literature but Nonnus
innovates by adding unusual elements (such as the neck also present in other descrip-
tions of beauty in the Dionysiaca) and particular formulations (see below) See Gigli
Piccardi (2003 700ndash703 ad vv 175ndash92) For a list of other studies on beauty in
Nonnus see Chretien (1985 142 ad vv 175ndash92)
24 Chretien (1985 144 ad v 192) and Gigli Piccardi (2003 700ndash701 ad vv 175ndash92)
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contrasting colours Secondly the source domain lsquoastral phenomenarsquo playing with
the opposition light-dark25
On a formal level we find only one simile in vv 186ndash87 introducing the theme of
the moon It belongs to Pasinirsquos type 1 (see section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo
above) unshadowed light (s lardquo lip0skiordquo tenor A) flashed (2k0ntiz ground C)
just as (oJ0 t indicator) half appearing the moon (Slndashnh vehicle B) shines (l0mpi
ground C) when she pierces a damp cloud (nrsquoordquo 3gr1n 2nasc0zousa vehicle B)
Besides this simile there are ten metaphors in praesentia (belonging to Pasinirsquos type 3)
and two metaphors in absentia (belonging to Pasinirsquos type 4) These metaphors are
expressed in a variety of ways which will be discussed below
(1) The most explicit type is the metaphor in apposition occurring very often in
Nonnus The comma after the tenor shows that we are dealing with such a metaphor
in apposition
tenor (A = noun) vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective) of X
a Amplordquo (A) notrrsquo rdquo e rnordquo (B) ErTHORNtwn (X) (v 178)
Ampelus (A) a new shoot (B) of the Loves (X)
b 3br1rdquo 4oulordquo ruqom noio gn0ou (A) 6bhrdquo (X) cr0son 4nqordquo (B) (vv 179-81)
the dainty bloom of a reddening chin (A) the golden flower (B) of youth (X)
(2) Another type of metaphor also very frequent in Nonnus links a metaphorical
adjective (vehicle) to a noun (tenor)
tenor (A = noun) thorn vehicle (B = metaphorical adjective)
a oslashodTHORNpidi (B) morrsquoI (A) (v 176) ndash rosy (B) form (A)
b cion hrdquo (B) pariPrdquo (A) (v 180) ndash snow-white (B) cheeks (A)
c 2rgursquo wn (B) Œmwn (A) (v 182) ndash silvery-glistering (B) shoulders (A)
d st0matordquo (A) oslashod oio (B) (v 188) ndash rosy (B) mouth (A)
e ml0pnoordquo (B) rsquownndash (A) (v 188) ndash a honey-breathing (B) voice (A)
f pod1rdquo (A) 2rgursquo oio (B) (v 190) ndash silvery (B) foot (A)
g booglndashnwn (B) rsquoa wn (A) (v 191) ndash cowrsquos eye (B) glow (A)
(3) In Nonnus the metaphor in absentia is restricted to the more common metaphors
of the flower domain In the following example the vehicle is a noun phrase whereas
the nature of the tenor becomes clear from the addition of a noun or noun phrase in
apposition It is to be noted that the word b0trurdquo is normally used for lsquoclusters of
vinersquo and points already to Ampelusrsquo future metamorphosis
vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective) of X (= noun thorn adjective in genitive)
a 2pisqop0roio d ca0thrdquo (X) b0trurdquo (B) 3lik0ntrdquo (vv 182-83) ndash curling clusters (B) of
long hair (A)
25 The third source domain individuated by Gigli Piccardi is that of lsquothe war of loversquo full of
contrasts between real and metaphorical weapons
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from X (= preposition thorn noun) appears vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective)
b k ml wn (A) 7lon Iar (B) rsquoa0nto (v 189)
From his limbs (A) spring itself (B) appeared
(4) As Gigli Piccardi (1985 70) already noticed Nonnus invented his own extended
metaphorical formula lsquoan autonomous linguistic constellationrsquo lsquowhen X becomes
visible Y appearsrsquo (sometimes followed by a comparison) Whereas the theme of the
moon is introduced by a comparison in vv 186ndash87 it is closed in vv 191ndash92 by such
a lsquoNonnianrsquo metaphor
2 d booglndashnwn rsquoa wn 2rsquogg i k0klN 2rsquoqalmo1rdquo l lizn (X) 7lh sl0giz Slndashnh (Y)
and if he turned his eyes with their bright iris gleaming with a cowrsquos eye glow (X) the light of the
full moon shone (Y)
The large number of metaphors cast in many different forms results in a descrip-
tion that is far from literal The blooming satyr boy and the blooming spring mingle
both being connected to the three phases of the moon Ampelus almost becomes
Bacchic nature himself His first meeting with the God already contains the promise
of his own future metamorphosis the expression b0trurdquo as noticed above being
one of its most explicit indicators26 The golden flower of youth not only contains
life but also death and resurrection Thus the totality of the metaphors expresses
perpetual change
Pampino
As we have seen in section lsquoBaroque metaphorrsquo the story of Pampino belongs to a set
of love-stories told by the gods to Venus as a consolation after the death of her lover
Adonis In Adone 19 ott 66ndash67 the god Dionysus describes the beautiful Pampino
ott 66 La bella fronte gli adorno Natura
di gentil maesta drsquoaria celeste
Dolce color di fragola matura
4 gli facea rosseggiar le guance oneste
Nela bocca ridea la grana pura
tra schiette perle in doppio fil conteste
ne quivi avea la rosa purpurina
8 prodotta ancor la sua dorata spina
ott 67 La notte tenebrosa il ciel turbato
si rischiarava dersquo begli occhi al lume
Il vago piede imporporava il prato
4 la bianca mano innargentava il fiume
Qualor lievrsquoaura con soave fiato
confondendogli il crin scotea le piume
26 See also Gigli Piccardi (1985 69) and (2003 700ndash1 ad vv 175ndash92)
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parea sparso su rsquol collo il bel tesoro
8 sovra un colle drsquoavorio un bosco drsquooro
ott 66 His beautiful forehead Nature adorned
with refined nobility with heavenly looks
The sweet colour of ripe strawberries4 painted his honest cheeks red
In his mouth pure pomegranate laughed
set between real pearls in a double row
There the purple rose had not
8 yet produced her golden thorns
ott 67 The shady night the darkened sky
brightened at the light of his beautiful eyesHis yearning foot turned the meadow purple
4 his white hand turned the river silver
When a gentle breeze with its soft breath
playing with his hair shook his feathers
on his neck the beautiful treasure seemed to spread out
8 on an ivory hill a forest of gold
This description of Pampino owes much to Nonnusrsquo description of Ampelus but is
at the same time different Since Marino uses and plays with the Renaissance canon
of beauty I will discuss this canon briefly in order to gain a better understanding of
the Pampino passage
The topos of beauty began to acquire fixed rules during the Middle Ages and was
completely canonized by the Renaissance27 From the Middle Ages onwards two
types of canon for feminine beauty were developed the short and the long canon
The short canon (used by Petrarch) focuses on the face mentioning hair eyes
mouth and cheeks Hand and breast are briefly referred to forehead and neck are
seldom included The long canon (used by Boccaccio and Ariosto) adds more detail
and leads the gaze further downwards from head to toe Central features of the short
canon are splendour (light) and colour (white) whereas the long canon emphasizes
harmonious proportions (of the body)
Renaissance poets use set comparisons and oppositions such as lsquoredrsquo versus
lsquowhitersquo But within these fixed boundaries there were ample possibilities for vari-
ance One way to play with conventions was the following a poet could mention only
one element of an opposition and thereby automatically evoke its counterpart in the
27 For an overview of Greek poetry up to the Byzantine period see Jax (1933) with dis-
turbing racist emphasis on lsquodas weibliche Schonheitsideal der weiszligen Rassersquo for the
Latin Middle-Ages see Faral (1962 esp p 75 ss) Sidonius Apollinarisrsquo portrait of
Theodoric (Ep I 2 2 sixth century) is seen as the best model for descriptions of persons
by Geoffroy de Vinsauf (Poetria nova 1210 CE) for the Renaissance see Pozzi (1979 and
1984)
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mind of the audience For example if he described a hand a foot was to be imagined
by the reader when a rose was mentioned it was intended that a lily be brought to
mind etc
Favourite source domains for metaphors were in the first place flowers roses
lilies and violets for colour and evanescence secondly precious materials pearls
rubies coral and gold for colour and diamond and sapphire for splendour and
thirdly lsquoheavenly bodiesrsquo stars and the sun for splendour and movement For
special effects these elements could be combined into homogeneous or heteroge-
neous couples a lily and a rose or ivory and a rose etc
How are these images used and constructed in the present passage from
Marino Marino combines the two canons adopting the short canon for his descrip-
tion of the young man and then enumerating his several parts from head to toe He
begins with the (moral) qualities given by Nature to Pampinorsquos forehead (ott 66
1ndash2) continues with his cheeks mouth and cheeks again (ott 66 3ndash8) then turns to
his eyes (ott 67 1ndash2) to his foot and hand (ott 67 3ndash4 the foot belonging to the
long canon) and finally to his hair and neck (ott 67 5ndash8) Marino adds various
(moral) qualifications The first octave is relatively quiet drawing as it were
Pampinorsquos portrait Its three source domains for the metaphors are lsquofruitrsquo lsquoprecious
materialsrsquo lsquoflowersrsquo (pomegranate pearl rose) connected with contrasting colours
(red white and golden) and positive qualifications (beautiful refined heavenly
sweet honest pure real) The second octave is stirred by movement the
sky brightens Pampinorsquos touch turns nature into something else the playing
wind shakes hair locks spreads out It also introduces the opposition light-dark
(shady night darken brighten light) The source domains of the second octave
are lsquobucolic landscapersquo (meadow river breeze) and lsquoprecious materialsrsquo
(silver gold)
As is to be expected Marino is fond of metaphors and expresses them in
various ways But unlike Nonnus he obviously prefers metaphors in absentia
(Pasinirsquos type 4 see section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo above)
The description of Pampino includes moral and physical qualities In ott 66 3ndash4
the strawberry (lsquodolce color di fragola maturarsquo lsquothe sweet colour of ripe strawberriesrsquo)
paving the way for the source domain lsquofruitrsquo is followed by a series of metaphors
(1) There are several instances of metaphors in absentia which are intelligible when
one looks at either the direct context in which they are embedded or at the existing
Renaissance conventions
vehicle (B = noun thorn- adjective)
a la grana pura (ott 66 5) ndash pure pomegranate (sc in his mouth gt tongue)
b schiette perle (ott 66 6) ndash real pearls (sc in double row gt teeth)
c rosa purpurina (ott 66 7) ndash purple rose (sc there gt on his cheeks gt beard)
d le piume (ott 67 6) ndash feathers (of his hair gt locks of hair)
e tesoro (ott 67 7) ndash treasure (his rich hair)
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(2) To these examples two metaphorical verbs can be added
vehicle (B = verb)
a imporporava (ott 67 3) ndash turned purpleb innargentava (ott 67 4) ndash turned silver
(3) The following metaphor in absentia is qualified by a metaphorical adjective
vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective)
la sua dorata spina (ott 66 8) ndash her golden thorns (reddish-blonde bristles)
(4) Another variant are the metaphors in absentia that combine two metaphorical
expressions
vehicle (B = noun) of vehicle (B = noun)
a colle (B) drsquoavorio (B) (ott 67 8) ndash an ivory hill (of his white neck)
b un bosco (B) drsquooro (B) (ott 67 8) ndash a forest of gold (of his blond hair)
(5) Taken together two final verses of ott 67 are an example of a typical baroque
metaphor (discussed in section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo) a concatenation
of metaphorical images Ott 67 7 is elaborated in the next verse by a metaphor in
apposition on neck (tenorrsquo) the beautiful treasure (tenorrsquorsquo) on an ivory hill (vehiclersquo)a forest of gold (vehiclersquorsquo) Both vehicles are from the source domain lsquolandscapersquo (hill
forest) and continue the image of the previous bucolic description (meadow river
breeze) But at the same time the lsquotreasurersquo (tenorrsquorsquo) is already itself a metaphor (for
lsquohairrsquo) from another source domain (lsquoprecious materialsrsquo) that is elaborated by its
own two metaphorical adjectives lsquoivoryrsquo and lsquogoldrsquo from the same source domain As
we have seen with the example of Lemene the image evokes a further image
creating a kind of lsquoliterary trompe lrsquoœilrsquo
On tenor (Arsquo = noun) tenor (Arsquorsquo = noun) on vehicle (Brsquo noun thorn Brsquorsquo adjec) vehiclersquorsquo
(Brsquorsquo noun thorn Brsquorsquo adjec)
su rsquol collo (Arsquo) il bel tesoro (Arsquorsquo) sovra un colle drsquoavorio (Brsquothorn Brsquorsquo) un bosco drsquooro (Brsquorsquothorn Brsquorsquo)
Some intertextual notes
Apart from the topoi shared by Nonnus and Marino it is easy to see that several of
Marinorsquos verses in ott 67 are closely modelled on Nonnus of course in Lubinrsquos
translation (ed 1606)28 Marino ott 67 1ndash2 (darkness flees before Pampinorsquos eyes)
28 175 Et aliquanto venans sub petra umbrosa sylvae Aequalis iuvenis rosea delectabatur
forma Nunc etenim Phrygiae sub colle puer ludens Ampelus crescebat nuper
enutritus ramus amorum Neque ipsi mollis lanugo rubentis menti 180 Imberbes
nivea signaverat circulos maxilla Iuventae aureum florem In tergum reiectarum vero
comarum Racemi flexuosi super splendidis currebant humeris Non complicati Suavi
vero una concitati cum aura Flatu elevabantur Retractis vero comis 185 In
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combines Nonnus vv 186ndash87 (Ampelusrsquo neck is like the moon shining though
clouds) and vv 191ndash92 (when Ampelus looks the moon shines) Marino ott 67
3ndash4 (Pampinorsquos foot and hand transform meadow and river) is like Nonnus vv
189ndash90 (Ampelusrsquo limbsfoot elicit spring and flowers in the meadow) Marino
ott 67 5ndash6 (the wind playing with Pampinorsquos hair and showing his neck) is similar
to Nonnus vv 183ndash85 (the wind playing with Ampelusrsquo hair and revealing his neck)
Marino was unable to borrow Nonnusrsquo image of Ampelusrsquo foot eliciting spring
because Falkenburgrsquos text and Lubinrsquos translation present a different textual reading
from Chretienrsquos Falkenburg does not have (drsquo7lon) Iar (lsquospringrsquo) but (g1r) 5niar
which was translated as lsquoemolumentumrsquo (lsquogainrsquo) by Lubin
There are however some significant differences To describe the effect of the
Ampelusrsquo neck and eyes Nonnus introduces the image of the moon emerging through
the clouds while evoking simultaneously the moon cycle He begins with a compari-
son and continues with a metaphor spread out over eight verses To describe the
instant effect of Pampinorsquos eyes Marino (or to be more precise the narrator
Dionysus) simply states a truth a hyperbolic truth the light of Pampinorsquos eyes illu-
minates darkness To describe the effect of the neck of the satyr boy he introduces the
landscape and treasure metaphor The importance of the neck seems to point towards
another intertext the description of feminine beauty in the Song of Songs29 The lovers
in the Song of Songs describe each other in metaphorical terms their eyes hair teeth
lips voice cheeks neck breast and overall fairness etc (he in 4 she in 5 10ndash16 he
again in 6 4ndash7 and 7 1ndash9) Among the many source domains in the Song of Songs
lsquofruitrsquo lsquoastral phenomenarsquo and lsquoprecious materialsrsquo are present too To give some
examples her temples are pomegranates (4 3) his arms are rods of gold set with topaz
(5 14) she appears like the dawn the moon the sun the stars (6 10) and last but not
least her neck is an ivory tower (7 4)30 Elsewhere in the Adone (as often in Italian
Baroque poetry) Christian imagery is also clearly present31
summitate apparens oriebatur media nudata cervix Et fulgorem eiaculabatur umbram
relinquens qualia lucet In medio apparens nubem humidam perrumpens Luna Et
oris rosei mel spirans (Lectius 1606 lsquospiansrsquo instead of lsquospiransrsquo) fluebat oratio Ex
membris enim emolumentum (Falkenburg reads g1r 5niar lsquogainrsquo where Chretien has
drsquo7lon Iar) apparebat Cum iret vero 190 Ex pede argenteo pedum (Falkenburg reads
2rgur oio pod8n instead of Chretienrsquos 2rgursquo oio oslashod8n) rubebat pratum Cum vero
faciei bovinae ventorum (Falkenburg has 2n mwn instead of Chretienrsquos rsquoa wn Lectius
1606 has lsquobavinaersquo for lsquobovinaersquo) illustri circulo Oculos circumvertisset tota resplen-
debat Luna
29 Parallels between the Song of Songs and Greek love poetry are already present in Greek
poetry from Antiquity see various articles in Hagedorn (2005)
30 Paradoxically Marino is closer to the Hebrew original (that he was unable to read) than
to the Latin translation of the Vulgate (which he must have used) the Vulgate turns most
of the original metaphors into similes with the indicator lsquosicutrsquo
31 For example the suggested parallel between Adone and Christ condemned by the
Inquisition a nymph acting as Judas revealing Adonersquos hiding place and committing
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Marino changes some of Nonnusrsquo explicit (rationalizing see Pasini section lsquoA set
of practical tools for analysisrsquo) images into more implicit (open see Pasini section
lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo) ones evoking a concatenation of associations
The image of Ampelusrsquo silvery footstep (Greek 2rguroioLatin argenteo) that
turned the meadow red with roses is adapted to Marinorsquos own time Pampinorsquos
foot is no longer silvery but lsquovagorsquo (a reminiscence of Petrarcarsquos lsquovago piersquo)32 and it
still turns the meadow purple but the reader has to supply the exact nature of the
purple (eg purple gt flower gt rose) Since in the Renaissance canon lsquofootrsquo evokes
lsquohandrsquo and since the colour lsquopurplersquo evokes the contrast lsquowhitersquo Pampinorsquos foot and
the purple meadow in ott 67 3 lead lsquospontaneouslyrsquo to lsquohis white handrsquo in ott 67 4
Finally Nonnusrsquo lsquosilveryrsquo is not lost but transformed into the metaphorical verb
lsquoturned into silverrsquo (an interesting invention to provoke a new contrast in the readerrsquos
mind because the story is situated in Phrygia with its proverbially gold-gleaming
river Pactolus)33
What can we conclude on the basis of the similarities and differences in the
passages of Nonnus and Marino about their use of metaphor
First it is evident that Nonnus and Marino are equally fond of metaphors
Nonnusrsquo eighteen verses contain twelve metaphors and one comparison Marinorsquo
sixteen verses contain twelve metaphors On a quantitative level the abundant and
cumulative use of metaphors by Nonnus could be called lsquobaroquersquo
Secondly we have seen that on a conceptual level Nonnus and Marino share some
characteristics but not all Both poets work with the contrasting couples red-white
and light-dark and use the source domain lsquoflowerrsquo But the more traditional source
domains lsquoprecious materialsrsquo and lsquofruitrsquo inherited by Marino from the Renaissance
canon of beauty are barely or not at all present in Nonnus at least not in this passage
Thirdly at the linguistic level Nonnus and Marino clearly employ different
kinds and complexities of metaphor Nonnus on the one hand uses a concatenation
of metaphors in praesentia crowned by his personal metaphorical formula in which
the appearance of the tenor simultaneously evokes the vehicle Linguistically speak-
ing the relation between tenor and vehicle remains visible and controllable
suicide Venus crying over Adonersquos body as Mary did over Jesusrsquo body Adone is not
wounded in his thigh as in Greek mythology but in his side See also Guardiani (2001)
and Gonnelli (2003 29ndash30 on pagan and Christian syncretism in Nonnusrsquo Paraphrasis
and Marinorsquos Adone) The last motif recurs in the fresco lsquoLa Morte di Adonersquo by Luca
Giordano (1682ndash85) Palazzo Medici-Riccardi Florence It is reminiscent of the parallel
between Dionysus and Christ also expressed in various mosaics for example in a Roman
mosaic depicting Dionysusrsquo discovery of Ariadne on Naxos (Syria 3rd-4th cent Miho
Museum Kyoto Japan cat NA) where Dionysus not only has a nimbus but also a
wound in his sidebreast (a later addition) (I thank Berenice Verhelst for pointing out
this mosaic to me)
32 For this intricate Renaissance style word play see Pozzi (1976) ad loc
33 See Nonn Dion 11 17ndash55 for the swimming contest with Dionysus and Ampelus and
the effect on the satyr boy of the golden water of the river Pactolus
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(lsquorationalrsquo lsquoclosedrsquo) Marino on the other hand prefers metaphors in absentia
opening the associative distance between vehicle and tenor to a maximum He uses
the auto-referential metaphor that is so typical of Baroque poetry Marinorsquos method
reflects instability the arbitrariness of the relation between tenor and vehicle seems to
express the absence of a shared and well-organized world with absolute values As
Conte (1972 37) puts it lsquoconfronted by a reality (human social politic cultural) in
crisis the baroque word denounces the prerogative of the word it speaks almost
exclusively of itself but speaking of itself it imitates takes possession of exorcizes
and even organizes the crisisrsquo Therefore on a linguistic level there seems to be more
method in Nonnusrsquo madness than in Marinorsquos
Finally what about the overall effect of the metaphors they use in their respective
descriptions Nonnus and Marino both describe beautiful beardless satyr boys
caught in a fleeting moment of radiant movement in an eroticizing bucolic setting
They put equal emphasis on the beauty and the fragility of youth and on the satyr
boyrsquos impact on the nature surrounding him As we have seen Nonnusrsquo metaphors
make Ampelus progressively intermingle with nature announcing the satyr boyrsquos
metamorphosis Even though they are classified as more lsquorationalrsquo on a linguistic
level (see Pasini) their effect is impressively irrational and open Just as Marinorsquos
metaphors they are constantly related to metamorphosis expressing change and
instability These are typical features of the Baroque that also explain at least partly
Marinorsquos affiliation with Nonnus
Conclusion
To return to the initial question of this article do we need the term lsquobaroquersquo to
characterize Nonnusrsquo poetry We have seen that the use of lsquobaroquersquo for other
periods than the seventeenth-century Baroque has met with positive and negative
reactions being found either too restricted or too broad and that the term lsquobaroquersquo
is often used for Nonnusrsquo Dionysiaca in an impressionistic way to indicate that his
aesthetics deviate from the lsquoclassicalrsquo Used in this sense lsquobaroquersquo can suggest
openness expansion abundance accumulation asymmetry moving musicality
optical illusion and the absence of a vanishing point as opposed to lsquoclassicalrsquo
with its connotation of contours closed nature unity harmony symmetry archi-
tectural fixity and converging perspectives Many of these tendencies known from
the historical Baroque are visible in Late Antique poetry
What about the other qualifications at hand such as poik0lordquo lsquojeweledrsquo and
lsquocumulativersquo Can they replace the term lsquobaroquersquo The first poikil0a is intimately
linked with Nonnusrsquo own poetics as becomes immediately clear from his prologue
where it refers to variety and polymorphism in the poem as a whole The poet wishes
that lsquoProteus of the many turnsrsquo the god of endless transformation lsquomay appear in
all his diversity of shapes since I twang my harp to a diversity of songsrsquo34 It is
34 Nonn Dion I 15 5rsquora rsquoan0h poik0lon Idordquo ecwn 7ti poik0lon 4mnon 2r0ssw (transl
Rouse 1940) The term poik0lordquo has been used very frequently by scholars to describe
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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nloaded from
applied to Late Antique literature as well as to art works both art forms being
intimately linked during this period Gianfranco Agosti (1997 34ndash35 see also
2006 361ss) expands its use understanding it lsquonot only as stylistic varietas but
above all as a code intended to characterize reality The concept of poikil0a goes
far beyond mere rhetorical or stylistic boundaries and becomes a peculiar way of
viewing realityrsquo When used in this way as a psychological category applied to the
relation between word and image it becomes a hermeneutic tool to explore Late
Antique world views
The second expression lsquojeweled stylersquo is used for Late Antique writers and
artists who place their words and phrases or their gems and colours in geometric
patterns The aim of these patterns is to create a symbolic unity which is considered
more important than linear narrative sequences in literature and realism in the visual
arts The term has been coined by Michael Roberts (1989) for the aesthetics of Latin
poetry from Late Antiquity (Ausonius Prudentius Claudian Sidonius etc) but
can be applied mutatis mutandis to Greek literature from the same period
The third expression lsquocumulative aestheticrsquo describes a similar attitude in Late
Antique art characterized by a particular attention to detail (lsquoexquisite miniatur-
izationrsquo) and by a preference for the re-use of precious elements from the past
(spolia) The sum of these separate entities forms a new unity and expresses a
new vision of the world Jas Elsner (2004) discusses the term in the context of the
visual arts but it can also be applied to literature
Poikil0a jeweled style and cumulative aesthetic are free of the charge of
anachronism They are related each of them covering several aspects of Late
Antique art and literature but not all In my opinion the term lsquobaroquersquo serves a
different purpose it can indicate generally the kind of expressive possibilities chosen
by an author provided that this sketchy characterization is subsequently elaborated
in order to lend the term lsquobaroquersquo a more specific significance especially by
comparing it to the lsquoBaroquersquo
The term lsquobaroquersquo as a general indication for Nonnusrsquo style invited me to com-
pare lsquobaroquersquo Nonnus with lsquoBaroque Marinorsquo I picked up the Tesaurorsquos telescope
to zoom in on metaphor and to study the lsquoqueen of figuresrsquo from close up Nonnusrsquo
metaphors clearly appealed to the poetic creativity of Marino There is much aes-
thetic affinity between the stylistic norms they adopted when composing metaphors
They use comparable expressive possibilities to articulate their vision of the world
even if these worlds are very different and even if the lsquomost Baroque of baroque
poetsrsquo goes one step further than Nonnus Zooming out again I conclude two things
Nonnusrsquo style on the basis of his own proemium See for example Lindsay (1965 379ndash
84) String (1966 33ndash70) Vian (1976 9ndash10) Gonzalez Senmartı (1981) Hopkinson
(1994) Whitby (1994 101 112 116) Agosti (1997) Shorrock (2001) Miguelez-
Cavero (2008 139ndash45 162ndash68) Hernandez de la Fuente (2011) As a poetical qualifica-
tion poikil0a is already present in Pindar see Nunlist (1998 118) For poikil0avarietas
in epideictic rhetoric of the Imperial Period see Pernot (1993 337)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
22 of 25
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Dow
nloaded from
if not pinned down as a strictly historical category the term lsquobaroquersquo can to a
certain extent be applied to Nonnus and above all can invite further exploration of
the intertextual relationships between poets and be helpful in comparing artistic
norms from different periods of time Used in this way it does not replace nor is
replaced by the terms poikil0a lsquojeweled stylersquo and cumulative aesthetics but is a
stimulating tool to bring to light similarities and differences in poetic creativity not
only of metaphor but also of other characteristics which have been called lsquotypically
baroquersquo35 It can help to gain insight into the exact nature of a literary lsquodialogue at
distancersquo and could also prove fruitful in analysing and characterizing Marinorsquos
intertexutal relations with other authors from Antiquity
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank G Agosti M H Koenen P Lanfranchi and M Pearson for
their stimulating comments and lively discussions during the various stages of this
article as well as Jas Elsner the associate editor and the anonymous referees of
Classical Receptions Journal for their accurate and useful suggestions
References
G Agosti lsquoPoemi digressivi tardoantichi (e moderni)rsquo Compar(a)ison no 1 (1995) pp 131ndash51mdashmdash lsquoThe poikil0a of Paul the Bishoprsquo ZPE no 116 (1997) pp 31ndash38mdashmdash lsquoImmagini e poesia nella tarda antichita Per uno studio dellrsquoestetica visuale della poesia greca fra
III e IV sec d Crsquo Incontri Triestini di Filologia Classica 4 2004-2005 (2006) pp 351ndash74 Onlinesince 22 August 2006 httphdlhandlenet10077949 [accessed 4 July 2012]
S Bar Review of Miguelez-Cavero 2008 in Plekos no 12 (2010) pp 67ndash77 httpwwwplekosuni-muenchende2010r-caveropdf [accessed 4 July 2012]
E van Boven and G Dorleijn Literair Mechaniek Inleiding tot de Analyse van Verhalen en Gedichten(Bussum Coutinho 2003) esp pp 159ndash80 (lsquoBeeldspraakrsquo)
Ch Brooke-Rose A Grammar of Metaphor (London Secker amp Warburg 1958)P Cherchi lsquoPoetry Philosophy and Sciencersquo in P Brand and L Pertile (eds) The Cambridge History
of Italian Literature vol I The Seicento (Cambridge Cambridge University Press 1996)pp 301ndash17
G Chretien Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t IV chants IXndashX (Paris Les Belles Lettres1985)
G Conte La Metafora barocca Saggio sulle poetiche del Seicento (Milano Mursia 1972)E R Curtius Europaische Literatur und lateinisches Mittelalter (Bern Francke Verlag 1948)G DrsquoIppolito Studi Nonniani Lrsquoepillio nelle Dionisiache (Palermo Presso lrsquoAccademia 1964)E DrsquoOrs Du Baroque (Paris Gallimard 1935)
35 Other intertexual relations such as the ones briefly discussed by Tissoni (1998 59ndash62)
could be analysed according to the procedure of Rousset (1954) although he restricted
his method to the seventeenth-century French Baroque literature He formulated four
main criteria applicable to various seventeenth-century Baroque art forms (architecture
painting and literature) lsquoinstabilityrsquo lsquomobilityrsquo lsquometamorphosisrsquo and lsquodominance of
settingrsquo He subsequently applied these criteria to five literary instances first of all lsquoa type
of metaphorrsquo followed by lsquoa type of poemrsquo lsquoa poetic work as a wholersquo lsquoa theatrical work as
a wholersquo and lsquoa general attitudersquo ie lsquodisplayrsquo (1954 181ss)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
23 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
J Elsner lsquoLate Antique Art The Problem of the Concept and the Cumulative Aestheticrsquo in S Swainand M Edwards (eds) Approaching Late Antiquity The Transformation from Early to Late Empire(Oxford Oxford University Press 2004) pp 271ndash309
E Faral Les Arts Poetiques du XIIe et XIIIe siecle Recherches et Documents sur la Technique Litteraire duMoyen Age (Paris Champion 1962)
W Fauth Eidos Poikilon Zur Thematik der Metamorphose und zum Prinzip der Wandlung aus demGegensatz in den Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Gottingen Vandenhoeck amp Ruprecht 1981)
P Friedlander Johannes von Gaza und Paulus Silentiarius Kunstbeschreibungen Justinianischer Zeit(Leipzig Teubner 1912)
H de la Fuente lsquoThe One and the Many and the Circular Movement Neo-Platonism and Poetics inNonnus of Panopolisrsquo in Id (ed) New Perspectives on Late Antiquity (Newcastle-upon-TyneCambridge Scholars 2011)
F Gonnelli Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol II (canti XIIIndashXXIV) (Milano BibliotecaUniversale Rizzoli 2003)
V Giraudet lsquoLe rivage la presqursquoıle et le marais Espaces baroques chez Achille Tatius et Nonnos dePanopolisrsquo in R Poignault (ed) Presence du Roman grec et Latin (Clermont-Ferrand Centre deRecherches A Piganiol 2011) pp 147ndash66
Groupe m (J Dubois ea) Rhetorique generale (Paris du Seuil 1970)F Guardiani lsquoA Christological Metamorphosis in a Baroque Poemrsquo in J Goering ea (ed) Saints and
the Sacred Select Proceedings of the 3rd St Michaelrsquos College Annual Symposium (Feb 25-26 2000)(Ottawa Legas 2001) pp 185ndash95
A C Hagedorn (ed) Perspectives on the Song of Songs (Berlin De Gruyter 2005)F Hallyn Formes metaphoriques dans la poesie lyrique de lrsquoage baroque en France (Geneve Droz 1975)H Hatzfeld lsquoThe Baroque from the Viewpoint of the Literary Historianrsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art
Criticism 142 Second Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1955) 156ndash64N Hopkinson (ed) Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society
1994)R Huyghe lsquoLa seve du baroquersquo Baroque [online] no 4 (1969) Online since 3 May 2012 http
baroquerevuesorg304 [accessed 22 January 2013]K Jax Die weibliche Schonheit in der griechischen Dichtung (Innsbruck Wagner 1933)R Keydell lsquoNonnosrsquo in Th Klauser (ed) Reallexikon fur Antike und Christentum vol XVII
(Stuttgart Hiersemann 1936) vol XVII pp 902ndash20G Lakoff Metaphors We Live By (Chicago University of Chicago Press 1980)G Lakoff and M Turner More Than Cool Reason A Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor (Chicago
University of Chicago Press 1989)L R Lind lsquoNonnos and His Readersrsquo Res Publica Litterarum (1978) 159ndash70J Lindsay Leisure and Pleasure in Roman Egypt (London Muller 1965)V De Malde Giovan Battista Marino La Sampogna (Parma Fondazione Pietro Bembo Ugo Guanda
Editore 1993)A Martini Letteratura Italiana Le Opere Vol II Dal Cinquecento al Settecento A Asor Rosa (ed)
(Turin Einaudi 1993) pp 777ndash97R T Matthews and F DeWitt Platt The Western Humanities (Boston McGraw-Hill 2004)L Miguelez-Cavero Poems in Context Greek Poetry in the Egyptian Thebaid 200-600 AD (Berlin De
Gruyter 2008)R F Newbold lsquoMimesis and Illusion in Nonnus Deceit Distrust and the Search for Meaningrsquo
Helios 37 no 1 (2010) pp 81ndash106R Nunlist Poetologische Bildersprache in der fruhgriechischen Dichtung (Stuttgart Teubner 1998)G F Pasini lsquoDalla comparazione alla metaforarsquo Lingua e Stile 7 no 3 (1972) pp 441ndash69L Pernot La rhetorique de lrsquoeloge dans le monde greco-romain vol I (Paris Institut drsquoEtudes
Augustiennes 1993)S N Peters lsquoMetaphor and lsquolsquoMaravigliarsquorsquo Tradition and Innovation in the Adone of GB Marinorsquo
Lingua e Stile 7 no 2 (1972) pp 321ndash41D G Piccardi Metafora e Poetica in Nonno di Panopoli (Florence Universite degli Studi di Firenze
1985)mdashmdash Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol I (canti IndashXII) (Milano Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli
2003)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
24 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
G Pozzi Giovan Battista Marino vol II LrsquoAdone (Milano Mondadori 1976)mdashmdash lsquoIl ritratto della donna nella poesia drsquoinizio Cinquecento e la pittura di Giorgionersquo Lettere Italiane
311 gennaio-marzo (1979) pp 3ndash30mdashmdash lsquoTemi t0poi stereotipirsquo in A Asor Rosa (ed) Letteratura italiana III Le forme del testo I
Teoria e poesia (Torino Einaudi 1984) pp 391ndash436I A Richards The Philosophy of Rhetoric (New York Oxford University Press 1936)M Riemschneider lsquoDer Stil des Nonnosrsquo Berliner byzantinistische Arbeiten no 5 (1957) pp 46ndash70M Roberts The Jeweled Style Poetry and Poetics in Late Antiquity (Ithaca and London Cornell
University Press 1989)W H D Rouse Nonnus Dionysiaca (Cambridge MA Harvard University Press 1940)J Rousset La litterature de lrsquoage baroque en France Circe et le paon (Paris Corti 1954)E Russo lsquoSul barocco letterario in Italia Giudizi revisioni distinzionirsquo Les Dossiers du Grihl [Online]
2012-02 j 2012 Online since 25 June 2012 httpdossiersgrihlrevuesorg5223 [accessed 4 March2013]
A G Senmartı lsquoLa lsquolsquopoikiliarsquorsquo como principio estilıstico de las Dionisıacas de Nonorsquo AFB no 7(1981) pp 101ndash07
R Shorrock The Challenge of Epic Allusive Engagement in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Leiden Brill2001)
mdashmdash lsquoNonnusrsquo in J Foley (ed) A Companion to Ancient Epic (Oxford Wiley-Blackwell 2005)pp 374ndash85
mdashmdash The Myth of Paganism Nonnus Dionysus and the World of Late Antiquity (London BristolClassical Press 2011)
G Steen lsquoMetaphor and Stylersquo in P Stockwell and S Whiteley (eds) The Cambridge Handbook ofStylistics (Cambridge Cambridge University Press forthcoming 2014)
M String Untersuchungen zum Stil der Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Hamburg sn (disserta-tion) 1966)
E Tesauro Il Cannocchiale Aristotelico (Venice Baglioni 1654ndash70)F Tissoni Nonno di Panopoli I Canti di Penteo (Dionisiache 44ndash46) Commento (Florence La Nuova
Italia Editrice 1998)F Vian Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t I chants IndashII (Paris Les Belles Lettres 1976)R Wellek lsquoThe Concept of Baroque in Literary Scholarshiprsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism
52 Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1946) pp 77ndash109M Whitby lsquoFrom Moschus to Nonnus The Evolution of the Nonnian Stylersquo in N Hopkinson (ed)
Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society 1994) pp 99ndash155A Wifstrand Von Kallimachos zu Nonnos Metrisch-stilistische Untersuchungen zur spateren griechischen
Epik und zu verwandten Gedichtgattungen (Lund Gleerup 1933)H Wolfflin Renaissance und Barock Eine Untersuchung uber Wesen und Entstehung des Barockstils in
Italien (Munich T Ackermann 1888)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
25 of 25
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ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
involved using new themes (including objects from everyday life such as the hour-
glass) and expressing them in innovative ways (called concetti and acutezze) Many
baroque poets pushed the creation of extravagant metaphors to the limit According
to some Marino was one of them but according to others he was quite moderate
One of the most important contemporary theorists of metaphor Emmanuele
Tesauro expands the four types of metaphor proposed by Aristotle into eight
types In the chapter on lsquoMetaphorrsquo of his aesthetical treatise The Aristotelian
Telescope (1654ndash70 267) he writes that metaphor (which he calls lsquothe queen of
figuresrsquo) transforms immediate reality offering lsquoto the mind of the listener in
just one word the sight of a whole theatre of marvelsrsquo (lsquoun pien teatro di meravi-
gliersquo) The more distant and unexpected the similarities between tenor and vehicle16
of a metaphor the greater the wonder of the reader and the more laudable the ability
(ingegno) of the poet The baroque poet operates like a telescope drawing
together remote notions belonging to distant realities Ideas about the relation be-
tween tenor and vehicle changed Peters (1972 325ndash26) states that during the
Renaissance
the conceptual metaphor was bound to a system of knowledge which pointed to immut-
able relationships Tesaurorsquos metaphor instead reveals relationships which are quite arbi-
trary and not related to the level of intellectual truth For in the earlier tradition it was the
words which uncovered the conceptual idea given in the metaphor whereas with
Tesauro the implication is that the metaphor itself creates a kind of reality and imposes it
on the word
Baroque metaphors no longer uncover a system of relations of unchangeable
correspondences expressing the stability embodied in creation Instead the baroque
ingegno accumulates series of unexpected sensual images consonant with the
instability and fluidity of the world In his Metafora barocca Conte (1972 40)
distinguishes one special type of baroque metaphor it is characterized by the
extension of the absence of the tenor and by the lateral ramification of the meaning
of the vehicle17 He illustrates this with the following verses of the Italian Baroque
poet and follower of Marino Francesco de Lemene (1634ndash1704) De Lemene
comparing a womanrsquos breasts with lilies and her lips with roses invites the bees
metaphors in the Adone Compare also the important study of Rousset (1954 185ndash89)
and Hallyn (1975) for metaphors in French Baroque literature
16 Originally coined by IA Richards (1936) these terms are still widely used in metaphor
studies In Saussurian terms tenor is the signified and vehicle the signifier see section lsquoA
set of practical tools for analysisrsquo below
17 lsquoLa Metafora barocca e caratterizzata dal prolungamento dellrsquoassenza del segno virtuale e
dalla diramazione laterale del significato del segno presentersquo To avoid confusion I trans-
late lsquosegno virtualersquo as tenor and lsquosegno presentersquo as vehicle
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to come lsquodrainrsquo (lsquosvenarersquo which means literally lsquoto cut someonersquos veinsrsquo lsquoto bleed
someone dryrsquo)
ite volate
a quel labbro a quel seno api ingegnose
per fabricar dolcezze ite svenate
di quel sen di quel labbro e gigli e rose
come fly
to this lip to this breast clever beesto make sweetness come drain
the lilies and roses of that breast that lip
Part of this metaphor is traditional belonging to the canon of beauty developed from
the Middle Ages to the Renaissance (the colour of) the womanrsquos breast is like lilies
(white) and that of her lip like roses (red)18 But the metaphor is pushed one step
further (and here begins a baroque novelty) the vehicle (the flowers) is amplified by
the summoning of the bees from the realm of associations of the tenor They are
invited to participate actively in the illusion The vehicle of the metaphor is given life
and motion as it were and whirls around itself in a figurative play a literary trompelrsquoœil This kind of extreme metaphor shows that the relation between vehicle and
tenor which had been stable during the Renaissance began to destabilize during the
Baroque the distance between the two increased and the vehicle became auto-
referential vehicles themselves referred to further vehicles instead of to tenors
A set of practical tools for analysis
Much more can of course be said on theories of baroque metaphor but the proposed
method of this article is to make a factual comparison between two passages of Nonnus
and Marino I will briefly present two modern models of metaphor that will both serve
as practical tools for analysis First a linguistic model for which I chose the model
presented by Pasini (1972) not because it is particularly innovative but because it offers
a clear insight into the gradual differences between simile and metaphor at the level of
expression in language19 And secondly a conceptual model as proposed by Lakoff
(1980) and Lakoff and Turner (1989) and further developed by Steen (forthcoming)
because their point of departure is the concepts that lie behind linguistic expressions
Lakoff (1980) and Lakoff and Turner (1989) conceived their theory as a reaction to the
traditional approach of metaphor as a rhetorical device showing that metaphors are
omnipresent in everyday life and language and work conventionally automatically and
unconsciously Steen (forthcoming) distinguishes between a communicational (delib-
erate versus non-deliberate) conceptual (conventional versus novel) and linguistic level
18 More on the canon of beauty follows in section lsquoTwo beautiful satyr boysrsquo below
19 In addition to Pasini I used from the huge amount of literature on metaphor Brooke-
Rose (1958) and Van Boven and Dorleijn (2003)
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nloaded from
of metaphor introducing by the backdoor literary metaphor (belonging to the cat-
egory of deliberate metaphor) in Conceptual Metaphor Theory
The literary function of a metaphor does not just reside in the underlying cross-domain
comparison that is the basis of every metaphor Metaphor in poetry is often multi-layered
with many relations to other aspects of the text and its language which makes it strongly
dependent on all sorts of other information throughout the poem and the knowledge it
assumes All of this may be seen as highly typical of the use of metaphor in poetry
Pasini (1972) discerns four linguistic stages between simile on the one hand and
metaphor on the other hand ranging from a closed to an open message Each stage
can be explained by an example a description and a diagrammatic representation20
His cheeks are fresh like roses
This simile with the comparative adverb lsquolikersquo as an indicator includes a tenor
(cheeks A) a vehicle (roses B) and a ground (or tertium comparationis fresh C) It
is a closed construction leaving no space for the imagination of the reader This kind
of comparison is judged the most rational of the four stages because it is the most
specific and requires no leap of imaginative intellect to understand the ground on
which the comparison is made
His cheeks are like roses
This comparison with indicator (like) tenor (cheeks A) and a vehicle (roses B) does
not contain a ground (C) In this case the reader has to supply one or more of the
characteristics of the rose (freshness or red colour or sweet perfume etc) by
generalization and add this information on his own account to the comparison
This type one step closer to metaphors of type (3) and (4) is called by some a
lsquometaphorical comparisonrsquo the process of supplying by generalization is already
present but the process of identification is still absent
20 I thank Jaap Fokkema (VU University) for drawing the four figures after Pasini (1972) who
in his turn is inspired by the Rhetorique Generale (Paris 1970) of the French lsquoGroupe mrsquo
E M V A N O P S T A L L
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a His cheeks are roses
b The roses of his cheeks
This is a metaphor in praesentia it has a tenor (cheeks A) and a vehicle (roses B) but
being a metaphor it lacks both indicator and ground (C) In example (3a) the verb lsquoto
bersquo functions as a link and identifies the vehicle and the tenor with each other (in
French this use of the verb lsquoto bersquo is called lsquolrsquoest drsquoequivalencersquo)
On his face two roses
This is a metaphor in absentia in which the indicator the ground (C) as well as the
tenor (A) are absent and have to be supplied by the imagination of the reader The
vehicle lsquorosesrsquo refers not only to the concept of lsquorosesrsquo but also metaphorically to the
concept of lsquocheeksrsquo This kind of metaphor is the least rationalizing (the lsquoto bersquo of
example (3a) can still be considered a lsquorationalizingrsquo element) and the most open (the
reader has to generalize and to supply)
Lakoff presents a conceptual theory of everyday metaphor in Metaphors We LiveBy (1980) which is the basis of the study of poetical metaphor by Lakoff and Turner
in More Than Cool Reason a Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor (1989) He maintains
that the locus of metaphor is not in language (compare figure 4 below the line) but in
the way we conceptualize one mental domain in terms of another (compare figure 4
above the line) Metaphors make use of cross-domain conceptual mappings and are
cast in individual linguistic expressions21 In this theory the tenor is a linguistic
expression that belongs to the so-called target domain and the vehicle is a linguistic
expression that belongs to a so-called source domain The set of ontological corres-
pondences between these two domains can be represented in a mapping To give an
example a conceptual mapping of Pasinirsquos above-mentioned four types would look
like the following
People (target domain) plants (source domain)
youth corresponds to flowering
young person corresponds to blossoming rose
21 Interestingly the idea of the crossing of domains has been phrased in a less theoretical
and a more poetic way by Tesauro (1654ndash70 267)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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nloaded from
pink skin corresponds to red colour
young skin corresponds to freshness
aging corresponds to withering
So the tenor lsquocheeksrsquo belongs to the target domain lsquopeoplersquo and the vehicle lsquorosersquo
belongs to the source domain lsquoplantrsquo Thus while Pasinirsquos typology provides for a
formal analysis at a linguistic level Lakoffrsquos extra-linguistic concerns are centred on
a conceptual level His theory permits us to reflect on the concepts and ideas under-
lying metaphors
Two beautiful satyr boys
Ampelus
In this section I will discuss the two passages of Nonnus and Marino In Dionysiaca
10 175ndash92 the external narrator introduces the young Ampelus future lover of
Dionysus for the first time (as explained in paragraph II) He describes him as
follows
175 ka0 pot qhr0wn 3p1 oslashwg0da d0skion 4lhrdquo
6likordquo 2iq oio oslashodTHORNpidi q lgto morrsquoI
4dh g1r Frug0hrdquo 3p1 dir0da koNrordquo 2q0rwn
Amplordquo 2 xhto notrrsquo rdquo ernordquo ErTHORNtwn
o2d o3 3br1rdquo 4oulordquo ruqom noio gn0ou
180 4cnoa cion hrdquo car0ssto k0kla pariPrdquo
6bhrdquo cr0son 4nqordquo 2pisqop0roio d ca0thrdquo
b0trurdquo 3lik0ntrdquo prsquo 2rgursquo wn q on Œmwn
2plk rdquo ligurN d sunaiq0ssontrdquo 2ndasht
4sqmati koursquo0zonto parlkom nwn d kom0wn
185 2krorsquoan1rdquo 2n tll m sordquo gumno0mnordquo a2c1n
ka1 s lardquo 2k0ntiz lip0skiordquo oJ0 t l0mpi
mssorsquoan1rdquo n rsquoordquo 3gr1n 2nasc0zousa Slndashnh
ka1 st0matordquo oslashod oio ml0pnoordquo err rsquownndash
k ml wn drsquo 7lon Iar rsquoa0nto nisom nou d
190 k pod1rdquo 2rgursquo oio oslash0dwn ruqa0nto limTHORNn
2 d booglndashnwn rsquoa wn 2rsquogg i k0klN
2rsquoqalmo1rdquo l lizn 7lh sl0giz Slndashnh22
175 Once while hunting under a shady cliff of a wood
he was charmed by the rosy form of a young comrade
For under the ridge of the Phrygian hills the merry boyhad already matured Ampelus a new shoot of the gods of Love
For him no dainty bloom of a reddening chin
180 had marked the smooth circles of his snow-white cheeks
the golden flower of youth curling clusters of long hair
22 Greek text Chretien (1985) translation Rouse (1940) adapted
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ran down over his silvery-glistering shoulders
loosely and waving in the whispering wind
were lifted by its breath When the hair was blown aside
185 the bare neck appeared between just visible
and unshadowed light flashed from him just as the moon shines
half appearing when she pierces a damp cloudFrom his rosy mouth streamed a honey-breathing voice
Spring itself appeared from his limbs under the steps
190 of his silvery foot the meadow blushed with roses
and if he turned his eyes their bright iris gleaming
with the glow of a cowrsquos eye the light of the full moon shone
The satyr boy is described from head to toe (a procedure also propagated in exercises
on ekphrasis in the rhetorical handbooks of Late Antiquity see Aphthonius Prog
12) and in movement with major attention to the upper body parts the poet shows
us his cheeks (vv 179ndash81) hair shoulders neck (vv 181ndash87) mouth and voice
(v 188) moving on to his limbs and feet (vv 189ndash90) and eventually turns upwards
again towards eyes (vv 191ndash92) As often in erotic descriptions in Antiquity (espe-
cially from Hellenistic and Second Sophistic literature onwards) this passage
abounds with erotic topoi23 The setting is painted with stock images of the natural
world the shady wood the gentle breeze the flowery meadow these are all present
Everything (the satyr boy and his surroundings) is sweet young and blooming
The incredibly rich description of the effect of the different body parts ends in the
visual climax of the appearance of the moon first barely visible then half appearing
then fully visible The expressions 2krorsquoanndashrdquo (v 185) mssorsquoanndashrdquo (v 187) and 7lh
(v 192) also evoke the different stages of the cycle of the moon mdash new waxing and
full mdash intimately linked with the growth of plants in nature24
However many bucolic elements are used metaphorically the flower of youth a
rosy mouth a honey-breathing voice etc The metaphors in this description appeal
to all our senses to our eyes by the use of colours (red white golden silver) and
contrasts (brightndashdark) to our touch (his beardless cheeks) and to our ears and smell
(his honey-breathing voice) In her fascinating study of metaphors in the Dionysiaca
Daria Gigli Piccardi (1985) distinguishes in Nonnus three (archetypical) source
domains for metaphors of beauty two of which occur in this passage Firstly the
source domain lsquoflowersrsquo from individual flowers to spring meadows full of
23 The flowering youth of men around the age of their first beard the rosy mouth the
spring meadow are all common themes in Greek Hellenistic erotic literature but Nonnus
innovates by adding unusual elements (such as the neck also present in other descrip-
tions of beauty in the Dionysiaca) and particular formulations (see below) See Gigli
Piccardi (2003 700ndash703 ad vv 175ndash92) For a list of other studies on beauty in
Nonnus see Chretien (1985 142 ad vv 175ndash92)
24 Chretien (1985 144 ad v 192) and Gigli Piccardi (2003 700ndash701 ad vv 175ndash92)
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contrasting colours Secondly the source domain lsquoastral phenomenarsquo playing with
the opposition light-dark25
On a formal level we find only one simile in vv 186ndash87 introducing the theme of
the moon It belongs to Pasinirsquos type 1 (see section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo
above) unshadowed light (s lardquo lip0skiordquo tenor A) flashed (2k0ntiz ground C)
just as (oJ0 t indicator) half appearing the moon (Slndashnh vehicle B) shines (l0mpi
ground C) when she pierces a damp cloud (nrsquoordquo 3gr1n 2nasc0zousa vehicle B)
Besides this simile there are ten metaphors in praesentia (belonging to Pasinirsquos type 3)
and two metaphors in absentia (belonging to Pasinirsquos type 4) These metaphors are
expressed in a variety of ways which will be discussed below
(1) The most explicit type is the metaphor in apposition occurring very often in
Nonnus The comma after the tenor shows that we are dealing with such a metaphor
in apposition
tenor (A = noun) vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective) of X
a Amplordquo (A) notrrsquo rdquo e rnordquo (B) ErTHORNtwn (X) (v 178)
Ampelus (A) a new shoot (B) of the Loves (X)
b 3br1rdquo 4oulordquo ruqom noio gn0ou (A) 6bhrdquo (X) cr0son 4nqordquo (B) (vv 179-81)
the dainty bloom of a reddening chin (A) the golden flower (B) of youth (X)
(2) Another type of metaphor also very frequent in Nonnus links a metaphorical
adjective (vehicle) to a noun (tenor)
tenor (A = noun) thorn vehicle (B = metaphorical adjective)
a oslashodTHORNpidi (B) morrsquoI (A) (v 176) ndash rosy (B) form (A)
b cion hrdquo (B) pariPrdquo (A) (v 180) ndash snow-white (B) cheeks (A)
c 2rgursquo wn (B) Œmwn (A) (v 182) ndash silvery-glistering (B) shoulders (A)
d st0matordquo (A) oslashod oio (B) (v 188) ndash rosy (B) mouth (A)
e ml0pnoordquo (B) rsquownndash (A) (v 188) ndash a honey-breathing (B) voice (A)
f pod1rdquo (A) 2rgursquo oio (B) (v 190) ndash silvery (B) foot (A)
g booglndashnwn (B) rsquoa wn (A) (v 191) ndash cowrsquos eye (B) glow (A)
(3) In Nonnus the metaphor in absentia is restricted to the more common metaphors
of the flower domain In the following example the vehicle is a noun phrase whereas
the nature of the tenor becomes clear from the addition of a noun or noun phrase in
apposition It is to be noted that the word b0trurdquo is normally used for lsquoclusters of
vinersquo and points already to Ampelusrsquo future metamorphosis
vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective) of X (= noun thorn adjective in genitive)
a 2pisqop0roio d ca0thrdquo (X) b0trurdquo (B) 3lik0ntrdquo (vv 182-83) ndash curling clusters (B) of
long hair (A)
25 The third source domain individuated by Gigli Piccardi is that of lsquothe war of loversquo full of
contrasts between real and metaphorical weapons
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from X (= preposition thorn noun) appears vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective)
b k ml wn (A) 7lon Iar (B) rsquoa0nto (v 189)
From his limbs (A) spring itself (B) appeared
(4) As Gigli Piccardi (1985 70) already noticed Nonnus invented his own extended
metaphorical formula lsquoan autonomous linguistic constellationrsquo lsquowhen X becomes
visible Y appearsrsquo (sometimes followed by a comparison) Whereas the theme of the
moon is introduced by a comparison in vv 186ndash87 it is closed in vv 191ndash92 by such
a lsquoNonnianrsquo metaphor
2 d booglndashnwn rsquoa wn 2rsquogg i k0klN 2rsquoqalmo1rdquo l lizn (X) 7lh sl0giz Slndashnh (Y)
and if he turned his eyes with their bright iris gleaming with a cowrsquos eye glow (X) the light of the
full moon shone (Y)
The large number of metaphors cast in many different forms results in a descrip-
tion that is far from literal The blooming satyr boy and the blooming spring mingle
both being connected to the three phases of the moon Ampelus almost becomes
Bacchic nature himself His first meeting with the God already contains the promise
of his own future metamorphosis the expression b0trurdquo as noticed above being
one of its most explicit indicators26 The golden flower of youth not only contains
life but also death and resurrection Thus the totality of the metaphors expresses
perpetual change
Pampino
As we have seen in section lsquoBaroque metaphorrsquo the story of Pampino belongs to a set
of love-stories told by the gods to Venus as a consolation after the death of her lover
Adonis In Adone 19 ott 66ndash67 the god Dionysus describes the beautiful Pampino
ott 66 La bella fronte gli adorno Natura
di gentil maesta drsquoaria celeste
Dolce color di fragola matura
4 gli facea rosseggiar le guance oneste
Nela bocca ridea la grana pura
tra schiette perle in doppio fil conteste
ne quivi avea la rosa purpurina
8 prodotta ancor la sua dorata spina
ott 67 La notte tenebrosa il ciel turbato
si rischiarava dersquo begli occhi al lume
Il vago piede imporporava il prato
4 la bianca mano innargentava il fiume
Qualor lievrsquoaura con soave fiato
confondendogli il crin scotea le piume
26 See also Gigli Piccardi (1985 69) and (2003 700ndash1 ad vv 175ndash92)
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parea sparso su rsquol collo il bel tesoro
8 sovra un colle drsquoavorio un bosco drsquooro
ott 66 His beautiful forehead Nature adorned
with refined nobility with heavenly looks
The sweet colour of ripe strawberries4 painted his honest cheeks red
In his mouth pure pomegranate laughed
set between real pearls in a double row
There the purple rose had not
8 yet produced her golden thorns
ott 67 The shady night the darkened sky
brightened at the light of his beautiful eyesHis yearning foot turned the meadow purple
4 his white hand turned the river silver
When a gentle breeze with its soft breath
playing with his hair shook his feathers
on his neck the beautiful treasure seemed to spread out
8 on an ivory hill a forest of gold
This description of Pampino owes much to Nonnusrsquo description of Ampelus but is
at the same time different Since Marino uses and plays with the Renaissance canon
of beauty I will discuss this canon briefly in order to gain a better understanding of
the Pampino passage
The topos of beauty began to acquire fixed rules during the Middle Ages and was
completely canonized by the Renaissance27 From the Middle Ages onwards two
types of canon for feminine beauty were developed the short and the long canon
The short canon (used by Petrarch) focuses on the face mentioning hair eyes
mouth and cheeks Hand and breast are briefly referred to forehead and neck are
seldom included The long canon (used by Boccaccio and Ariosto) adds more detail
and leads the gaze further downwards from head to toe Central features of the short
canon are splendour (light) and colour (white) whereas the long canon emphasizes
harmonious proportions (of the body)
Renaissance poets use set comparisons and oppositions such as lsquoredrsquo versus
lsquowhitersquo But within these fixed boundaries there were ample possibilities for vari-
ance One way to play with conventions was the following a poet could mention only
one element of an opposition and thereby automatically evoke its counterpart in the
27 For an overview of Greek poetry up to the Byzantine period see Jax (1933) with dis-
turbing racist emphasis on lsquodas weibliche Schonheitsideal der weiszligen Rassersquo for the
Latin Middle-Ages see Faral (1962 esp p 75 ss) Sidonius Apollinarisrsquo portrait of
Theodoric (Ep I 2 2 sixth century) is seen as the best model for descriptions of persons
by Geoffroy de Vinsauf (Poetria nova 1210 CE) for the Renaissance see Pozzi (1979 and
1984)
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mind of the audience For example if he described a hand a foot was to be imagined
by the reader when a rose was mentioned it was intended that a lily be brought to
mind etc
Favourite source domains for metaphors were in the first place flowers roses
lilies and violets for colour and evanescence secondly precious materials pearls
rubies coral and gold for colour and diamond and sapphire for splendour and
thirdly lsquoheavenly bodiesrsquo stars and the sun for splendour and movement For
special effects these elements could be combined into homogeneous or heteroge-
neous couples a lily and a rose or ivory and a rose etc
How are these images used and constructed in the present passage from
Marino Marino combines the two canons adopting the short canon for his descrip-
tion of the young man and then enumerating his several parts from head to toe He
begins with the (moral) qualities given by Nature to Pampinorsquos forehead (ott 66
1ndash2) continues with his cheeks mouth and cheeks again (ott 66 3ndash8) then turns to
his eyes (ott 67 1ndash2) to his foot and hand (ott 67 3ndash4 the foot belonging to the
long canon) and finally to his hair and neck (ott 67 5ndash8) Marino adds various
(moral) qualifications The first octave is relatively quiet drawing as it were
Pampinorsquos portrait Its three source domains for the metaphors are lsquofruitrsquo lsquoprecious
materialsrsquo lsquoflowersrsquo (pomegranate pearl rose) connected with contrasting colours
(red white and golden) and positive qualifications (beautiful refined heavenly
sweet honest pure real) The second octave is stirred by movement the
sky brightens Pampinorsquos touch turns nature into something else the playing
wind shakes hair locks spreads out It also introduces the opposition light-dark
(shady night darken brighten light) The source domains of the second octave
are lsquobucolic landscapersquo (meadow river breeze) and lsquoprecious materialsrsquo
(silver gold)
As is to be expected Marino is fond of metaphors and expresses them in
various ways But unlike Nonnus he obviously prefers metaphors in absentia
(Pasinirsquos type 4 see section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo above)
The description of Pampino includes moral and physical qualities In ott 66 3ndash4
the strawberry (lsquodolce color di fragola maturarsquo lsquothe sweet colour of ripe strawberriesrsquo)
paving the way for the source domain lsquofruitrsquo is followed by a series of metaphors
(1) There are several instances of metaphors in absentia which are intelligible when
one looks at either the direct context in which they are embedded or at the existing
Renaissance conventions
vehicle (B = noun thorn- adjective)
a la grana pura (ott 66 5) ndash pure pomegranate (sc in his mouth gt tongue)
b schiette perle (ott 66 6) ndash real pearls (sc in double row gt teeth)
c rosa purpurina (ott 66 7) ndash purple rose (sc there gt on his cheeks gt beard)
d le piume (ott 67 6) ndash feathers (of his hair gt locks of hair)
e tesoro (ott 67 7) ndash treasure (his rich hair)
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(2) To these examples two metaphorical verbs can be added
vehicle (B = verb)
a imporporava (ott 67 3) ndash turned purpleb innargentava (ott 67 4) ndash turned silver
(3) The following metaphor in absentia is qualified by a metaphorical adjective
vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective)
la sua dorata spina (ott 66 8) ndash her golden thorns (reddish-blonde bristles)
(4) Another variant are the metaphors in absentia that combine two metaphorical
expressions
vehicle (B = noun) of vehicle (B = noun)
a colle (B) drsquoavorio (B) (ott 67 8) ndash an ivory hill (of his white neck)
b un bosco (B) drsquooro (B) (ott 67 8) ndash a forest of gold (of his blond hair)
(5) Taken together two final verses of ott 67 are an example of a typical baroque
metaphor (discussed in section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo) a concatenation
of metaphorical images Ott 67 7 is elaborated in the next verse by a metaphor in
apposition on neck (tenorrsquo) the beautiful treasure (tenorrsquorsquo) on an ivory hill (vehiclersquo)a forest of gold (vehiclersquorsquo) Both vehicles are from the source domain lsquolandscapersquo (hill
forest) and continue the image of the previous bucolic description (meadow river
breeze) But at the same time the lsquotreasurersquo (tenorrsquorsquo) is already itself a metaphor (for
lsquohairrsquo) from another source domain (lsquoprecious materialsrsquo) that is elaborated by its
own two metaphorical adjectives lsquoivoryrsquo and lsquogoldrsquo from the same source domain As
we have seen with the example of Lemene the image evokes a further image
creating a kind of lsquoliterary trompe lrsquoœilrsquo
On tenor (Arsquo = noun) tenor (Arsquorsquo = noun) on vehicle (Brsquo noun thorn Brsquorsquo adjec) vehiclersquorsquo
(Brsquorsquo noun thorn Brsquorsquo adjec)
su rsquol collo (Arsquo) il bel tesoro (Arsquorsquo) sovra un colle drsquoavorio (Brsquothorn Brsquorsquo) un bosco drsquooro (Brsquorsquothorn Brsquorsquo)
Some intertextual notes
Apart from the topoi shared by Nonnus and Marino it is easy to see that several of
Marinorsquos verses in ott 67 are closely modelled on Nonnus of course in Lubinrsquos
translation (ed 1606)28 Marino ott 67 1ndash2 (darkness flees before Pampinorsquos eyes)
28 175 Et aliquanto venans sub petra umbrosa sylvae Aequalis iuvenis rosea delectabatur
forma Nunc etenim Phrygiae sub colle puer ludens Ampelus crescebat nuper
enutritus ramus amorum Neque ipsi mollis lanugo rubentis menti 180 Imberbes
nivea signaverat circulos maxilla Iuventae aureum florem In tergum reiectarum vero
comarum Racemi flexuosi super splendidis currebant humeris Non complicati Suavi
vero una concitati cum aura Flatu elevabantur Retractis vero comis 185 In
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combines Nonnus vv 186ndash87 (Ampelusrsquo neck is like the moon shining though
clouds) and vv 191ndash92 (when Ampelus looks the moon shines) Marino ott 67
3ndash4 (Pampinorsquos foot and hand transform meadow and river) is like Nonnus vv
189ndash90 (Ampelusrsquo limbsfoot elicit spring and flowers in the meadow) Marino
ott 67 5ndash6 (the wind playing with Pampinorsquos hair and showing his neck) is similar
to Nonnus vv 183ndash85 (the wind playing with Ampelusrsquo hair and revealing his neck)
Marino was unable to borrow Nonnusrsquo image of Ampelusrsquo foot eliciting spring
because Falkenburgrsquos text and Lubinrsquos translation present a different textual reading
from Chretienrsquos Falkenburg does not have (drsquo7lon) Iar (lsquospringrsquo) but (g1r) 5niar
which was translated as lsquoemolumentumrsquo (lsquogainrsquo) by Lubin
There are however some significant differences To describe the effect of the
Ampelusrsquo neck and eyes Nonnus introduces the image of the moon emerging through
the clouds while evoking simultaneously the moon cycle He begins with a compari-
son and continues with a metaphor spread out over eight verses To describe the
instant effect of Pampinorsquos eyes Marino (or to be more precise the narrator
Dionysus) simply states a truth a hyperbolic truth the light of Pampinorsquos eyes illu-
minates darkness To describe the effect of the neck of the satyr boy he introduces the
landscape and treasure metaphor The importance of the neck seems to point towards
another intertext the description of feminine beauty in the Song of Songs29 The lovers
in the Song of Songs describe each other in metaphorical terms their eyes hair teeth
lips voice cheeks neck breast and overall fairness etc (he in 4 she in 5 10ndash16 he
again in 6 4ndash7 and 7 1ndash9) Among the many source domains in the Song of Songs
lsquofruitrsquo lsquoastral phenomenarsquo and lsquoprecious materialsrsquo are present too To give some
examples her temples are pomegranates (4 3) his arms are rods of gold set with topaz
(5 14) she appears like the dawn the moon the sun the stars (6 10) and last but not
least her neck is an ivory tower (7 4)30 Elsewhere in the Adone (as often in Italian
Baroque poetry) Christian imagery is also clearly present31
summitate apparens oriebatur media nudata cervix Et fulgorem eiaculabatur umbram
relinquens qualia lucet In medio apparens nubem humidam perrumpens Luna Et
oris rosei mel spirans (Lectius 1606 lsquospiansrsquo instead of lsquospiransrsquo) fluebat oratio Ex
membris enim emolumentum (Falkenburg reads g1r 5niar lsquogainrsquo where Chretien has
drsquo7lon Iar) apparebat Cum iret vero 190 Ex pede argenteo pedum (Falkenburg reads
2rgur oio pod8n instead of Chretienrsquos 2rgursquo oio oslashod8n) rubebat pratum Cum vero
faciei bovinae ventorum (Falkenburg has 2n mwn instead of Chretienrsquos rsquoa wn Lectius
1606 has lsquobavinaersquo for lsquobovinaersquo) illustri circulo Oculos circumvertisset tota resplen-
debat Luna
29 Parallels between the Song of Songs and Greek love poetry are already present in Greek
poetry from Antiquity see various articles in Hagedorn (2005)
30 Paradoxically Marino is closer to the Hebrew original (that he was unable to read) than
to the Latin translation of the Vulgate (which he must have used) the Vulgate turns most
of the original metaphors into similes with the indicator lsquosicutrsquo
31 For example the suggested parallel between Adone and Christ condemned by the
Inquisition a nymph acting as Judas revealing Adonersquos hiding place and committing
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Marino changes some of Nonnusrsquo explicit (rationalizing see Pasini section lsquoA set
of practical tools for analysisrsquo) images into more implicit (open see Pasini section
lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo) ones evoking a concatenation of associations
The image of Ampelusrsquo silvery footstep (Greek 2rguroioLatin argenteo) that
turned the meadow red with roses is adapted to Marinorsquos own time Pampinorsquos
foot is no longer silvery but lsquovagorsquo (a reminiscence of Petrarcarsquos lsquovago piersquo)32 and it
still turns the meadow purple but the reader has to supply the exact nature of the
purple (eg purple gt flower gt rose) Since in the Renaissance canon lsquofootrsquo evokes
lsquohandrsquo and since the colour lsquopurplersquo evokes the contrast lsquowhitersquo Pampinorsquos foot and
the purple meadow in ott 67 3 lead lsquospontaneouslyrsquo to lsquohis white handrsquo in ott 67 4
Finally Nonnusrsquo lsquosilveryrsquo is not lost but transformed into the metaphorical verb
lsquoturned into silverrsquo (an interesting invention to provoke a new contrast in the readerrsquos
mind because the story is situated in Phrygia with its proverbially gold-gleaming
river Pactolus)33
What can we conclude on the basis of the similarities and differences in the
passages of Nonnus and Marino about their use of metaphor
First it is evident that Nonnus and Marino are equally fond of metaphors
Nonnusrsquo eighteen verses contain twelve metaphors and one comparison Marinorsquo
sixteen verses contain twelve metaphors On a quantitative level the abundant and
cumulative use of metaphors by Nonnus could be called lsquobaroquersquo
Secondly we have seen that on a conceptual level Nonnus and Marino share some
characteristics but not all Both poets work with the contrasting couples red-white
and light-dark and use the source domain lsquoflowerrsquo But the more traditional source
domains lsquoprecious materialsrsquo and lsquofruitrsquo inherited by Marino from the Renaissance
canon of beauty are barely or not at all present in Nonnus at least not in this passage
Thirdly at the linguistic level Nonnus and Marino clearly employ different
kinds and complexities of metaphor Nonnus on the one hand uses a concatenation
of metaphors in praesentia crowned by his personal metaphorical formula in which
the appearance of the tenor simultaneously evokes the vehicle Linguistically speak-
ing the relation between tenor and vehicle remains visible and controllable
suicide Venus crying over Adonersquos body as Mary did over Jesusrsquo body Adone is not
wounded in his thigh as in Greek mythology but in his side See also Guardiani (2001)
and Gonnelli (2003 29ndash30 on pagan and Christian syncretism in Nonnusrsquo Paraphrasis
and Marinorsquos Adone) The last motif recurs in the fresco lsquoLa Morte di Adonersquo by Luca
Giordano (1682ndash85) Palazzo Medici-Riccardi Florence It is reminiscent of the parallel
between Dionysus and Christ also expressed in various mosaics for example in a Roman
mosaic depicting Dionysusrsquo discovery of Ariadne on Naxos (Syria 3rd-4th cent Miho
Museum Kyoto Japan cat NA) where Dionysus not only has a nimbus but also a
wound in his sidebreast (a later addition) (I thank Berenice Verhelst for pointing out
this mosaic to me)
32 For this intricate Renaissance style word play see Pozzi (1976) ad loc
33 See Nonn Dion 11 17ndash55 for the swimming contest with Dionysus and Ampelus and
the effect on the satyr boy of the golden water of the river Pactolus
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(lsquorationalrsquo lsquoclosedrsquo) Marino on the other hand prefers metaphors in absentia
opening the associative distance between vehicle and tenor to a maximum He uses
the auto-referential metaphor that is so typical of Baroque poetry Marinorsquos method
reflects instability the arbitrariness of the relation between tenor and vehicle seems to
express the absence of a shared and well-organized world with absolute values As
Conte (1972 37) puts it lsquoconfronted by a reality (human social politic cultural) in
crisis the baroque word denounces the prerogative of the word it speaks almost
exclusively of itself but speaking of itself it imitates takes possession of exorcizes
and even organizes the crisisrsquo Therefore on a linguistic level there seems to be more
method in Nonnusrsquo madness than in Marinorsquos
Finally what about the overall effect of the metaphors they use in their respective
descriptions Nonnus and Marino both describe beautiful beardless satyr boys
caught in a fleeting moment of radiant movement in an eroticizing bucolic setting
They put equal emphasis on the beauty and the fragility of youth and on the satyr
boyrsquos impact on the nature surrounding him As we have seen Nonnusrsquo metaphors
make Ampelus progressively intermingle with nature announcing the satyr boyrsquos
metamorphosis Even though they are classified as more lsquorationalrsquo on a linguistic
level (see Pasini) their effect is impressively irrational and open Just as Marinorsquos
metaphors they are constantly related to metamorphosis expressing change and
instability These are typical features of the Baroque that also explain at least partly
Marinorsquos affiliation with Nonnus
Conclusion
To return to the initial question of this article do we need the term lsquobaroquersquo to
characterize Nonnusrsquo poetry We have seen that the use of lsquobaroquersquo for other
periods than the seventeenth-century Baroque has met with positive and negative
reactions being found either too restricted or too broad and that the term lsquobaroquersquo
is often used for Nonnusrsquo Dionysiaca in an impressionistic way to indicate that his
aesthetics deviate from the lsquoclassicalrsquo Used in this sense lsquobaroquersquo can suggest
openness expansion abundance accumulation asymmetry moving musicality
optical illusion and the absence of a vanishing point as opposed to lsquoclassicalrsquo
with its connotation of contours closed nature unity harmony symmetry archi-
tectural fixity and converging perspectives Many of these tendencies known from
the historical Baroque are visible in Late Antique poetry
What about the other qualifications at hand such as poik0lordquo lsquojeweledrsquo and
lsquocumulativersquo Can they replace the term lsquobaroquersquo The first poikil0a is intimately
linked with Nonnusrsquo own poetics as becomes immediately clear from his prologue
where it refers to variety and polymorphism in the poem as a whole The poet wishes
that lsquoProteus of the many turnsrsquo the god of endless transformation lsquomay appear in
all his diversity of shapes since I twang my harp to a diversity of songsrsquo34 It is
34 Nonn Dion I 15 5rsquora rsquoan0h poik0lon Idordquo ecwn 7ti poik0lon 4mnon 2r0ssw (transl
Rouse 1940) The term poik0lordquo has been used very frequently by scholars to describe
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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applied to Late Antique literature as well as to art works both art forms being
intimately linked during this period Gianfranco Agosti (1997 34ndash35 see also
2006 361ss) expands its use understanding it lsquonot only as stylistic varietas but
above all as a code intended to characterize reality The concept of poikil0a goes
far beyond mere rhetorical or stylistic boundaries and becomes a peculiar way of
viewing realityrsquo When used in this way as a psychological category applied to the
relation between word and image it becomes a hermeneutic tool to explore Late
Antique world views
The second expression lsquojeweled stylersquo is used for Late Antique writers and
artists who place their words and phrases or their gems and colours in geometric
patterns The aim of these patterns is to create a symbolic unity which is considered
more important than linear narrative sequences in literature and realism in the visual
arts The term has been coined by Michael Roberts (1989) for the aesthetics of Latin
poetry from Late Antiquity (Ausonius Prudentius Claudian Sidonius etc) but
can be applied mutatis mutandis to Greek literature from the same period
The third expression lsquocumulative aestheticrsquo describes a similar attitude in Late
Antique art characterized by a particular attention to detail (lsquoexquisite miniatur-
izationrsquo) and by a preference for the re-use of precious elements from the past
(spolia) The sum of these separate entities forms a new unity and expresses a
new vision of the world Jas Elsner (2004) discusses the term in the context of the
visual arts but it can also be applied to literature
Poikil0a jeweled style and cumulative aesthetic are free of the charge of
anachronism They are related each of them covering several aspects of Late
Antique art and literature but not all In my opinion the term lsquobaroquersquo serves a
different purpose it can indicate generally the kind of expressive possibilities chosen
by an author provided that this sketchy characterization is subsequently elaborated
in order to lend the term lsquobaroquersquo a more specific significance especially by
comparing it to the lsquoBaroquersquo
The term lsquobaroquersquo as a general indication for Nonnusrsquo style invited me to com-
pare lsquobaroquersquo Nonnus with lsquoBaroque Marinorsquo I picked up the Tesaurorsquos telescope
to zoom in on metaphor and to study the lsquoqueen of figuresrsquo from close up Nonnusrsquo
metaphors clearly appealed to the poetic creativity of Marino There is much aes-
thetic affinity between the stylistic norms they adopted when composing metaphors
They use comparable expressive possibilities to articulate their vision of the world
even if these worlds are very different and even if the lsquomost Baroque of baroque
poetsrsquo goes one step further than Nonnus Zooming out again I conclude two things
Nonnusrsquo style on the basis of his own proemium See for example Lindsay (1965 379ndash
84) String (1966 33ndash70) Vian (1976 9ndash10) Gonzalez Senmartı (1981) Hopkinson
(1994) Whitby (1994 101 112 116) Agosti (1997) Shorrock (2001) Miguelez-
Cavero (2008 139ndash45 162ndash68) Hernandez de la Fuente (2011) As a poetical qualifica-
tion poikil0a is already present in Pindar see Nunlist (1998 118) For poikil0avarietas
in epideictic rhetoric of the Imperial Period see Pernot (1993 337)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
22 of 25
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Dow
nloaded from
if not pinned down as a strictly historical category the term lsquobaroquersquo can to a
certain extent be applied to Nonnus and above all can invite further exploration of
the intertextual relationships between poets and be helpful in comparing artistic
norms from different periods of time Used in this way it does not replace nor is
replaced by the terms poikil0a lsquojeweled stylersquo and cumulative aesthetics but is a
stimulating tool to bring to light similarities and differences in poetic creativity not
only of metaphor but also of other characteristics which have been called lsquotypically
baroquersquo35 It can help to gain insight into the exact nature of a literary lsquodialogue at
distancersquo and could also prove fruitful in analysing and characterizing Marinorsquos
intertexutal relations with other authors from Antiquity
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank G Agosti M H Koenen P Lanfranchi and M Pearson for
their stimulating comments and lively discussions during the various stages of this
article as well as Jas Elsner the associate editor and the anonymous referees of
Classical Receptions Journal for their accurate and useful suggestions
References
G Agosti lsquoPoemi digressivi tardoantichi (e moderni)rsquo Compar(a)ison no 1 (1995) pp 131ndash51mdashmdash lsquoThe poikil0a of Paul the Bishoprsquo ZPE no 116 (1997) pp 31ndash38mdashmdash lsquoImmagini e poesia nella tarda antichita Per uno studio dellrsquoestetica visuale della poesia greca fra
III e IV sec d Crsquo Incontri Triestini di Filologia Classica 4 2004-2005 (2006) pp 351ndash74 Onlinesince 22 August 2006 httphdlhandlenet10077949 [accessed 4 July 2012]
S Bar Review of Miguelez-Cavero 2008 in Plekos no 12 (2010) pp 67ndash77 httpwwwplekosuni-muenchende2010r-caveropdf [accessed 4 July 2012]
E van Boven and G Dorleijn Literair Mechaniek Inleiding tot de Analyse van Verhalen en Gedichten(Bussum Coutinho 2003) esp pp 159ndash80 (lsquoBeeldspraakrsquo)
Ch Brooke-Rose A Grammar of Metaphor (London Secker amp Warburg 1958)P Cherchi lsquoPoetry Philosophy and Sciencersquo in P Brand and L Pertile (eds) The Cambridge History
of Italian Literature vol I The Seicento (Cambridge Cambridge University Press 1996)pp 301ndash17
G Chretien Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t IV chants IXndashX (Paris Les Belles Lettres1985)
G Conte La Metafora barocca Saggio sulle poetiche del Seicento (Milano Mursia 1972)E R Curtius Europaische Literatur und lateinisches Mittelalter (Bern Francke Verlag 1948)G DrsquoIppolito Studi Nonniani Lrsquoepillio nelle Dionisiache (Palermo Presso lrsquoAccademia 1964)E DrsquoOrs Du Baroque (Paris Gallimard 1935)
35 Other intertexual relations such as the ones briefly discussed by Tissoni (1998 59ndash62)
could be analysed according to the procedure of Rousset (1954) although he restricted
his method to the seventeenth-century French Baroque literature He formulated four
main criteria applicable to various seventeenth-century Baroque art forms (architecture
painting and literature) lsquoinstabilityrsquo lsquomobilityrsquo lsquometamorphosisrsquo and lsquodominance of
settingrsquo He subsequently applied these criteria to five literary instances first of all lsquoa type
of metaphorrsquo followed by lsquoa type of poemrsquo lsquoa poetic work as a wholersquo lsquoa theatrical work as
a wholersquo and lsquoa general attitudersquo ie lsquodisplayrsquo (1954 181ss)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
23 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
J Elsner lsquoLate Antique Art The Problem of the Concept and the Cumulative Aestheticrsquo in S Swainand M Edwards (eds) Approaching Late Antiquity The Transformation from Early to Late Empire(Oxford Oxford University Press 2004) pp 271ndash309
E Faral Les Arts Poetiques du XIIe et XIIIe siecle Recherches et Documents sur la Technique Litteraire duMoyen Age (Paris Champion 1962)
W Fauth Eidos Poikilon Zur Thematik der Metamorphose und zum Prinzip der Wandlung aus demGegensatz in den Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Gottingen Vandenhoeck amp Ruprecht 1981)
P Friedlander Johannes von Gaza und Paulus Silentiarius Kunstbeschreibungen Justinianischer Zeit(Leipzig Teubner 1912)
H de la Fuente lsquoThe One and the Many and the Circular Movement Neo-Platonism and Poetics inNonnus of Panopolisrsquo in Id (ed) New Perspectives on Late Antiquity (Newcastle-upon-TyneCambridge Scholars 2011)
F Gonnelli Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol II (canti XIIIndashXXIV) (Milano BibliotecaUniversale Rizzoli 2003)
V Giraudet lsquoLe rivage la presqursquoıle et le marais Espaces baroques chez Achille Tatius et Nonnos dePanopolisrsquo in R Poignault (ed) Presence du Roman grec et Latin (Clermont-Ferrand Centre deRecherches A Piganiol 2011) pp 147ndash66
Groupe m (J Dubois ea) Rhetorique generale (Paris du Seuil 1970)F Guardiani lsquoA Christological Metamorphosis in a Baroque Poemrsquo in J Goering ea (ed) Saints and
the Sacred Select Proceedings of the 3rd St Michaelrsquos College Annual Symposium (Feb 25-26 2000)(Ottawa Legas 2001) pp 185ndash95
A C Hagedorn (ed) Perspectives on the Song of Songs (Berlin De Gruyter 2005)F Hallyn Formes metaphoriques dans la poesie lyrique de lrsquoage baroque en France (Geneve Droz 1975)H Hatzfeld lsquoThe Baroque from the Viewpoint of the Literary Historianrsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art
Criticism 142 Second Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1955) 156ndash64N Hopkinson (ed) Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society
1994)R Huyghe lsquoLa seve du baroquersquo Baroque [online] no 4 (1969) Online since 3 May 2012 http
baroquerevuesorg304 [accessed 22 January 2013]K Jax Die weibliche Schonheit in der griechischen Dichtung (Innsbruck Wagner 1933)R Keydell lsquoNonnosrsquo in Th Klauser (ed) Reallexikon fur Antike und Christentum vol XVII
(Stuttgart Hiersemann 1936) vol XVII pp 902ndash20G Lakoff Metaphors We Live By (Chicago University of Chicago Press 1980)G Lakoff and M Turner More Than Cool Reason A Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor (Chicago
University of Chicago Press 1989)L R Lind lsquoNonnos and His Readersrsquo Res Publica Litterarum (1978) 159ndash70J Lindsay Leisure and Pleasure in Roman Egypt (London Muller 1965)V De Malde Giovan Battista Marino La Sampogna (Parma Fondazione Pietro Bembo Ugo Guanda
Editore 1993)A Martini Letteratura Italiana Le Opere Vol II Dal Cinquecento al Settecento A Asor Rosa (ed)
(Turin Einaudi 1993) pp 777ndash97R T Matthews and F DeWitt Platt The Western Humanities (Boston McGraw-Hill 2004)L Miguelez-Cavero Poems in Context Greek Poetry in the Egyptian Thebaid 200-600 AD (Berlin De
Gruyter 2008)R F Newbold lsquoMimesis and Illusion in Nonnus Deceit Distrust and the Search for Meaningrsquo
Helios 37 no 1 (2010) pp 81ndash106R Nunlist Poetologische Bildersprache in der fruhgriechischen Dichtung (Stuttgart Teubner 1998)G F Pasini lsquoDalla comparazione alla metaforarsquo Lingua e Stile 7 no 3 (1972) pp 441ndash69L Pernot La rhetorique de lrsquoeloge dans le monde greco-romain vol I (Paris Institut drsquoEtudes
Augustiennes 1993)S N Peters lsquoMetaphor and lsquolsquoMaravigliarsquorsquo Tradition and Innovation in the Adone of GB Marinorsquo
Lingua e Stile 7 no 2 (1972) pp 321ndash41D G Piccardi Metafora e Poetica in Nonno di Panopoli (Florence Universite degli Studi di Firenze
1985)mdashmdash Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol I (canti IndashXII) (Milano Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli
2003)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
24 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
G Pozzi Giovan Battista Marino vol II LrsquoAdone (Milano Mondadori 1976)mdashmdash lsquoIl ritratto della donna nella poesia drsquoinizio Cinquecento e la pittura di Giorgionersquo Lettere Italiane
311 gennaio-marzo (1979) pp 3ndash30mdashmdash lsquoTemi t0poi stereotipirsquo in A Asor Rosa (ed) Letteratura italiana III Le forme del testo I
Teoria e poesia (Torino Einaudi 1984) pp 391ndash436I A Richards The Philosophy of Rhetoric (New York Oxford University Press 1936)M Riemschneider lsquoDer Stil des Nonnosrsquo Berliner byzantinistische Arbeiten no 5 (1957) pp 46ndash70M Roberts The Jeweled Style Poetry and Poetics in Late Antiquity (Ithaca and London Cornell
University Press 1989)W H D Rouse Nonnus Dionysiaca (Cambridge MA Harvard University Press 1940)J Rousset La litterature de lrsquoage baroque en France Circe et le paon (Paris Corti 1954)E Russo lsquoSul barocco letterario in Italia Giudizi revisioni distinzionirsquo Les Dossiers du Grihl [Online]
2012-02 j 2012 Online since 25 June 2012 httpdossiersgrihlrevuesorg5223 [accessed 4 March2013]
A G Senmartı lsquoLa lsquolsquopoikiliarsquorsquo como principio estilıstico de las Dionisıacas de Nonorsquo AFB no 7(1981) pp 101ndash07
R Shorrock The Challenge of Epic Allusive Engagement in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Leiden Brill2001)
mdashmdash lsquoNonnusrsquo in J Foley (ed) A Companion to Ancient Epic (Oxford Wiley-Blackwell 2005)pp 374ndash85
mdashmdash The Myth of Paganism Nonnus Dionysus and the World of Late Antiquity (London BristolClassical Press 2011)
G Steen lsquoMetaphor and Stylersquo in P Stockwell and S Whiteley (eds) The Cambridge Handbook ofStylistics (Cambridge Cambridge University Press forthcoming 2014)
M String Untersuchungen zum Stil der Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Hamburg sn (disserta-tion) 1966)
E Tesauro Il Cannocchiale Aristotelico (Venice Baglioni 1654ndash70)F Tissoni Nonno di Panopoli I Canti di Penteo (Dionisiache 44ndash46) Commento (Florence La Nuova
Italia Editrice 1998)F Vian Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t I chants IndashII (Paris Les Belles Lettres 1976)R Wellek lsquoThe Concept of Baroque in Literary Scholarshiprsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism
52 Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1946) pp 77ndash109M Whitby lsquoFrom Moschus to Nonnus The Evolution of the Nonnian Stylersquo in N Hopkinson (ed)
Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society 1994) pp 99ndash155A Wifstrand Von Kallimachos zu Nonnos Metrisch-stilistische Untersuchungen zur spateren griechischen
Epik und zu verwandten Gedichtgattungen (Lund Gleerup 1933)H Wolfflin Renaissance und Barock Eine Untersuchung uber Wesen und Entstehung des Barockstils in
Italien (Munich T Ackermann 1888)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
25 of 25
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ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
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nloaded from
to come lsquodrainrsquo (lsquosvenarersquo which means literally lsquoto cut someonersquos veinsrsquo lsquoto bleed
someone dryrsquo)
ite volate
a quel labbro a quel seno api ingegnose
per fabricar dolcezze ite svenate
di quel sen di quel labbro e gigli e rose
come fly
to this lip to this breast clever beesto make sweetness come drain
the lilies and roses of that breast that lip
Part of this metaphor is traditional belonging to the canon of beauty developed from
the Middle Ages to the Renaissance (the colour of) the womanrsquos breast is like lilies
(white) and that of her lip like roses (red)18 But the metaphor is pushed one step
further (and here begins a baroque novelty) the vehicle (the flowers) is amplified by
the summoning of the bees from the realm of associations of the tenor They are
invited to participate actively in the illusion The vehicle of the metaphor is given life
and motion as it were and whirls around itself in a figurative play a literary trompelrsquoœil This kind of extreme metaphor shows that the relation between vehicle and
tenor which had been stable during the Renaissance began to destabilize during the
Baroque the distance between the two increased and the vehicle became auto-
referential vehicles themselves referred to further vehicles instead of to tenors
A set of practical tools for analysis
Much more can of course be said on theories of baroque metaphor but the proposed
method of this article is to make a factual comparison between two passages of Nonnus
and Marino I will briefly present two modern models of metaphor that will both serve
as practical tools for analysis First a linguistic model for which I chose the model
presented by Pasini (1972) not because it is particularly innovative but because it offers
a clear insight into the gradual differences between simile and metaphor at the level of
expression in language19 And secondly a conceptual model as proposed by Lakoff
(1980) and Lakoff and Turner (1989) and further developed by Steen (forthcoming)
because their point of departure is the concepts that lie behind linguistic expressions
Lakoff (1980) and Lakoff and Turner (1989) conceived their theory as a reaction to the
traditional approach of metaphor as a rhetorical device showing that metaphors are
omnipresent in everyday life and language and work conventionally automatically and
unconsciously Steen (forthcoming) distinguishes between a communicational (delib-
erate versus non-deliberate) conceptual (conventional versus novel) and linguistic level
18 More on the canon of beauty follows in section lsquoTwo beautiful satyr boysrsquo below
19 In addition to Pasini I used from the huge amount of literature on metaphor Brooke-
Rose (1958) and Van Boven and Dorleijn (2003)
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of metaphor introducing by the backdoor literary metaphor (belonging to the cat-
egory of deliberate metaphor) in Conceptual Metaphor Theory
The literary function of a metaphor does not just reside in the underlying cross-domain
comparison that is the basis of every metaphor Metaphor in poetry is often multi-layered
with many relations to other aspects of the text and its language which makes it strongly
dependent on all sorts of other information throughout the poem and the knowledge it
assumes All of this may be seen as highly typical of the use of metaphor in poetry
Pasini (1972) discerns four linguistic stages between simile on the one hand and
metaphor on the other hand ranging from a closed to an open message Each stage
can be explained by an example a description and a diagrammatic representation20
His cheeks are fresh like roses
This simile with the comparative adverb lsquolikersquo as an indicator includes a tenor
(cheeks A) a vehicle (roses B) and a ground (or tertium comparationis fresh C) It
is a closed construction leaving no space for the imagination of the reader This kind
of comparison is judged the most rational of the four stages because it is the most
specific and requires no leap of imaginative intellect to understand the ground on
which the comparison is made
His cheeks are like roses
This comparison with indicator (like) tenor (cheeks A) and a vehicle (roses B) does
not contain a ground (C) In this case the reader has to supply one or more of the
characteristics of the rose (freshness or red colour or sweet perfume etc) by
generalization and add this information on his own account to the comparison
This type one step closer to metaphors of type (3) and (4) is called by some a
lsquometaphorical comparisonrsquo the process of supplying by generalization is already
present but the process of identification is still absent
20 I thank Jaap Fokkema (VU University) for drawing the four figures after Pasini (1972) who
in his turn is inspired by the Rhetorique Generale (Paris 1970) of the French lsquoGroupe mrsquo
E M V A N O P S T A L L
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a His cheeks are roses
b The roses of his cheeks
This is a metaphor in praesentia it has a tenor (cheeks A) and a vehicle (roses B) but
being a metaphor it lacks both indicator and ground (C) In example (3a) the verb lsquoto
bersquo functions as a link and identifies the vehicle and the tenor with each other (in
French this use of the verb lsquoto bersquo is called lsquolrsquoest drsquoequivalencersquo)
On his face two roses
This is a metaphor in absentia in which the indicator the ground (C) as well as the
tenor (A) are absent and have to be supplied by the imagination of the reader The
vehicle lsquorosesrsquo refers not only to the concept of lsquorosesrsquo but also metaphorically to the
concept of lsquocheeksrsquo This kind of metaphor is the least rationalizing (the lsquoto bersquo of
example (3a) can still be considered a lsquorationalizingrsquo element) and the most open (the
reader has to generalize and to supply)
Lakoff presents a conceptual theory of everyday metaphor in Metaphors We LiveBy (1980) which is the basis of the study of poetical metaphor by Lakoff and Turner
in More Than Cool Reason a Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor (1989) He maintains
that the locus of metaphor is not in language (compare figure 4 below the line) but in
the way we conceptualize one mental domain in terms of another (compare figure 4
above the line) Metaphors make use of cross-domain conceptual mappings and are
cast in individual linguistic expressions21 In this theory the tenor is a linguistic
expression that belongs to the so-called target domain and the vehicle is a linguistic
expression that belongs to a so-called source domain The set of ontological corres-
pondences between these two domains can be represented in a mapping To give an
example a conceptual mapping of Pasinirsquos above-mentioned four types would look
like the following
People (target domain) plants (source domain)
youth corresponds to flowering
young person corresponds to blossoming rose
21 Interestingly the idea of the crossing of domains has been phrased in a less theoretical
and a more poetic way by Tesauro (1654ndash70 267)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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nloaded from
pink skin corresponds to red colour
young skin corresponds to freshness
aging corresponds to withering
So the tenor lsquocheeksrsquo belongs to the target domain lsquopeoplersquo and the vehicle lsquorosersquo
belongs to the source domain lsquoplantrsquo Thus while Pasinirsquos typology provides for a
formal analysis at a linguistic level Lakoffrsquos extra-linguistic concerns are centred on
a conceptual level His theory permits us to reflect on the concepts and ideas under-
lying metaphors
Two beautiful satyr boys
Ampelus
In this section I will discuss the two passages of Nonnus and Marino In Dionysiaca
10 175ndash92 the external narrator introduces the young Ampelus future lover of
Dionysus for the first time (as explained in paragraph II) He describes him as
follows
175 ka0 pot qhr0wn 3p1 oslashwg0da d0skion 4lhrdquo
6likordquo 2iq oio oslashodTHORNpidi q lgto morrsquoI
4dh g1r Frug0hrdquo 3p1 dir0da koNrordquo 2q0rwn
Amplordquo 2 xhto notrrsquo rdquo ernordquo ErTHORNtwn
o2d o3 3br1rdquo 4oulordquo ruqom noio gn0ou
180 4cnoa cion hrdquo car0ssto k0kla pariPrdquo
6bhrdquo cr0son 4nqordquo 2pisqop0roio d ca0thrdquo
b0trurdquo 3lik0ntrdquo prsquo 2rgursquo wn q on Œmwn
2plk rdquo ligurN d sunaiq0ssontrdquo 2ndasht
4sqmati koursquo0zonto parlkom nwn d kom0wn
185 2krorsquoan1rdquo 2n tll m sordquo gumno0mnordquo a2c1n
ka1 s lardquo 2k0ntiz lip0skiordquo oJ0 t l0mpi
mssorsquoan1rdquo n rsquoordquo 3gr1n 2nasc0zousa Slndashnh
ka1 st0matordquo oslashod oio ml0pnoordquo err rsquownndash
k ml wn drsquo 7lon Iar rsquoa0nto nisom nou d
190 k pod1rdquo 2rgursquo oio oslash0dwn ruqa0nto limTHORNn
2 d booglndashnwn rsquoa wn 2rsquogg i k0klN
2rsquoqalmo1rdquo l lizn 7lh sl0giz Slndashnh22
175 Once while hunting under a shady cliff of a wood
he was charmed by the rosy form of a young comrade
For under the ridge of the Phrygian hills the merry boyhad already matured Ampelus a new shoot of the gods of Love
For him no dainty bloom of a reddening chin
180 had marked the smooth circles of his snow-white cheeks
the golden flower of youth curling clusters of long hair
22 Greek text Chretien (1985) translation Rouse (1940) adapted
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ran down over his silvery-glistering shoulders
loosely and waving in the whispering wind
were lifted by its breath When the hair was blown aside
185 the bare neck appeared between just visible
and unshadowed light flashed from him just as the moon shines
half appearing when she pierces a damp cloudFrom his rosy mouth streamed a honey-breathing voice
Spring itself appeared from his limbs under the steps
190 of his silvery foot the meadow blushed with roses
and if he turned his eyes their bright iris gleaming
with the glow of a cowrsquos eye the light of the full moon shone
The satyr boy is described from head to toe (a procedure also propagated in exercises
on ekphrasis in the rhetorical handbooks of Late Antiquity see Aphthonius Prog
12) and in movement with major attention to the upper body parts the poet shows
us his cheeks (vv 179ndash81) hair shoulders neck (vv 181ndash87) mouth and voice
(v 188) moving on to his limbs and feet (vv 189ndash90) and eventually turns upwards
again towards eyes (vv 191ndash92) As often in erotic descriptions in Antiquity (espe-
cially from Hellenistic and Second Sophistic literature onwards) this passage
abounds with erotic topoi23 The setting is painted with stock images of the natural
world the shady wood the gentle breeze the flowery meadow these are all present
Everything (the satyr boy and his surroundings) is sweet young and blooming
The incredibly rich description of the effect of the different body parts ends in the
visual climax of the appearance of the moon first barely visible then half appearing
then fully visible The expressions 2krorsquoanndashrdquo (v 185) mssorsquoanndashrdquo (v 187) and 7lh
(v 192) also evoke the different stages of the cycle of the moon mdash new waxing and
full mdash intimately linked with the growth of plants in nature24
However many bucolic elements are used metaphorically the flower of youth a
rosy mouth a honey-breathing voice etc The metaphors in this description appeal
to all our senses to our eyes by the use of colours (red white golden silver) and
contrasts (brightndashdark) to our touch (his beardless cheeks) and to our ears and smell
(his honey-breathing voice) In her fascinating study of metaphors in the Dionysiaca
Daria Gigli Piccardi (1985) distinguishes in Nonnus three (archetypical) source
domains for metaphors of beauty two of which occur in this passage Firstly the
source domain lsquoflowersrsquo from individual flowers to spring meadows full of
23 The flowering youth of men around the age of their first beard the rosy mouth the
spring meadow are all common themes in Greek Hellenistic erotic literature but Nonnus
innovates by adding unusual elements (such as the neck also present in other descrip-
tions of beauty in the Dionysiaca) and particular formulations (see below) See Gigli
Piccardi (2003 700ndash703 ad vv 175ndash92) For a list of other studies on beauty in
Nonnus see Chretien (1985 142 ad vv 175ndash92)
24 Chretien (1985 144 ad v 192) and Gigli Piccardi (2003 700ndash701 ad vv 175ndash92)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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contrasting colours Secondly the source domain lsquoastral phenomenarsquo playing with
the opposition light-dark25
On a formal level we find only one simile in vv 186ndash87 introducing the theme of
the moon It belongs to Pasinirsquos type 1 (see section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo
above) unshadowed light (s lardquo lip0skiordquo tenor A) flashed (2k0ntiz ground C)
just as (oJ0 t indicator) half appearing the moon (Slndashnh vehicle B) shines (l0mpi
ground C) when she pierces a damp cloud (nrsquoordquo 3gr1n 2nasc0zousa vehicle B)
Besides this simile there are ten metaphors in praesentia (belonging to Pasinirsquos type 3)
and two metaphors in absentia (belonging to Pasinirsquos type 4) These metaphors are
expressed in a variety of ways which will be discussed below
(1) The most explicit type is the metaphor in apposition occurring very often in
Nonnus The comma after the tenor shows that we are dealing with such a metaphor
in apposition
tenor (A = noun) vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective) of X
a Amplordquo (A) notrrsquo rdquo e rnordquo (B) ErTHORNtwn (X) (v 178)
Ampelus (A) a new shoot (B) of the Loves (X)
b 3br1rdquo 4oulordquo ruqom noio gn0ou (A) 6bhrdquo (X) cr0son 4nqordquo (B) (vv 179-81)
the dainty bloom of a reddening chin (A) the golden flower (B) of youth (X)
(2) Another type of metaphor also very frequent in Nonnus links a metaphorical
adjective (vehicle) to a noun (tenor)
tenor (A = noun) thorn vehicle (B = metaphorical adjective)
a oslashodTHORNpidi (B) morrsquoI (A) (v 176) ndash rosy (B) form (A)
b cion hrdquo (B) pariPrdquo (A) (v 180) ndash snow-white (B) cheeks (A)
c 2rgursquo wn (B) Œmwn (A) (v 182) ndash silvery-glistering (B) shoulders (A)
d st0matordquo (A) oslashod oio (B) (v 188) ndash rosy (B) mouth (A)
e ml0pnoordquo (B) rsquownndash (A) (v 188) ndash a honey-breathing (B) voice (A)
f pod1rdquo (A) 2rgursquo oio (B) (v 190) ndash silvery (B) foot (A)
g booglndashnwn (B) rsquoa wn (A) (v 191) ndash cowrsquos eye (B) glow (A)
(3) In Nonnus the metaphor in absentia is restricted to the more common metaphors
of the flower domain In the following example the vehicle is a noun phrase whereas
the nature of the tenor becomes clear from the addition of a noun or noun phrase in
apposition It is to be noted that the word b0trurdquo is normally used for lsquoclusters of
vinersquo and points already to Ampelusrsquo future metamorphosis
vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective) of X (= noun thorn adjective in genitive)
a 2pisqop0roio d ca0thrdquo (X) b0trurdquo (B) 3lik0ntrdquo (vv 182-83) ndash curling clusters (B) of
long hair (A)
25 The third source domain individuated by Gigli Piccardi is that of lsquothe war of loversquo full of
contrasts between real and metaphorical weapons
E M V A N O P S T A L L
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from X (= preposition thorn noun) appears vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective)
b k ml wn (A) 7lon Iar (B) rsquoa0nto (v 189)
From his limbs (A) spring itself (B) appeared
(4) As Gigli Piccardi (1985 70) already noticed Nonnus invented his own extended
metaphorical formula lsquoan autonomous linguistic constellationrsquo lsquowhen X becomes
visible Y appearsrsquo (sometimes followed by a comparison) Whereas the theme of the
moon is introduced by a comparison in vv 186ndash87 it is closed in vv 191ndash92 by such
a lsquoNonnianrsquo metaphor
2 d booglndashnwn rsquoa wn 2rsquogg i k0klN 2rsquoqalmo1rdquo l lizn (X) 7lh sl0giz Slndashnh (Y)
and if he turned his eyes with their bright iris gleaming with a cowrsquos eye glow (X) the light of the
full moon shone (Y)
The large number of metaphors cast in many different forms results in a descrip-
tion that is far from literal The blooming satyr boy and the blooming spring mingle
both being connected to the three phases of the moon Ampelus almost becomes
Bacchic nature himself His first meeting with the God already contains the promise
of his own future metamorphosis the expression b0trurdquo as noticed above being
one of its most explicit indicators26 The golden flower of youth not only contains
life but also death and resurrection Thus the totality of the metaphors expresses
perpetual change
Pampino
As we have seen in section lsquoBaroque metaphorrsquo the story of Pampino belongs to a set
of love-stories told by the gods to Venus as a consolation after the death of her lover
Adonis In Adone 19 ott 66ndash67 the god Dionysus describes the beautiful Pampino
ott 66 La bella fronte gli adorno Natura
di gentil maesta drsquoaria celeste
Dolce color di fragola matura
4 gli facea rosseggiar le guance oneste
Nela bocca ridea la grana pura
tra schiette perle in doppio fil conteste
ne quivi avea la rosa purpurina
8 prodotta ancor la sua dorata spina
ott 67 La notte tenebrosa il ciel turbato
si rischiarava dersquo begli occhi al lume
Il vago piede imporporava il prato
4 la bianca mano innargentava il fiume
Qualor lievrsquoaura con soave fiato
confondendogli il crin scotea le piume
26 See also Gigli Piccardi (1985 69) and (2003 700ndash1 ad vv 175ndash92)
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parea sparso su rsquol collo il bel tesoro
8 sovra un colle drsquoavorio un bosco drsquooro
ott 66 His beautiful forehead Nature adorned
with refined nobility with heavenly looks
The sweet colour of ripe strawberries4 painted his honest cheeks red
In his mouth pure pomegranate laughed
set between real pearls in a double row
There the purple rose had not
8 yet produced her golden thorns
ott 67 The shady night the darkened sky
brightened at the light of his beautiful eyesHis yearning foot turned the meadow purple
4 his white hand turned the river silver
When a gentle breeze with its soft breath
playing with his hair shook his feathers
on his neck the beautiful treasure seemed to spread out
8 on an ivory hill a forest of gold
This description of Pampino owes much to Nonnusrsquo description of Ampelus but is
at the same time different Since Marino uses and plays with the Renaissance canon
of beauty I will discuss this canon briefly in order to gain a better understanding of
the Pampino passage
The topos of beauty began to acquire fixed rules during the Middle Ages and was
completely canonized by the Renaissance27 From the Middle Ages onwards two
types of canon for feminine beauty were developed the short and the long canon
The short canon (used by Petrarch) focuses on the face mentioning hair eyes
mouth and cheeks Hand and breast are briefly referred to forehead and neck are
seldom included The long canon (used by Boccaccio and Ariosto) adds more detail
and leads the gaze further downwards from head to toe Central features of the short
canon are splendour (light) and colour (white) whereas the long canon emphasizes
harmonious proportions (of the body)
Renaissance poets use set comparisons and oppositions such as lsquoredrsquo versus
lsquowhitersquo But within these fixed boundaries there were ample possibilities for vari-
ance One way to play with conventions was the following a poet could mention only
one element of an opposition and thereby automatically evoke its counterpart in the
27 For an overview of Greek poetry up to the Byzantine period see Jax (1933) with dis-
turbing racist emphasis on lsquodas weibliche Schonheitsideal der weiszligen Rassersquo for the
Latin Middle-Ages see Faral (1962 esp p 75 ss) Sidonius Apollinarisrsquo portrait of
Theodoric (Ep I 2 2 sixth century) is seen as the best model for descriptions of persons
by Geoffroy de Vinsauf (Poetria nova 1210 CE) for the Renaissance see Pozzi (1979 and
1984)
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mind of the audience For example if he described a hand a foot was to be imagined
by the reader when a rose was mentioned it was intended that a lily be brought to
mind etc
Favourite source domains for metaphors were in the first place flowers roses
lilies and violets for colour and evanescence secondly precious materials pearls
rubies coral and gold for colour and diamond and sapphire for splendour and
thirdly lsquoheavenly bodiesrsquo stars and the sun for splendour and movement For
special effects these elements could be combined into homogeneous or heteroge-
neous couples a lily and a rose or ivory and a rose etc
How are these images used and constructed in the present passage from
Marino Marino combines the two canons adopting the short canon for his descrip-
tion of the young man and then enumerating his several parts from head to toe He
begins with the (moral) qualities given by Nature to Pampinorsquos forehead (ott 66
1ndash2) continues with his cheeks mouth and cheeks again (ott 66 3ndash8) then turns to
his eyes (ott 67 1ndash2) to his foot and hand (ott 67 3ndash4 the foot belonging to the
long canon) and finally to his hair and neck (ott 67 5ndash8) Marino adds various
(moral) qualifications The first octave is relatively quiet drawing as it were
Pampinorsquos portrait Its three source domains for the metaphors are lsquofruitrsquo lsquoprecious
materialsrsquo lsquoflowersrsquo (pomegranate pearl rose) connected with contrasting colours
(red white and golden) and positive qualifications (beautiful refined heavenly
sweet honest pure real) The second octave is stirred by movement the
sky brightens Pampinorsquos touch turns nature into something else the playing
wind shakes hair locks spreads out It also introduces the opposition light-dark
(shady night darken brighten light) The source domains of the second octave
are lsquobucolic landscapersquo (meadow river breeze) and lsquoprecious materialsrsquo
(silver gold)
As is to be expected Marino is fond of metaphors and expresses them in
various ways But unlike Nonnus he obviously prefers metaphors in absentia
(Pasinirsquos type 4 see section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo above)
The description of Pampino includes moral and physical qualities In ott 66 3ndash4
the strawberry (lsquodolce color di fragola maturarsquo lsquothe sweet colour of ripe strawberriesrsquo)
paving the way for the source domain lsquofruitrsquo is followed by a series of metaphors
(1) There are several instances of metaphors in absentia which are intelligible when
one looks at either the direct context in which they are embedded or at the existing
Renaissance conventions
vehicle (B = noun thorn- adjective)
a la grana pura (ott 66 5) ndash pure pomegranate (sc in his mouth gt tongue)
b schiette perle (ott 66 6) ndash real pearls (sc in double row gt teeth)
c rosa purpurina (ott 66 7) ndash purple rose (sc there gt on his cheeks gt beard)
d le piume (ott 67 6) ndash feathers (of his hair gt locks of hair)
e tesoro (ott 67 7) ndash treasure (his rich hair)
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(2) To these examples two metaphorical verbs can be added
vehicle (B = verb)
a imporporava (ott 67 3) ndash turned purpleb innargentava (ott 67 4) ndash turned silver
(3) The following metaphor in absentia is qualified by a metaphorical adjective
vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective)
la sua dorata spina (ott 66 8) ndash her golden thorns (reddish-blonde bristles)
(4) Another variant are the metaphors in absentia that combine two metaphorical
expressions
vehicle (B = noun) of vehicle (B = noun)
a colle (B) drsquoavorio (B) (ott 67 8) ndash an ivory hill (of his white neck)
b un bosco (B) drsquooro (B) (ott 67 8) ndash a forest of gold (of his blond hair)
(5) Taken together two final verses of ott 67 are an example of a typical baroque
metaphor (discussed in section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo) a concatenation
of metaphorical images Ott 67 7 is elaborated in the next verse by a metaphor in
apposition on neck (tenorrsquo) the beautiful treasure (tenorrsquorsquo) on an ivory hill (vehiclersquo)a forest of gold (vehiclersquorsquo) Both vehicles are from the source domain lsquolandscapersquo (hill
forest) and continue the image of the previous bucolic description (meadow river
breeze) But at the same time the lsquotreasurersquo (tenorrsquorsquo) is already itself a metaphor (for
lsquohairrsquo) from another source domain (lsquoprecious materialsrsquo) that is elaborated by its
own two metaphorical adjectives lsquoivoryrsquo and lsquogoldrsquo from the same source domain As
we have seen with the example of Lemene the image evokes a further image
creating a kind of lsquoliterary trompe lrsquoœilrsquo
On tenor (Arsquo = noun) tenor (Arsquorsquo = noun) on vehicle (Brsquo noun thorn Brsquorsquo adjec) vehiclersquorsquo
(Brsquorsquo noun thorn Brsquorsquo adjec)
su rsquol collo (Arsquo) il bel tesoro (Arsquorsquo) sovra un colle drsquoavorio (Brsquothorn Brsquorsquo) un bosco drsquooro (Brsquorsquothorn Brsquorsquo)
Some intertextual notes
Apart from the topoi shared by Nonnus and Marino it is easy to see that several of
Marinorsquos verses in ott 67 are closely modelled on Nonnus of course in Lubinrsquos
translation (ed 1606)28 Marino ott 67 1ndash2 (darkness flees before Pampinorsquos eyes)
28 175 Et aliquanto venans sub petra umbrosa sylvae Aequalis iuvenis rosea delectabatur
forma Nunc etenim Phrygiae sub colle puer ludens Ampelus crescebat nuper
enutritus ramus amorum Neque ipsi mollis lanugo rubentis menti 180 Imberbes
nivea signaverat circulos maxilla Iuventae aureum florem In tergum reiectarum vero
comarum Racemi flexuosi super splendidis currebant humeris Non complicati Suavi
vero una concitati cum aura Flatu elevabantur Retractis vero comis 185 In
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combines Nonnus vv 186ndash87 (Ampelusrsquo neck is like the moon shining though
clouds) and vv 191ndash92 (when Ampelus looks the moon shines) Marino ott 67
3ndash4 (Pampinorsquos foot and hand transform meadow and river) is like Nonnus vv
189ndash90 (Ampelusrsquo limbsfoot elicit spring and flowers in the meadow) Marino
ott 67 5ndash6 (the wind playing with Pampinorsquos hair and showing his neck) is similar
to Nonnus vv 183ndash85 (the wind playing with Ampelusrsquo hair and revealing his neck)
Marino was unable to borrow Nonnusrsquo image of Ampelusrsquo foot eliciting spring
because Falkenburgrsquos text and Lubinrsquos translation present a different textual reading
from Chretienrsquos Falkenburg does not have (drsquo7lon) Iar (lsquospringrsquo) but (g1r) 5niar
which was translated as lsquoemolumentumrsquo (lsquogainrsquo) by Lubin
There are however some significant differences To describe the effect of the
Ampelusrsquo neck and eyes Nonnus introduces the image of the moon emerging through
the clouds while evoking simultaneously the moon cycle He begins with a compari-
son and continues with a metaphor spread out over eight verses To describe the
instant effect of Pampinorsquos eyes Marino (or to be more precise the narrator
Dionysus) simply states a truth a hyperbolic truth the light of Pampinorsquos eyes illu-
minates darkness To describe the effect of the neck of the satyr boy he introduces the
landscape and treasure metaphor The importance of the neck seems to point towards
another intertext the description of feminine beauty in the Song of Songs29 The lovers
in the Song of Songs describe each other in metaphorical terms their eyes hair teeth
lips voice cheeks neck breast and overall fairness etc (he in 4 she in 5 10ndash16 he
again in 6 4ndash7 and 7 1ndash9) Among the many source domains in the Song of Songs
lsquofruitrsquo lsquoastral phenomenarsquo and lsquoprecious materialsrsquo are present too To give some
examples her temples are pomegranates (4 3) his arms are rods of gold set with topaz
(5 14) she appears like the dawn the moon the sun the stars (6 10) and last but not
least her neck is an ivory tower (7 4)30 Elsewhere in the Adone (as often in Italian
Baroque poetry) Christian imagery is also clearly present31
summitate apparens oriebatur media nudata cervix Et fulgorem eiaculabatur umbram
relinquens qualia lucet In medio apparens nubem humidam perrumpens Luna Et
oris rosei mel spirans (Lectius 1606 lsquospiansrsquo instead of lsquospiransrsquo) fluebat oratio Ex
membris enim emolumentum (Falkenburg reads g1r 5niar lsquogainrsquo where Chretien has
drsquo7lon Iar) apparebat Cum iret vero 190 Ex pede argenteo pedum (Falkenburg reads
2rgur oio pod8n instead of Chretienrsquos 2rgursquo oio oslashod8n) rubebat pratum Cum vero
faciei bovinae ventorum (Falkenburg has 2n mwn instead of Chretienrsquos rsquoa wn Lectius
1606 has lsquobavinaersquo for lsquobovinaersquo) illustri circulo Oculos circumvertisset tota resplen-
debat Luna
29 Parallels between the Song of Songs and Greek love poetry are already present in Greek
poetry from Antiquity see various articles in Hagedorn (2005)
30 Paradoxically Marino is closer to the Hebrew original (that he was unable to read) than
to the Latin translation of the Vulgate (which he must have used) the Vulgate turns most
of the original metaphors into similes with the indicator lsquosicutrsquo
31 For example the suggested parallel between Adone and Christ condemned by the
Inquisition a nymph acting as Judas revealing Adonersquos hiding place and committing
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Marino changes some of Nonnusrsquo explicit (rationalizing see Pasini section lsquoA set
of practical tools for analysisrsquo) images into more implicit (open see Pasini section
lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo) ones evoking a concatenation of associations
The image of Ampelusrsquo silvery footstep (Greek 2rguroioLatin argenteo) that
turned the meadow red with roses is adapted to Marinorsquos own time Pampinorsquos
foot is no longer silvery but lsquovagorsquo (a reminiscence of Petrarcarsquos lsquovago piersquo)32 and it
still turns the meadow purple but the reader has to supply the exact nature of the
purple (eg purple gt flower gt rose) Since in the Renaissance canon lsquofootrsquo evokes
lsquohandrsquo and since the colour lsquopurplersquo evokes the contrast lsquowhitersquo Pampinorsquos foot and
the purple meadow in ott 67 3 lead lsquospontaneouslyrsquo to lsquohis white handrsquo in ott 67 4
Finally Nonnusrsquo lsquosilveryrsquo is not lost but transformed into the metaphorical verb
lsquoturned into silverrsquo (an interesting invention to provoke a new contrast in the readerrsquos
mind because the story is situated in Phrygia with its proverbially gold-gleaming
river Pactolus)33
What can we conclude on the basis of the similarities and differences in the
passages of Nonnus and Marino about their use of metaphor
First it is evident that Nonnus and Marino are equally fond of metaphors
Nonnusrsquo eighteen verses contain twelve metaphors and one comparison Marinorsquo
sixteen verses contain twelve metaphors On a quantitative level the abundant and
cumulative use of metaphors by Nonnus could be called lsquobaroquersquo
Secondly we have seen that on a conceptual level Nonnus and Marino share some
characteristics but not all Both poets work with the contrasting couples red-white
and light-dark and use the source domain lsquoflowerrsquo But the more traditional source
domains lsquoprecious materialsrsquo and lsquofruitrsquo inherited by Marino from the Renaissance
canon of beauty are barely or not at all present in Nonnus at least not in this passage
Thirdly at the linguistic level Nonnus and Marino clearly employ different
kinds and complexities of metaphor Nonnus on the one hand uses a concatenation
of metaphors in praesentia crowned by his personal metaphorical formula in which
the appearance of the tenor simultaneously evokes the vehicle Linguistically speak-
ing the relation between tenor and vehicle remains visible and controllable
suicide Venus crying over Adonersquos body as Mary did over Jesusrsquo body Adone is not
wounded in his thigh as in Greek mythology but in his side See also Guardiani (2001)
and Gonnelli (2003 29ndash30 on pagan and Christian syncretism in Nonnusrsquo Paraphrasis
and Marinorsquos Adone) The last motif recurs in the fresco lsquoLa Morte di Adonersquo by Luca
Giordano (1682ndash85) Palazzo Medici-Riccardi Florence It is reminiscent of the parallel
between Dionysus and Christ also expressed in various mosaics for example in a Roman
mosaic depicting Dionysusrsquo discovery of Ariadne on Naxos (Syria 3rd-4th cent Miho
Museum Kyoto Japan cat NA) where Dionysus not only has a nimbus but also a
wound in his sidebreast (a later addition) (I thank Berenice Verhelst for pointing out
this mosaic to me)
32 For this intricate Renaissance style word play see Pozzi (1976) ad loc
33 See Nonn Dion 11 17ndash55 for the swimming contest with Dionysus and Ampelus and
the effect on the satyr boy of the golden water of the river Pactolus
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(lsquorationalrsquo lsquoclosedrsquo) Marino on the other hand prefers metaphors in absentia
opening the associative distance between vehicle and tenor to a maximum He uses
the auto-referential metaphor that is so typical of Baroque poetry Marinorsquos method
reflects instability the arbitrariness of the relation between tenor and vehicle seems to
express the absence of a shared and well-organized world with absolute values As
Conte (1972 37) puts it lsquoconfronted by a reality (human social politic cultural) in
crisis the baroque word denounces the prerogative of the word it speaks almost
exclusively of itself but speaking of itself it imitates takes possession of exorcizes
and even organizes the crisisrsquo Therefore on a linguistic level there seems to be more
method in Nonnusrsquo madness than in Marinorsquos
Finally what about the overall effect of the metaphors they use in their respective
descriptions Nonnus and Marino both describe beautiful beardless satyr boys
caught in a fleeting moment of radiant movement in an eroticizing bucolic setting
They put equal emphasis on the beauty and the fragility of youth and on the satyr
boyrsquos impact on the nature surrounding him As we have seen Nonnusrsquo metaphors
make Ampelus progressively intermingle with nature announcing the satyr boyrsquos
metamorphosis Even though they are classified as more lsquorationalrsquo on a linguistic
level (see Pasini) their effect is impressively irrational and open Just as Marinorsquos
metaphors they are constantly related to metamorphosis expressing change and
instability These are typical features of the Baroque that also explain at least partly
Marinorsquos affiliation with Nonnus
Conclusion
To return to the initial question of this article do we need the term lsquobaroquersquo to
characterize Nonnusrsquo poetry We have seen that the use of lsquobaroquersquo for other
periods than the seventeenth-century Baroque has met with positive and negative
reactions being found either too restricted or too broad and that the term lsquobaroquersquo
is often used for Nonnusrsquo Dionysiaca in an impressionistic way to indicate that his
aesthetics deviate from the lsquoclassicalrsquo Used in this sense lsquobaroquersquo can suggest
openness expansion abundance accumulation asymmetry moving musicality
optical illusion and the absence of a vanishing point as opposed to lsquoclassicalrsquo
with its connotation of contours closed nature unity harmony symmetry archi-
tectural fixity and converging perspectives Many of these tendencies known from
the historical Baroque are visible in Late Antique poetry
What about the other qualifications at hand such as poik0lordquo lsquojeweledrsquo and
lsquocumulativersquo Can they replace the term lsquobaroquersquo The first poikil0a is intimately
linked with Nonnusrsquo own poetics as becomes immediately clear from his prologue
where it refers to variety and polymorphism in the poem as a whole The poet wishes
that lsquoProteus of the many turnsrsquo the god of endless transformation lsquomay appear in
all his diversity of shapes since I twang my harp to a diversity of songsrsquo34 It is
34 Nonn Dion I 15 5rsquora rsquoan0h poik0lon Idordquo ecwn 7ti poik0lon 4mnon 2r0ssw (transl
Rouse 1940) The term poik0lordquo has been used very frequently by scholars to describe
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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nloaded from
applied to Late Antique literature as well as to art works both art forms being
intimately linked during this period Gianfranco Agosti (1997 34ndash35 see also
2006 361ss) expands its use understanding it lsquonot only as stylistic varietas but
above all as a code intended to characterize reality The concept of poikil0a goes
far beyond mere rhetorical or stylistic boundaries and becomes a peculiar way of
viewing realityrsquo When used in this way as a psychological category applied to the
relation between word and image it becomes a hermeneutic tool to explore Late
Antique world views
The second expression lsquojeweled stylersquo is used for Late Antique writers and
artists who place their words and phrases or their gems and colours in geometric
patterns The aim of these patterns is to create a symbolic unity which is considered
more important than linear narrative sequences in literature and realism in the visual
arts The term has been coined by Michael Roberts (1989) for the aesthetics of Latin
poetry from Late Antiquity (Ausonius Prudentius Claudian Sidonius etc) but
can be applied mutatis mutandis to Greek literature from the same period
The third expression lsquocumulative aestheticrsquo describes a similar attitude in Late
Antique art characterized by a particular attention to detail (lsquoexquisite miniatur-
izationrsquo) and by a preference for the re-use of precious elements from the past
(spolia) The sum of these separate entities forms a new unity and expresses a
new vision of the world Jas Elsner (2004) discusses the term in the context of the
visual arts but it can also be applied to literature
Poikil0a jeweled style and cumulative aesthetic are free of the charge of
anachronism They are related each of them covering several aspects of Late
Antique art and literature but not all In my opinion the term lsquobaroquersquo serves a
different purpose it can indicate generally the kind of expressive possibilities chosen
by an author provided that this sketchy characterization is subsequently elaborated
in order to lend the term lsquobaroquersquo a more specific significance especially by
comparing it to the lsquoBaroquersquo
The term lsquobaroquersquo as a general indication for Nonnusrsquo style invited me to com-
pare lsquobaroquersquo Nonnus with lsquoBaroque Marinorsquo I picked up the Tesaurorsquos telescope
to zoom in on metaphor and to study the lsquoqueen of figuresrsquo from close up Nonnusrsquo
metaphors clearly appealed to the poetic creativity of Marino There is much aes-
thetic affinity between the stylistic norms they adopted when composing metaphors
They use comparable expressive possibilities to articulate their vision of the world
even if these worlds are very different and even if the lsquomost Baroque of baroque
poetsrsquo goes one step further than Nonnus Zooming out again I conclude two things
Nonnusrsquo style on the basis of his own proemium See for example Lindsay (1965 379ndash
84) String (1966 33ndash70) Vian (1976 9ndash10) Gonzalez Senmartı (1981) Hopkinson
(1994) Whitby (1994 101 112 116) Agosti (1997) Shorrock (2001) Miguelez-
Cavero (2008 139ndash45 162ndash68) Hernandez de la Fuente (2011) As a poetical qualifica-
tion poikil0a is already present in Pindar see Nunlist (1998 118) For poikil0avarietas
in epideictic rhetoric of the Imperial Period see Pernot (1993 337)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
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nloaded from
if not pinned down as a strictly historical category the term lsquobaroquersquo can to a
certain extent be applied to Nonnus and above all can invite further exploration of
the intertextual relationships between poets and be helpful in comparing artistic
norms from different periods of time Used in this way it does not replace nor is
replaced by the terms poikil0a lsquojeweled stylersquo and cumulative aesthetics but is a
stimulating tool to bring to light similarities and differences in poetic creativity not
only of metaphor but also of other characteristics which have been called lsquotypically
baroquersquo35 It can help to gain insight into the exact nature of a literary lsquodialogue at
distancersquo and could also prove fruitful in analysing and characterizing Marinorsquos
intertexutal relations with other authors from Antiquity
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank G Agosti M H Koenen P Lanfranchi and M Pearson for
their stimulating comments and lively discussions during the various stages of this
article as well as Jas Elsner the associate editor and the anonymous referees of
Classical Receptions Journal for their accurate and useful suggestions
References
G Agosti lsquoPoemi digressivi tardoantichi (e moderni)rsquo Compar(a)ison no 1 (1995) pp 131ndash51mdashmdash lsquoThe poikil0a of Paul the Bishoprsquo ZPE no 116 (1997) pp 31ndash38mdashmdash lsquoImmagini e poesia nella tarda antichita Per uno studio dellrsquoestetica visuale della poesia greca fra
III e IV sec d Crsquo Incontri Triestini di Filologia Classica 4 2004-2005 (2006) pp 351ndash74 Onlinesince 22 August 2006 httphdlhandlenet10077949 [accessed 4 July 2012]
S Bar Review of Miguelez-Cavero 2008 in Plekos no 12 (2010) pp 67ndash77 httpwwwplekosuni-muenchende2010r-caveropdf [accessed 4 July 2012]
E van Boven and G Dorleijn Literair Mechaniek Inleiding tot de Analyse van Verhalen en Gedichten(Bussum Coutinho 2003) esp pp 159ndash80 (lsquoBeeldspraakrsquo)
Ch Brooke-Rose A Grammar of Metaphor (London Secker amp Warburg 1958)P Cherchi lsquoPoetry Philosophy and Sciencersquo in P Brand and L Pertile (eds) The Cambridge History
of Italian Literature vol I The Seicento (Cambridge Cambridge University Press 1996)pp 301ndash17
G Chretien Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t IV chants IXndashX (Paris Les Belles Lettres1985)
G Conte La Metafora barocca Saggio sulle poetiche del Seicento (Milano Mursia 1972)E R Curtius Europaische Literatur und lateinisches Mittelalter (Bern Francke Verlag 1948)G DrsquoIppolito Studi Nonniani Lrsquoepillio nelle Dionisiache (Palermo Presso lrsquoAccademia 1964)E DrsquoOrs Du Baroque (Paris Gallimard 1935)
35 Other intertexual relations such as the ones briefly discussed by Tissoni (1998 59ndash62)
could be analysed according to the procedure of Rousset (1954) although he restricted
his method to the seventeenth-century French Baroque literature He formulated four
main criteria applicable to various seventeenth-century Baroque art forms (architecture
painting and literature) lsquoinstabilityrsquo lsquomobilityrsquo lsquometamorphosisrsquo and lsquodominance of
settingrsquo He subsequently applied these criteria to five literary instances first of all lsquoa type
of metaphorrsquo followed by lsquoa type of poemrsquo lsquoa poetic work as a wholersquo lsquoa theatrical work as
a wholersquo and lsquoa general attitudersquo ie lsquodisplayrsquo (1954 181ss)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
23 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
J Elsner lsquoLate Antique Art The Problem of the Concept and the Cumulative Aestheticrsquo in S Swainand M Edwards (eds) Approaching Late Antiquity The Transformation from Early to Late Empire(Oxford Oxford University Press 2004) pp 271ndash309
E Faral Les Arts Poetiques du XIIe et XIIIe siecle Recherches et Documents sur la Technique Litteraire duMoyen Age (Paris Champion 1962)
W Fauth Eidos Poikilon Zur Thematik der Metamorphose und zum Prinzip der Wandlung aus demGegensatz in den Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Gottingen Vandenhoeck amp Ruprecht 1981)
P Friedlander Johannes von Gaza und Paulus Silentiarius Kunstbeschreibungen Justinianischer Zeit(Leipzig Teubner 1912)
H de la Fuente lsquoThe One and the Many and the Circular Movement Neo-Platonism and Poetics inNonnus of Panopolisrsquo in Id (ed) New Perspectives on Late Antiquity (Newcastle-upon-TyneCambridge Scholars 2011)
F Gonnelli Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol II (canti XIIIndashXXIV) (Milano BibliotecaUniversale Rizzoli 2003)
V Giraudet lsquoLe rivage la presqursquoıle et le marais Espaces baroques chez Achille Tatius et Nonnos dePanopolisrsquo in R Poignault (ed) Presence du Roman grec et Latin (Clermont-Ferrand Centre deRecherches A Piganiol 2011) pp 147ndash66
Groupe m (J Dubois ea) Rhetorique generale (Paris du Seuil 1970)F Guardiani lsquoA Christological Metamorphosis in a Baroque Poemrsquo in J Goering ea (ed) Saints and
the Sacred Select Proceedings of the 3rd St Michaelrsquos College Annual Symposium (Feb 25-26 2000)(Ottawa Legas 2001) pp 185ndash95
A C Hagedorn (ed) Perspectives on the Song of Songs (Berlin De Gruyter 2005)F Hallyn Formes metaphoriques dans la poesie lyrique de lrsquoage baroque en France (Geneve Droz 1975)H Hatzfeld lsquoThe Baroque from the Viewpoint of the Literary Historianrsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art
Criticism 142 Second Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1955) 156ndash64N Hopkinson (ed) Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society
1994)R Huyghe lsquoLa seve du baroquersquo Baroque [online] no 4 (1969) Online since 3 May 2012 http
baroquerevuesorg304 [accessed 22 January 2013]K Jax Die weibliche Schonheit in der griechischen Dichtung (Innsbruck Wagner 1933)R Keydell lsquoNonnosrsquo in Th Klauser (ed) Reallexikon fur Antike und Christentum vol XVII
(Stuttgart Hiersemann 1936) vol XVII pp 902ndash20G Lakoff Metaphors We Live By (Chicago University of Chicago Press 1980)G Lakoff and M Turner More Than Cool Reason A Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor (Chicago
University of Chicago Press 1989)L R Lind lsquoNonnos and His Readersrsquo Res Publica Litterarum (1978) 159ndash70J Lindsay Leisure and Pleasure in Roman Egypt (London Muller 1965)V De Malde Giovan Battista Marino La Sampogna (Parma Fondazione Pietro Bembo Ugo Guanda
Editore 1993)A Martini Letteratura Italiana Le Opere Vol II Dal Cinquecento al Settecento A Asor Rosa (ed)
(Turin Einaudi 1993) pp 777ndash97R T Matthews and F DeWitt Platt The Western Humanities (Boston McGraw-Hill 2004)L Miguelez-Cavero Poems in Context Greek Poetry in the Egyptian Thebaid 200-600 AD (Berlin De
Gruyter 2008)R F Newbold lsquoMimesis and Illusion in Nonnus Deceit Distrust and the Search for Meaningrsquo
Helios 37 no 1 (2010) pp 81ndash106R Nunlist Poetologische Bildersprache in der fruhgriechischen Dichtung (Stuttgart Teubner 1998)G F Pasini lsquoDalla comparazione alla metaforarsquo Lingua e Stile 7 no 3 (1972) pp 441ndash69L Pernot La rhetorique de lrsquoeloge dans le monde greco-romain vol I (Paris Institut drsquoEtudes
Augustiennes 1993)S N Peters lsquoMetaphor and lsquolsquoMaravigliarsquorsquo Tradition and Innovation in the Adone of GB Marinorsquo
Lingua e Stile 7 no 2 (1972) pp 321ndash41D G Piccardi Metafora e Poetica in Nonno di Panopoli (Florence Universite degli Studi di Firenze
1985)mdashmdash Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol I (canti IndashXII) (Milano Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli
2003)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
24 of 25
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ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
G Pozzi Giovan Battista Marino vol II LrsquoAdone (Milano Mondadori 1976)mdashmdash lsquoIl ritratto della donna nella poesia drsquoinizio Cinquecento e la pittura di Giorgionersquo Lettere Italiane
311 gennaio-marzo (1979) pp 3ndash30mdashmdash lsquoTemi t0poi stereotipirsquo in A Asor Rosa (ed) Letteratura italiana III Le forme del testo I
Teoria e poesia (Torino Einaudi 1984) pp 391ndash436I A Richards The Philosophy of Rhetoric (New York Oxford University Press 1936)M Riemschneider lsquoDer Stil des Nonnosrsquo Berliner byzantinistische Arbeiten no 5 (1957) pp 46ndash70M Roberts The Jeweled Style Poetry and Poetics in Late Antiquity (Ithaca and London Cornell
University Press 1989)W H D Rouse Nonnus Dionysiaca (Cambridge MA Harvard University Press 1940)J Rousset La litterature de lrsquoage baroque en France Circe et le paon (Paris Corti 1954)E Russo lsquoSul barocco letterario in Italia Giudizi revisioni distinzionirsquo Les Dossiers du Grihl [Online]
2012-02 j 2012 Online since 25 June 2012 httpdossiersgrihlrevuesorg5223 [accessed 4 March2013]
A G Senmartı lsquoLa lsquolsquopoikiliarsquorsquo como principio estilıstico de las Dionisıacas de Nonorsquo AFB no 7(1981) pp 101ndash07
R Shorrock The Challenge of Epic Allusive Engagement in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Leiden Brill2001)
mdashmdash lsquoNonnusrsquo in J Foley (ed) A Companion to Ancient Epic (Oxford Wiley-Blackwell 2005)pp 374ndash85
mdashmdash The Myth of Paganism Nonnus Dionysus and the World of Late Antiquity (London BristolClassical Press 2011)
G Steen lsquoMetaphor and Stylersquo in P Stockwell and S Whiteley (eds) The Cambridge Handbook ofStylistics (Cambridge Cambridge University Press forthcoming 2014)
M String Untersuchungen zum Stil der Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Hamburg sn (disserta-tion) 1966)
E Tesauro Il Cannocchiale Aristotelico (Venice Baglioni 1654ndash70)F Tissoni Nonno di Panopoli I Canti di Penteo (Dionisiache 44ndash46) Commento (Florence La Nuova
Italia Editrice 1998)F Vian Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t I chants IndashII (Paris Les Belles Lettres 1976)R Wellek lsquoThe Concept of Baroque in Literary Scholarshiprsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism
52 Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1946) pp 77ndash109M Whitby lsquoFrom Moschus to Nonnus The Evolution of the Nonnian Stylersquo in N Hopkinson (ed)
Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society 1994) pp 99ndash155A Wifstrand Von Kallimachos zu Nonnos Metrisch-stilistische Untersuchungen zur spateren griechischen
Epik und zu verwandten Gedichtgattungen (Lund Gleerup 1933)H Wolfflin Renaissance und Barock Eine Untersuchung uber Wesen und Entstehung des Barockstils in
Italien (Munich T Ackermann 1888)
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nloaded from
of metaphor introducing by the backdoor literary metaphor (belonging to the cat-
egory of deliberate metaphor) in Conceptual Metaphor Theory
The literary function of a metaphor does not just reside in the underlying cross-domain
comparison that is the basis of every metaphor Metaphor in poetry is often multi-layered
with many relations to other aspects of the text and its language which makes it strongly
dependent on all sorts of other information throughout the poem and the knowledge it
assumes All of this may be seen as highly typical of the use of metaphor in poetry
Pasini (1972) discerns four linguistic stages between simile on the one hand and
metaphor on the other hand ranging from a closed to an open message Each stage
can be explained by an example a description and a diagrammatic representation20
His cheeks are fresh like roses
This simile with the comparative adverb lsquolikersquo as an indicator includes a tenor
(cheeks A) a vehicle (roses B) and a ground (or tertium comparationis fresh C) It
is a closed construction leaving no space for the imagination of the reader This kind
of comparison is judged the most rational of the four stages because it is the most
specific and requires no leap of imaginative intellect to understand the ground on
which the comparison is made
His cheeks are like roses
This comparison with indicator (like) tenor (cheeks A) and a vehicle (roses B) does
not contain a ground (C) In this case the reader has to supply one or more of the
characteristics of the rose (freshness or red colour or sweet perfume etc) by
generalization and add this information on his own account to the comparison
This type one step closer to metaphors of type (3) and (4) is called by some a
lsquometaphorical comparisonrsquo the process of supplying by generalization is already
present but the process of identification is still absent
20 I thank Jaap Fokkema (VU University) for drawing the four figures after Pasini (1972) who
in his turn is inspired by the Rhetorique Generale (Paris 1970) of the French lsquoGroupe mrsquo
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a His cheeks are roses
b The roses of his cheeks
This is a metaphor in praesentia it has a tenor (cheeks A) and a vehicle (roses B) but
being a metaphor it lacks both indicator and ground (C) In example (3a) the verb lsquoto
bersquo functions as a link and identifies the vehicle and the tenor with each other (in
French this use of the verb lsquoto bersquo is called lsquolrsquoest drsquoequivalencersquo)
On his face two roses
This is a metaphor in absentia in which the indicator the ground (C) as well as the
tenor (A) are absent and have to be supplied by the imagination of the reader The
vehicle lsquorosesrsquo refers not only to the concept of lsquorosesrsquo but also metaphorically to the
concept of lsquocheeksrsquo This kind of metaphor is the least rationalizing (the lsquoto bersquo of
example (3a) can still be considered a lsquorationalizingrsquo element) and the most open (the
reader has to generalize and to supply)
Lakoff presents a conceptual theory of everyday metaphor in Metaphors We LiveBy (1980) which is the basis of the study of poetical metaphor by Lakoff and Turner
in More Than Cool Reason a Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor (1989) He maintains
that the locus of metaphor is not in language (compare figure 4 below the line) but in
the way we conceptualize one mental domain in terms of another (compare figure 4
above the line) Metaphors make use of cross-domain conceptual mappings and are
cast in individual linguistic expressions21 In this theory the tenor is a linguistic
expression that belongs to the so-called target domain and the vehicle is a linguistic
expression that belongs to a so-called source domain The set of ontological corres-
pondences between these two domains can be represented in a mapping To give an
example a conceptual mapping of Pasinirsquos above-mentioned four types would look
like the following
People (target domain) plants (source domain)
youth corresponds to flowering
young person corresponds to blossoming rose
21 Interestingly the idea of the crossing of domains has been phrased in a less theoretical
and a more poetic way by Tesauro (1654ndash70 267)
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pink skin corresponds to red colour
young skin corresponds to freshness
aging corresponds to withering
So the tenor lsquocheeksrsquo belongs to the target domain lsquopeoplersquo and the vehicle lsquorosersquo
belongs to the source domain lsquoplantrsquo Thus while Pasinirsquos typology provides for a
formal analysis at a linguistic level Lakoffrsquos extra-linguistic concerns are centred on
a conceptual level His theory permits us to reflect on the concepts and ideas under-
lying metaphors
Two beautiful satyr boys
Ampelus
In this section I will discuss the two passages of Nonnus and Marino In Dionysiaca
10 175ndash92 the external narrator introduces the young Ampelus future lover of
Dionysus for the first time (as explained in paragraph II) He describes him as
follows
175 ka0 pot qhr0wn 3p1 oslashwg0da d0skion 4lhrdquo
6likordquo 2iq oio oslashodTHORNpidi q lgto morrsquoI
4dh g1r Frug0hrdquo 3p1 dir0da koNrordquo 2q0rwn
Amplordquo 2 xhto notrrsquo rdquo ernordquo ErTHORNtwn
o2d o3 3br1rdquo 4oulordquo ruqom noio gn0ou
180 4cnoa cion hrdquo car0ssto k0kla pariPrdquo
6bhrdquo cr0son 4nqordquo 2pisqop0roio d ca0thrdquo
b0trurdquo 3lik0ntrdquo prsquo 2rgursquo wn q on Œmwn
2plk rdquo ligurN d sunaiq0ssontrdquo 2ndasht
4sqmati koursquo0zonto parlkom nwn d kom0wn
185 2krorsquoan1rdquo 2n tll m sordquo gumno0mnordquo a2c1n
ka1 s lardquo 2k0ntiz lip0skiordquo oJ0 t l0mpi
mssorsquoan1rdquo n rsquoordquo 3gr1n 2nasc0zousa Slndashnh
ka1 st0matordquo oslashod oio ml0pnoordquo err rsquownndash
k ml wn drsquo 7lon Iar rsquoa0nto nisom nou d
190 k pod1rdquo 2rgursquo oio oslash0dwn ruqa0nto limTHORNn
2 d booglndashnwn rsquoa wn 2rsquogg i k0klN
2rsquoqalmo1rdquo l lizn 7lh sl0giz Slndashnh22
175 Once while hunting under a shady cliff of a wood
he was charmed by the rosy form of a young comrade
For under the ridge of the Phrygian hills the merry boyhad already matured Ampelus a new shoot of the gods of Love
For him no dainty bloom of a reddening chin
180 had marked the smooth circles of his snow-white cheeks
the golden flower of youth curling clusters of long hair
22 Greek text Chretien (1985) translation Rouse (1940) adapted
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ran down over his silvery-glistering shoulders
loosely and waving in the whispering wind
were lifted by its breath When the hair was blown aside
185 the bare neck appeared between just visible
and unshadowed light flashed from him just as the moon shines
half appearing when she pierces a damp cloudFrom his rosy mouth streamed a honey-breathing voice
Spring itself appeared from his limbs under the steps
190 of his silvery foot the meadow blushed with roses
and if he turned his eyes their bright iris gleaming
with the glow of a cowrsquos eye the light of the full moon shone
The satyr boy is described from head to toe (a procedure also propagated in exercises
on ekphrasis in the rhetorical handbooks of Late Antiquity see Aphthonius Prog
12) and in movement with major attention to the upper body parts the poet shows
us his cheeks (vv 179ndash81) hair shoulders neck (vv 181ndash87) mouth and voice
(v 188) moving on to his limbs and feet (vv 189ndash90) and eventually turns upwards
again towards eyes (vv 191ndash92) As often in erotic descriptions in Antiquity (espe-
cially from Hellenistic and Second Sophistic literature onwards) this passage
abounds with erotic topoi23 The setting is painted with stock images of the natural
world the shady wood the gentle breeze the flowery meadow these are all present
Everything (the satyr boy and his surroundings) is sweet young and blooming
The incredibly rich description of the effect of the different body parts ends in the
visual climax of the appearance of the moon first barely visible then half appearing
then fully visible The expressions 2krorsquoanndashrdquo (v 185) mssorsquoanndashrdquo (v 187) and 7lh
(v 192) also evoke the different stages of the cycle of the moon mdash new waxing and
full mdash intimately linked with the growth of plants in nature24
However many bucolic elements are used metaphorically the flower of youth a
rosy mouth a honey-breathing voice etc The metaphors in this description appeal
to all our senses to our eyes by the use of colours (red white golden silver) and
contrasts (brightndashdark) to our touch (his beardless cheeks) and to our ears and smell
(his honey-breathing voice) In her fascinating study of metaphors in the Dionysiaca
Daria Gigli Piccardi (1985) distinguishes in Nonnus three (archetypical) source
domains for metaphors of beauty two of which occur in this passage Firstly the
source domain lsquoflowersrsquo from individual flowers to spring meadows full of
23 The flowering youth of men around the age of their first beard the rosy mouth the
spring meadow are all common themes in Greek Hellenistic erotic literature but Nonnus
innovates by adding unusual elements (such as the neck also present in other descrip-
tions of beauty in the Dionysiaca) and particular formulations (see below) See Gigli
Piccardi (2003 700ndash703 ad vv 175ndash92) For a list of other studies on beauty in
Nonnus see Chretien (1985 142 ad vv 175ndash92)
24 Chretien (1985 144 ad v 192) and Gigli Piccardi (2003 700ndash701 ad vv 175ndash92)
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contrasting colours Secondly the source domain lsquoastral phenomenarsquo playing with
the opposition light-dark25
On a formal level we find only one simile in vv 186ndash87 introducing the theme of
the moon It belongs to Pasinirsquos type 1 (see section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo
above) unshadowed light (s lardquo lip0skiordquo tenor A) flashed (2k0ntiz ground C)
just as (oJ0 t indicator) half appearing the moon (Slndashnh vehicle B) shines (l0mpi
ground C) when she pierces a damp cloud (nrsquoordquo 3gr1n 2nasc0zousa vehicle B)
Besides this simile there are ten metaphors in praesentia (belonging to Pasinirsquos type 3)
and two metaphors in absentia (belonging to Pasinirsquos type 4) These metaphors are
expressed in a variety of ways which will be discussed below
(1) The most explicit type is the metaphor in apposition occurring very often in
Nonnus The comma after the tenor shows that we are dealing with such a metaphor
in apposition
tenor (A = noun) vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective) of X
a Amplordquo (A) notrrsquo rdquo e rnordquo (B) ErTHORNtwn (X) (v 178)
Ampelus (A) a new shoot (B) of the Loves (X)
b 3br1rdquo 4oulordquo ruqom noio gn0ou (A) 6bhrdquo (X) cr0son 4nqordquo (B) (vv 179-81)
the dainty bloom of a reddening chin (A) the golden flower (B) of youth (X)
(2) Another type of metaphor also very frequent in Nonnus links a metaphorical
adjective (vehicle) to a noun (tenor)
tenor (A = noun) thorn vehicle (B = metaphorical adjective)
a oslashodTHORNpidi (B) morrsquoI (A) (v 176) ndash rosy (B) form (A)
b cion hrdquo (B) pariPrdquo (A) (v 180) ndash snow-white (B) cheeks (A)
c 2rgursquo wn (B) Œmwn (A) (v 182) ndash silvery-glistering (B) shoulders (A)
d st0matordquo (A) oslashod oio (B) (v 188) ndash rosy (B) mouth (A)
e ml0pnoordquo (B) rsquownndash (A) (v 188) ndash a honey-breathing (B) voice (A)
f pod1rdquo (A) 2rgursquo oio (B) (v 190) ndash silvery (B) foot (A)
g booglndashnwn (B) rsquoa wn (A) (v 191) ndash cowrsquos eye (B) glow (A)
(3) In Nonnus the metaphor in absentia is restricted to the more common metaphors
of the flower domain In the following example the vehicle is a noun phrase whereas
the nature of the tenor becomes clear from the addition of a noun or noun phrase in
apposition It is to be noted that the word b0trurdquo is normally used for lsquoclusters of
vinersquo and points already to Ampelusrsquo future metamorphosis
vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective) of X (= noun thorn adjective in genitive)
a 2pisqop0roio d ca0thrdquo (X) b0trurdquo (B) 3lik0ntrdquo (vv 182-83) ndash curling clusters (B) of
long hair (A)
25 The third source domain individuated by Gigli Piccardi is that of lsquothe war of loversquo full of
contrasts between real and metaphorical weapons
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from X (= preposition thorn noun) appears vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective)
b k ml wn (A) 7lon Iar (B) rsquoa0nto (v 189)
From his limbs (A) spring itself (B) appeared
(4) As Gigli Piccardi (1985 70) already noticed Nonnus invented his own extended
metaphorical formula lsquoan autonomous linguistic constellationrsquo lsquowhen X becomes
visible Y appearsrsquo (sometimes followed by a comparison) Whereas the theme of the
moon is introduced by a comparison in vv 186ndash87 it is closed in vv 191ndash92 by such
a lsquoNonnianrsquo metaphor
2 d booglndashnwn rsquoa wn 2rsquogg i k0klN 2rsquoqalmo1rdquo l lizn (X) 7lh sl0giz Slndashnh (Y)
and if he turned his eyes with their bright iris gleaming with a cowrsquos eye glow (X) the light of the
full moon shone (Y)
The large number of metaphors cast in many different forms results in a descrip-
tion that is far from literal The blooming satyr boy and the blooming spring mingle
both being connected to the three phases of the moon Ampelus almost becomes
Bacchic nature himself His first meeting with the God already contains the promise
of his own future metamorphosis the expression b0trurdquo as noticed above being
one of its most explicit indicators26 The golden flower of youth not only contains
life but also death and resurrection Thus the totality of the metaphors expresses
perpetual change
Pampino
As we have seen in section lsquoBaroque metaphorrsquo the story of Pampino belongs to a set
of love-stories told by the gods to Venus as a consolation after the death of her lover
Adonis In Adone 19 ott 66ndash67 the god Dionysus describes the beautiful Pampino
ott 66 La bella fronte gli adorno Natura
di gentil maesta drsquoaria celeste
Dolce color di fragola matura
4 gli facea rosseggiar le guance oneste
Nela bocca ridea la grana pura
tra schiette perle in doppio fil conteste
ne quivi avea la rosa purpurina
8 prodotta ancor la sua dorata spina
ott 67 La notte tenebrosa il ciel turbato
si rischiarava dersquo begli occhi al lume
Il vago piede imporporava il prato
4 la bianca mano innargentava il fiume
Qualor lievrsquoaura con soave fiato
confondendogli il crin scotea le piume
26 See also Gigli Piccardi (1985 69) and (2003 700ndash1 ad vv 175ndash92)
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parea sparso su rsquol collo il bel tesoro
8 sovra un colle drsquoavorio un bosco drsquooro
ott 66 His beautiful forehead Nature adorned
with refined nobility with heavenly looks
The sweet colour of ripe strawberries4 painted his honest cheeks red
In his mouth pure pomegranate laughed
set between real pearls in a double row
There the purple rose had not
8 yet produced her golden thorns
ott 67 The shady night the darkened sky
brightened at the light of his beautiful eyesHis yearning foot turned the meadow purple
4 his white hand turned the river silver
When a gentle breeze with its soft breath
playing with his hair shook his feathers
on his neck the beautiful treasure seemed to spread out
8 on an ivory hill a forest of gold
This description of Pampino owes much to Nonnusrsquo description of Ampelus but is
at the same time different Since Marino uses and plays with the Renaissance canon
of beauty I will discuss this canon briefly in order to gain a better understanding of
the Pampino passage
The topos of beauty began to acquire fixed rules during the Middle Ages and was
completely canonized by the Renaissance27 From the Middle Ages onwards two
types of canon for feminine beauty were developed the short and the long canon
The short canon (used by Petrarch) focuses on the face mentioning hair eyes
mouth and cheeks Hand and breast are briefly referred to forehead and neck are
seldom included The long canon (used by Boccaccio and Ariosto) adds more detail
and leads the gaze further downwards from head to toe Central features of the short
canon are splendour (light) and colour (white) whereas the long canon emphasizes
harmonious proportions (of the body)
Renaissance poets use set comparisons and oppositions such as lsquoredrsquo versus
lsquowhitersquo But within these fixed boundaries there were ample possibilities for vari-
ance One way to play with conventions was the following a poet could mention only
one element of an opposition and thereby automatically evoke its counterpart in the
27 For an overview of Greek poetry up to the Byzantine period see Jax (1933) with dis-
turbing racist emphasis on lsquodas weibliche Schonheitsideal der weiszligen Rassersquo for the
Latin Middle-Ages see Faral (1962 esp p 75 ss) Sidonius Apollinarisrsquo portrait of
Theodoric (Ep I 2 2 sixth century) is seen as the best model for descriptions of persons
by Geoffroy de Vinsauf (Poetria nova 1210 CE) for the Renaissance see Pozzi (1979 and
1984)
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nloaded from
mind of the audience For example if he described a hand a foot was to be imagined
by the reader when a rose was mentioned it was intended that a lily be brought to
mind etc
Favourite source domains for metaphors were in the first place flowers roses
lilies and violets for colour and evanescence secondly precious materials pearls
rubies coral and gold for colour and diamond and sapphire for splendour and
thirdly lsquoheavenly bodiesrsquo stars and the sun for splendour and movement For
special effects these elements could be combined into homogeneous or heteroge-
neous couples a lily and a rose or ivory and a rose etc
How are these images used and constructed in the present passage from
Marino Marino combines the two canons adopting the short canon for his descrip-
tion of the young man and then enumerating his several parts from head to toe He
begins with the (moral) qualities given by Nature to Pampinorsquos forehead (ott 66
1ndash2) continues with his cheeks mouth and cheeks again (ott 66 3ndash8) then turns to
his eyes (ott 67 1ndash2) to his foot and hand (ott 67 3ndash4 the foot belonging to the
long canon) and finally to his hair and neck (ott 67 5ndash8) Marino adds various
(moral) qualifications The first octave is relatively quiet drawing as it were
Pampinorsquos portrait Its three source domains for the metaphors are lsquofruitrsquo lsquoprecious
materialsrsquo lsquoflowersrsquo (pomegranate pearl rose) connected with contrasting colours
(red white and golden) and positive qualifications (beautiful refined heavenly
sweet honest pure real) The second octave is stirred by movement the
sky brightens Pampinorsquos touch turns nature into something else the playing
wind shakes hair locks spreads out It also introduces the opposition light-dark
(shady night darken brighten light) The source domains of the second octave
are lsquobucolic landscapersquo (meadow river breeze) and lsquoprecious materialsrsquo
(silver gold)
As is to be expected Marino is fond of metaphors and expresses them in
various ways But unlike Nonnus he obviously prefers metaphors in absentia
(Pasinirsquos type 4 see section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo above)
The description of Pampino includes moral and physical qualities In ott 66 3ndash4
the strawberry (lsquodolce color di fragola maturarsquo lsquothe sweet colour of ripe strawberriesrsquo)
paving the way for the source domain lsquofruitrsquo is followed by a series of metaphors
(1) There are several instances of metaphors in absentia which are intelligible when
one looks at either the direct context in which they are embedded or at the existing
Renaissance conventions
vehicle (B = noun thorn- adjective)
a la grana pura (ott 66 5) ndash pure pomegranate (sc in his mouth gt tongue)
b schiette perle (ott 66 6) ndash real pearls (sc in double row gt teeth)
c rosa purpurina (ott 66 7) ndash purple rose (sc there gt on his cheeks gt beard)
d le piume (ott 67 6) ndash feathers (of his hair gt locks of hair)
e tesoro (ott 67 7) ndash treasure (his rich hair)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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nloaded from
(2) To these examples two metaphorical verbs can be added
vehicle (B = verb)
a imporporava (ott 67 3) ndash turned purpleb innargentava (ott 67 4) ndash turned silver
(3) The following metaphor in absentia is qualified by a metaphorical adjective
vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective)
la sua dorata spina (ott 66 8) ndash her golden thorns (reddish-blonde bristles)
(4) Another variant are the metaphors in absentia that combine two metaphorical
expressions
vehicle (B = noun) of vehicle (B = noun)
a colle (B) drsquoavorio (B) (ott 67 8) ndash an ivory hill (of his white neck)
b un bosco (B) drsquooro (B) (ott 67 8) ndash a forest of gold (of his blond hair)
(5) Taken together two final verses of ott 67 are an example of a typical baroque
metaphor (discussed in section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo) a concatenation
of metaphorical images Ott 67 7 is elaborated in the next verse by a metaphor in
apposition on neck (tenorrsquo) the beautiful treasure (tenorrsquorsquo) on an ivory hill (vehiclersquo)a forest of gold (vehiclersquorsquo) Both vehicles are from the source domain lsquolandscapersquo (hill
forest) and continue the image of the previous bucolic description (meadow river
breeze) But at the same time the lsquotreasurersquo (tenorrsquorsquo) is already itself a metaphor (for
lsquohairrsquo) from another source domain (lsquoprecious materialsrsquo) that is elaborated by its
own two metaphorical adjectives lsquoivoryrsquo and lsquogoldrsquo from the same source domain As
we have seen with the example of Lemene the image evokes a further image
creating a kind of lsquoliterary trompe lrsquoœilrsquo
On tenor (Arsquo = noun) tenor (Arsquorsquo = noun) on vehicle (Brsquo noun thorn Brsquorsquo adjec) vehiclersquorsquo
(Brsquorsquo noun thorn Brsquorsquo adjec)
su rsquol collo (Arsquo) il bel tesoro (Arsquorsquo) sovra un colle drsquoavorio (Brsquothorn Brsquorsquo) un bosco drsquooro (Brsquorsquothorn Brsquorsquo)
Some intertextual notes
Apart from the topoi shared by Nonnus and Marino it is easy to see that several of
Marinorsquos verses in ott 67 are closely modelled on Nonnus of course in Lubinrsquos
translation (ed 1606)28 Marino ott 67 1ndash2 (darkness flees before Pampinorsquos eyes)
28 175 Et aliquanto venans sub petra umbrosa sylvae Aequalis iuvenis rosea delectabatur
forma Nunc etenim Phrygiae sub colle puer ludens Ampelus crescebat nuper
enutritus ramus amorum Neque ipsi mollis lanugo rubentis menti 180 Imberbes
nivea signaverat circulos maxilla Iuventae aureum florem In tergum reiectarum vero
comarum Racemi flexuosi super splendidis currebant humeris Non complicati Suavi
vero una concitati cum aura Flatu elevabantur Retractis vero comis 185 In
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combines Nonnus vv 186ndash87 (Ampelusrsquo neck is like the moon shining though
clouds) and vv 191ndash92 (when Ampelus looks the moon shines) Marino ott 67
3ndash4 (Pampinorsquos foot and hand transform meadow and river) is like Nonnus vv
189ndash90 (Ampelusrsquo limbsfoot elicit spring and flowers in the meadow) Marino
ott 67 5ndash6 (the wind playing with Pampinorsquos hair and showing his neck) is similar
to Nonnus vv 183ndash85 (the wind playing with Ampelusrsquo hair and revealing his neck)
Marino was unable to borrow Nonnusrsquo image of Ampelusrsquo foot eliciting spring
because Falkenburgrsquos text and Lubinrsquos translation present a different textual reading
from Chretienrsquos Falkenburg does not have (drsquo7lon) Iar (lsquospringrsquo) but (g1r) 5niar
which was translated as lsquoemolumentumrsquo (lsquogainrsquo) by Lubin
There are however some significant differences To describe the effect of the
Ampelusrsquo neck and eyes Nonnus introduces the image of the moon emerging through
the clouds while evoking simultaneously the moon cycle He begins with a compari-
son and continues with a metaphor spread out over eight verses To describe the
instant effect of Pampinorsquos eyes Marino (or to be more precise the narrator
Dionysus) simply states a truth a hyperbolic truth the light of Pampinorsquos eyes illu-
minates darkness To describe the effect of the neck of the satyr boy he introduces the
landscape and treasure metaphor The importance of the neck seems to point towards
another intertext the description of feminine beauty in the Song of Songs29 The lovers
in the Song of Songs describe each other in metaphorical terms their eyes hair teeth
lips voice cheeks neck breast and overall fairness etc (he in 4 she in 5 10ndash16 he
again in 6 4ndash7 and 7 1ndash9) Among the many source domains in the Song of Songs
lsquofruitrsquo lsquoastral phenomenarsquo and lsquoprecious materialsrsquo are present too To give some
examples her temples are pomegranates (4 3) his arms are rods of gold set with topaz
(5 14) she appears like the dawn the moon the sun the stars (6 10) and last but not
least her neck is an ivory tower (7 4)30 Elsewhere in the Adone (as often in Italian
Baroque poetry) Christian imagery is also clearly present31
summitate apparens oriebatur media nudata cervix Et fulgorem eiaculabatur umbram
relinquens qualia lucet In medio apparens nubem humidam perrumpens Luna Et
oris rosei mel spirans (Lectius 1606 lsquospiansrsquo instead of lsquospiransrsquo) fluebat oratio Ex
membris enim emolumentum (Falkenburg reads g1r 5niar lsquogainrsquo where Chretien has
drsquo7lon Iar) apparebat Cum iret vero 190 Ex pede argenteo pedum (Falkenburg reads
2rgur oio pod8n instead of Chretienrsquos 2rgursquo oio oslashod8n) rubebat pratum Cum vero
faciei bovinae ventorum (Falkenburg has 2n mwn instead of Chretienrsquos rsquoa wn Lectius
1606 has lsquobavinaersquo for lsquobovinaersquo) illustri circulo Oculos circumvertisset tota resplen-
debat Luna
29 Parallels between the Song of Songs and Greek love poetry are already present in Greek
poetry from Antiquity see various articles in Hagedorn (2005)
30 Paradoxically Marino is closer to the Hebrew original (that he was unable to read) than
to the Latin translation of the Vulgate (which he must have used) the Vulgate turns most
of the original metaphors into similes with the indicator lsquosicutrsquo
31 For example the suggested parallel between Adone and Christ condemned by the
Inquisition a nymph acting as Judas revealing Adonersquos hiding place and committing
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nloaded from
Marino changes some of Nonnusrsquo explicit (rationalizing see Pasini section lsquoA set
of practical tools for analysisrsquo) images into more implicit (open see Pasini section
lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo) ones evoking a concatenation of associations
The image of Ampelusrsquo silvery footstep (Greek 2rguroioLatin argenteo) that
turned the meadow red with roses is adapted to Marinorsquos own time Pampinorsquos
foot is no longer silvery but lsquovagorsquo (a reminiscence of Petrarcarsquos lsquovago piersquo)32 and it
still turns the meadow purple but the reader has to supply the exact nature of the
purple (eg purple gt flower gt rose) Since in the Renaissance canon lsquofootrsquo evokes
lsquohandrsquo and since the colour lsquopurplersquo evokes the contrast lsquowhitersquo Pampinorsquos foot and
the purple meadow in ott 67 3 lead lsquospontaneouslyrsquo to lsquohis white handrsquo in ott 67 4
Finally Nonnusrsquo lsquosilveryrsquo is not lost but transformed into the metaphorical verb
lsquoturned into silverrsquo (an interesting invention to provoke a new contrast in the readerrsquos
mind because the story is situated in Phrygia with its proverbially gold-gleaming
river Pactolus)33
What can we conclude on the basis of the similarities and differences in the
passages of Nonnus and Marino about their use of metaphor
First it is evident that Nonnus and Marino are equally fond of metaphors
Nonnusrsquo eighteen verses contain twelve metaphors and one comparison Marinorsquo
sixteen verses contain twelve metaphors On a quantitative level the abundant and
cumulative use of metaphors by Nonnus could be called lsquobaroquersquo
Secondly we have seen that on a conceptual level Nonnus and Marino share some
characteristics but not all Both poets work with the contrasting couples red-white
and light-dark and use the source domain lsquoflowerrsquo But the more traditional source
domains lsquoprecious materialsrsquo and lsquofruitrsquo inherited by Marino from the Renaissance
canon of beauty are barely or not at all present in Nonnus at least not in this passage
Thirdly at the linguistic level Nonnus and Marino clearly employ different
kinds and complexities of metaphor Nonnus on the one hand uses a concatenation
of metaphors in praesentia crowned by his personal metaphorical formula in which
the appearance of the tenor simultaneously evokes the vehicle Linguistically speak-
ing the relation between tenor and vehicle remains visible and controllable
suicide Venus crying over Adonersquos body as Mary did over Jesusrsquo body Adone is not
wounded in his thigh as in Greek mythology but in his side See also Guardiani (2001)
and Gonnelli (2003 29ndash30 on pagan and Christian syncretism in Nonnusrsquo Paraphrasis
and Marinorsquos Adone) The last motif recurs in the fresco lsquoLa Morte di Adonersquo by Luca
Giordano (1682ndash85) Palazzo Medici-Riccardi Florence It is reminiscent of the parallel
between Dionysus and Christ also expressed in various mosaics for example in a Roman
mosaic depicting Dionysusrsquo discovery of Ariadne on Naxos (Syria 3rd-4th cent Miho
Museum Kyoto Japan cat NA) where Dionysus not only has a nimbus but also a
wound in his sidebreast (a later addition) (I thank Berenice Verhelst for pointing out
this mosaic to me)
32 For this intricate Renaissance style word play see Pozzi (1976) ad loc
33 See Nonn Dion 11 17ndash55 for the swimming contest with Dionysus and Ampelus and
the effect on the satyr boy of the golden water of the river Pactolus
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(lsquorationalrsquo lsquoclosedrsquo) Marino on the other hand prefers metaphors in absentia
opening the associative distance between vehicle and tenor to a maximum He uses
the auto-referential metaphor that is so typical of Baroque poetry Marinorsquos method
reflects instability the arbitrariness of the relation between tenor and vehicle seems to
express the absence of a shared and well-organized world with absolute values As
Conte (1972 37) puts it lsquoconfronted by a reality (human social politic cultural) in
crisis the baroque word denounces the prerogative of the word it speaks almost
exclusively of itself but speaking of itself it imitates takes possession of exorcizes
and even organizes the crisisrsquo Therefore on a linguistic level there seems to be more
method in Nonnusrsquo madness than in Marinorsquos
Finally what about the overall effect of the metaphors they use in their respective
descriptions Nonnus and Marino both describe beautiful beardless satyr boys
caught in a fleeting moment of radiant movement in an eroticizing bucolic setting
They put equal emphasis on the beauty and the fragility of youth and on the satyr
boyrsquos impact on the nature surrounding him As we have seen Nonnusrsquo metaphors
make Ampelus progressively intermingle with nature announcing the satyr boyrsquos
metamorphosis Even though they are classified as more lsquorationalrsquo on a linguistic
level (see Pasini) their effect is impressively irrational and open Just as Marinorsquos
metaphors they are constantly related to metamorphosis expressing change and
instability These are typical features of the Baroque that also explain at least partly
Marinorsquos affiliation with Nonnus
Conclusion
To return to the initial question of this article do we need the term lsquobaroquersquo to
characterize Nonnusrsquo poetry We have seen that the use of lsquobaroquersquo for other
periods than the seventeenth-century Baroque has met with positive and negative
reactions being found either too restricted or too broad and that the term lsquobaroquersquo
is often used for Nonnusrsquo Dionysiaca in an impressionistic way to indicate that his
aesthetics deviate from the lsquoclassicalrsquo Used in this sense lsquobaroquersquo can suggest
openness expansion abundance accumulation asymmetry moving musicality
optical illusion and the absence of a vanishing point as opposed to lsquoclassicalrsquo
with its connotation of contours closed nature unity harmony symmetry archi-
tectural fixity and converging perspectives Many of these tendencies known from
the historical Baroque are visible in Late Antique poetry
What about the other qualifications at hand such as poik0lordquo lsquojeweledrsquo and
lsquocumulativersquo Can they replace the term lsquobaroquersquo The first poikil0a is intimately
linked with Nonnusrsquo own poetics as becomes immediately clear from his prologue
where it refers to variety and polymorphism in the poem as a whole The poet wishes
that lsquoProteus of the many turnsrsquo the god of endless transformation lsquomay appear in
all his diversity of shapes since I twang my harp to a diversity of songsrsquo34 It is
34 Nonn Dion I 15 5rsquora rsquoan0h poik0lon Idordquo ecwn 7ti poik0lon 4mnon 2r0ssw (transl
Rouse 1940) The term poik0lordquo has been used very frequently by scholars to describe
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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nloaded from
applied to Late Antique literature as well as to art works both art forms being
intimately linked during this period Gianfranco Agosti (1997 34ndash35 see also
2006 361ss) expands its use understanding it lsquonot only as stylistic varietas but
above all as a code intended to characterize reality The concept of poikil0a goes
far beyond mere rhetorical or stylistic boundaries and becomes a peculiar way of
viewing realityrsquo When used in this way as a psychological category applied to the
relation between word and image it becomes a hermeneutic tool to explore Late
Antique world views
The second expression lsquojeweled stylersquo is used for Late Antique writers and
artists who place their words and phrases or their gems and colours in geometric
patterns The aim of these patterns is to create a symbolic unity which is considered
more important than linear narrative sequences in literature and realism in the visual
arts The term has been coined by Michael Roberts (1989) for the aesthetics of Latin
poetry from Late Antiquity (Ausonius Prudentius Claudian Sidonius etc) but
can be applied mutatis mutandis to Greek literature from the same period
The third expression lsquocumulative aestheticrsquo describes a similar attitude in Late
Antique art characterized by a particular attention to detail (lsquoexquisite miniatur-
izationrsquo) and by a preference for the re-use of precious elements from the past
(spolia) The sum of these separate entities forms a new unity and expresses a
new vision of the world Jas Elsner (2004) discusses the term in the context of the
visual arts but it can also be applied to literature
Poikil0a jeweled style and cumulative aesthetic are free of the charge of
anachronism They are related each of them covering several aspects of Late
Antique art and literature but not all In my opinion the term lsquobaroquersquo serves a
different purpose it can indicate generally the kind of expressive possibilities chosen
by an author provided that this sketchy characterization is subsequently elaborated
in order to lend the term lsquobaroquersquo a more specific significance especially by
comparing it to the lsquoBaroquersquo
The term lsquobaroquersquo as a general indication for Nonnusrsquo style invited me to com-
pare lsquobaroquersquo Nonnus with lsquoBaroque Marinorsquo I picked up the Tesaurorsquos telescope
to zoom in on metaphor and to study the lsquoqueen of figuresrsquo from close up Nonnusrsquo
metaphors clearly appealed to the poetic creativity of Marino There is much aes-
thetic affinity between the stylistic norms they adopted when composing metaphors
They use comparable expressive possibilities to articulate their vision of the world
even if these worlds are very different and even if the lsquomost Baroque of baroque
poetsrsquo goes one step further than Nonnus Zooming out again I conclude two things
Nonnusrsquo style on the basis of his own proemium See for example Lindsay (1965 379ndash
84) String (1966 33ndash70) Vian (1976 9ndash10) Gonzalez Senmartı (1981) Hopkinson
(1994) Whitby (1994 101 112 116) Agosti (1997) Shorrock (2001) Miguelez-
Cavero (2008 139ndash45 162ndash68) Hernandez de la Fuente (2011) As a poetical qualifica-
tion poikil0a is already present in Pindar see Nunlist (1998 118) For poikil0avarietas
in epideictic rhetoric of the Imperial Period see Pernot (1993 337)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
22 of 25
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Dow
nloaded from
if not pinned down as a strictly historical category the term lsquobaroquersquo can to a
certain extent be applied to Nonnus and above all can invite further exploration of
the intertextual relationships between poets and be helpful in comparing artistic
norms from different periods of time Used in this way it does not replace nor is
replaced by the terms poikil0a lsquojeweled stylersquo and cumulative aesthetics but is a
stimulating tool to bring to light similarities and differences in poetic creativity not
only of metaphor but also of other characteristics which have been called lsquotypically
baroquersquo35 It can help to gain insight into the exact nature of a literary lsquodialogue at
distancersquo and could also prove fruitful in analysing and characterizing Marinorsquos
intertexutal relations with other authors from Antiquity
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank G Agosti M H Koenen P Lanfranchi and M Pearson for
their stimulating comments and lively discussions during the various stages of this
article as well as Jas Elsner the associate editor and the anonymous referees of
Classical Receptions Journal for their accurate and useful suggestions
References
G Agosti lsquoPoemi digressivi tardoantichi (e moderni)rsquo Compar(a)ison no 1 (1995) pp 131ndash51mdashmdash lsquoThe poikil0a of Paul the Bishoprsquo ZPE no 116 (1997) pp 31ndash38mdashmdash lsquoImmagini e poesia nella tarda antichita Per uno studio dellrsquoestetica visuale della poesia greca fra
III e IV sec d Crsquo Incontri Triestini di Filologia Classica 4 2004-2005 (2006) pp 351ndash74 Onlinesince 22 August 2006 httphdlhandlenet10077949 [accessed 4 July 2012]
S Bar Review of Miguelez-Cavero 2008 in Plekos no 12 (2010) pp 67ndash77 httpwwwplekosuni-muenchende2010r-caveropdf [accessed 4 July 2012]
E van Boven and G Dorleijn Literair Mechaniek Inleiding tot de Analyse van Verhalen en Gedichten(Bussum Coutinho 2003) esp pp 159ndash80 (lsquoBeeldspraakrsquo)
Ch Brooke-Rose A Grammar of Metaphor (London Secker amp Warburg 1958)P Cherchi lsquoPoetry Philosophy and Sciencersquo in P Brand and L Pertile (eds) The Cambridge History
of Italian Literature vol I The Seicento (Cambridge Cambridge University Press 1996)pp 301ndash17
G Chretien Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t IV chants IXndashX (Paris Les Belles Lettres1985)
G Conte La Metafora barocca Saggio sulle poetiche del Seicento (Milano Mursia 1972)E R Curtius Europaische Literatur und lateinisches Mittelalter (Bern Francke Verlag 1948)G DrsquoIppolito Studi Nonniani Lrsquoepillio nelle Dionisiache (Palermo Presso lrsquoAccademia 1964)E DrsquoOrs Du Baroque (Paris Gallimard 1935)
35 Other intertexual relations such as the ones briefly discussed by Tissoni (1998 59ndash62)
could be analysed according to the procedure of Rousset (1954) although he restricted
his method to the seventeenth-century French Baroque literature He formulated four
main criteria applicable to various seventeenth-century Baroque art forms (architecture
painting and literature) lsquoinstabilityrsquo lsquomobilityrsquo lsquometamorphosisrsquo and lsquodominance of
settingrsquo He subsequently applied these criteria to five literary instances first of all lsquoa type
of metaphorrsquo followed by lsquoa type of poemrsquo lsquoa poetic work as a wholersquo lsquoa theatrical work as
a wholersquo and lsquoa general attitudersquo ie lsquodisplayrsquo (1954 181ss)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
23 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
J Elsner lsquoLate Antique Art The Problem of the Concept and the Cumulative Aestheticrsquo in S Swainand M Edwards (eds) Approaching Late Antiquity The Transformation from Early to Late Empire(Oxford Oxford University Press 2004) pp 271ndash309
E Faral Les Arts Poetiques du XIIe et XIIIe siecle Recherches et Documents sur la Technique Litteraire duMoyen Age (Paris Champion 1962)
W Fauth Eidos Poikilon Zur Thematik der Metamorphose und zum Prinzip der Wandlung aus demGegensatz in den Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Gottingen Vandenhoeck amp Ruprecht 1981)
P Friedlander Johannes von Gaza und Paulus Silentiarius Kunstbeschreibungen Justinianischer Zeit(Leipzig Teubner 1912)
H de la Fuente lsquoThe One and the Many and the Circular Movement Neo-Platonism and Poetics inNonnus of Panopolisrsquo in Id (ed) New Perspectives on Late Antiquity (Newcastle-upon-TyneCambridge Scholars 2011)
F Gonnelli Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol II (canti XIIIndashXXIV) (Milano BibliotecaUniversale Rizzoli 2003)
V Giraudet lsquoLe rivage la presqursquoıle et le marais Espaces baroques chez Achille Tatius et Nonnos dePanopolisrsquo in R Poignault (ed) Presence du Roman grec et Latin (Clermont-Ferrand Centre deRecherches A Piganiol 2011) pp 147ndash66
Groupe m (J Dubois ea) Rhetorique generale (Paris du Seuil 1970)F Guardiani lsquoA Christological Metamorphosis in a Baroque Poemrsquo in J Goering ea (ed) Saints and
the Sacred Select Proceedings of the 3rd St Michaelrsquos College Annual Symposium (Feb 25-26 2000)(Ottawa Legas 2001) pp 185ndash95
A C Hagedorn (ed) Perspectives on the Song of Songs (Berlin De Gruyter 2005)F Hallyn Formes metaphoriques dans la poesie lyrique de lrsquoage baroque en France (Geneve Droz 1975)H Hatzfeld lsquoThe Baroque from the Viewpoint of the Literary Historianrsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art
Criticism 142 Second Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1955) 156ndash64N Hopkinson (ed) Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society
1994)R Huyghe lsquoLa seve du baroquersquo Baroque [online] no 4 (1969) Online since 3 May 2012 http
baroquerevuesorg304 [accessed 22 January 2013]K Jax Die weibliche Schonheit in der griechischen Dichtung (Innsbruck Wagner 1933)R Keydell lsquoNonnosrsquo in Th Klauser (ed) Reallexikon fur Antike und Christentum vol XVII
(Stuttgart Hiersemann 1936) vol XVII pp 902ndash20G Lakoff Metaphors We Live By (Chicago University of Chicago Press 1980)G Lakoff and M Turner More Than Cool Reason A Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor (Chicago
University of Chicago Press 1989)L R Lind lsquoNonnos and His Readersrsquo Res Publica Litterarum (1978) 159ndash70J Lindsay Leisure and Pleasure in Roman Egypt (London Muller 1965)V De Malde Giovan Battista Marino La Sampogna (Parma Fondazione Pietro Bembo Ugo Guanda
Editore 1993)A Martini Letteratura Italiana Le Opere Vol II Dal Cinquecento al Settecento A Asor Rosa (ed)
(Turin Einaudi 1993) pp 777ndash97R T Matthews and F DeWitt Platt The Western Humanities (Boston McGraw-Hill 2004)L Miguelez-Cavero Poems in Context Greek Poetry in the Egyptian Thebaid 200-600 AD (Berlin De
Gruyter 2008)R F Newbold lsquoMimesis and Illusion in Nonnus Deceit Distrust and the Search for Meaningrsquo
Helios 37 no 1 (2010) pp 81ndash106R Nunlist Poetologische Bildersprache in der fruhgriechischen Dichtung (Stuttgart Teubner 1998)G F Pasini lsquoDalla comparazione alla metaforarsquo Lingua e Stile 7 no 3 (1972) pp 441ndash69L Pernot La rhetorique de lrsquoeloge dans le monde greco-romain vol I (Paris Institut drsquoEtudes
Augustiennes 1993)S N Peters lsquoMetaphor and lsquolsquoMaravigliarsquorsquo Tradition and Innovation in the Adone of GB Marinorsquo
Lingua e Stile 7 no 2 (1972) pp 321ndash41D G Piccardi Metafora e Poetica in Nonno di Panopoli (Florence Universite degli Studi di Firenze
1985)mdashmdash Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol I (canti IndashXII) (Milano Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli
2003)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
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ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
G Pozzi Giovan Battista Marino vol II LrsquoAdone (Milano Mondadori 1976)mdashmdash lsquoIl ritratto della donna nella poesia drsquoinizio Cinquecento e la pittura di Giorgionersquo Lettere Italiane
311 gennaio-marzo (1979) pp 3ndash30mdashmdash lsquoTemi t0poi stereotipirsquo in A Asor Rosa (ed) Letteratura italiana III Le forme del testo I
Teoria e poesia (Torino Einaudi 1984) pp 391ndash436I A Richards The Philosophy of Rhetoric (New York Oxford University Press 1936)M Riemschneider lsquoDer Stil des Nonnosrsquo Berliner byzantinistische Arbeiten no 5 (1957) pp 46ndash70M Roberts The Jeweled Style Poetry and Poetics in Late Antiquity (Ithaca and London Cornell
University Press 1989)W H D Rouse Nonnus Dionysiaca (Cambridge MA Harvard University Press 1940)J Rousset La litterature de lrsquoage baroque en France Circe et le paon (Paris Corti 1954)E Russo lsquoSul barocco letterario in Italia Giudizi revisioni distinzionirsquo Les Dossiers du Grihl [Online]
2012-02 j 2012 Online since 25 June 2012 httpdossiersgrihlrevuesorg5223 [accessed 4 March2013]
A G Senmartı lsquoLa lsquolsquopoikiliarsquorsquo como principio estilıstico de las Dionisıacas de Nonorsquo AFB no 7(1981) pp 101ndash07
R Shorrock The Challenge of Epic Allusive Engagement in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Leiden Brill2001)
mdashmdash lsquoNonnusrsquo in J Foley (ed) A Companion to Ancient Epic (Oxford Wiley-Blackwell 2005)pp 374ndash85
mdashmdash The Myth of Paganism Nonnus Dionysus and the World of Late Antiquity (London BristolClassical Press 2011)
G Steen lsquoMetaphor and Stylersquo in P Stockwell and S Whiteley (eds) The Cambridge Handbook ofStylistics (Cambridge Cambridge University Press forthcoming 2014)
M String Untersuchungen zum Stil der Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Hamburg sn (disserta-tion) 1966)
E Tesauro Il Cannocchiale Aristotelico (Venice Baglioni 1654ndash70)F Tissoni Nonno di Panopoli I Canti di Penteo (Dionisiache 44ndash46) Commento (Florence La Nuova
Italia Editrice 1998)F Vian Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t I chants IndashII (Paris Les Belles Lettres 1976)R Wellek lsquoThe Concept of Baroque in Literary Scholarshiprsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism
52 Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1946) pp 77ndash109M Whitby lsquoFrom Moschus to Nonnus The Evolution of the Nonnian Stylersquo in N Hopkinson (ed)
Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society 1994) pp 99ndash155A Wifstrand Von Kallimachos zu Nonnos Metrisch-stilistische Untersuchungen zur spateren griechischen
Epik und zu verwandten Gedichtgattungen (Lund Gleerup 1933)H Wolfflin Renaissance und Barock Eine Untersuchung uber Wesen und Entstehung des Barockstils in
Italien (Munich T Ackermann 1888)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
25 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
a His cheeks are roses
b The roses of his cheeks
This is a metaphor in praesentia it has a tenor (cheeks A) and a vehicle (roses B) but
being a metaphor it lacks both indicator and ground (C) In example (3a) the verb lsquoto
bersquo functions as a link and identifies the vehicle and the tenor with each other (in
French this use of the verb lsquoto bersquo is called lsquolrsquoest drsquoequivalencersquo)
On his face two roses
This is a metaphor in absentia in which the indicator the ground (C) as well as the
tenor (A) are absent and have to be supplied by the imagination of the reader The
vehicle lsquorosesrsquo refers not only to the concept of lsquorosesrsquo but also metaphorically to the
concept of lsquocheeksrsquo This kind of metaphor is the least rationalizing (the lsquoto bersquo of
example (3a) can still be considered a lsquorationalizingrsquo element) and the most open (the
reader has to generalize and to supply)
Lakoff presents a conceptual theory of everyday metaphor in Metaphors We LiveBy (1980) which is the basis of the study of poetical metaphor by Lakoff and Turner
in More Than Cool Reason a Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor (1989) He maintains
that the locus of metaphor is not in language (compare figure 4 below the line) but in
the way we conceptualize one mental domain in terms of another (compare figure 4
above the line) Metaphors make use of cross-domain conceptual mappings and are
cast in individual linguistic expressions21 In this theory the tenor is a linguistic
expression that belongs to the so-called target domain and the vehicle is a linguistic
expression that belongs to a so-called source domain The set of ontological corres-
pondences between these two domains can be represented in a mapping To give an
example a conceptual mapping of Pasinirsquos above-mentioned four types would look
like the following
People (target domain) plants (source domain)
youth corresponds to flowering
young person corresponds to blossoming rose
21 Interestingly the idea of the crossing of domains has been phrased in a less theoretical
and a more poetic way by Tesauro (1654ndash70 267)
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pink skin corresponds to red colour
young skin corresponds to freshness
aging corresponds to withering
So the tenor lsquocheeksrsquo belongs to the target domain lsquopeoplersquo and the vehicle lsquorosersquo
belongs to the source domain lsquoplantrsquo Thus while Pasinirsquos typology provides for a
formal analysis at a linguistic level Lakoffrsquos extra-linguistic concerns are centred on
a conceptual level His theory permits us to reflect on the concepts and ideas under-
lying metaphors
Two beautiful satyr boys
Ampelus
In this section I will discuss the two passages of Nonnus and Marino In Dionysiaca
10 175ndash92 the external narrator introduces the young Ampelus future lover of
Dionysus for the first time (as explained in paragraph II) He describes him as
follows
175 ka0 pot qhr0wn 3p1 oslashwg0da d0skion 4lhrdquo
6likordquo 2iq oio oslashodTHORNpidi q lgto morrsquoI
4dh g1r Frug0hrdquo 3p1 dir0da koNrordquo 2q0rwn
Amplordquo 2 xhto notrrsquo rdquo ernordquo ErTHORNtwn
o2d o3 3br1rdquo 4oulordquo ruqom noio gn0ou
180 4cnoa cion hrdquo car0ssto k0kla pariPrdquo
6bhrdquo cr0son 4nqordquo 2pisqop0roio d ca0thrdquo
b0trurdquo 3lik0ntrdquo prsquo 2rgursquo wn q on Œmwn
2plk rdquo ligurN d sunaiq0ssontrdquo 2ndasht
4sqmati koursquo0zonto parlkom nwn d kom0wn
185 2krorsquoan1rdquo 2n tll m sordquo gumno0mnordquo a2c1n
ka1 s lardquo 2k0ntiz lip0skiordquo oJ0 t l0mpi
mssorsquoan1rdquo n rsquoordquo 3gr1n 2nasc0zousa Slndashnh
ka1 st0matordquo oslashod oio ml0pnoordquo err rsquownndash
k ml wn drsquo 7lon Iar rsquoa0nto nisom nou d
190 k pod1rdquo 2rgursquo oio oslash0dwn ruqa0nto limTHORNn
2 d booglndashnwn rsquoa wn 2rsquogg i k0klN
2rsquoqalmo1rdquo l lizn 7lh sl0giz Slndashnh22
175 Once while hunting under a shady cliff of a wood
he was charmed by the rosy form of a young comrade
For under the ridge of the Phrygian hills the merry boyhad already matured Ampelus a new shoot of the gods of Love
For him no dainty bloom of a reddening chin
180 had marked the smooth circles of his snow-white cheeks
the golden flower of youth curling clusters of long hair
22 Greek text Chretien (1985) translation Rouse (1940) adapted
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ran down over his silvery-glistering shoulders
loosely and waving in the whispering wind
were lifted by its breath When the hair was blown aside
185 the bare neck appeared between just visible
and unshadowed light flashed from him just as the moon shines
half appearing when she pierces a damp cloudFrom his rosy mouth streamed a honey-breathing voice
Spring itself appeared from his limbs under the steps
190 of his silvery foot the meadow blushed with roses
and if he turned his eyes their bright iris gleaming
with the glow of a cowrsquos eye the light of the full moon shone
The satyr boy is described from head to toe (a procedure also propagated in exercises
on ekphrasis in the rhetorical handbooks of Late Antiquity see Aphthonius Prog
12) and in movement with major attention to the upper body parts the poet shows
us his cheeks (vv 179ndash81) hair shoulders neck (vv 181ndash87) mouth and voice
(v 188) moving on to his limbs and feet (vv 189ndash90) and eventually turns upwards
again towards eyes (vv 191ndash92) As often in erotic descriptions in Antiquity (espe-
cially from Hellenistic and Second Sophistic literature onwards) this passage
abounds with erotic topoi23 The setting is painted with stock images of the natural
world the shady wood the gentle breeze the flowery meadow these are all present
Everything (the satyr boy and his surroundings) is sweet young and blooming
The incredibly rich description of the effect of the different body parts ends in the
visual climax of the appearance of the moon first barely visible then half appearing
then fully visible The expressions 2krorsquoanndashrdquo (v 185) mssorsquoanndashrdquo (v 187) and 7lh
(v 192) also evoke the different stages of the cycle of the moon mdash new waxing and
full mdash intimately linked with the growth of plants in nature24
However many bucolic elements are used metaphorically the flower of youth a
rosy mouth a honey-breathing voice etc The metaphors in this description appeal
to all our senses to our eyes by the use of colours (red white golden silver) and
contrasts (brightndashdark) to our touch (his beardless cheeks) and to our ears and smell
(his honey-breathing voice) In her fascinating study of metaphors in the Dionysiaca
Daria Gigli Piccardi (1985) distinguishes in Nonnus three (archetypical) source
domains for metaphors of beauty two of which occur in this passage Firstly the
source domain lsquoflowersrsquo from individual flowers to spring meadows full of
23 The flowering youth of men around the age of their first beard the rosy mouth the
spring meadow are all common themes in Greek Hellenistic erotic literature but Nonnus
innovates by adding unusual elements (such as the neck also present in other descrip-
tions of beauty in the Dionysiaca) and particular formulations (see below) See Gigli
Piccardi (2003 700ndash703 ad vv 175ndash92) For a list of other studies on beauty in
Nonnus see Chretien (1985 142 ad vv 175ndash92)
24 Chretien (1985 144 ad v 192) and Gigli Piccardi (2003 700ndash701 ad vv 175ndash92)
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contrasting colours Secondly the source domain lsquoastral phenomenarsquo playing with
the opposition light-dark25
On a formal level we find only one simile in vv 186ndash87 introducing the theme of
the moon It belongs to Pasinirsquos type 1 (see section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo
above) unshadowed light (s lardquo lip0skiordquo tenor A) flashed (2k0ntiz ground C)
just as (oJ0 t indicator) half appearing the moon (Slndashnh vehicle B) shines (l0mpi
ground C) when she pierces a damp cloud (nrsquoordquo 3gr1n 2nasc0zousa vehicle B)
Besides this simile there are ten metaphors in praesentia (belonging to Pasinirsquos type 3)
and two metaphors in absentia (belonging to Pasinirsquos type 4) These metaphors are
expressed in a variety of ways which will be discussed below
(1) The most explicit type is the metaphor in apposition occurring very often in
Nonnus The comma after the tenor shows that we are dealing with such a metaphor
in apposition
tenor (A = noun) vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective) of X
a Amplordquo (A) notrrsquo rdquo e rnordquo (B) ErTHORNtwn (X) (v 178)
Ampelus (A) a new shoot (B) of the Loves (X)
b 3br1rdquo 4oulordquo ruqom noio gn0ou (A) 6bhrdquo (X) cr0son 4nqordquo (B) (vv 179-81)
the dainty bloom of a reddening chin (A) the golden flower (B) of youth (X)
(2) Another type of metaphor also very frequent in Nonnus links a metaphorical
adjective (vehicle) to a noun (tenor)
tenor (A = noun) thorn vehicle (B = metaphorical adjective)
a oslashodTHORNpidi (B) morrsquoI (A) (v 176) ndash rosy (B) form (A)
b cion hrdquo (B) pariPrdquo (A) (v 180) ndash snow-white (B) cheeks (A)
c 2rgursquo wn (B) Œmwn (A) (v 182) ndash silvery-glistering (B) shoulders (A)
d st0matordquo (A) oslashod oio (B) (v 188) ndash rosy (B) mouth (A)
e ml0pnoordquo (B) rsquownndash (A) (v 188) ndash a honey-breathing (B) voice (A)
f pod1rdquo (A) 2rgursquo oio (B) (v 190) ndash silvery (B) foot (A)
g booglndashnwn (B) rsquoa wn (A) (v 191) ndash cowrsquos eye (B) glow (A)
(3) In Nonnus the metaphor in absentia is restricted to the more common metaphors
of the flower domain In the following example the vehicle is a noun phrase whereas
the nature of the tenor becomes clear from the addition of a noun or noun phrase in
apposition It is to be noted that the word b0trurdquo is normally used for lsquoclusters of
vinersquo and points already to Ampelusrsquo future metamorphosis
vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective) of X (= noun thorn adjective in genitive)
a 2pisqop0roio d ca0thrdquo (X) b0trurdquo (B) 3lik0ntrdquo (vv 182-83) ndash curling clusters (B) of
long hair (A)
25 The third source domain individuated by Gigli Piccardi is that of lsquothe war of loversquo full of
contrasts between real and metaphorical weapons
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from X (= preposition thorn noun) appears vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective)
b k ml wn (A) 7lon Iar (B) rsquoa0nto (v 189)
From his limbs (A) spring itself (B) appeared
(4) As Gigli Piccardi (1985 70) already noticed Nonnus invented his own extended
metaphorical formula lsquoan autonomous linguistic constellationrsquo lsquowhen X becomes
visible Y appearsrsquo (sometimes followed by a comparison) Whereas the theme of the
moon is introduced by a comparison in vv 186ndash87 it is closed in vv 191ndash92 by such
a lsquoNonnianrsquo metaphor
2 d booglndashnwn rsquoa wn 2rsquogg i k0klN 2rsquoqalmo1rdquo l lizn (X) 7lh sl0giz Slndashnh (Y)
and if he turned his eyes with their bright iris gleaming with a cowrsquos eye glow (X) the light of the
full moon shone (Y)
The large number of metaphors cast in many different forms results in a descrip-
tion that is far from literal The blooming satyr boy and the blooming spring mingle
both being connected to the three phases of the moon Ampelus almost becomes
Bacchic nature himself His first meeting with the God already contains the promise
of his own future metamorphosis the expression b0trurdquo as noticed above being
one of its most explicit indicators26 The golden flower of youth not only contains
life but also death and resurrection Thus the totality of the metaphors expresses
perpetual change
Pampino
As we have seen in section lsquoBaroque metaphorrsquo the story of Pampino belongs to a set
of love-stories told by the gods to Venus as a consolation after the death of her lover
Adonis In Adone 19 ott 66ndash67 the god Dionysus describes the beautiful Pampino
ott 66 La bella fronte gli adorno Natura
di gentil maesta drsquoaria celeste
Dolce color di fragola matura
4 gli facea rosseggiar le guance oneste
Nela bocca ridea la grana pura
tra schiette perle in doppio fil conteste
ne quivi avea la rosa purpurina
8 prodotta ancor la sua dorata spina
ott 67 La notte tenebrosa il ciel turbato
si rischiarava dersquo begli occhi al lume
Il vago piede imporporava il prato
4 la bianca mano innargentava il fiume
Qualor lievrsquoaura con soave fiato
confondendogli il crin scotea le piume
26 See also Gigli Piccardi (1985 69) and (2003 700ndash1 ad vv 175ndash92)
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parea sparso su rsquol collo il bel tesoro
8 sovra un colle drsquoavorio un bosco drsquooro
ott 66 His beautiful forehead Nature adorned
with refined nobility with heavenly looks
The sweet colour of ripe strawberries4 painted his honest cheeks red
In his mouth pure pomegranate laughed
set between real pearls in a double row
There the purple rose had not
8 yet produced her golden thorns
ott 67 The shady night the darkened sky
brightened at the light of his beautiful eyesHis yearning foot turned the meadow purple
4 his white hand turned the river silver
When a gentle breeze with its soft breath
playing with his hair shook his feathers
on his neck the beautiful treasure seemed to spread out
8 on an ivory hill a forest of gold
This description of Pampino owes much to Nonnusrsquo description of Ampelus but is
at the same time different Since Marino uses and plays with the Renaissance canon
of beauty I will discuss this canon briefly in order to gain a better understanding of
the Pampino passage
The topos of beauty began to acquire fixed rules during the Middle Ages and was
completely canonized by the Renaissance27 From the Middle Ages onwards two
types of canon for feminine beauty were developed the short and the long canon
The short canon (used by Petrarch) focuses on the face mentioning hair eyes
mouth and cheeks Hand and breast are briefly referred to forehead and neck are
seldom included The long canon (used by Boccaccio and Ariosto) adds more detail
and leads the gaze further downwards from head to toe Central features of the short
canon are splendour (light) and colour (white) whereas the long canon emphasizes
harmonious proportions (of the body)
Renaissance poets use set comparisons and oppositions such as lsquoredrsquo versus
lsquowhitersquo But within these fixed boundaries there were ample possibilities for vari-
ance One way to play with conventions was the following a poet could mention only
one element of an opposition and thereby automatically evoke its counterpart in the
27 For an overview of Greek poetry up to the Byzantine period see Jax (1933) with dis-
turbing racist emphasis on lsquodas weibliche Schonheitsideal der weiszligen Rassersquo for the
Latin Middle-Ages see Faral (1962 esp p 75 ss) Sidonius Apollinarisrsquo portrait of
Theodoric (Ep I 2 2 sixth century) is seen as the best model for descriptions of persons
by Geoffroy de Vinsauf (Poetria nova 1210 CE) for the Renaissance see Pozzi (1979 and
1984)
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mind of the audience For example if he described a hand a foot was to be imagined
by the reader when a rose was mentioned it was intended that a lily be brought to
mind etc
Favourite source domains for metaphors were in the first place flowers roses
lilies and violets for colour and evanescence secondly precious materials pearls
rubies coral and gold for colour and diamond and sapphire for splendour and
thirdly lsquoheavenly bodiesrsquo stars and the sun for splendour and movement For
special effects these elements could be combined into homogeneous or heteroge-
neous couples a lily and a rose or ivory and a rose etc
How are these images used and constructed in the present passage from
Marino Marino combines the two canons adopting the short canon for his descrip-
tion of the young man and then enumerating his several parts from head to toe He
begins with the (moral) qualities given by Nature to Pampinorsquos forehead (ott 66
1ndash2) continues with his cheeks mouth and cheeks again (ott 66 3ndash8) then turns to
his eyes (ott 67 1ndash2) to his foot and hand (ott 67 3ndash4 the foot belonging to the
long canon) and finally to his hair and neck (ott 67 5ndash8) Marino adds various
(moral) qualifications The first octave is relatively quiet drawing as it were
Pampinorsquos portrait Its three source domains for the metaphors are lsquofruitrsquo lsquoprecious
materialsrsquo lsquoflowersrsquo (pomegranate pearl rose) connected with contrasting colours
(red white and golden) and positive qualifications (beautiful refined heavenly
sweet honest pure real) The second octave is stirred by movement the
sky brightens Pampinorsquos touch turns nature into something else the playing
wind shakes hair locks spreads out It also introduces the opposition light-dark
(shady night darken brighten light) The source domains of the second octave
are lsquobucolic landscapersquo (meadow river breeze) and lsquoprecious materialsrsquo
(silver gold)
As is to be expected Marino is fond of metaphors and expresses them in
various ways But unlike Nonnus he obviously prefers metaphors in absentia
(Pasinirsquos type 4 see section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo above)
The description of Pampino includes moral and physical qualities In ott 66 3ndash4
the strawberry (lsquodolce color di fragola maturarsquo lsquothe sweet colour of ripe strawberriesrsquo)
paving the way for the source domain lsquofruitrsquo is followed by a series of metaphors
(1) There are several instances of metaphors in absentia which are intelligible when
one looks at either the direct context in which they are embedded or at the existing
Renaissance conventions
vehicle (B = noun thorn- adjective)
a la grana pura (ott 66 5) ndash pure pomegranate (sc in his mouth gt tongue)
b schiette perle (ott 66 6) ndash real pearls (sc in double row gt teeth)
c rosa purpurina (ott 66 7) ndash purple rose (sc there gt on his cheeks gt beard)
d le piume (ott 67 6) ndash feathers (of his hair gt locks of hair)
e tesoro (ott 67 7) ndash treasure (his rich hair)
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(2) To these examples two metaphorical verbs can be added
vehicle (B = verb)
a imporporava (ott 67 3) ndash turned purpleb innargentava (ott 67 4) ndash turned silver
(3) The following metaphor in absentia is qualified by a metaphorical adjective
vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective)
la sua dorata spina (ott 66 8) ndash her golden thorns (reddish-blonde bristles)
(4) Another variant are the metaphors in absentia that combine two metaphorical
expressions
vehicle (B = noun) of vehicle (B = noun)
a colle (B) drsquoavorio (B) (ott 67 8) ndash an ivory hill (of his white neck)
b un bosco (B) drsquooro (B) (ott 67 8) ndash a forest of gold (of his blond hair)
(5) Taken together two final verses of ott 67 are an example of a typical baroque
metaphor (discussed in section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo) a concatenation
of metaphorical images Ott 67 7 is elaborated in the next verse by a metaphor in
apposition on neck (tenorrsquo) the beautiful treasure (tenorrsquorsquo) on an ivory hill (vehiclersquo)a forest of gold (vehiclersquorsquo) Both vehicles are from the source domain lsquolandscapersquo (hill
forest) and continue the image of the previous bucolic description (meadow river
breeze) But at the same time the lsquotreasurersquo (tenorrsquorsquo) is already itself a metaphor (for
lsquohairrsquo) from another source domain (lsquoprecious materialsrsquo) that is elaborated by its
own two metaphorical adjectives lsquoivoryrsquo and lsquogoldrsquo from the same source domain As
we have seen with the example of Lemene the image evokes a further image
creating a kind of lsquoliterary trompe lrsquoœilrsquo
On tenor (Arsquo = noun) tenor (Arsquorsquo = noun) on vehicle (Brsquo noun thorn Brsquorsquo adjec) vehiclersquorsquo
(Brsquorsquo noun thorn Brsquorsquo adjec)
su rsquol collo (Arsquo) il bel tesoro (Arsquorsquo) sovra un colle drsquoavorio (Brsquothorn Brsquorsquo) un bosco drsquooro (Brsquorsquothorn Brsquorsquo)
Some intertextual notes
Apart from the topoi shared by Nonnus and Marino it is easy to see that several of
Marinorsquos verses in ott 67 are closely modelled on Nonnus of course in Lubinrsquos
translation (ed 1606)28 Marino ott 67 1ndash2 (darkness flees before Pampinorsquos eyes)
28 175 Et aliquanto venans sub petra umbrosa sylvae Aequalis iuvenis rosea delectabatur
forma Nunc etenim Phrygiae sub colle puer ludens Ampelus crescebat nuper
enutritus ramus amorum Neque ipsi mollis lanugo rubentis menti 180 Imberbes
nivea signaverat circulos maxilla Iuventae aureum florem In tergum reiectarum vero
comarum Racemi flexuosi super splendidis currebant humeris Non complicati Suavi
vero una concitati cum aura Flatu elevabantur Retractis vero comis 185 In
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combines Nonnus vv 186ndash87 (Ampelusrsquo neck is like the moon shining though
clouds) and vv 191ndash92 (when Ampelus looks the moon shines) Marino ott 67
3ndash4 (Pampinorsquos foot and hand transform meadow and river) is like Nonnus vv
189ndash90 (Ampelusrsquo limbsfoot elicit spring and flowers in the meadow) Marino
ott 67 5ndash6 (the wind playing with Pampinorsquos hair and showing his neck) is similar
to Nonnus vv 183ndash85 (the wind playing with Ampelusrsquo hair and revealing his neck)
Marino was unable to borrow Nonnusrsquo image of Ampelusrsquo foot eliciting spring
because Falkenburgrsquos text and Lubinrsquos translation present a different textual reading
from Chretienrsquos Falkenburg does not have (drsquo7lon) Iar (lsquospringrsquo) but (g1r) 5niar
which was translated as lsquoemolumentumrsquo (lsquogainrsquo) by Lubin
There are however some significant differences To describe the effect of the
Ampelusrsquo neck and eyes Nonnus introduces the image of the moon emerging through
the clouds while evoking simultaneously the moon cycle He begins with a compari-
son and continues with a metaphor spread out over eight verses To describe the
instant effect of Pampinorsquos eyes Marino (or to be more precise the narrator
Dionysus) simply states a truth a hyperbolic truth the light of Pampinorsquos eyes illu-
minates darkness To describe the effect of the neck of the satyr boy he introduces the
landscape and treasure metaphor The importance of the neck seems to point towards
another intertext the description of feminine beauty in the Song of Songs29 The lovers
in the Song of Songs describe each other in metaphorical terms their eyes hair teeth
lips voice cheeks neck breast and overall fairness etc (he in 4 she in 5 10ndash16 he
again in 6 4ndash7 and 7 1ndash9) Among the many source domains in the Song of Songs
lsquofruitrsquo lsquoastral phenomenarsquo and lsquoprecious materialsrsquo are present too To give some
examples her temples are pomegranates (4 3) his arms are rods of gold set with topaz
(5 14) she appears like the dawn the moon the sun the stars (6 10) and last but not
least her neck is an ivory tower (7 4)30 Elsewhere in the Adone (as often in Italian
Baroque poetry) Christian imagery is also clearly present31
summitate apparens oriebatur media nudata cervix Et fulgorem eiaculabatur umbram
relinquens qualia lucet In medio apparens nubem humidam perrumpens Luna Et
oris rosei mel spirans (Lectius 1606 lsquospiansrsquo instead of lsquospiransrsquo) fluebat oratio Ex
membris enim emolumentum (Falkenburg reads g1r 5niar lsquogainrsquo where Chretien has
drsquo7lon Iar) apparebat Cum iret vero 190 Ex pede argenteo pedum (Falkenburg reads
2rgur oio pod8n instead of Chretienrsquos 2rgursquo oio oslashod8n) rubebat pratum Cum vero
faciei bovinae ventorum (Falkenburg has 2n mwn instead of Chretienrsquos rsquoa wn Lectius
1606 has lsquobavinaersquo for lsquobovinaersquo) illustri circulo Oculos circumvertisset tota resplen-
debat Luna
29 Parallels between the Song of Songs and Greek love poetry are already present in Greek
poetry from Antiquity see various articles in Hagedorn (2005)
30 Paradoxically Marino is closer to the Hebrew original (that he was unable to read) than
to the Latin translation of the Vulgate (which he must have used) the Vulgate turns most
of the original metaphors into similes with the indicator lsquosicutrsquo
31 For example the suggested parallel between Adone and Christ condemned by the
Inquisition a nymph acting as Judas revealing Adonersquos hiding place and committing
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Marino changes some of Nonnusrsquo explicit (rationalizing see Pasini section lsquoA set
of practical tools for analysisrsquo) images into more implicit (open see Pasini section
lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo) ones evoking a concatenation of associations
The image of Ampelusrsquo silvery footstep (Greek 2rguroioLatin argenteo) that
turned the meadow red with roses is adapted to Marinorsquos own time Pampinorsquos
foot is no longer silvery but lsquovagorsquo (a reminiscence of Petrarcarsquos lsquovago piersquo)32 and it
still turns the meadow purple but the reader has to supply the exact nature of the
purple (eg purple gt flower gt rose) Since in the Renaissance canon lsquofootrsquo evokes
lsquohandrsquo and since the colour lsquopurplersquo evokes the contrast lsquowhitersquo Pampinorsquos foot and
the purple meadow in ott 67 3 lead lsquospontaneouslyrsquo to lsquohis white handrsquo in ott 67 4
Finally Nonnusrsquo lsquosilveryrsquo is not lost but transformed into the metaphorical verb
lsquoturned into silverrsquo (an interesting invention to provoke a new contrast in the readerrsquos
mind because the story is situated in Phrygia with its proverbially gold-gleaming
river Pactolus)33
What can we conclude on the basis of the similarities and differences in the
passages of Nonnus and Marino about their use of metaphor
First it is evident that Nonnus and Marino are equally fond of metaphors
Nonnusrsquo eighteen verses contain twelve metaphors and one comparison Marinorsquo
sixteen verses contain twelve metaphors On a quantitative level the abundant and
cumulative use of metaphors by Nonnus could be called lsquobaroquersquo
Secondly we have seen that on a conceptual level Nonnus and Marino share some
characteristics but not all Both poets work with the contrasting couples red-white
and light-dark and use the source domain lsquoflowerrsquo But the more traditional source
domains lsquoprecious materialsrsquo and lsquofruitrsquo inherited by Marino from the Renaissance
canon of beauty are barely or not at all present in Nonnus at least not in this passage
Thirdly at the linguistic level Nonnus and Marino clearly employ different
kinds and complexities of metaphor Nonnus on the one hand uses a concatenation
of metaphors in praesentia crowned by his personal metaphorical formula in which
the appearance of the tenor simultaneously evokes the vehicle Linguistically speak-
ing the relation between tenor and vehicle remains visible and controllable
suicide Venus crying over Adonersquos body as Mary did over Jesusrsquo body Adone is not
wounded in his thigh as in Greek mythology but in his side See also Guardiani (2001)
and Gonnelli (2003 29ndash30 on pagan and Christian syncretism in Nonnusrsquo Paraphrasis
and Marinorsquos Adone) The last motif recurs in the fresco lsquoLa Morte di Adonersquo by Luca
Giordano (1682ndash85) Palazzo Medici-Riccardi Florence It is reminiscent of the parallel
between Dionysus and Christ also expressed in various mosaics for example in a Roman
mosaic depicting Dionysusrsquo discovery of Ariadne on Naxos (Syria 3rd-4th cent Miho
Museum Kyoto Japan cat NA) where Dionysus not only has a nimbus but also a
wound in his sidebreast (a later addition) (I thank Berenice Verhelst for pointing out
this mosaic to me)
32 For this intricate Renaissance style word play see Pozzi (1976) ad loc
33 See Nonn Dion 11 17ndash55 for the swimming contest with Dionysus and Ampelus and
the effect on the satyr boy of the golden water of the river Pactolus
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(lsquorationalrsquo lsquoclosedrsquo) Marino on the other hand prefers metaphors in absentia
opening the associative distance between vehicle and tenor to a maximum He uses
the auto-referential metaphor that is so typical of Baroque poetry Marinorsquos method
reflects instability the arbitrariness of the relation between tenor and vehicle seems to
express the absence of a shared and well-organized world with absolute values As
Conte (1972 37) puts it lsquoconfronted by a reality (human social politic cultural) in
crisis the baroque word denounces the prerogative of the word it speaks almost
exclusively of itself but speaking of itself it imitates takes possession of exorcizes
and even organizes the crisisrsquo Therefore on a linguistic level there seems to be more
method in Nonnusrsquo madness than in Marinorsquos
Finally what about the overall effect of the metaphors they use in their respective
descriptions Nonnus and Marino both describe beautiful beardless satyr boys
caught in a fleeting moment of radiant movement in an eroticizing bucolic setting
They put equal emphasis on the beauty and the fragility of youth and on the satyr
boyrsquos impact on the nature surrounding him As we have seen Nonnusrsquo metaphors
make Ampelus progressively intermingle with nature announcing the satyr boyrsquos
metamorphosis Even though they are classified as more lsquorationalrsquo on a linguistic
level (see Pasini) their effect is impressively irrational and open Just as Marinorsquos
metaphors they are constantly related to metamorphosis expressing change and
instability These are typical features of the Baroque that also explain at least partly
Marinorsquos affiliation with Nonnus
Conclusion
To return to the initial question of this article do we need the term lsquobaroquersquo to
characterize Nonnusrsquo poetry We have seen that the use of lsquobaroquersquo for other
periods than the seventeenth-century Baroque has met with positive and negative
reactions being found either too restricted or too broad and that the term lsquobaroquersquo
is often used for Nonnusrsquo Dionysiaca in an impressionistic way to indicate that his
aesthetics deviate from the lsquoclassicalrsquo Used in this sense lsquobaroquersquo can suggest
openness expansion abundance accumulation asymmetry moving musicality
optical illusion and the absence of a vanishing point as opposed to lsquoclassicalrsquo
with its connotation of contours closed nature unity harmony symmetry archi-
tectural fixity and converging perspectives Many of these tendencies known from
the historical Baroque are visible in Late Antique poetry
What about the other qualifications at hand such as poik0lordquo lsquojeweledrsquo and
lsquocumulativersquo Can they replace the term lsquobaroquersquo The first poikil0a is intimately
linked with Nonnusrsquo own poetics as becomes immediately clear from his prologue
where it refers to variety and polymorphism in the poem as a whole The poet wishes
that lsquoProteus of the many turnsrsquo the god of endless transformation lsquomay appear in
all his diversity of shapes since I twang my harp to a diversity of songsrsquo34 It is
34 Nonn Dion I 15 5rsquora rsquoan0h poik0lon Idordquo ecwn 7ti poik0lon 4mnon 2r0ssw (transl
Rouse 1940) The term poik0lordquo has been used very frequently by scholars to describe
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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nloaded from
applied to Late Antique literature as well as to art works both art forms being
intimately linked during this period Gianfranco Agosti (1997 34ndash35 see also
2006 361ss) expands its use understanding it lsquonot only as stylistic varietas but
above all as a code intended to characterize reality The concept of poikil0a goes
far beyond mere rhetorical or stylistic boundaries and becomes a peculiar way of
viewing realityrsquo When used in this way as a psychological category applied to the
relation between word and image it becomes a hermeneutic tool to explore Late
Antique world views
The second expression lsquojeweled stylersquo is used for Late Antique writers and
artists who place their words and phrases or their gems and colours in geometric
patterns The aim of these patterns is to create a symbolic unity which is considered
more important than linear narrative sequences in literature and realism in the visual
arts The term has been coined by Michael Roberts (1989) for the aesthetics of Latin
poetry from Late Antiquity (Ausonius Prudentius Claudian Sidonius etc) but
can be applied mutatis mutandis to Greek literature from the same period
The third expression lsquocumulative aestheticrsquo describes a similar attitude in Late
Antique art characterized by a particular attention to detail (lsquoexquisite miniatur-
izationrsquo) and by a preference for the re-use of precious elements from the past
(spolia) The sum of these separate entities forms a new unity and expresses a
new vision of the world Jas Elsner (2004) discusses the term in the context of the
visual arts but it can also be applied to literature
Poikil0a jeweled style and cumulative aesthetic are free of the charge of
anachronism They are related each of them covering several aspects of Late
Antique art and literature but not all In my opinion the term lsquobaroquersquo serves a
different purpose it can indicate generally the kind of expressive possibilities chosen
by an author provided that this sketchy characterization is subsequently elaborated
in order to lend the term lsquobaroquersquo a more specific significance especially by
comparing it to the lsquoBaroquersquo
The term lsquobaroquersquo as a general indication for Nonnusrsquo style invited me to com-
pare lsquobaroquersquo Nonnus with lsquoBaroque Marinorsquo I picked up the Tesaurorsquos telescope
to zoom in on metaphor and to study the lsquoqueen of figuresrsquo from close up Nonnusrsquo
metaphors clearly appealed to the poetic creativity of Marino There is much aes-
thetic affinity between the stylistic norms they adopted when composing metaphors
They use comparable expressive possibilities to articulate their vision of the world
even if these worlds are very different and even if the lsquomost Baroque of baroque
poetsrsquo goes one step further than Nonnus Zooming out again I conclude two things
Nonnusrsquo style on the basis of his own proemium See for example Lindsay (1965 379ndash
84) String (1966 33ndash70) Vian (1976 9ndash10) Gonzalez Senmartı (1981) Hopkinson
(1994) Whitby (1994 101 112 116) Agosti (1997) Shorrock (2001) Miguelez-
Cavero (2008 139ndash45 162ndash68) Hernandez de la Fuente (2011) As a poetical qualifica-
tion poikil0a is already present in Pindar see Nunlist (1998 118) For poikil0avarietas
in epideictic rhetoric of the Imperial Period see Pernot (1993 337)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
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nloaded from
if not pinned down as a strictly historical category the term lsquobaroquersquo can to a
certain extent be applied to Nonnus and above all can invite further exploration of
the intertextual relationships between poets and be helpful in comparing artistic
norms from different periods of time Used in this way it does not replace nor is
replaced by the terms poikil0a lsquojeweled stylersquo and cumulative aesthetics but is a
stimulating tool to bring to light similarities and differences in poetic creativity not
only of metaphor but also of other characteristics which have been called lsquotypically
baroquersquo35 It can help to gain insight into the exact nature of a literary lsquodialogue at
distancersquo and could also prove fruitful in analysing and characterizing Marinorsquos
intertexutal relations with other authors from Antiquity
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank G Agosti M H Koenen P Lanfranchi and M Pearson for
their stimulating comments and lively discussions during the various stages of this
article as well as Jas Elsner the associate editor and the anonymous referees of
Classical Receptions Journal for their accurate and useful suggestions
References
G Agosti lsquoPoemi digressivi tardoantichi (e moderni)rsquo Compar(a)ison no 1 (1995) pp 131ndash51mdashmdash lsquoThe poikil0a of Paul the Bishoprsquo ZPE no 116 (1997) pp 31ndash38mdashmdash lsquoImmagini e poesia nella tarda antichita Per uno studio dellrsquoestetica visuale della poesia greca fra
III e IV sec d Crsquo Incontri Triestini di Filologia Classica 4 2004-2005 (2006) pp 351ndash74 Onlinesince 22 August 2006 httphdlhandlenet10077949 [accessed 4 July 2012]
S Bar Review of Miguelez-Cavero 2008 in Plekos no 12 (2010) pp 67ndash77 httpwwwplekosuni-muenchende2010r-caveropdf [accessed 4 July 2012]
E van Boven and G Dorleijn Literair Mechaniek Inleiding tot de Analyse van Verhalen en Gedichten(Bussum Coutinho 2003) esp pp 159ndash80 (lsquoBeeldspraakrsquo)
Ch Brooke-Rose A Grammar of Metaphor (London Secker amp Warburg 1958)P Cherchi lsquoPoetry Philosophy and Sciencersquo in P Brand and L Pertile (eds) The Cambridge History
of Italian Literature vol I The Seicento (Cambridge Cambridge University Press 1996)pp 301ndash17
G Chretien Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t IV chants IXndashX (Paris Les Belles Lettres1985)
G Conte La Metafora barocca Saggio sulle poetiche del Seicento (Milano Mursia 1972)E R Curtius Europaische Literatur und lateinisches Mittelalter (Bern Francke Verlag 1948)G DrsquoIppolito Studi Nonniani Lrsquoepillio nelle Dionisiache (Palermo Presso lrsquoAccademia 1964)E DrsquoOrs Du Baroque (Paris Gallimard 1935)
35 Other intertexual relations such as the ones briefly discussed by Tissoni (1998 59ndash62)
could be analysed according to the procedure of Rousset (1954) although he restricted
his method to the seventeenth-century French Baroque literature He formulated four
main criteria applicable to various seventeenth-century Baroque art forms (architecture
painting and literature) lsquoinstabilityrsquo lsquomobilityrsquo lsquometamorphosisrsquo and lsquodominance of
settingrsquo He subsequently applied these criteria to five literary instances first of all lsquoa type
of metaphorrsquo followed by lsquoa type of poemrsquo lsquoa poetic work as a wholersquo lsquoa theatrical work as
a wholersquo and lsquoa general attitudersquo ie lsquodisplayrsquo (1954 181ss)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
23 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
J Elsner lsquoLate Antique Art The Problem of the Concept and the Cumulative Aestheticrsquo in S Swainand M Edwards (eds) Approaching Late Antiquity The Transformation from Early to Late Empire(Oxford Oxford University Press 2004) pp 271ndash309
E Faral Les Arts Poetiques du XIIe et XIIIe siecle Recherches et Documents sur la Technique Litteraire duMoyen Age (Paris Champion 1962)
W Fauth Eidos Poikilon Zur Thematik der Metamorphose und zum Prinzip der Wandlung aus demGegensatz in den Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Gottingen Vandenhoeck amp Ruprecht 1981)
P Friedlander Johannes von Gaza und Paulus Silentiarius Kunstbeschreibungen Justinianischer Zeit(Leipzig Teubner 1912)
H de la Fuente lsquoThe One and the Many and the Circular Movement Neo-Platonism and Poetics inNonnus of Panopolisrsquo in Id (ed) New Perspectives on Late Antiquity (Newcastle-upon-TyneCambridge Scholars 2011)
F Gonnelli Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol II (canti XIIIndashXXIV) (Milano BibliotecaUniversale Rizzoli 2003)
V Giraudet lsquoLe rivage la presqursquoıle et le marais Espaces baroques chez Achille Tatius et Nonnos dePanopolisrsquo in R Poignault (ed) Presence du Roman grec et Latin (Clermont-Ferrand Centre deRecherches A Piganiol 2011) pp 147ndash66
Groupe m (J Dubois ea) Rhetorique generale (Paris du Seuil 1970)F Guardiani lsquoA Christological Metamorphosis in a Baroque Poemrsquo in J Goering ea (ed) Saints and
the Sacred Select Proceedings of the 3rd St Michaelrsquos College Annual Symposium (Feb 25-26 2000)(Ottawa Legas 2001) pp 185ndash95
A C Hagedorn (ed) Perspectives on the Song of Songs (Berlin De Gruyter 2005)F Hallyn Formes metaphoriques dans la poesie lyrique de lrsquoage baroque en France (Geneve Droz 1975)H Hatzfeld lsquoThe Baroque from the Viewpoint of the Literary Historianrsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art
Criticism 142 Second Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1955) 156ndash64N Hopkinson (ed) Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society
1994)R Huyghe lsquoLa seve du baroquersquo Baroque [online] no 4 (1969) Online since 3 May 2012 http
baroquerevuesorg304 [accessed 22 January 2013]K Jax Die weibliche Schonheit in der griechischen Dichtung (Innsbruck Wagner 1933)R Keydell lsquoNonnosrsquo in Th Klauser (ed) Reallexikon fur Antike und Christentum vol XVII
(Stuttgart Hiersemann 1936) vol XVII pp 902ndash20G Lakoff Metaphors We Live By (Chicago University of Chicago Press 1980)G Lakoff and M Turner More Than Cool Reason A Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor (Chicago
University of Chicago Press 1989)L R Lind lsquoNonnos and His Readersrsquo Res Publica Litterarum (1978) 159ndash70J Lindsay Leisure and Pleasure in Roman Egypt (London Muller 1965)V De Malde Giovan Battista Marino La Sampogna (Parma Fondazione Pietro Bembo Ugo Guanda
Editore 1993)A Martini Letteratura Italiana Le Opere Vol II Dal Cinquecento al Settecento A Asor Rosa (ed)
(Turin Einaudi 1993) pp 777ndash97R T Matthews and F DeWitt Platt The Western Humanities (Boston McGraw-Hill 2004)L Miguelez-Cavero Poems in Context Greek Poetry in the Egyptian Thebaid 200-600 AD (Berlin De
Gruyter 2008)R F Newbold lsquoMimesis and Illusion in Nonnus Deceit Distrust and the Search for Meaningrsquo
Helios 37 no 1 (2010) pp 81ndash106R Nunlist Poetologische Bildersprache in der fruhgriechischen Dichtung (Stuttgart Teubner 1998)G F Pasini lsquoDalla comparazione alla metaforarsquo Lingua e Stile 7 no 3 (1972) pp 441ndash69L Pernot La rhetorique de lrsquoeloge dans le monde greco-romain vol I (Paris Institut drsquoEtudes
Augustiennes 1993)S N Peters lsquoMetaphor and lsquolsquoMaravigliarsquorsquo Tradition and Innovation in the Adone of GB Marinorsquo
Lingua e Stile 7 no 2 (1972) pp 321ndash41D G Piccardi Metafora e Poetica in Nonno di Panopoli (Florence Universite degli Studi di Firenze
1985)mdashmdash Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol I (canti IndashXII) (Milano Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli
2003)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
24 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
G Pozzi Giovan Battista Marino vol II LrsquoAdone (Milano Mondadori 1976)mdashmdash lsquoIl ritratto della donna nella poesia drsquoinizio Cinquecento e la pittura di Giorgionersquo Lettere Italiane
311 gennaio-marzo (1979) pp 3ndash30mdashmdash lsquoTemi t0poi stereotipirsquo in A Asor Rosa (ed) Letteratura italiana III Le forme del testo I
Teoria e poesia (Torino Einaudi 1984) pp 391ndash436I A Richards The Philosophy of Rhetoric (New York Oxford University Press 1936)M Riemschneider lsquoDer Stil des Nonnosrsquo Berliner byzantinistische Arbeiten no 5 (1957) pp 46ndash70M Roberts The Jeweled Style Poetry and Poetics in Late Antiquity (Ithaca and London Cornell
University Press 1989)W H D Rouse Nonnus Dionysiaca (Cambridge MA Harvard University Press 1940)J Rousset La litterature de lrsquoage baroque en France Circe et le paon (Paris Corti 1954)E Russo lsquoSul barocco letterario in Italia Giudizi revisioni distinzionirsquo Les Dossiers du Grihl [Online]
2012-02 j 2012 Online since 25 June 2012 httpdossiersgrihlrevuesorg5223 [accessed 4 March2013]
A G Senmartı lsquoLa lsquolsquopoikiliarsquorsquo como principio estilıstico de las Dionisıacas de Nonorsquo AFB no 7(1981) pp 101ndash07
R Shorrock The Challenge of Epic Allusive Engagement in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Leiden Brill2001)
mdashmdash lsquoNonnusrsquo in J Foley (ed) A Companion to Ancient Epic (Oxford Wiley-Blackwell 2005)pp 374ndash85
mdashmdash The Myth of Paganism Nonnus Dionysus and the World of Late Antiquity (London BristolClassical Press 2011)
G Steen lsquoMetaphor and Stylersquo in P Stockwell and S Whiteley (eds) The Cambridge Handbook ofStylistics (Cambridge Cambridge University Press forthcoming 2014)
M String Untersuchungen zum Stil der Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Hamburg sn (disserta-tion) 1966)
E Tesauro Il Cannocchiale Aristotelico (Venice Baglioni 1654ndash70)F Tissoni Nonno di Panopoli I Canti di Penteo (Dionisiache 44ndash46) Commento (Florence La Nuova
Italia Editrice 1998)F Vian Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t I chants IndashII (Paris Les Belles Lettres 1976)R Wellek lsquoThe Concept of Baroque in Literary Scholarshiprsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism
52 Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1946) pp 77ndash109M Whitby lsquoFrom Moschus to Nonnus The Evolution of the Nonnian Stylersquo in N Hopkinson (ed)
Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society 1994) pp 99ndash155A Wifstrand Von Kallimachos zu Nonnos Metrisch-stilistische Untersuchungen zur spateren griechischen
Epik und zu verwandten Gedichtgattungen (Lund Gleerup 1933)H Wolfflin Renaissance und Barock Eine Untersuchung uber Wesen und Entstehung des Barockstils in
Italien (Munich T Ackermann 1888)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
25 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
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nloaded from
pink skin corresponds to red colour
young skin corresponds to freshness
aging corresponds to withering
So the tenor lsquocheeksrsquo belongs to the target domain lsquopeoplersquo and the vehicle lsquorosersquo
belongs to the source domain lsquoplantrsquo Thus while Pasinirsquos typology provides for a
formal analysis at a linguistic level Lakoffrsquos extra-linguistic concerns are centred on
a conceptual level His theory permits us to reflect on the concepts and ideas under-
lying metaphors
Two beautiful satyr boys
Ampelus
In this section I will discuss the two passages of Nonnus and Marino In Dionysiaca
10 175ndash92 the external narrator introduces the young Ampelus future lover of
Dionysus for the first time (as explained in paragraph II) He describes him as
follows
175 ka0 pot qhr0wn 3p1 oslashwg0da d0skion 4lhrdquo
6likordquo 2iq oio oslashodTHORNpidi q lgto morrsquoI
4dh g1r Frug0hrdquo 3p1 dir0da koNrordquo 2q0rwn
Amplordquo 2 xhto notrrsquo rdquo ernordquo ErTHORNtwn
o2d o3 3br1rdquo 4oulordquo ruqom noio gn0ou
180 4cnoa cion hrdquo car0ssto k0kla pariPrdquo
6bhrdquo cr0son 4nqordquo 2pisqop0roio d ca0thrdquo
b0trurdquo 3lik0ntrdquo prsquo 2rgursquo wn q on Œmwn
2plk rdquo ligurN d sunaiq0ssontrdquo 2ndasht
4sqmati koursquo0zonto parlkom nwn d kom0wn
185 2krorsquoan1rdquo 2n tll m sordquo gumno0mnordquo a2c1n
ka1 s lardquo 2k0ntiz lip0skiordquo oJ0 t l0mpi
mssorsquoan1rdquo n rsquoordquo 3gr1n 2nasc0zousa Slndashnh
ka1 st0matordquo oslashod oio ml0pnoordquo err rsquownndash
k ml wn drsquo 7lon Iar rsquoa0nto nisom nou d
190 k pod1rdquo 2rgursquo oio oslash0dwn ruqa0nto limTHORNn
2 d booglndashnwn rsquoa wn 2rsquogg i k0klN
2rsquoqalmo1rdquo l lizn 7lh sl0giz Slndashnh22
175 Once while hunting under a shady cliff of a wood
he was charmed by the rosy form of a young comrade
For under the ridge of the Phrygian hills the merry boyhad already matured Ampelus a new shoot of the gods of Love
For him no dainty bloom of a reddening chin
180 had marked the smooth circles of his snow-white cheeks
the golden flower of youth curling clusters of long hair
22 Greek text Chretien (1985) translation Rouse (1940) adapted
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ran down over his silvery-glistering shoulders
loosely and waving in the whispering wind
were lifted by its breath When the hair was blown aside
185 the bare neck appeared between just visible
and unshadowed light flashed from him just as the moon shines
half appearing when she pierces a damp cloudFrom his rosy mouth streamed a honey-breathing voice
Spring itself appeared from his limbs under the steps
190 of his silvery foot the meadow blushed with roses
and if he turned his eyes their bright iris gleaming
with the glow of a cowrsquos eye the light of the full moon shone
The satyr boy is described from head to toe (a procedure also propagated in exercises
on ekphrasis in the rhetorical handbooks of Late Antiquity see Aphthonius Prog
12) and in movement with major attention to the upper body parts the poet shows
us his cheeks (vv 179ndash81) hair shoulders neck (vv 181ndash87) mouth and voice
(v 188) moving on to his limbs and feet (vv 189ndash90) and eventually turns upwards
again towards eyes (vv 191ndash92) As often in erotic descriptions in Antiquity (espe-
cially from Hellenistic and Second Sophistic literature onwards) this passage
abounds with erotic topoi23 The setting is painted with stock images of the natural
world the shady wood the gentle breeze the flowery meadow these are all present
Everything (the satyr boy and his surroundings) is sweet young and blooming
The incredibly rich description of the effect of the different body parts ends in the
visual climax of the appearance of the moon first barely visible then half appearing
then fully visible The expressions 2krorsquoanndashrdquo (v 185) mssorsquoanndashrdquo (v 187) and 7lh
(v 192) also evoke the different stages of the cycle of the moon mdash new waxing and
full mdash intimately linked with the growth of plants in nature24
However many bucolic elements are used metaphorically the flower of youth a
rosy mouth a honey-breathing voice etc The metaphors in this description appeal
to all our senses to our eyes by the use of colours (red white golden silver) and
contrasts (brightndashdark) to our touch (his beardless cheeks) and to our ears and smell
(his honey-breathing voice) In her fascinating study of metaphors in the Dionysiaca
Daria Gigli Piccardi (1985) distinguishes in Nonnus three (archetypical) source
domains for metaphors of beauty two of which occur in this passage Firstly the
source domain lsquoflowersrsquo from individual flowers to spring meadows full of
23 The flowering youth of men around the age of their first beard the rosy mouth the
spring meadow are all common themes in Greek Hellenistic erotic literature but Nonnus
innovates by adding unusual elements (such as the neck also present in other descrip-
tions of beauty in the Dionysiaca) and particular formulations (see below) See Gigli
Piccardi (2003 700ndash703 ad vv 175ndash92) For a list of other studies on beauty in
Nonnus see Chretien (1985 142 ad vv 175ndash92)
24 Chretien (1985 144 ad v 192) and Gigli Piccardi (2003 700ndash701 ad vv 175ndash92)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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contrasting colours Secondly the source domain lsquoastral phenomenarsquo playing with
the opposition light-dark25
On a formal level we find only one simile in vv 186ndash87 introducing the theme of
the moon It belongs to Pasinirsquos type 1 (see section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo
above) unshadowed light (s lardquo lip0skiordquo tenor A) flashed (2k0ntiz ground C)
just as (oJ0 t indicator) half appearing the moon (Slndashnh vehicle B) shines (l0mpi
ground C) when she pierces a damp cloud (nrsquoordquo 3gr1n 2nasc0zousa vehicle B)
Besides this simile there are ten metaphors in praesentia (belonging to Pasinirsquos type 3)
and two metaphors in absentia (belonging to Pasinirsquos type 4) These metaphors are
expressed in a variety of ways which will be discussed below
(1) The most explicit type is the metaphor in apposition occurring very often in
Nonnus The comma after the tenor shows that we are dealing with such a metaphor
in apposition
tenor (A = noun) vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective) of X
a Amplordquo (A) notrrsquo rdquo e rnordquo (B) ErTHORNtwn (X) (v 178)
Ampelus (A) a new shoot (B) of the Loves (X)
b 3br1rdquo 4oulordquo ruqom noio gn0ou (A) 6bhrdquo (X) cr0son 4nqordquo (B) (vv 179-81)
the dainty bloom of a reddening chin (A) the golden flower (B) of youth (X)
(2) Another type of metaphor also very frequent in Nonnus links a metaphorical
adjective (vehicle) to a noun (tenor)
tenor (A = noun) thorn vehicle (B = metaphorical adjective)
a oslashodTHORNpidi (B) morrsquoI (A) (v 176) ndash rosy (B) form (A)
b cion hrdquo (B) pariPrdquo (A) (v 180) ndash snow-white (B) cheeks (A)
c 2rgursquo wn (B) Œmwn (A) (v 182) ndash silvery-glistering (B) shoulders (A)
d st0matordquo (A) oslashod oio (B) (v 188) ndash rosy (B) mouth (A)
e ml0pnoordquo (B) rsquownndash (A) (v 188) ndash a honey-breathing (B) voice (A)
f pod1rdquo (A) 2rgursquo oio (B) (v 190) ndash silvery (B) foot (A)
g booglndashnwn (B) rsquoa wn (A) (v 191) ndash cowrsquos eye (B) glow (A)
(3) In Nonnus the metaphor in absentia is restricted to the more common metaphors
of the flower domain In the following example the vehicle is a noun phrase whereas
the nature of the tenor becomes clear from the addition of a noun or noun phrase in
apposition It is to be noted that the word b0trurdquo is normally used for lsquoclusters of
vinersquo and points already to Ampelusrsquo future metamorphosis
vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective) of X (= noun thorn adjective in genitive)
a 2pisqop0roio d ca0thrdquo (X) b0trurdquo (B) 3lik0ntrdquo (vv 182-83) ndash curling clusters (B) of
long hair (A)
25 The third source domain individuated by Gigli Piccardi is that of lsquothe war of loversquo full of
contrasts between real and metaphorical weapons
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Dow
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from X (= preposition thorn noun) appears vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective)
b k ml wn (A) 7lon Iar (B) rsquoa0nto (v 189)
From his limbs (A) spring itself (B) appeared
(4) As Gigli Piccardi (1985 70) already noticed Nonnus invented his own extended
metaphorical formula lsquoan autonomous linguistic constellationrsquo lsquowhen X becomes
visible Y appearsrsquo (sometimes followed by a comparison) Whereas the theme of the
moon is introduced by a comparison in vv 186ndash87 it is closed in vv 191ndash92 by such
a lsquoNonnianrsquo metaphor
2 d booglndashnwn rsquoa wn 2rsquogg i k0klN 2rsquoqalmo1rdquo l lizn (X) 7lh sl0giz Slndashnh (Y)
and if he turned his eyes with their bright iris gleaming with a cowrsquos eye glow (X) the light of the
full moon shone (Y)
The large number of metaphors cast in many different forms results in a descrip-
tion that is far from literal The blooming satyr boy and the blooming spring mingle
both being connected to the three phases of the moon Ampelus almost becomes
Bacchic nature himself His first meeting with the God already contains the promise
of his own future metamorphosis the expression b0trurdquo as noticed above being
one of its most explicit indicators26 The golden flower of youth not only contains
life but also death and resurrection Thus the totality of the metaphors expresses
perpetual change
Pampino
As we have seen in section lsquoBaroque metaphorrsquo the story of Pampino belongs to a set
of love-stories told by the gods to Venus as a consolation after the death of her lover
Adonis In Adone 19 ott 66ndash67 the god Dionysus describes the beautiful Pampino
ott 66 La bella fronte gli adorno Natura
di gentil maesta drsquoaria celeste
Dolce color di fragola matura
4 gli facea rosseggiar le guance oneste
Nela bocca ridea la grana pura
tra schiette perle in doppio fil conteste
ne quivi avea la rosa purpurina
8 prodotta ancor la sua dorata spina
ott 67 La notte tenebrosa il ciel turbato
si rischiarava dersquo begli occhi al lume
Il vago piede imporporava il prato
4 la bianca mano innargentava il fiume
Qualor lievrsquoaura con soave fiato
confondendogli il crin scotea le piume
26 See also Gigli Piccardi (1985 69) and (2003 700ndash1 ad vv 175ndash92)
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parea sparso su rsquol collo il bel tesoro
8 sovra un colle drsquoavorio un bosco drsquooro
ott 66 His beautiful forehead Nature adorned
with refined nobility with heavenly looks
The sweet colour of ripe strawberries4 painted his honest cheeks red
In his mouth pure pomegranate laughed
set between real pearls in a double row
There the purple rose had not
8 yet produced her golden thorns
ott 67 The shady night the darkened sky
brightened at the light of his beautiful eyesHis yearning foot turned the meadow purple
4 his white hand turned the river silver
When a gentle breeze with its soft breath
playing with his hair shook his feathers
on his neck the beautiful treasure seemed to spread out
8 on an ivory hill a forest of gold
This description of Pampino owes much to Nonnusrsquo description of Ampelus but is
at the same time different Since Marino uses and plays with the Renaissance canon
of beauty I will discuss this canon briefly in order to gain a better understanding of
the Pampino passage
The topos of beauty began to acquire fixed rules during the Middle Ages and was
completely canonized by the Renaissance27 From the Middle Ages onwards two
types of canon for feminine beauty were developed the short and the long canon
The short canon (used by Petrarch) focuses on the face mentioning hair eyes
mouth and cheeks Hand and breast are briefly referred to forehead and neck are
seldom included The long canon (used by Boccaccio and Ariosto) adds more detail
and leads the gaze further downwards from head to toe Central features of the short
canon are splendour (light) and colour (white) whereas the long canon emphasizes
harmonious proportions (of the body)
Renaissance poets use set comparisons and oppositions such as lsquoredrsquo versus
lsquowhitersquo But within these fixed boundaries there were ample possibilities for vari-
ance One way to play with conventions was the following a poet could mention only
one element of an opposition and thereby automatically evoke its counterpart in the
27 For an overview of Greek poetry up to the Byzantine period see Jax (1933) with dis-
turbing racist emphasis on lsquodas weibliche Schonheitsideal der weiszligen Rassersquo for the
Latin Middle-Ages see Faral (1962 esp p 75 ss) Sidonius Apollinarisrsquo portrait of
Theodoric (Ep I 2 2 sixth century) is seen as the best model for descriptions of persons
by Geoffroy de Vinsauf (Poetria nova 1210 CE) for the Renaissance see Pozzi (1979 and
1984)
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mind of the audience For example if he described a hand a foot was to be imagined
by the reader when a rose was mentioned it was intended that a lily be brought to
mind etc
Favourite source domains for metaphors were in the first place flowers roses
lilies and violets for colour and evanescence secondly precious materials pearls
rubies coral and gold for colour and diamond and sapphire for splendour and
thirdly lsquoheavenly bodiesrsquo stars and the sun for splendour and movement For
special effects these elements could be combined into homogeneous or heteroge-
neous couples a lily and a rose or ivory and a rose etc
How are these images used and constructed in the present passage from
Marino Marino combines the two canons adopting the short canon for his descrip-
tion of the young man and then enumerating his several parts from head to toe He
begins with the (moral) qualities given by Nature to Pampinorsquos forehead (ott 66
1ndash2) continues with his cheeks mouth and cheeks again (ott 66 3ndash8) then turns to
his eyes (ott 67 1ndash2) to his foot and hand (ott 67 3ndash4 the foot belonging to the
long canon) and finally to his hair and neck (ott 67 5ndash8) Marino adds various
(moral) qualifications The first octave is relatively quiet drawing as it were
Pampinorsquos portrait Its three source domains for the metaphors are lsquofruitrsquo lsquoprecious
materialsrsquo lsquoflowersrsquo (pomegranate pearl rose) connected with contrasting colours
(red white and golden) and positive qualifications (beautiful refined heavenly
sweet honest pure real) The second octave is stirred by movement the
sky brightens Pampinorsquos touch turns nature into something else the playing
wind shakes hair locks spreads out It also introduces the opposition light-dark
(shady night darken brighten light) The source domains of the second octave
are lsquobucolic landscapersquo (meadow river breeze) and lsquoprecious materialsrsquo
(silver gold)
As is to be expected Marino is fond of metaphors and expresses them in
various ways But unlike Nonnus he obviously prefers metaphors in absentia
(Pasinirsquos type 4 see section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo above)
The description of Pampino includes moral and physical qualities In ott 66 3ndash4
the strawberry (lsquodolce color di fragola maturarsquo lsquothe sweet colour of ripe strawberriesrsquo)
paving the way for the source domain lsquofruitrsquo is followed by a series of metaphors
(1) There are several instances of metaphors in absentia which are intelligible when
one looks at either the direct context in which they are embedded or at the existing
Renaissance conventions
vehicle (B = noun thorn- adjective)
a la grana pura (ott 66 5) ndash pure pomegranate (sc in his mouth gt tongue)
b schiette perle (ott 66 6) ndash real pearls (sc in double row gt teeth)
c rosa purpurina (ott 66 7) ndash purple rose (sc there gt on his cheeks gt beard)
d le piume (ott 67 6) ndash feathers (of his hair gt locks of hair)
e tesoro (ott 67 7) ndash treasure (his rich hair)
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(2) To these examples two metaphorical verbs can be added
vehicle (B = verb)
a imporporava (ott 67 3) ndash turned purpleb innargentava (ott 67 4) ndash turned silver
(3) The following metaphor in absentia is qualified by a metaphorical adjective
vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective)
la sua dorata spina (ott 66 8) ndash her golden thorns (reddish-blonde bristles)
(4) Another variant are the metaphors in absentia that combine two metaphorical
expressions
vehicle (B = noun) of vehicle (B = noun)
a colle (B) drsquoavorio (B) (ott 67 8) ndash an ivory hill (of his white neck)
b un bosco (B) drsquooro (B) (ott 67 8) ndash a forest of gold (of his blond hair)
(5) Taken together two final verses of ott 67 are an example of a typical baroque
metaphor (discussed in section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo) a concatenation
of metaphorical images Ott 67 7 is elaborated in the next verse by a metaphor in
apposition on neck (tenorrsquo) the beautiful treasure (tenorrsquorsquo) on an ivory hill (vehiclersquo)a forest of gold (vehiclersquorsquo) Both vehicles are from the source domain lsquolandscapersquo (hill
forest) and continue the image of the previous bucolic description (meadow river
breeze) But at the same time the lsquotreasurersquo (tenorrsquorsquo) is already itself a metaphor (for
lsquohairrsquo) from another source domain (lsquoprecious materialsrsquo) that is elaborated by its
own two metaphorical adjectives lsquoivoryrsquo and lsquogoldrsquo from the same source domain As
we have seen with the example of Lemene the image evokes a further image
creating a kind of lsquoliterary trompe lrsquoœilrsquo
On tenor (Arsquo = noun) tenor (Arsquorsquo = noun) on vehicle (Brsquo noun thorn Brsquorsquo adjec) vehiclersquorsquo
(Brsquorsquo noun thorn Brsquorsquo adjec)
su rsquol collo (Arsquo) il bel tesoro (Arsquorsquo) sovra un colle drsquoavorio (Brsquothorn Brsquorsquo) un bosco drsquooro (Brsquorsquothorn Brsquorsquo)
Some intertextual notes
Apart from the topoi shared by Nonnus and Marino it is easy to see that several of
Marinorsquos verses in ott 67 are closely modelled on Nonnus of course in Lubinrsquos
translation (ed 1606)28 Marino ott 67 1ndash2 (darkness flees before Pampinorsquos eyes)
28 175 Et aliquanto venans sub petra umbrosa sylvae Aequalis iuvenis rosea delectabatur
forma Nunc etenim Phrygiae sub colle puer ludens Ampelus crescebat nuper
enutritus ramus amorum Neque ipsi mollis lanugo rubentis menti 180 Imberbes
nivea signaverat circulos maxilla Iuventae aureum florem In tergum reiectarum vero
comarum Racemi flexuosi super splendidis currebant humeris Non complicati Suavi
vero una concitati cum aura Flatu elevabantur Retractis vero comis 185 In
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combines Nonnus vv 186ndash87 (Ampelusrsquo neck is like the moon shining though
clouds) and vv 191ndash92 (when Ampelus looks the moon shines) Marino ott 67
3ndash4 (Pampinorsquos foot and hand transform meadow and river) is like Nonnus vv
189ndash90 (Ampelusrsquo limbsfoot elicit spring and flowers in the meadow) Marino
ott 67 5ndash6 (the wind playing with Pampinorsquos hair and showing his neck) is similar
to Nonnus vv 183ndash85 (the wind playing with Ampelusrsquo hair and revealing his neck)
Marino was unable to borrow Nonnusrsquo image of Ampelusrsquo foot eliciting spring
because Falkenburgrsquos text and Lubinrsquos translation present a different textual reading
from Chretienrsquos Falkenburg does not have (drsquo7lon) Iar (lsquospringrsquo) but (g1r) 5niar
which was translated as lsquoemolumentumrsquo (lsquogainrsquo) by Lubin
There are however some significant differences To describe the effect of the
Ampelusrsquo neck and eyes Nonnus introduces the image of the moon emerging through
the clouds while evoking simultaneously the moon cycle He begins with a compari-
son and continues with a metaphor spread out over eight verses To describe the
instant effect of Pampinorsquos eyes Marino (or to be more precise the narrator
Dionysus) simply states a truth a hyperbolic truth the light of Pampinorsquos eyes illu-
minates darkness To describe the effect of the neck of the satyr boy he introduces the
landscape and treasure metaphor The importance of the neck seems to point towards
another intertext the description of feminine beauty in the Song of Songs29 The lovers
in the Song of Songs describe each other in metaphorical terms their eyes hair teeth
lips voice cheeks neck breast and overall fairness etc (he in 4 she in 5 10ndash16 he
again in 6 4ndash7 and 7 1ndash9) Among the many source domains in the Song of Songs
lsquofruitrsquo lsquoastral phenomenarsquo and lsquoprecious materialsrsquo are present too To give some
examples her temples are pomegranates (4 3) his arms are rods of gold set with topaz
(5 14) she appears like the dawn the moon the sun the stars (6 10) and last but not
least her neck is an ivory tower (7 4)30 Elsewhere in the Adone (as often in Italian
Baroque poetry) Christian imagery is also clearly present31
summitate apparens oriebatur media nudata cervix Et fulgorem eiaculabatur umbram
relinquens qualia lucet In medio apparens nubem humidam perrumpens Luna Et
oris rosei mel spirans (Lectius 1606 lsquospiansrsquo instead of lsquospiransrsquo) fluebat oratio Ex
membris enim emolumentum (Falkenburg reads g1r 5niar lsquogainrsquo where Chretien has
drsquo7lon Iar) apparebat Cum iret vero 190 Ex pede argenteo pedum (Falkenburg reads
2rgur oio pod8n instead of Chretienrsquos 2rgursquo oio oslashod8n) rubebat pratum Cum vero
faciei bovinae ventorum (Falkenburg has 2n mwn instead of Chretienrsquos rsquoa wn Lectius
1606 has lsquobavinaersquo for lsquobovinaersquo) illustri circulo Oculos circumvertisset tota resplen-
debat Luna
29 Parallels between the Song of Songs and Greek love poetry are already present in Greek
poetry from Antiquity see various articles in Hagedorn (2005)
30 Paradoxically Marino is closer to the Hebrew original (that he was unable to read) than
to the Latin translation of the Vulgate (which he must have used) the Vulgate turns most
of the original metaphors into similes with the indicator lsquosicutrsquo
31 For example the suggested parallel between Adone and Christ condemned by the
Inquisition a nymph acting as Judas revealing Adonersquos hiding place and committing
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Marino changes some of Nonnusrsquo explicit (rationalizing see Pasini section lsquoA set
of practical tools for analysisrsquo) images into more implicit (open see Pasini section
lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo) ones evoking a concatenation of associations
The image of Ampelusrsquo silvery footstep (Greek 2rguroioLatin argenteo) that
turned the meadow red with roses is adapted to Marinorsquos own time Pampinorsquos
foot is no longer silvery but lsquovagorsquo (a reminiscence of Petrarcarsquos lsquovago piersquo)32 and it
still turns the meadow purple but the reader has to supply the exact nature of the
purple (eg purple gt flower gt rose) Since in the Renaissance canon lsquofootrsquo evokes
lsquohandrsquo and since the colour lsquopurplersquo evokes the contrast lsquowhitersquo Pampinorsquos foot and
the purple meadow in ott 67 3 lead lsquospontaneouslyrsquo to lsquohis white handrsquo in ott 67 4
Finally Nonnusrsquo lsquosilveryrsquo is not lost but transformed into the metaphorical verb
lsquoturned into silverrsquo (an interesting invention to provoke a new contrast in the readerrsquos
mind because the story is situated in Phrygia with its proverbially gold-gleaming
river Pactolus)33
What can we conclude on the basis of the similarities and differences in the
passages of Nonnus and Marino about their use of metaphor
First it is evident that Nonnus and Marino are equally fond of metaphors
Nonnusrsquo eighteen verses contain twelve metaphors and one comparison Marinorsquo
sixteen verses contain twelve metaphors On a quantitative level the abundant and
cumulative use of metaphors by Nonnus could be called lsquobaroquersquo
Secondly we have seen that on a conceptual level Nonnus and Marino share some
characteristics but not all Both poets work with the contrasting couples red-white
and light-dark and use the source domain lsquoflowerrsquo But the more traditional source
domains lsquoprecious materialsrsquo and lsquofruitrsquo inherited by Marino from the Renaissance
canon of beauty are barely or not at all present in Nonnus at least not in this passage
Thirdly at the linguistic level Nonnus and Marino clearly employ different
kinds and complexities of metaphor Nonnus on the one hand uses a concatenation
of metaphors in praesentia crowned by his personal metaphorical formula in which
the appearance of the tenor simultaneously evokes the vehicle Linguistically speak-
ing the relation between tenor and vehicle remains visible and controllable
suicide Venus crying over Adonersquos body as Mary did over Jesusrsquo body Adone is not
wounded in his thigh as in Greek mythology but in his side See also Guardiani (2001)
and Gonnelli (2003 29ndash30 on pagan and Christian syncretism in Nonnusrsquo Paraphrasis
and Marinorsquos Adone) The last motif recurs in the fresco lsquoLa Morte di Adonersquo by Luca
Giordano (1682ndash85) Palazzo Medici-Riccardi Florence It is reminiscent of the parallel
between Dionysus and Christ also expressed in various mosaics for example in a Roman
mosaic depicting Dionysusrsquo discovery of Ariadne on Naxos (Syria 3rd-4th cent Miho
Museum Kyoto Japan cat NA) where Dionysus not only has a nimbus but also a
wound in his sidebreast (a later addition) (I thank Berenice Verhelst for pointing out
this mosaic to me)
32 For this intricate Renaissance style word play see Pozzi (1976) ad loc
33 See Nonn Dion 11 17ndash55 for the swimming contest with Dionysus and Ampelus and
the effect on the satyr boy of the golden water of the river Pactolus
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(lsquorationalrsquo lsquoclosedrsquo) Marino on the other hand prefers metaphors in absentia
opening the associative distance between vehicle and tenor to a maximum He uses
the auto-referential metaphor that is so typical of Baroque poetry Marinorsquos method
reflects instability the arbitrariness of the relation between tenor and vehicle seems to
express the absence of a shared and well-organized world with absolute values As
Conte (1972 37) puts it lsquoconfronted by a reality (human social politic cultural) in
crisis the baroque word denounces the prerogative of the word it speaks almost
exclusively of itself but speaking of itself it imitates takes possession of exorcizes
and even organizes the crisisrsquo Therefore on a linguistic level there seems to be more
method in Nonnusrsquo madness than in Marinorsquos
Finally what about the overall effect of the metaphors they use in their respective
descriptions Nonnus and Marino both describe beautiful beardless satyr boys
caught in a fleeting moment of radiant movement in an eroticizing bucolic setting
They put equal emphasis on the beauty and the fragility of youth and on the satyr
boyrsquos impact on the nature surrounding him As we have seen Nonnusrsquo metaphors
make Ampelus progressively intermingle with nature announcing the satyr boyrsquos
metamorphosis Even though they are classified as more lsquorationalrsquo on a linguistic
level (see Pasini) their effect is impressively irrational and open Just as Marinorsquos
metaphors they are constantly related to metamorphosis expressing change and
instability These are typical features of the Baroque that also explain at least partly
Marinorsquos affiliation with Nonnus
Conclusion
To return to the initial question of this article do we need the term lsquobaroquersquo to
characterize Nonnusrsquo poetry We have seen that the use of lsquobaroquersquo for other
periods than the seventeenth-century Baroque has met with positive and negative
reactions being found either too restricted or too broad and that the term lsquobaroquersquo
is often used for Nonnusrsquo Dionysiaca in an impressionistic way to indicate that his
aesthetics deviate from the lsquoclassicalrsquo Used in this sense lsquobaroquersquo can suggest
openness expansion abundance accumulation asymmetry moving musicality
optical illusion and the absence of a vanishing point as opposed to lsquoclassicalrsquo
with its connotation of contours closed nature unity harmony symmetry archi-
tectural fixity and converging perspectives Many of these tendencies known from
the historical Baroque are visible in Late Antique poetry
What about the other qualifications at hand such as poik0lordquo lsquojeweledrsquo and
lsquocumulativersquo Can they replace the term lsquobaroquersquo The first poikil0a is intimately
linked with Nonnusrsquo own poetics as becomes immediately clear from his prologue
where it refers to variety and polymorphism in the poem as a whole The poet wishes
that lsquoProteus of the many turnsrsquo the god of endless transformation lsquomay appear in
all his diversity of shapes since I twang my harp to a diversity of songsrsquo34 It is
34 Nonn Dion I 15 5rsquora rsquoan0h poik0lon Idordquo ecwn 7ti poik0lon 4mnon 2r0ssw (transl
Rouse 1940) The term poik0lordquo has been used very frequently by scholars to describe
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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nloaded from
applied to Late Antique literature as well as to art works both art forms being
intimately linked during this period Gianfranco Agosti (1997 34ndash35 see also
2006 361ss) expands its use understanding it lsquonot only as stylistic varietas but
above all as a code intended to characterize reality The concept of poikil0a goes
far beyond mere rhetorical or stylistic boundaries and becomes a peculiar way of
viewing realityrsquo When used in this way as a psychological category applied to the
relation between word and image it becomes a hermeneutic tool to explore Late
Antique world views
The second expression lsquojeweled stylersquo is used for Late Antique writers and
artists who place their words and phrases or their gems and colours in geometric
patterns The aim of these patterns is to create a symbolic unity which is considered
more important than linear narrative sequences in literature and realism in the visual
arts The term has been coined by Michael Roberts (1989) for the aesthetics of Latin
poetry from Late Antiquity (Ausonius Prudentius Claudian Sidonius etc) but
can be applied mutatis mutandis to Greek literature from the same period
The third expression lsquocumulative aestheticrsquo describes a similar attitude in Late
Antique art characterized by a particular attention to detail (lsquoexquisite miniatur-
izationrsquo) and by a preference for the re-use of precious elements from the past
(spolia) The sum of these separate entities forms a new unity and expresses a
new vision of the world Jas Elsner (2004) discusses the term in the context of the
visual arts but it can also be applied to literature
Poikil0a jeweled style and cumulative aesthetic are free of the charge of
anachronism They are related each of them covering several aspects of Late
Antique art and literature but not all In my opinion the term lsquobaroquersquo serves a
different purpose it can indicate generally the kind of expressive possibilities chosen
by an author provided that this sketchy characterization is subsequently elaborated
in order to lend the term lsquobaroquersquo a more specific significance especially by
comparing it to the lsquoBaroquersquo
The term lsquobaroquersquo as a general indication for Nonnusrsquo style invited me to com-
pare lsquobaroquersquo Nonnus with lsquoBaroque Marinorsquo I picked up the Tesaurorsquos telescope
to zoom in on metaphor and to study the lsquoqueen of figuresrsquo from close up Nonnusrsquo
metaphors clearly appealed to the poetic creativity of Marino There is much aes-
thetic affinity between the stylistic norms they adopted when composing metaphors
They use comparable expressive possibilities to articulate their vision of the world
even if these worlds are very different and even if the lsquomost Baroque of baroque
poetsrsquo goes one step further than Nonnus Zooming out again I conclude two things
Nonnusrsquo style on the basis of his own proemium See for example Lindsay (1965 379ndash
84) String (1966 33ndash70) Vian (1976 9ndash10) Gonzalez Senmartı (1981) Hopkinson
(1994) Whitby (1994 101 112 116) Agosti (1997) Shorrock (2001) Miguelez-
Cavero (2008 139ndash45 162ndash68) Hernandez de la Fuente (2011) As a poetical qualifica-
tion poikil0a is already present in Pindar see Nunlist (1998 118) For poikil0avarietas
in epideictic rhetoric of the Imperial Period see Pernot (1993 337)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
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nloaded from
if not pinned down as a strictly historical category the term lsquobaroquersquo can to a
certain extent be applied to Nonnus and above all can invite further exploration of
the intertextual relationships between poets and be helpful in comparing artistic
norms from different periods of time Used in this way it does not replace nor is
replaced by the terms poikil0a lsquojeweled stylersquo and cumulative aesthetics but is a
stimulating tool to bring to light similarities and differences in poetic creativity not
only of metaphor but also of other characteristics which have been called lsquotypically
baroquersquo35 It can help to gain insight into the exact nature of a literary lsquodialogue at
distancersquo and could also prove fruitful in analysing and characterizing Marinorsquos
intertexutal relations with other authors from Antiquity
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank G Agosti M H Koenen P Lanfranchi and M Pearson for
their stimulating comments and lively discussions during the various stages of this
article as well as Jas Elsner the associate editor and the anonymous referees of
Classical Receptions Journal for their accurate and useful suggestions
References
G Agosti lsquoPoemi digressivi tardoantichi (e moderni)rsquo Compar(a)ison no 1 (1995) pp 131ndash51mdashmdash lsquoThe poikil0a of Paul the Bishoprsquo ZPE no 116 (1997) pp 31ndash38mdashmdash lsquoImmagini e poesia nella tarda antichita Per uno studio dellrsquoestetica visuale della poesia greca fra
III e IV sec d Crsquo Incontri Triestini di Filologia Classica 4 2004-2005 (2006) pp 351ndash74 Onlinesince 22 August 2006 httphdlhandlenet10077949 [accessed 4 July 2012]
S Bar Review of Miguelez-Cavero 2008 in Plekos no 12 (2010) pp 67ndash77 httpwwwplekosuni-muenchende2010r-caveropdf [accessed 4 July 2012]
E van Boven and G Dorleijn Literair Mechaniek Inleiding tot de Analyse van Verhalen en Gedichten(Bussum Coutinho 2003) esp pp 159ndash80 (lsquoBeeldspraakrsquo)
Ch Brooke-Rose A Grammar of Metaphor (London Secker amp Warburg 1958)P Cherchi lsquoPoetry Philosophy and Sciencersquo in P Brand and L Pertile (eds) The Cambridge History
of Italian Literature vol I The Seicento (Cambridge Cambridge University Press 1996)pp 301ndash17
G Chretien Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t IV chants IXndashX (Paris Les Belles Lettres1985)
G Conte La Metafora barocca Saggio sulle poetiche del Seicento (Milano Mursia 1972)E R Curtius Europaische Literatur und lateinisches Mittelalter (Bern Francke Verlag 1948)G DrsquoIppolito Studi Nonniani Lrsquoepillio nelle Dionisiache (Palermo Presso lrsquoAccademia 1964)E DrsquoOrs Du Baroque (Paris Gallimard 1935)
35 Other intertexual relations such as the ones briefly discussed by Tissoni (1998 59ndash62)
could be analysed according to the procedure of Rousset (1954) although he restricted
his method to the seventeenth-century French Baroque literature He formulated four
main criteria applicable to various seventeenth-century Baroque art forms (architecture
painting and literature) lsquoinstabilityrsquo lsquomobilityrsquo lsquometamorphosisrsquo and lsquodominance of
settingrsquo He subsequently applied these criteria to five literary instances first of all lsquoa type
of metaphorrsquo followed by lsquoa type of poemrsquo lsquoa poetic work as a wholersquo lsquoa theatrical work as
a wholersquo and lsquoa general attitudersquo ie lsquodisplayrsquo (1954 181ss)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
23 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
J Elsner lsquoLate Antique Art The Problem of the Concept and the Cumulative Aestheticrsquo in S Swainand M Edwards (eds) Approaching Late Antiquity The Transformation from Early to Late Empire(Oxford Oxford University Press 2004) pp 271ndash309
E Faral Les Arts Poetiques du XIIe et XIIIe siecle Recherches et Documents sur la Technique Litteraire duMoyen Age (Paris Champion 1962)
W Fauth Eidos Poikilon Zur Thematik der Metamorphose und zum Prinzip der Wandlung aus demGegensatz in den Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Gottingen Vandenhoeck amp Ruprecht 1981)
P Friedlander Johannes von Gaza und Paulus Silentiarius Kunstbeschreibungen Justinianischer Zeit(Leipzig Teubner 1912)
H de la Fuente lsquoThe One and the Many and the Circular Movement Neo-Platonism and Poetics inNonnus of Panopolisrsquo in Id (ed) New Perspectives on Late Antiquity (Newcastle-upon-TyneCambridge Scholars 2011)
F Gonnelli Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol II (canti XIIIndashXXIV) (Milano BibliotecaUniversale Rizzoli 2003)
V Giraudet lsquoLe rivage la presqursquoıle et le marais Espaces baroques chez Achille Tatius et Nonnos dePanopolisrsquo in R Poignault (ed) Presence du Roman grec et Latin (Clermont-Ferrand Centre deRecherches A Piganiol 2011) pp 147ndash66
Groupe m (J Dubois ea) Rhetorique generale (Paris du Seuil 1970)F Guardiani lsquoA Christological Metamorphosis in a Baroque Poemrsquo in J Goering ea (ed) Saints and
the Sacred Select Proceedings of the 3rd St Michaelrsquos College Annual Symposium (Feb 25-26 2000)(Ottawa Legas 2001) pp 185ndash95
A C Hagedorn (ed) Perspectives on the Song of Songs (Berlin De Gruyter 2005)F Hallyn Formes metaphoriques dans la poesie lyrique de lrsquoage baroque en France (Geneve Droz 1975)H Hatzfeld lsquoThe Baroque from the Viewpoint of the Literary Historianrsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art
Criticism 142 Second Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1955) 156ndash64N Hopkinson (ed) Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society
1994)R Huyghe lsquoLa seve du baroquersquo Baroque [online] no 4 (1969) Online since 3 May 2012 http
baroquerevuesorg304 [accessed 22 January 2013]K Jax Die weibliche Schonheit in der griechischen Dichtung (Innsbruck Wagner 1933)R Keydell lsquoNonnosrsquo in Th Klauser (ed) Reallexikon fur Antike und Christentum vol XVII
(Stuttgart Hiersemann 1936) vol XVII pp 902ndash20G Lakoff Metaphors We Live By (Chicago University of Chicago Press 1980)G Lakoff and M Turner More Than Cool Reason A Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor (Chicago
University of Chicago Press 1989)L R Lind lsquoNonnos and His Readersrsquo Res Publica Litterarum (1978) 159ndash70J Lindsay Leisure and Pleasure in Roman Egypt (London Muller 1965)V De Malde Giovan Battista Marino La Sampogna (Parma Fondazione Pietro Bembo Ugo Guanda
Editore 1993)A Martini Letteratura Italiana Le Opere Vol II Dal Cinquecento al Settecento A Asor Rosa (ed)
(Turin Einaudi 1993) pp 777ndash97R T Matthews and F DeWitt Platt The Western Humanities (Boston McGraw-Hill 2004)L Miguelez-Cavero Poems in Context Greek Poetry in the Egyptian Thebaid 200-600 AD (Berlin De
Gruyter 2008)R F Newbold lsquoMimesis and Illusion in Nonnus Deceit Distrust and the Search for Meaningrsquo
Helios 37 no 1 (2010) pp 81ndash106R Nunlist Poetologische Bildersprache in der fruhgriechischen Dichtung (Stuttgart Teubner 1998)G F Pasini lsquoDalla comparazione alla metaforarsquo Lingua e Stile 7 no 3 (1972) pp 441ndash69L Pernot La rhetorique de lrsquoeloge dans le monde greco-romain vol I (Paris Institut drsquoEtudes
Augustiennes 1993)S N Peters lsquoMetaphor and lsquolsquoMaravigliarsquorsquo Tradition and Innovation in the Adone of GB Marinorsquo
Lingua e Stile 7 no 2 (1972) pp 321ndash41D G Piccardi Metafora e Poetica in Nonno di Panopoli (Florence Universite degli Studi di Firenze
1985)mdashmdash Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol I (canti IndashXII) (Milano Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli
2003)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
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ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
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G Pozzi Giovan Battista Marino vol II LrsquoAdone (Milano Mondadori 1976)mdashmdash lsquoIl ritratto della donna nella poesia drsquoinizio Cinquecento e la pittura di Giorgionersquo Lettere Italiane
311 gennaio-marzo (1979) pp 3ndash30mdashmdash lsquoTemi t0poi stereotipirsquo in A Asor Rosa (ed) Letteratura italiana III Le forme del testo I
Teoria e poesia (Torino Einaudi 1984) pp 391ndash436I A Richards The Philosophy of Rhetoric (New York Oxford University Press 1936)M Riemschneider lsquoDer Stil des Nonnosrsquo Berliner byzantinistische Arbeiten no 5 (1957) pp 46ndash70M Roberts The Jeweled Style Poetry and Poetics in Late Antiquity (Ithaca and London Cornell
University Press 1989)W H D Rouse Nonnus Dionysiaca (Cambridge MA Harvard University Press 1940)J Rousset La litterature de lrsquoage baroque en France Circe et le paon (Paris Corti 1954)E Russo lsquoSul barocco letterario in Italia Giudizi revisioni distinzionirsquo Les Dossiers du Grihl [Online]
2012-02 j 2012 Online since 25 June 2012 httpdossiersgrihlrevuesorg5223 [accessed 4 March2013]
A G Senmartı lsquoLa lsquolsquopoikiliarsquorsquo como principio estilıstico de las Dionisıacas de Nonorsquo AFB no 7(1981) pp 101ndash07
R Shorrock The Challenge of Epic Allusive Engagement in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Leiden Brill2001)
mdashmdash lsquoNonnusrsquo in J Foley (ed) A Companion to Ancient Epic (Oxford Wiley-Blackwell 2005)pp 374ndash85
mdashmdash The Myth of Paganism Nonnus Dionysus and the World of Late Antiquity (London BristolClassical Press 2011)
G Steen lsquoMetaphor and Stylersquo in P Stockwell and S Whiteley (eds) The Cambridge Handbook ofStylistics (Cambridge Cambridge University Press forthcoming 2014)
M String Untersuchungen zum Stil der Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Hamburg sn (disserta-tion) 1966)
E Tesauro Il Cannocchiale Aristotelico (Venice Baglioni 1654ndash70)F Tissoni Nonno di Panopoli I Canti di Penteo (Dionisiache 44ndash46) Commento (Florence La Nuova
Italia Editrice 1998)F Vian Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t I chants IndashII (Paris Les Belles Lettres 1976)R Wellek lsquoThe Concept of Baroque in Literary Scholarshiprsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism
52 Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1946) pp 77ndash109M Whitby lsquoFrom Moschus to Nonnus The Evolution of the Nonnian Stylersquo in N Hopkinson (ed)
Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society 1994) pp 99ndash155A Wifstrand Von Kallimachos zu Nonnos Metrisch-stilistische Untersuchungen zur spateren griechischen
Epik und zu verwandten Gedichtgattungen (Lund Gleerup 1933)H Wolfflin Renaissance und Barock Eine Untersuchung uber Wesen und Entstehung des Barockstils in
Italien (Munich T Ackermann 1888)
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ran down over his silvery-glistering shoulders
loosely and waving in the whispering wind
were lifted by its breath When the hair was blown aside
185 the bare neck appeared between just visible
and unshadowed light flashed from him just as the moon shines
half appearing when she pierces a damp cloudFrom his rosy mouth streamed a honey-breathing voice
Spring itself appeared from his limbs under the steps
190 of his silvery foot the meadow blushed with roses
and if he turned his eyes their bright iris gleaming
with the glow of a cowrsquos eye the light of the full moon shone
The satyr boy is described from head to toe (a procedure also propagated in exercises
on ekphrasis in the rhetorical handbooks of Late Antiquity see Aphthonius Prog
12) and in movement with major attention to the upper body parts the poet shows
us his cheeks (vv 179ndash81) hair shoulders neck (vv 181ndash87) mouth and voice
(v 188) moving on to his limbs and feet (vv 189ndash90) and eventually turns upwards
again towards eyes (vv 191ndash92) As often in erotic descriptions in Antiquity (espe-
cially from Hellenistic and Second Sophistic literature onwards) this passage
abounds with erotic topoi23 The setting is painted with stock images of the natural
world the shady wood the gentle breeze the flowery meadow these are all present
Everything (the satyr boy and his surroundings) is sweet young and blooming
The incredibly rich description of the effect of the different body parts ends in the
visual climax of the appearance of the moon first barely visible then half appearing
then fully visible The expressions 2krorsquoanndashrdquo (v 185) mssorsquoanndashrdquo (v 187) and 7lh
(v 192) also evoke the different stages of the cycle of the moon mdash new waxing and
full mdash intimately linked with the growth of plants in nature24
However many bucolic elements are used metaphorically the flower of youth a
rosy mouth a honey-breathing voice etc The metaphors in this description appeal
to all our senses to our eyes by the use of colours (red white golden silver) and
contrasts (brightndashdark) to our touch (his beardless cheeks) and to our ears and smell
(his honey-breathing voice) In her fascinating study of metaphors in the Dionysiaca
Daria Gigli Piccardi (1985) distinguishes in Nonnus three (archetypical) source
domains for metaphors of beauty two of which occur in this passage Firstly the
source domain lsquoflowersrsquo from individual flowers to spring meadows full of
23 The flowering youth of men around the age of their first beard the rosy mouth the
spring meadow are all common themes in Greek Hellenistic erotic literature but Nonnus
innovates by adding unusual elements (such as the neck also present in other descrip-
tions of beauty in the Dionysiaca) and particular formulations (see below) See Gigli
Piccardi (2003 700ndash703 ad vv 175ndash92) For a list of other studies on beauty in
Nonnus see Chretien (1985 142 ad vv 175ndash92)
24 Chretien (1985 144 ad v 192) and Gigli Piccardi (2003 700ndash701 ad vv 175ndash92)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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nloaded from
contrasting colours Secondly the source domain lsquoastral phenomenarsquo playing with
the opposition light-dark25
On a formal level we find only one simile in vv 186ndash87 introducing the theme of
the moon It belongs to Pasinirsquos type 1 (see section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo
above) unshadowed light (s lardquo lip0skiordquo tenor A) flashed (2k0ntiz ground C)
just as (oJ0 t indicator) half appearing the moon (Slndashnh vehicle B) shines (l0mpi
ground C) when she pierces a damp cloud (nrsquoordquo 3gr1n 2nasc0zousa vehicle B)
Besides this simile there are ten metaphors in praesentia (belonging to Pasinirsquos type 3)
and two metaphors in absentia (belonging to Pasinirsquos type 4) These metaphors are
expressed in a variety of ways which will be discussed below
(1) The most explicit type is the metaphor in apposition occurring very often in
Nonnus The comma after the tenor shows that we are dealing with such a metaphor
in apposition
tenor (A = noun) vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective) of X
a Amplordquo (A) notrrsquo rdquo e rnordquo (B) ErTHORNtwn (X) (v 178)
Ampelus (A) a new shoot (B) of the Loves (X)
b 3br1rdquo 4oulordquo ruqom noio gn0ou (A) 6bhrdquo (X) cr0son 4nqordquo (B) (vv 179-81)
the dainty bloom of a reddening chin (A) the golden flower (B) of youth (X)
(2) Another type of metaphor also very frequent in Nonnus links a metaphorical
adjective (vehicle) to a noun (tenor)
tenor (A = noun) thorn vehicle (B = metaphorical adjective)
a oslashodTHORNpidi (B) morrsquoI (A) (v 176) ndash rosy (B) form (A)
b cion hrdquo (B) pariPrdquo (A) (v 180) ndash snow-white (B) cheeks (A)
c 2rgursquo wn (B) Œmwn (A) (v 182) ndash silvery-glistering (B) shoulders (A)
d st0matordquo (A) oslashod oio (B) (v 188) ndash rosy (B) mouth (A)
e ml0pnoordquo (B) rsquownndash (A) (v 188) ndash a honey-breathing (B) voice (A)
f pod1rdquo (A) 2rgursquo oio (B) (v 190) ndash silvery (B) foot (A)
g booglndashnwn (B) rsquoa wn (A) (v 191) ndash cowrsquos eye (B) glow (A)
(3) In Nonnus the metaphor in absentia is restricted to the more common metaphors
of the flower domain In the following example the vehicle is a noun phrase whereas
the nature of the tenor becomes clear from the addition of a noun or noun phrase in
apposition It is to be noted that the word b0trurdquo is normally used for lsquoclusters of
vinersquo and points already to Ampelusrsquo future metamorphosis
vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective) of X (= noun thorn adjective in genitive)
a 2pisqop0roio d ca0thrdquo (X) b0trurdquo (B) 3lik0ntrdquo (vv 182-83) ndash curling clusters (B) of
long hair (A)
25 The third source domain individuated by Gigli Piccardi is that of lsquothe war of loversquo full of
contrasts between real and metaphorical weapons
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from X (= preposition thorn noun) appears vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective)
b k ml wn (A) 7lon Iar (B) rsquoa0nto (v 189)
From his limbs (A) spring itself (B) appeared
(4) As Gigli Piccardi (1985 70) already noticed Nonnus invented his own extended
metaphorical formula lsquoan autonomous linguistic constellationrsquo lsquowhen X becomes
visible Y appearsrsquo (sometimes followed by a comparison) Whereas the theme of the
moon is introduced by a comparison in vv 186ndash87 it is closed in vv 191ndash92 by such
a lsquoNonnianrsquo metaphor
2 d booglndashnwn rsquoa wn 2rsquogg i k0klN 2rsquoqalmo1rdquo l lizn (X) 7lh sl0giz Slndashnh (Y)
and if he turned his eyes with their bright iris gleaming with a cowrsquos eye glow (X) the light of the
full moon shone (Y)
The large number of metaphors cast in many different forms results in a descrip-
tion that is far from literal The blooming satyr boy and the blooming spring mingle
both being connected to the three phases of the moon Ampelus almost becomes
Bacchic nature himself His first meeting with the God already contains the promise
of his own future metamorphosis the expression b0trurdquo as noticed above being
one of its most explicit indicators26 The golden flower of youth not only contains
life but also death and resurrection Thus the totality of the metaphors expresses
perpetual change
Pampino
As we have seen in section lsquoBaroque metaphorrsquo the story of Pampino belongs to a set
of love-stories told by the gods to Venus as a consolation after the death of her lover
Adonis In Adone 19 ott 66ndash67 the god Dionysus describes the beautiful Pampino
ott 66 La bella fronte gli adorno Natura
di gentil maesta drsquoaria celeste
Dolce color di fragola matura
4 gli facea rosseggiar le guance oneste
Nela bocca ridea la grana pura
tra schiette perle in doppio fil conteste
ne quivi avea la rosa purpurina
8 prodotta ancor la sua dorata spina
ott 67 La notte tenebrosa il ciel turbato
si rischiarava dersquo begli occhi al lume
Il vago piede imporporava il prato
4 la bianca mano innargentava il fiume
Qualor lievrsquoaura con soave fiato
confondendogli il crin scotea le piume
26 See also Gigli Piccardi (1985 69) and (2003 700ndash1 ad vv 175ndash92)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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parea sparso su rsquol collo il bel tesoro
8 sovra un colle drsquoavorio un bosco drsquooro
ott 66 His beautiful forehead Nature adorned
with refined nobility with heavenly looks
The sweet colour of ripe strawberries4 painted his honest cheeks red
In his mouth pure pomegranate laughed
set between real pearls in a double row
There the purple rose had not
8 yet produced her golden thorns
ott 67 The shady night the darkened sky
brightened at the light of his beautiful eyesHis yearning foot turned the meadow purple
4 his white hand turned the river silver
When a gentle breeze with its soft breath
playing with his hair shook his feathers
on his neck the beautiful treasure seemed to spread out
8 on an ivory hill a forest of gold
This description of Pampino owes much to Nonnusrsquo description of Ampelus but is
at the same time different Since Marino uses and plays with the Renaissance canon
of beauty I will discuss this canon briefly in order to gain a better understanding of
the Pampino passage
The topos of beauty began to acquire fixed rules during the Middle Ages and was
completely canonized by the Renaissance27 From the Middle Ages onwards two
types of canon for feminine beauty were developed the short and the long canon
The short canon (used by Petrarch) focuses on the face mentioning hair eyes
mouth and cheeks Hand and breast are briefly referred to forehead and neck are
seldom included The long canon (used by Boccaccio and Ariosto) adds more detail
and leads the gaze further downwards from head to toe Central features of the short
canon are splendour (light) and colour (white) whereas the long canon emphasizes
harmonious proportions (of the body)
Renaissance poets use set comparisons and oppositions such as lsquoredrsquo versus
lsquowhitersquo But within these fixed boundaries there were ample possibilities for vari-
ance One way to play with conventions was the following a poet could mention only
one element of an opposition and thereby automatically evoke its counterpart in the
27 For an overview of Greek poetry up to the Byzantine period see Jax (1933) with dis-
turbing racist emphasis on lsquodas weibliche Schonheitsideal der weiszligen Rassersquo for the
Latin Middle-Ages see Faral (1962 esp p 75 ss) Sidonius Apollinarisrsquo portrait of
Theodoric (Ep I 2 2 sixth century) is seen as the best model for descriptions of persons
by Geoffroy de Vinsauf (Poetria nova 1210 CE) for the Renaissance see Pozzi (1979 and
1984)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
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nloaded from
mind of the audience For example if he described a hand a foot was to be imagined
by the reader when a rose was mentioned it was intended that a lily be brought to
mind etc
Favourite source domains for metaphors were in the first place flowers roses
lilies and violets for colour and evanescence secondly precious materials pearls
rubies coral and gold for colour and diamond and sapphire for splendour and
thirdly lsquoheavenly bodiesrsquo stars and the sun for splendour and movement For
special effects these elements could be combined into homogeneous or heteroge-
neous couples a lily and a rose or ivory and a rose etc
How are these images used and constructed in the present passage from
Marino Marino combines the two canons adopting the short canon for his descrip-
tion of the young man and then enumerating his several parts from head to toe He
begins with the (moral) qualities given by Nature to Pampinorsquos forehead (ott 66
1ndash2) continues with his cheeks mouth and cheeks again (ott 66 3ndash8) then turns to
his eyes (ott 67 1ndash2) to his foot and hand (ott 67 3ndash4 the foot belonging to the
long canon) and finally to his hair and neck (ott 67 5ndash8) Marino adds various
(moral) qualifications The first octave is relatively quiet drawing as it were
Pampinorsquos portrait Its three source domains for the metaphors are lsquofruitrsquo lsquoprecious
materialsrsquo lsquoflowersrsquo (pomegranate pearl rose) connected with contrasting colours
(red white and golden) and positive qualifications (beautiful refined heavenly
sweet honest pure real) The second octave is stirred by movement the
sky brightens Pampinorsquos touch turns nature into something else the playing
wind shakes hair locks spreads out It also introduces the opposition light-dark
(shady night darken brighten light) The source domains of the second octave
are lsquobucolic landscapersquo (meadow river breeze) and lsquoprecious materialsrsquo
(silver gold)
As is to be expected Marino is fond of metaphors and expresses them in
various ways But unlike Nonnus he obviously prefers metaphors in absentia
(Pasinirsquos type 4 see section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo above)
The description of Pampino includes moral and physical qualities In ott 66 3ndash4
the strawberry (lsquodolce color di fragola maturarsquo lsquothe sweet colour of ripe strawberriesrsquo)
paving the way for the source domain lsquofruitrsquo is followed by a series of metaphors
(1) There are several instances of metaphors in absentia which are intelligible when
one looks at either the direct context in which they are embedded or at the existing
Renaissance conventions
vehicle (B = noun thorn- adjective)
a la grana pura (ott 66 5) ndash pure pomegranate (sc in his mouth gt tongue)
b schiette perle (ott 66 6) ndash real pearls (sc in double row gt teeth)
c rosa purpurina (ott 66 7) ndash purple rose (sc there gt on his cheeks gt beard)
d le piume (ott 67 6) ndash feathers (of his hair gt locks of hair)
e tesoro (ott 67 7) ndash treasure (his rich hair)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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nloaded from
(2) To these examples two metaphorical verbs can be added
vehicle (B = verb)
a imporporava (ott 67 3) ndash turned purpleb innargentava (ott 67 4) ndash turned silver
(3) The following metaphor in absentia is qualified by a metaphorical adjective
vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective)
la sua dorata spina (ott 66 8) ndash her golden thorns (reddish-blonde bristles)
(4) Another variant are the metaphors in absentia that combine two metaphorical
expressions
vehicle (B = noun) of vehicle (B = noun)
a colle (B) drsquoavorio (B) (ott 67 8) ndash an ivory hill (of his white neck)
b un bosco (B) drsquooro (B) (ott 67 8) ndash a forest of gold (of his blond hair)
(5) Taken together two final verses of ott 67 are an example of a typical baroque
metaphor (discussed in section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo) a concatenation
of metaphorical images Ott 67 7 is elaborated in the next verse by a metaphor in
apposition on neck (tenorrsquo) the beautiful treasure (tenorrsquorsquo) on an ivory hill (vehiclersquo)a forest of gold (vehiclersquorsquo) Both vehicles are from the source domain lsquolandscapersquo (hill
forest) and continue the image of the previous bucolic description (meadow river
breeze) But at the same time the lsquotreasurersquo (tenorrsquorsquo) is already itself a metaphor (for
lsquohairrsquo) from another source domain (lsquoprecious materialsrsquo) that is elaborated by its
own two metaphorical adjectives lsquoivoryrsquo and lsquogoldrsquo from the same source domain As
we have seen with the example of Lemene the image evokes a further image
creating a kind of lsquoliterary trompe lrsquoœilrsquo
On tenor (Arsquo = noun) tenor (Arsquorsquo = noun) on vehicle (Brsquo noun thorn Brsquorsquo adjec) vehiclersquorsquo
(Brsquorsquo noun thorn Brsquorsquo adjec)
su rsquol collo (Arsquo) il bel tesoro (Arsquorsquo) sovra un colle drsquoavorio (Brsquothorn Brsquorsquo) un bosco drsquooro (Brsquorsquothorn Brsquorsquo)
Some intertextual notes
Apart from the topoi shared by Nonnus and Marino it is easy to see that several of
Marinorsquos verses in ott 67 are closely modelled on Nonnus of course in Lubinrsquos
translation (ed 1606)28 Marino ott 67 1ndash2 (darkness flees before Pampinorsquos eyes)
28 175 Et aliquanto venans sub petra umbrosa sylvae Aequalis iuvenis rosea delectabatur
forma Nunc etenim Phrygiae sub colle puer ludens Ampelus crescebat nuper
enutritus ramus amorum Neque ipsi mollis lanugo rubentis menti 180 Imberbes
nivea signaverat circulos maxilla Iuventae aureum florem In tergum reiectarum vero
comarum Racemi flexuosi super splendidis currebant humeris Non complicati Suavi
vero una concitati cum aura Flatu elevabantur Retractis vero comis 185 In
E M V A N O P S T A L L
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combines Nonnus vv 186ndash87 (Ampelusrsquo neck is like the moon shining though
clouds) and vv 191ndash92 (when Ampelus looks the moon shines) Marino ott 67
3ndash4 (Pampinorsquos foot and hand transform meadow and river) is like Nonnus vv
189ndash90 (Ampelusrsquo limbsfoot elicit spring and flowers in the meadow) Marino
ott 67 5ndash6 (the wind playing with Pampinorsquos hair and showing his neck) is similar
to Nonnus vv 183ndash85 (the wind playing with Ampelusrsquo hair and revealing his neck)
Marino was unable to borrow Nonnusrsquo image of Ampelusrsquo foot eliciting spring
because Falkenburgrsquos text and Lubinrsquos translation present a different textual reading
from Chretienrsquos Falkenburg does not have (drsquo7lon) Iar (lsquospringrsquo) but (g1r) 5niar
which was translated as lsquoemolumentumrsquo (lsquogainrsquo) by Lubin
There are however some significant differences To describe the effect of the
Ampelusrsquo neck and eyes Nonnus introduces the image of the moon emerging through
the clouds while evoking simultaneously the moon cycle He begins with a compari-
son and continues with a metaphor spread out over eight verses To describe the
instant effect of Pampinorsquos eyes Marino (or to be more precise the narrator
Dionysus) simply states a truth a hyperbolic truth the light of Pampinorsquos eyes illu-
minates darkness To describe the effect of the neck of the satyr boy he introduces the
landscape and treasure metaphor The importance of the neck seems to point towards
another intertext the description of feminine beauty in the Song of Songs29 The lovers
in the Song of Songs describe each other in metaphorical terms their eyes hair teeth
lips voice cheeks neck breast and overall fairness etc (he in 4 she in 5 10ndash16 he
again in 6 4ndash7 and 7 1ndash9) Among the many source domains in the Song of Songs
lsquofruitrsquo lsquoastral phenomenarsquo and lsquoprecious materialsrsquo are present too To give some
examples her temples are pomegranates (4 3) his arms are rods of gold set with topaz
(5 14) she appears like the dawn the moon the sun the stars (6 10) and last but not
least her neck is an ivory tower (7 4)30 Elsewhere in the Adone (as often in Italian
Baroque poetry) Christian imagery is also clearly present31
summitate apparens oriebatur media nudata cervix Et fulgorem eiaculabatur umbram
relinquens qualia lucet In medio apparens nubem humidam perrumpens Luna Et
oris rosei mel spirans (Lectius 1606 lsquospiansrsquo instead of lsquospiransrsquo) fluebat oratio Ex
membris enim emolumentum (Falkenburg reads g1r 5niar lsquogainrsquo where Chretien has
drsquo7lon Iar) apparebat Cum iret vero 190 Ex pede argenteo pedum (Falkenburg reads
2rgur oio pod8n instead of Chretienrsquos 2rgursquo oio oslashod8n) rubebat pratum Cum vero
faciei bovinae ventorum (Falkenburg has 2n mwn instead of Chretienrsquos rsquoa wn Lectius
1606 has lsquobavinaersquo for lsquobovinaersquo) illustri circulo Oculos circumvertisset tota resplen-
debat Luna
29 Parallels between the Song of Songs and Greek love poetry are already present in Greek
poetry from Antiquity see various articles in Hagedorn (2005)
30 Paradoxically Marino is closer to the Hebrew original (that he was unable to read) than
to the Latin translation of the Vulgate (which he must have used) the Vulgate turns most
of the original metaphors into similes with the indicator lsquosicutrsquo
31 For example the suggested parallel between Adone and Christ condemned by the
Inquisition a nymph acting as Judas revealing Adonersquos hiding place and committing
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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Marino changes some of Nonnusrsquo explicit (rationalizing see Pasini section lsquoA set
of practical tools for analysisrsquo) images into more implicit (open see Pasini section
lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo) ones evoking a concatenation of associations
The image of Ampelusrsquo silvery footstep (Greek 2rguroioLatin argenteo) that
turned the meadow red with roses is adapted to Marinorsquos own time Pampinorsquos
foot is no longer silvery but lsquovagorsquo (a reminiscence of Petrarcarsquos lsquovago piersquo)32 and it
still turns the meadow purple but the reader has to supply the exact nature of the
purple (eg purple gt flower gt rose) Since in the Renaissance canon lsquofootrsquo evokes
lsquohandrsquo and since the colour lsquopurplersquo evokes the contrast lsquowhitersquo Pampinorsquos foot and
the purple meadow in ott 67 3 lead lsquospontaneouslyrsquo to lsquohis white handrsquo in ott 67 4
Finally Nonnusrsquo lsquosilveryrsquo is not lost but transformed into the metaphorical verb
lsquoturned into silverrsquo (an interesting invention to provoke a new contrast in the readerrsquos
mind because the story is situated in Phrygia with its proverbially gold-gleaming
river Pactolus)33
What can we conclude on the basis of the similarities and differences in the
passages of Nonnus and Marino about their use of metaphor
First it is evident that Nonnus and Marino are equally fond of metaphors
Nonnusrsquo eighteen verses contain twelve metaphors and one comparison Marinorsquo
sixteen verses contain twelve metaphors On a quantitative level the abundant and
cumulative use of metaphors by Nonnus could be called lsquobaroquersquo
Secondly we have seen that on a conceptual level Nonnus and Marino share some
characteristics but not all Both poets work with the contrasting couples red-white
and light-dark and use the source domain lsquoflowerrsquo But the more traditional source
domains lsquoprecious materialsrsquo and lsquofruitrsquo inherited by Marino from the Renaissance
canon of beauty are barely or not at all present in Nonnus at least not in this passage
Thirdly at the linguistic level Nonnus and Marino clearly employ different
kinds and complexities of metaphor Nonnus on the one hand uses a concatenation
of metaphors in praesentia crowned by his personal metaphorical formula in which
the appearance of the tenor simultaneously evokes the vehicle Linguistically speak-
ing the relation between tenor and vehicle remains visible and controllable
suicide Venus crying over Adonersquos body as Mary did over Jesusrsquo body Adone is not
wounded in his thigh as in Greek mythology but in his side See also Guardiani (2001)
and Gonnelli (2003 29ndash30 on pagan and Christian syncretism in Nonnusrsquo Paraphrasis
and Marinorsquos Adone) The last motif recurs in the fresco lsquoLa Morte di Adonersquo by Luca
Giordano (1682ndash85) Palazzo Medici-Riccardi Florence It is reminiscent of the parallel
between Dionysus and Christ also expressed in various mosaics for example in a Roman
mosaic depicting Dionysusrsquo discovery of Ariadne on Naxos (Syria 3rd-4th cent Miho
Museum Kyoto Japan cat NA) where Dionysus not only has a nimbus but also a
wound in his sidebreast (a later addition) (I thank Berenice Verhelst for pointing out
this mosaic to me)
32 For this intricate Renaissance style word play see Pozzi (1976) ad loc
33 See Nonn Dion 11 17ndash55 for the swimming contest with Dionysus and Ampelus and
the effect on the satyr boy of the golden water of the river Pactolus
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(lsquorationalrsquo lsquoclosedrsquo) Marino on the other hand prefers metaphors in absentia
opening the associative distance between vehicle and tenor to a maximum He uses
the auto-referential metaphor that is so typical of Baroque poetry Marinorsquos method
reflects instability the arbitrariness of the relation between tenor and vehicle seems to
express the absence of a shared and well-organized world with absolute values As
Conte (1972 37) puts it lsquoconfronted by a reality (human social politic cultural) in
crisis the baroque word denounces the prerogative of the word it speaks almost
exclusively of itself but speaking of itself it imitates takes possession of exorcizes
and even organizes the crisisrsquo Therefore on a linguistic level there seems to be more
method in Nonnusrsquo madness than in Marinorsquos
Finally what about the overall effect of the metaphors they use in their respective
descriptions Nonnus and Marino both describe beautiful beardless satyr boys
caught in a fleeting moment of radiant movement in an eroticizing bucolic setting
They put equal emphasis on the beauty and the fragility of youth and on the satyr
boyrsquos impact on the nature surrounding him As we have seen Nonnusrsquo metaphors
make Ampelus progressively intermingle with nature announcing the satyr boyrsquos
metamorphosis Even though they are classified as more lsquorationalrsquo on a linguistic
level (see Pasini) their effect is impressively irrational and open Just as Marinorsquos
metaphors they are constantly related to metamorphosis expressing change and
instability These are typical features of the Baroque that also explain at least partly
Marinorsquos affiliation with Nonnus
Conclusion
To return to the initial question of this article do we need the term lsquobaroquersquo to
characterize Nonnusrsquo poetry We have seen that the use of lsquobaroquersquo for other
periods than the seventeenth-century Baroque has met with positive and negative
reactions being found either too restricted or too broad and that the term lsquobaroquersquo
is often used for Nonnusrsquo Dionysiaca in an impressionistic way to indicate that his
aesthetics deviate from the lsquoclassicalrsquo Used in this sense lsquobaroquersquo can suggest
openness expansion abundance accumulation asymmetry moving musicality
optical illusion and the absence of a vanishing point as opposed to lsquoclassicalrsquo
with its connotation of contours closed nature unity harmony symmetry archi-
tectural fixity and converging perspectives Many of these tendencies known from
the historical Baroque are visible in Late Antique poetry
What about the other qualifications at hand such as poik0lordquo lsquojeweledrsquo and
lsquocumulativersquo Can they replace the term lsquobaroquersquo The first poikil0a is intimately
linked with Nonnusrsquo own poetics as becomes immediately clear from his prologue
where it refers to variety and polymorphism in the poem as a whole The poet wishes
that lsquoProteus of the many turnsrsquo the god of endless transformation lsquomay appear in
all his diversity of shapes since I twang my harp to a diversity of songsrsquo34 It is
34 Nonn Dion I 15 5rsquora rsquoan0h poik0lon Idordquo ecwn 7ti poik0lon 4mnon 2r0ssw (transl
Rouse 1940) The term poik0lordquo has been used very frequently by scholars to describe
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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Dow
nloaded from
applied to Late Antique literature as well as to art works both art forms being
intimately linked during this period Gianfranco Agosti (1997 34ndash35 see also
2006 361ss) expands its use understanding it lsquonot only as stylistic varietas but
above all as a code intended to characterize reality The concept of poikil0a goes
far beyond mere rhetorical or stylistic boundaries and becomes a peculiar way of
viewing realityrsquo When used in this way as a psychological category applied to the
relation between word and image it becomes a hermeneutic tool to explore Late
Antique world views
The second expression lsquojeweled stylersquo is used for Late Antique writers and
artists who place their words and phrases or their gems and colours in geometric
patterns The aim of these patterns is to create a symbolic unity which is considered
more important than linear narrative sequences in literature and realism in the visual
arts The term has been coined by Michael Roberts (1989) for the aesthetics of Latin
poetry from Late Antiquity (Ausonius Prudentius Claudian Sidonius etc) but
can be applied mutatis mutandis to Greek literature from the same period
The third expression lsquocumulative aestheticrsquo describes a similar attitude in Late
Antique art characterized by a particular attention to detail (lsquoexquisite miniatur-
izationrsquo) and by a preference for the re-use of precious elements from the past
(spolia) The sum of these separate entities forms a new unity and expresses a
new vision of the world Jas Elsner (2004) discusses the term in the context of the
visual arts but it can also be applied to literature
Poikil0a jeweled style and cumulative aesthetic are free of the charge of
anachronism They are related each of them covering several aspects of Late
Antique art and literature but not all In my opinion the term lsquobaroquersquo serves a
different purpose it can indicate generally the kind of expressive possibilities chosen
by an author provided that this sketchy characterization is subsequently elaborated
in order to lend the term lsquobaroquersquo a more specific significance especially by
comparing it to the lsquoBaroquersquo
The term lsquobaroquersquo as a general indication for Nonnusrsquo style invited me to com-
pare lsquobaroquersquo Nonnus with lsquoBaroque Marinorsquo I picked up the Tesaurorsquos telescope
to zoom in on metaphor and to study the lsquoqueen of figuresrsquo from close up Nonnusrsquo
metaphors clearly appealed to the poetic creativity of Marino There is much aes-
thetic affinity between the stylistic norms they adopted when composing metaphors
They use comparable expressive possibilities to articulate their vision of the world
even if these worlds are very different and even if the lsquomost Baroque of baroque
poetsrsquo goes one step further than Nonnus Zooming out again I conclude two things
Nonnusrsquo style on the basis of his own proemium See for example Lindsay (1965 379ndash
84) String (1966 33ndash70) Vian (1976 9ndash10) Gonzalez Senmartı (1981) Hopkinson
(1994) Whitby (1994 101 112 116) Agosti (1997) Shorrock (2001) Miguelez-
Cavero (2008 139ndash45 162ndash68) Hernandez de la Fuente (2011) As a poetical qualifica-
tion poikil0a is already present in Pindar see Nunlist (1998 118) For poikil0avarietas
in epideictic rhetoric of the Imperial Period see Pernot (1993 337)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
22 of 25
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Dow
nloaded from
if not pinned down as a strictly historical category the term lsquobaroquersquo can to a
certain extent be applied to Nonnus and above all can invite further exploration of
the intertextual relationships between poets and be helpful in comparing artistic
norms from different periods of time Used in this way it does not replace nor is
replaced by the terms poikil0a lsquojeweled stylersquo and cumulative aesthetics but is a
stimulating tool to bring to light similarities and differences in poetic creativity not
only of metaphor but also of other characteristics which have been called lsquotypically
baroquersquo35 It can help to gain insight into the exact nature of a literary lsquodialogue at
distancersquo and could also prove fruitful in analysing and characterizing Marinorsquos
intertexutal relations with other authors from Antiquity
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank G Agosti M H Koenen P Lanfranchi and M Pearson for
their stimulating comments and lively discussions during the various stages of this
article as well as Jas Elsner the associate editor and the anonymous referees of
Classical Receptions Journal for their accurate and useful suggestions
References
G Agosti lsquoPoemi digressivi tardoantichi (e moderni)rsquo Compar(a)ison no 1 (1995) pp 131ndash51mdashmdash lsquoThe poikil0a of Paul the Bishoprsquo ZPE no 116 (1997) pp 31ndash38mdashmdash lsquoImmagini e poesia nella tarda antichita Per uno studio dellrsquoestetica visuale della poesia greca fra
III e IV sec d Crsquo Incontri Triestini di Filologia Classica 4 2004-2005 (2006) pp 351ndash74 Onlinesince 22 August 2006 httphdlhandlenet10077949 [accessed 4 July 2012]
S Bar Review of Miguelez-Cavero 2008 in Plekos no 12 (2010) pp 67ndash77 httpwwwplekosuni-muenchende2010r-caveropdf [accessed 4 July 2012]
E van Boven and G Dorleijn Literair Mechaniek Inleiding tot de Analyse van Verhalen en Gedichten(Bussum Coutinho 2003) esp pp 159ndash80 (lsquoBeeldspraakrsquo)
Ch Brooke-Rose A Grammar of Metaphor (London Secker amp Warburg 1958)P Cherchi lsquoPoetry Philosophy and Sciencersquo in P Brand and L Pertile (eds) The Cambridge History
of Italian Literature vol I The Seicento (Cambridge Cambridge University Press 1996)pp 301ndash17
G Chretien Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t IV chants IXndashX (Paris Les Belles Lettres1985)
G Conte La Metafora barocca Saggio sulle poetiche del Seicento (Milano Mursia 1972)E R Curtius Europaische Literatur und lateinisches Mittelalter (Bern Francke Verlag 1948)G DrsquoIppolito Studi Nonniani Lrsquoepillio nelle Dionisiache (Palermo Presso lrsquoAccademia 1964)E DrsquoOrs Du Baroque (Paris Gallimard 1935)
35 Other intertexual relations such as the ones briefly discussed by Tissoni (1998 59ndash62)
could be analysed according to the procedure of Rousset (1954) although he restricted
his method to the seventeenth-century French Baroque literature He formulated four
main criteria applicable to various seventeenth-century Baroque art forms (architecture
painting and literature) lsquoinstabilityrsquo lsquomobilityrsquo lsquometamorphosisrsquo and lsquodominance of
settingrsquo He subsequently applied these criteria to five literary instances first of all lsquoa type
of metaphorrsquo followed by lsquoa type of poemrsquo lsquoa poetic work as a wholersquo lsquoa theatrical work as
a wholersquo and lsquoa general attitudersquo ie lsquodisplayrsquo (1954 181ss)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
23 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
J Elsner lsquoLate Antique Art The Problem of the Concept and the Cumulative Aestheticrsquo in S Swainand M Edwards (eds) Approaching Late Antiquity The Transformation from Early to Late Empire(Oxford Oxford University Press 2004) pp 271ndash309
E Faral Les Arts Poetiques du XIIe et XIIIe siecle Recherches et Documents sur la Technique Litteraire duMoyen Age (Paris Champion 1962)
W Fauth Eidos Poikilon Zur Thematik der Metamorphose und zum Prinzip der Wandlung aus demGegensatz in den Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Gottingen Vandenhoeck amp Ruprecht 1981)
P Friedlander Johannes von Gaza und Paulus Silentiarius Kunstbeschreibungen Justinianischer Zeit(Leipzig Teubner 1912)
H de la Fuente lsquoThe One and the Many and the Circular Movement Neo-Platonism and Poetics inNonnus of Panopolisrsquo in Id (ed) New Perspectives on Late Antiquity (Newcastle-upon-TyneCambridge Scholars 2011)
F Gonnelli Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol II (canti XIIIndashXXIV) (Milano BibliotecaUniversale Rizzoli 2003)
V Giraudet lsquoLe rivage la presqursquoıle et le marais Espaces baroques chez Achille Tatius et Nonnos dePanopolisrsquo in R Poignault (ed) Presence du Roman grec et Latin (Clermont-Ferrand Centre deRecherches A Piganiol 2011) pp 147ndash66
Groupe m (J Dubois ea) Rhetorique generale (Paris du Seuil 1970)F Guardiani lsquoA Christological Metamorphosis in a Baroque Poemrsquo in J Goering ea (ed) Saints and
the Sacred Select Proceedings of the 3rd St Michaelrsquos College Annual Symposium (Feb 25-26 2000)(Ottawa Legas 2001) pp 185ndash95
A C Hagedorn (ed) Perspectives on the Song of Songs (Berlin De Gruyter 2005)F Hallyn Formes metaphoriques dans la poesie lyrique de lrsquoage baroque en France (Geneve Droz 1975)H Hatzfeld lsquoThe Baroque from the Viewpoint of the Literary Historianrsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art
Criticism 142 Second Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1955) 156ndash64N Hopkinson (ed) Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society
1994)R Huyghe lsquoLa seve du baroquersquo Baroque [online] no 4 (1969) Online since 3 May 2012 http
baroquerevuesorg304 [accessed 22 January 2013]K Jax Die weibliche Schonheit in der griechischen Dichtung (Innsbruck Wagner 1933)R Keydell lsquoNonnosrsquo in Th Klauser (ed) Reallexikon fur Antike und Christentum vol XVII
(Stuttgart Hiersemann 1936) vol XVII pp 902ndash20G Lakoff Metaphors We Live By (Chicago University of Chicago Press 1980)G Lakoff and M Turner More Than Cool Reason A Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor (Chicago
University of Chicago Press 1989)L R Lind lsquoNonnos and His Readersrsquo Res Publica Litterarum (1978) 159ndash70J Lindsay Leisure and Pleasure in Roman Egypt (London Muller 1965)V De Malde Giovan Battista Marino La Sampogna (Parma Fondazione Pietro Bembo Ugo Guanda
Editore 1993)A Martini Letteratura Italiana Le Opere Vol II Dal Cinquecento al Settecento A Asor Rosa (ed)
(Turin Einaudi 1993) pp 777ndash97R T Matthews and F DeWitt Platt The Western Humanities (Boston McGraw-Hill 2004)L Miguelez-Cavero Poems in Context Greek Poetry in the Egyptian Thebaid 200-600 AD (Berlin De
Gruyter 2008)R F Newbold lsquoMimesis and Illusion in Nonnus Deceit Distrust and the Search for Meaningrsquo
Helios 37 no 1 (2010) pp 81ndash106R Nunlist Poetologische Bildersprache in der fruhgriechischen Dichtung (Stuttgart Teubner 1998)G F Pasini lsquoDalla comparazione alla metaforarsquo Lingua e Stile 7 no 3 (1972) pp 441ndash69L Pernot La rhetorique de lrsquoeloge dans le monde greco-romain vol I (Paris Institut drsquoEtudes
Augustiennes 1993)S N Peters lsquoMetaphor and lsquolsquoMaravigliarsquorsquo Tradition and Innovation in the Adone of GB Marinorsquo
Lingua e Stile 7 no 2 (1972) pp 321ndash41D G Piccardi Metafora e Poetica in Nonno di Panopoli (Florence Universite degli Studi di Firenze
1985)mdashmdash Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol I (canti IndashXII) (Milano Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli
2003)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
24 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
G Pozzi Giovan Battista Marino vol II LrsquoAdone (Milano Mondadori 1976)mdashmdash lsquoIl ritratto della donna nella poesia drsquoinizio Cinquecento e la pittura di Giorgionersquo Lettere Italiane
311 gennaio-marzo (1979) pp 3ndash30mdashmdash lsquoTemi t0poi stereotipirsquo in A Asor Rosa (ed) Letteratura italiana III Le forme del testo I
Teoria e poesia (Torino Einaudi 1984) pp 391ndash436I A Richards The Philosophy of Rhetoric (New York Oxford University Press 1936)M Riemschneider lsquoDer Stil des Nonnosrsquo Berliner byzantinistische Arbeiten no 5 (1957) pp 46ndash70M Roberts The Jeweled Style Poetry and Poetics in Late Antiquity (Ithaca and London Cornell
University Press 1989)W H D Rouse Nonnus Dionysiaca (Cambridge MA Harvard University Press 1940)J Rousset La litterature de lrsquoage baroque en France Circe et le paon (Paris Corti 1954)E Russo lsquoSul barocco letterario in Italia Giudizi revisioni distinzionirsquo Les Dossiers du Grihl [Online]
2012-02 j 2012 Online since 25 June 2012 httpdossiersgrihlrevuesorg5223 [accessed 4 March2013]
A G Senmartı lsquoLa lsquolsquopoikiliarsquorsquo como principio estilıstico de las Dionisıacas de Nonorsquo AFB no 7(1981) pp 101ndash07
R Shorrock The Challenge of Epic Allusive Engagement in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Leiden Brill2001)
mdashmdash lsquoNonnusrsquo in J Foley (ed) A Companion to Ancient Epic (Oxford Wiley-Blackwell 2005)pp 374ndash85
mdashmdash The Myth of Paganism Nonnus Dionysus and the World of Late Antiquity (London BristolClassical Press 2011)
G Steen lsquoMetaphor and Stylersquo in P Stockwell and S Whiteley (eds) The Cambridge Handbook ofStylistics (Cambridge Cambridge University Press forthcoming 2014)
M String Untersuchungen zum Stil der Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Hamburg sn (disserta-tion) 1966)
E Tesauro Il Cannocchiale Aristotelico (Venice Baglioni 1654ndash70)F Tissoni Nonno di Panopoli I Canti di Penteo (Dionisiache 44ndash46) Commento (Florence La Nuova
Italia Editrice 1998)F Vian Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t I chants IndashII (Paris Les Belles Lettres 1976)R Wellek lsquoThe Concept of Baroque in Literary Scholarshiprsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism
52 Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1946) pp 77ndash109M Whitby lsquoFrom Moschus to Nonnus The Evolution of the Nonnian Stylersquo in N Hopkinson (ed)
Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society 1994) pp 99ndash155A Wifstrand Von Kallimachos zu Nonnos Metrisch-stilistische Untersuchungen zur spateren griechischen
Epik und zu verwandten Gedichtgattungen (Lund Gleerup 1933)H Wolfflin Renaissance und Barock Eine Untersuchung uber Wesen und Entstehung des Barockstils in
Italien (Munich T Ackermann 1888)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
25 of 25
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ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
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nloaded from
contrasting colours Secondly the source domain lsquoastral phenomenarsquo playing with
the opposition light-dark25
On a formal level we find only one simile in vv 186ndash87 introducing the theme of
the moon It belongs to Pasinirsquos type 1 (see section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo
above) unshadowed light (s lardquo lip0skiordquo tenor A) flashed (2k0ntiz ground C)
just as (oJ0 t indicator) half appearing the moon (Slndashnh vehicle B) shines (l0mpi
ground C) when she pierces a damp cloud (nrsquoordquo 3gr1n 2nasc0zousa vehicle B)
Besides this simile there are ten metaphors in praesentia (belonging to Pasinirsquos type 3)
and two metaphors in absentia (belonging to Pasinirsquos type 4) These metaphors are
expressed in a variety of ways which will be discussed below
(1) The most explicit type is the metaphor in apposition occurring very often in
Nonnus The comma after the tenor shows that we are dealing with such a metaphor
in apposition
tenor (A = noun) vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective) of X
a Amplordquo (A) notrrsquo rdquo e rnordquo (B) ErTHORNtwn (X) (v 178)
Ampelus (A) a new shoot (B) of the Loves (X)
b 3br1rdquo 4oulordquo ruqom noio gn0ou (A) 6bhrdquo (X) cr0son 4nqordquo (B) (vv 179-81)
the dainty bloom of a reddening chin (A) the golden flower (B) of youth (X)
(2) Another type of metaphor also very frequent in Nonnus links a metaphorical
adjective (vehicle) to a noun (tenor)
tenor (A = noun) thorn vehicle (B = metaphorical adjective)
a oslashodTHORNpidi (B) morrsquoI (A) (v 176) ndash rosy (B) form (A)
b cion hrdquo (B) pariPrdquo (A) (v 180) ndash snow-white (B) cheeks (A)
c 2rgursquo wn (B) Œmwn (A) (v 182) ndash silvery-glistering (B) shoulders (A)
d st0matordquo (A) oslashod oio (B) (v 188) ndash rosy (B) mouth (A)
e ml0pnoordquo (B) rsquownndash (A) (v 188) ndash a honey-breathing (B) voice (A)
f pod1rdquo (A) 2rgursquo oio (B) (v 190) ndash silvery (B) foot (A)
g booglndashnwn (B) rsquoa wn (A) (v 191) ndash cowrsquos eye (B) glow (A)
(3) In Nonnus the metaphor in absentia is restricted to the more common metaphors
of the flower domain In the following example the vehicle is a noun phrase whereas
the nature of the tenor becomes clear from the addition of a noun or noun phrase in
apposition It is to be noted that the word b0trurdquo is normally used for lsquoclusters of
vinersquo and points already to Ampelusrsquo future metamorphosis
vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective) of X (= noun thorn adjective in genitive)
a 2pisqop0roio d ca0thrdquo (X) b0trurdquo (B) 3lik0ntrdquo (vv 182-83) ndash curling clusters (B) of
long hair (A)
25 The third source domain individuated by Gigli Piccardi is that of lsquothe war of loversquo full of
contrasts between real and metaphorical weapons
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from X (= preposition thorn noun) appears vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective)
b k ml wn (A) 7lon Iar (B) rsquoa0nto (v 189)
From his limbs (A) spring itself (B) appeared
(4) As Gigli Piccardi (1985 70) already noticed Nonnus invented his own extended
metaphorical formula lsquoan autonomous linguistic constellationrsquo lsquowhen X becomes
visible Y appearsrsquo (sometimes followed by a comparison) Whereas the theme of the
moon is introduced by a comparison in vv 186ndash87 it is closed in vv 191ndash92 by such
a lsquoNonnianrsquo metaphor
2 d booglndashnwn rsquoa wn 2rsquogg i k0klN 2rsquoqalmo1rdquo l lizn (X) 7lh sl0giz Slndashnh (Y)
and if he turned his eyes with their bright iris gleaming with a cowrsquos eye glow (X) the light of the
full moon shone (Y)
The large number of metaphors cast in many different forms results in a descrip-
tion that is far from literal The blooming satyr boy and the blooming spring mingle
both being connected to the three phases of the moon Ampelus almost becomes
Bacchic nature himself His first meeting with the God already contains the promise
of his own future metamorphosis the expression b0trurdquo as noticed above being
one of its most explicit indicators26 The golden flower of youth not only contains
life but also death and resurrection Thus the totality of the metaphors expresses
perpetual change
Pampino
As we have seen in section lsquoBaroque metaphorrsquo the story of Pampino belongs to a set
of love-stories told by the gods to Venus as a consolation after the death of her lover
Adonis In Adone 19 ott 66ndash67 the god Dionysus describes the beautiful Pampino
ott 66 La bella fronte gli adorno Natura
di gentil maesta drsquoaria celeste
Dolce color di fragola matura
4 gli facea rosseggiar le guance oneste
Nela bocca ridea la grana pura
tra schiette perle in doppio fil conteste
ne quivi avea la rosa purpurina
8 prodotta ancor la sua dorata spina
ott 67 La notte tenebrosa il ciel turbato
si rischiarava dersquo begli occhi al lume
Il vago piede imporporava il prato
4 la bianca mano innargentava il fiume
Qualor lievrsquoaura con soave fiato
confondendogli il crin scotea le piume
26 See also Gigli Piccardi (1985 69) and (2003 700ndash1 ad vv 175ndash92)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
15 of 25
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nloaded from
parea sparso su rsquol collo il bel tesoro
8 sovra un colle drsquoavorio un bosco drsquooro
ott 66 His beautiful forehead Nature adorned
with refined nobility with heavenly looks
The sweet colour of ripe strawberries4 painted his honest cheeks red
In his mouth pure pomegranate laughed
set between real pearls in a double row
There the purple rose had not
8 yet produced her golden thorns
ott 67 The shady night the darkened sky
brightened at the light of his beautiful eyesHis yearning foot turned the meadow purple
4 his white hand turned the river silver
When a gentle breeze with its soft breath
playing with his hair shook his feathers
on his neck the beautiful treasure seemed to spread out
8 on an ivory hill a forest of gold
This description of Pampino owes much to Nonnusrsquo description of Ampelus but is
at the same time different Since Marino uses and plays with the Renaissance canon
of beauty I will discuss this canon briefly in order to gain a better understanding of
the Pampino passage
The topos of beauty began to acquire fixed rules during the Middle Ages and was
completely canonized by the Renaissance27 From the Middle Ages onwards two
types of canon for feminine beauty were developed the short and the long canon
The short canon (used by Petrarch) focuses on the face mentioning hair eyes
mouth and cheeks Hand and breast are briefly referred to forehead and neck are
seldom included The long canon (used by Boccaccio and Ariosto) adds more detail
and leads the gaze further downwards from head to toe Central features of the short
canon are splendour (light) and colour (white) whereas the long canon emphasizes
harmonious proportions (of the body)
Renaissance poets use set comparisons and oppositions such as lsquoredrsquo versus
lsquowhitersquo But within these fixed boundaries there were ample possibilities for vari-
ance One way to play with conventions was the following a poet could mention only
one element of an opposition and thereby automatically evoke its counterpart in the
27 For an overview of Greek poetry up to the Byzantine period see Jax (1933) with dis-
turbing racist emphasis on lsquodas weibliche Schonheitsideal der weiszligen Rassersquo for the
Latin Middle-Ages see Faral (1962 esp p 75 ss) Sidonius Apollinarisrsquo portrait of
Theodoric (Ep I 2 2 sixth century) is seen as the best model for descriptions of persons
by Geoffroy de Vinsauf (Poetria nova 1210 CE) for the Renaissance see Pozzi (1979 and
1984)
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mind of the audience For example if he described a hand a foot was to be imagined
by the reader when a rose was mentioned it was intended that a lily be brought to
mind etc
Favourite source domains for metaphors were in the first place flowers roses
lilies and violets for colour and evanescence secondly precious materials pearls
rubies coral and gold for colour and diamond and sapphire for splendour and
thirdly lsquoheavenly bodiesrsquo stars and the sun for splendour and movement For
special effects these elements could be combined into homogeneous or heteroge-
neous couples a lily and a rose or ivory and a rose etc
How are these images used and constructed in the present passage from
Marino Marino combines the two canons adopting the short canon for his descrip-
tion of the young man and then enumerating his several parts from head to toe He
begins with the (moral) qualities given by Nature to Pampinorsquos forehead (ott 66
1ndash2) continues with his cheeks mouth and cheeks again (ott 66 3ndash8) then turns to
his eyes (ott 67 1ndash2) to his foot and hand (ott 67 3ndash4 the foot belonging to the
long canon) and finally to his hair and neck (ott 67 5ndash8) Marino adds various
(moral) qualifications The first octave is relatively quiet drawing as it were
Pampinorsquos portrait Its three source domains for the metaphors are lsquofruitrsquo lsquoprecious
materialsrsquo lsquoflowersrsquo (pomegranate pearl rose) connected with contrasting colours
(red white and golden) and positive qualifications (beautiful refined heavenly
sweet honest pure real) The second octave is stirred by movement the
sky brightens Pampinorsquos touch turns nature into something else the playing
wind shakes hair locks spreads out It also introduces the opposition light-dark
(shady night darken brighten light) The source domains of the second octave
are lsquobucolic landscapersquo (meadow river breeze) and lsquoprecious materialsrsquo
(silver gold)
As is to be expected Marino is fond of metaphors and expresses them in
various ways But unlike Nonnus he obviously prefers metaphors in absentia
(Pasinirsquos type 4 see section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo above)
The description of Pampino includes moral and physical qualities In ott 66 3ndash4
the strawberry (lsquodolce color di fragola maturarsquo lsquothe sweet colour of ripe strawberriesrsquo)
paving the way for the source domain lsquofruitrsquo is followed by a series of metaphors
(1) There are several instances of metaphors in absentia which are intelligible when
one looks at either the direct context in which they are embedded or at the existing
Renaissance conventions
vehicle (B = noun thorn- adjective)
a la grana pura (ott 66 5) ndash pure pomegranate (sc in his mouth gt tongue)
b schiette perle (ott 66 6) ndash real pearls (sc in double row gt teeth)
c rosa purpurina (ott 66 7) ndash purple rose (sc there gt on his cheeks gt beard)
d le piume (ott 67 6) ndash feathers (of his hair gt locks of hair)
e tesoro (ott 67 7) ndash treasure (his rich hair)
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(2) To these examples two metaphorical verbs can be added
vehicle (B = verb)
a imporporava (ott 67 3) ndash turned purpleb innargentava (ott 67 4) ndash turned silver
(3) The following metaphor in absentia is qualified by a metaphorical adjective
vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective)
la sua dorata spina (ott 66 8) ndash her golden thorns (reddish-blonde bristles)
(4) Another variant are the metaphors in absentia that combine two metaphorical
expressions
vehicle (B = noun) of vehicle (B = noun)
a colle (B) drsquoavorio (B) (ott 67 8) ndash an ivory hill (of his white neck)
b un bosco (B) drsquooro (B) (ott 67 8) ndash a forest of gold (of his blond hair)
(5) Taken together two final verses of ott 67 are an example of a typical baroque
metaphor (discussed in section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo) a concatenation
of metaphorical images Ott 67 7 is elaborated in the next verse by a metaphor in
apposition on neck (tenorrsquo) the beautiful treasure (tenorrsquorsquo) on an ivory hill (vehiclersquo)a forest of gold (vehiclersquorsquo) Both vehicles are from the source domain lsquolandscapersquo (hill
forest) and continue the image of the previous bucolic description (meadow river
breeze) But at the same time the lsquotreasurersquo (tenorrsquorsquo) is already itself a metaphor (for
lsquohairrsquo) from another source domain (lsquoprecious materialsrsquo) that is elaborated by its
own two metaphorical adjectives lsquoivoryrsquo and lsquogoldrsquo from the same source domain As
we have seen with the example of Lemene the image evokes a further image
creating a kind of lsquoliterary trompe lrsquoœilrsquo
On tenor (Arsquo = noun) tenor (Arsquorsquo = noun) on vehicle (Brsquo noun thorn Brsquorsquo adjec) vehiclersquorsquo
(Brsquorsquo noun thorn Brsquorsquo adjec)
su rsquol collo (Arsquo) il bel tesoro (Arsquorsquo) sovra un colle drsquoavorio (Brsquothorn Brsquorsquo) un bosco drsquooro (Brsquorsquothorn Brsquorsquo)
Some intertextual notes
Apart from the topoi shared by Nonnus and Marino it is easy to see that several of
Marinorsquos verses in ott 67 are closely modelled on Nonnus of course in Lubinrsquos
translation (ed 1606)28 Marino ott 67 1ndash2 (darkness flees before Pampinorsquos eyes)
28 175 Et aliquanto venans sub petra umbrosa sylvae Aequalis iuvenis rosea delectabatur
forma Nunc etenim Phrygiae sub colle puer ludens Ampelus crescebat nuper
enutritus ramus amorum Neque ipsi mollis lanugo rubentis menti 180 Imberbes
nivea signaverat circulos maxilla Iuventae aureum florem In tergum reiectarum vero
comarum Racemi flexuosi super splendidis currebant humeris Non complicati Suavi
vero una concitati cum aura Flatu elevabantur Retractis vero comis 185 In
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combines Nonnus vv 186ndash87 (Ampelusrsquo neck is like the moon shining though
clouds) and vv 191ndash92 (when Ampelus looks the moon shines) Marino ott 67
3ndash4 (Pampinorsquos foot and hand transform meadow and river) is like Nonnus vv
189ndash90 (Ampelusrsquo limbsfoot elicit spring and flowers in the meadow) Marino
ott 67 5ndash6 (the wind playing with Pampinorsquos hair and showing his neck) is similar
to Nonnus vv 183ndash85 (the wind playing with Ampelusrsquo hair and revealing his neck)
Marino was unable to borrow Nonnusrsquo image of Ampelusrsquo foot eliciting spring
because Falkenburgrsquos text and Lubinrsquos translation present a different textual reading
from Chretienrsquos Falkenburg does not have (drsquo7lon) Iar (lsquospringrsquo) but (g1r) 5niar
which was translated as lsquoemolumentumrsquo (lsquogainrsquo) by Lubin
There are however some significant differences To describe the effect of the
Ampelusrsquo neck and eyes Nonnus introduces the image of the moon emerging through
the clouds while evoking simultaneously the moon cycle He begins with a compari-
son and continues with a metaphor spread out over eight verses To describe the
instant effect of Pampinorsquos eyes Marino (or to be more precise the narrator
Dionysus) simply states a truth a hyperbolic truth the light of Pampinorsquos eyes illu-
minates darkness To describe the effect of the neck of the satyr boy he introduces the
landscape and treasure metaphor The importance of the neck seems to point towards
another intertext the description of feminine beauty in the Song of Songs29 The lovers
in the Song of Songs describe each other in metaphorical terms their eyes hair teeth
lips voice cheeks neck breast and overall fairness etc (he in 4 she in 5 10ndash16 he
again in 6 4ndash7 and 7 1ndash9) Among the many source domains in the Song of Songs
lsquofruitrsquo lsquoastral phenomenarsquo and lsquoprecious materialsrsquo are present too To give some
examples her temples are pomegranates (4 3) his arms are rods of gold set with topaz
(5 14) she appears like the dawn the moon the sun the stars (6 10) and last but not
least her neck is an ivory tower (7 4)30 Elsewhere in the Adone (as often in Italian
Baroque poetry) Christian imagery is also clearly present31
summitate apparens oriebatur media nudata cervix Et fulgorem eiaculabatur umbram
relinquens qualia lucet In medio apparens nubem humidam perrumpens Luna Et
oris rosei mel spirans (Lectius 1606 lsquospiansrsquo instead of lsquospiransrsquo) fluebat oratio Ex
membris enim emolumentum (Falkenburg reads g1r 5niar lsquogainrsquo where Chretien has
drsquo7lon Iar) apparebat Cum iret vero 190 Ex pede argenteo pedum (Falkenburg reads
2rgur oio pod8n instead of Chretienrsquos 2rgursquo oio oslashod8n) rubebat pratum Cum vero
faciei bovinae ventorum (Falkenburg has 2n mwn instead of Chretienrsquos rsquoa wn Lectius
1606 has lsquobavinaersquo for lsquobovinaersquo) illustri circulo Oculos circumvertisset tota resplen-
debat Luna
29 Parallels between the Song of Songs and Greek love poetry are already present in Greek
poetry from Antiquity see various articles in Hagedorn (2005)
30 Paradoxically Marino is closer to the Hebrew original (that he was unable to read) than
to the Latin translation of the Vulgate (which he must have used) the Vulgate turns most
of the original metaphors into similes with the indicator lsquosicutrsquo
31 For example the suggested parallel between Adone and Christ condemned by the
Inquisition a nymph acting as Judas revealing Adonersquos hiding place and committing
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nloaded from
Marino changes some of Nonnusrsquo explicit (rationalizing see Pasini section lsquoA set
of practical tools for analysisrsquo) images into more implicit (open see Pasini section
lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo) ones evoking a concatenation of associations
The image of Ampelusrsquo silvery footstep (Greek 2rguroioLatin argenteo) that
turned the meadow red with roses is adapted to Marinorsquos own time Pampinorsquos
foot is no longer silvery but lsquovagorsquo (a reminiscence of Petrarcarsquos lsquovago piersquo)32 and it
still turns the meadow purple but the reader has to supply the exact nature of the
purple (eg purple gt flower gt rose) Since in the Renaissance canon lsquofootrsquo evokes
lsquohandrsquo and since the colour lsquopurplersquo evokes the contrast lsquowhitersquo Pampinorsquos foot and
the purple meadow in ott 67 3 lead lsquospontaneouslyrsquo to lsquohis white handrsquo in ott 67 4
Finally Nonnusrsquo lsquosilveryrsquo is not lost but transformed into the metaphorical verb
lsquoturned into silverrsquo (an interesting invention to provoke a new contrast in the readerrsquos
mind because the story is situated in Phrygia with its proverbially gold-gleaming
river Pactolus)33
What can we conclude on the basis of the similarities and differences in the
passages of Nonnus and Marino about their use of metaphor
First it is evident that Nonnus and Marino are equally fond of metaphors
Nonnusrsquo eighteen verses contain twelve metaphors and one comparison Marinorsquo
sixteen verses contain twelve metaphors On a quantitative level the abundant and
cumulative use of metaphors by Nonnus could be called lsquobaroquersquo
Secondly we have seen that on a conceptual level Nonnus and Marino share some
characteristics but not all Both poets work with the contrasting couples red-white
and light-dark and use the source domain lsquoflowerrsquo But the more traditional source
domains lsquoprecious materialsrsquo and lsquofruitrsquo inherited by Marino from the Renaissance
canon of beauty are barely or not at all present in Nonnus at least not in this passage
Thirdly at the linguistic level Nonnus and Marino clearly employ different
kinds and complexities of metaphor Nonnus on the one hand uses a concatenation
of metaphors in praesentia crowned by his personal metaphorical formula in which
the appearance of the tenor simultaneously evokes the vehicle Linguistically speak-
ing the relation between tenor and vehicle remains visible and controllable
suicide Venus crying over Adonersquos body as Mary did over Jesusrsquo body Adone is not
wounded in his thigh as in Greek mythology but in his side See also Guardiani (2001)
and Gonnelli (2003 29ndash30 on pagan and Christian syncretism in Nonnusrsquo Paraphrasis
and Marinorsquos Adone) The last motif recurs in the fresco lsquoLa Morte di Adonersquo by Luca
Giordano (1682ndash85) Palazzo Medici-Riccardi Florence It is reminiscent of the parallel
between Dionysus and Christ also expressed in various mosaics for example in a Roman
mosaic depicting Dionysusrsquo discovery of Ariadne on Naxos (Syria 3rd-4th cent Miho
Museum Kyoto Japan cat NA) where Dionysus not only has a nimbus but also a
wound in his sidebreast (a later addition) (I thank Berenice Verhelst for pointing out
this mosaic to me)
32 For this intricate Renaissance style word play see Pozzi (1976) ad loc
33 See Nonn Dion 11 17ndash55 for the swimming contest with Dionysus and Ampelus and
the effect on the satyr boy of the golden water of the river Pactolus
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(lsquorationalrsquo lsquoclosedrsquo) Marino on the other hand prefers metaphors in absentia
opening the associative distance between vehicle and tenor to a maximum He uses
the auto-referential metaphor that is so typical of Baroque poetry Marinorsquos method
reflects instability the arbitrariness of the relation between tenor and vehicle seems to
express the absence of a shared and well-organized world with absolute values As
Conte (1972 37) puts it lsquoconfronted by a reality (human social politic cultural) in
crisis the baroque word denounces the prerogative of the word it speaks almost
exclusively of itself but speaking of itself it imitates takes possession of exorcizes
and even organizes the crisisrsquo Therefore on a linguistic level there seems to be more
method in Nonnusrsquo madness than in Marinorsquos
Finally what about the overall effect of the metaphors they use in their respective
descriptions Nonnus and Marino both describe beautiful beardless satyr boys
caught in a fleeting moment of radiant movement in an eroticizing bucolic setting
They put equal emphasis on the beauty and the fragility of youth and on the satyr
boyrsquos impact on the nature surrounding him As we have seen Nonnusrsquo metaphors
make Ampelus progressively intermingle with nature announcing the satyr boyrsquos
metamorphosis Even though they are classified as more lsquorationalrsquo on a linguistic
level (see Pasini) their effect is impressively irrational and open Just as Marinorsquos
metaphors they are constantly related to metamorphosis expressing change and
instability These are typical features of the Baroque that also explain at least partly
Marinorsquos affiliation with Nonnus
Conclusion
To return to the initial question of this article do we need the term lsquobaroquersquo to
characterize Nonnusrsquo poetry We have seen that the use of lsquobaroquersquo for other
periods than the seventeenth-century Baroque has met with positive and negative
reactions being found either too restricted or too broad and that the term lsquobaroquersquo
is often used for Nonnusrsquo Dionysiaca in an impressionistic way to indicate that his
aesthetics deviate from the lsquoclassicalrsquo Used in this sense lsquobaroquersquo can suggest
openness expansion abundance accumulation asymmetry moving musicality
optical illusion and the absence of a vanishing point as opposed to lsquoclassicalrsquo
with its connotation of contours closed nature unity harmony symmetry archi-
tectural fixity and converging perspectives Many of these tendencies known from
the historical Baroque are visible in Late Antique poetry
What about the other qualifications at hand such as poik0lordquo lsquojeweledrsquo and
lsquocumulativersquo Can they replace the term lsquobaroquersquo The first poikil0a is intimately
linked with Nonnusrsquo own poetics as becomes immediately clear from his prologue
where it refers to variety and polymorphism in the poem as a whole The poet wishes
that lsquoProteus of the many turnsrsquo the god of endless transformation lsquomay appear in
all his diversity of shapes since I twang my harp to a diversity of songsrsquo34 It is
34 Nonn Dion I 15 5rsquora rsquoan0h poik0lon Idordquo ecwn 7ti poik0lon 4mnon 2r0ssw (transl
Rouse 1940) The term poik0lordquo has been used very frequently by scholars to describe
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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nloaded from
applied to Late Antique literature as well as to art works both art forms being
intimately linked during this period Gianfranco Agosti (1997 34ndash35 see also
2006 361ss) expands its use understanding it lsquonot only as stylistic varietas but
above all as a code intended to characterize reality The concept of poikil0a goes
far beyond mere rhetorical or stylistic boundaries and becomes a peculiar way of
viewing realityrsquo When used in this way as a psychological category applied to the
relation between word and image it becomes a hermeneutic tool to explore Late
Antique world views
The second expression lsquojeweled stylersquo is used for Late Antique writers and
artists who place their words and phrases or their gems and colours in geometric
patterns The aim of these patterns is to create a symbolic unity which is considered
more important than linear narrative sequences in literature and realism in the visual
arts The term has been coined by Michael Roberts (1989) for the aesthetics of Latin
poetry from Late Antiquity (Ausonius Prudentius Claudian Sidonius etc) but
can be applied mutatis mutandis to Greek literature from the same period
The third expression lsquocumulative aestheticrsquo describes a similar attitude in Late
Antique art characterized by a particular attention to detail (lsquoexquisite miniatur-
izationrsquo) and by a preference for the re-use of precious elements from the past
(spolia) The sum of these separate entities forms a new unity and expresses a
new vision of the world Jas Elsner (2004) discusses the term in the context of the
visual arts but it can also be applied to literature
Poikil0a jeweled style and cumulative aesthetic are free of the charge of
anachronism They are related each of them covering several aspects of Late
Antique art and literature but not all In my opinion the term lsquobaroquersquo serves a
different purpose it can indicate generally the kind of expressive possibilities chosen
by an author provided that this sketchy characterization is subsequently elaborated
in order to lend the term lsquobaroquersquo a more specific significance especially by
comparing it to the lsquoBaroquersquo
The term lsquobaroquersquo as a general indication for Nonnusrsquo style invited me to com-
pare lsquobaroquersquo Nonnus with lsquoBaroque Marinorsquo I picked up the Tesaurorsquos telescope
to zoom in on metaphor and to study the lsquoqueen of figuresrsquo from close up Nonnusrsquo
metaphors clearly appealed to the poetic creativity of Marino There is much aes-
thetic affinity between the stylistic norms they adopted when composing metaphors
They use comparable expressive possibilities to articulate their vision of the world
even if these worlds are very different and even if the lsquomost Baroque of baroque
poetsrsquo goes one step further than Nonnus Zooming out again I conclude two things
Nonnusrsquo style on the basis of his own proemium See for example Lindsay (1965 379ndash
84) String (1966 33ndash70) Vian (1976 9ndash10) Gonzalez Senmartı (1981) Hopkinson
(1994) Whitby (1994 101 112 116) Agosti (1997) Shorrock (2001) Miguelez-
Cavero (2008 139ndash45 162ndash68) Hernandez de la Fuente (2011) As a poetical qualifica-
tion poikil0a is already present in Pindar see Nunlist (1998 118) For poikil0avarietas
in epideictic rhetoric of the Imperial Period see Pernot (1993 337)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
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nloaded from
if not pinned down as a strictly historical category the term lsquobaroquersquo can to a
certain extent be applied to Nonnus and above all can invite further exploration of
the intertextual relationships between poets and be helpful in comparing artistic
norms from different periods of time Used in this way it does not replace nor is
replaced by the terms poikil0a lsquojeweled stylersquo and cumulative aesthetics but is a
stimulating tool to bring to light similarities and differences in poetic creativity not
only of metaphor but also of other characteristics which have been called lsquotypically
baroquersquo35 It can help to gain insight into the exact nature of a literary lsquodialogue at
distancersquo and could also prove fruitful in analysing and characterizing Marinorsquos
intertexutal relations with other authors from Antiquity
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank G Agosti M H Koenen P Lanfranchi and M Pearson for
their stimulating comments and lively discussions during the various stages of this
article as well as Jas Elsner the associate editor and the anonymous referees of
Classical Receptions Journal for their accurate and useful suggestions
References
G Agosti lsquoPoemi digressivi tardoantichi (e moderni)rsquo Compar(a)ison no 1 (1995) pp 131ndash51mdashmdash lsquoThe poikil0a of Paul the Bishoprsquo ZPE no 116 (1997) pp 31ndash38mdashmdash lsquoImmagini e poesia nella tarda antichita Per uno studio dellrsquoestetica visuale della poesia greca fra
III e IV sec d Crsquo Incontri Triestini di Filologia Classica 4 2004-2005 (2006) pp 351ndash74 Onlinesince 22 August 2006 httphdlhandlenet10077949 [accessed 4 July 2012]
S Bar Review of Miguelez-Cavero 2008 in Plekos no 12 (2010) pp 67ndash77 httpwwwplekosuni-muenchende2010r-caveropdf [accessed 4 July 2012]
E van Boven and G Dorleijn Literair Mechaniek Inleiding tot de Analyse van Verhalen en Gedichten(Bussum Coutinho 2003) esp pp 159ndash80 (lsquoBeeldspraakrsquo)
Ch Brooke-Rose A Grammar of Metaphor (London Secker amp Warburg 1958)P Cherchi lsquoPoetry Philosophy and Sciencersquo in P Brand and L Pertile (eds) The Cambridge History
of Italian Literature vol I The Seicento (Cambridge Cambridge University Press 1996)pp 301ndash17
G Chretien Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t IV chants IXndashX (Paris Les Belles Lettres1985)
G Conte La Metafora barocca Saggio sulle poetiche del Seicento (Milano Mursia 1972)E R Curtius Europaische Literatur und lateinisches Mittelalter (Bern Francke Verlag 1948)G DrsquoIppolito Studi Nonniani Lrsquoepillio nelle Dionisiache (Palermo Presso lrsquoAccademia 1964)E DrsquoOrs Du Baroque (Paris Gallimard 1935)
35 Other intertexual relations such as the ones briefly discussed by Tissoni (1998 59ndash62)
could be analysed according to the procedure of Rousset (1954) although he restricted
his method to the seventeenth-century French Baroque literature He formulated four
main criteria applicable to various seventeenth-century Baroque art forms (architecture
painting and literature) lsquoinstabilityrsquo lsquomobilityrsquo lsquometamorphosisrsquo and lsquodominance of
settingrsquo He subsequently applied these criteria to five literary instances first of all lsquoa type
of metaphorrsquo followed by lsquoa type of poemrsquo lsquoa poetic work as a wholersquo lsquoa theatrical work as
a wholersquo and lsquoa general attitudersquo ie lsquodisplayrsquo (1954 181ss)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
23 of 25
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ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
J Elsner lsquoLate Antique Art The Problem of the Concept and the Cumulative Aestheticrsquo in S Swainand M Edwards (eds) Approaching Late Antiquity The Transformation from Early to Late Empire(Oxford Oxford University Press 2004) pp 271ndash309
E Faral Les Arts Poetiques du XIIe et XIIIe siecle Recherches et Documents sur la Technique Litteraire duMoyen Age (Paris Champion 1962)
W Fauth Eidos Poikilon Zur Thematik der Metamorphose und zum Prinzip der Wandlung aus demGegensatz in den Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Gottingen Vandenhoeck amp Ruprecht 1981)
P Friedlander Johannes von Gaza und Paulus Silentiarius Kunstbeschreibungen Justinianischer Zeit(Leipzig Teubner 1912)
H de la Fuente lsquoThe One and the Many and the Circular Movement Neo-Platonism and Poetics inNonnus of Panopolisrsquo in Id (ed) New Perspectives on Late Antiquity (Newcastle-upon-TyneCambridge Scholars 2011)
F Gonnelli Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol II (canti XIIIndashXXIV) (Milano BibliotecaUniversale Rizzoli 2003)
V Giraudet lsquoLe rivage la presqursquoıle et le marais Espaces baroques chez Achille Tatius et Nonnos dePanopolisrsquo in R Poignault (ed) Presence du Roman grec et Latin (Clermont-Ferrand Centre deRecherches A Piganiol 2011) pp 147ndash66
Groupe m (J Dubois ea) Rhetorique generale (Paris du Seuil 1970)F Guardiani lsquoA Christological Metamorphosis in a Baroque Poemrsquo in J Goering ea (ed) Saints and
the Sacred Select Proceedings of the 3rd St Michaelrsquos College Annual Symposium (Feb 25-26 2000)(Ottawa Legas 2001) pp 185ndash95
A C Hagedorn (ed) Perspectives on the Song of Songs (Berlin De Gruyter 2005)F Hallyn Formes metaphoriques dans la poesie lyrique de lrsquoage baroque en France (Geneve Droz 1975)H Hatzfeld lsquoThe Baroque from the Viewpoint of the Literary Historianrsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art
Criticism 142 Second Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1955) 156ndash64N Hopkinson (ed) Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society
1994)R Huyghe lsquoLa seve du baroquersquo Baroque [online] no 4 (1969) Online since 3 May 2012 http
baroquerevuesorg304 [accessed 22 January 2013]K Jax Die weibliche Schonheit in der griechischen Dichtung (Innsbruck Wagner 1933)R Keydell lsquoNonnosrsquo in Th Klauser (ed) Reallexikon fur Antike und Christentum vol XVII
(Stuttgart Hiersemann 1936) vol XVII pp 902ndash20G Lakoff Metaphors We Live By (Chicago University of Chicago Press 1980)G Lakoff and M Turner More Than Cool Reason A Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor (Chicago
University of Chicago Press 1989)L R Lind lsquoNonnos and His Readersrsquo Res Publica Litterarum (1978) 159ndash70J Lindsay Leisure and Pleasure in Roman Egypt (London Muller 1965)V De Malde Giovan Battista Marino La Sampogna (Parma Fondazione Pietro Bembo Ugo Guanda
Editore 1993)A Martini Letteratura Italiana Le Opere Vol II Dal Cinquecento al Settecento A Asor Rosa (ed)
(Turin Einaudi 1993) pp 777ndash97R T Matthews and F DeWitt Platt The Western Humanities (Boston McGraw-Hill 2004)L Miguelez-Cavero Poems in Context Greek Poetry in the Egyptian Thebaid 200-600 AD (Berlin De
Gruyter 2008)R F Newbold lsquoMimesis and Illusion in Nonnus Deceit Distrust and the Search for Meaningrsquo
Helios 37 no 1 (2010) pp 81ndash106R Nunlist Poetologische Bildersprache in der fruhgriechischen Dichtung (Stuttgart Teubner 1998)G F Pasini lsquoDalla comparazione alla metaforarsquo Lingua e Stile 7 no 3 (1972) pp 441ndash69L Pernot La rhetorique de lrsquoeloge dans le monde greco-romain vol I (Paris Institut drsquoEtudes
Augustiennes 1993)S N Peters lsquoMetaphor and lsquolsquoMaravigliarsquorsquo Tradition and Innovation in the Adone of GB Marinorsquo
Lingua e Stile 7 no 2 (1972) pp 321ndash41D G Piccardi Metafora e Poetica in Nonno di Panopoli (Florence Universite degli Studi di Firenze
1985)mdashmdash Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol I (canti IndashXII) (Milano Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli
2003)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
24 of 25
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ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
G Pozzi Giovan Battista Marino vol II LrsquoAdone (Milano Mondadori 1976)mdashmdash lsquoIl ritratto della donna nella poesia drsquoinizio Cinquecento e la pittura di Giorgionersquo Lettere Italiane
311 gennaio-marzo (1979) pp 3ndash30mdashmdash lsquoTemi t0poi stereotipirsquo in A Asor Rosa (ed) Letteratura italiana III Le forme del testo I
Teoria e poesia (Torino Einaudi 1984) pp 391ndash436I A Richards The Philosophy of Rhetoric (New York Oxford University Press 1936)M Riemschneider lsquoDer Stil des Nonnosrsquo Berliner byzantinistische Arbeiten no 5 (1957) pp 46ndash70M Roberts The Jeweled Style Poetry and Poetics in Late Antiquity (Ithaca and London Cornell
University Press 1989)W H D Rouse Nonnus Dionysiaca (Cambridge MA Harvard University Press 1940)J Rousset La litterature de lrsquoage baroque en France Circe et le paon (Paris Corti 1954)E Russo lsquoSul barocco letterario in Italia Giudizi revisioni distinzionirsquo Les Dossiers du Grihl [Online]
2012-02 j 2012 Online since 25 June 2012 httpdossiersgrihlrevuesorg5223 [accessed 4 March2013]
A G Senmartı lsquoLa lsquolsquopoikiliarsquorsquo como principio estilıstico de las Dionisıacas de Nonorsquo AFB no 7(1981) pp 101ndash07
R Shorrock The Challenge of Epic Allusive Engagement in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Leiden Brill2001)
mdashmdash lsquoNonnusrsquo in J Foley (ed) A Companion to Ancient Epic (Oxford Wiley-Blackwell 2005)pp 374ndash85
mdashmdash The Myth of Paganism Nonnus Dionysus and the World of Late Antiquity (London BristolClassical Press 2011)
G Steen lsquoMetaphor and Stylersquo in P Stockwell and S Whiteley (eds) The Cambridge Handbook ofStylistics (Cambridge Cambridge University Press forthcoming 2014)
M String Untersuchungen zum Stil der Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Hamburg sn (disserta-tion) 1966)
E Tesauro Il Cannocchiale Aristotelico (Venice Baglioni 1654ndash70)F Tissoni Nonno di Panopoli I Canti di Penteo (Dionisiache 44ndash46) Commento (Florence La Nuova
Italia Editrice 1998)F Vian Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t I chants IndashII (Paris Les Belles Lettres 1976)R Wellek lsquoThe Concept of Baroque in Literary Scholarshiprsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism
52 Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1946) pp 77ndash109M Whitby lsquoFrom Moschus to Nonnus The Evolution of the Nonnian Stylersquo in N Hopkinson (ed)
Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society 1994) pp 99ndash155A Wifstrand Von Kallimachos zu Nonnos Metrisch-stilistische Untersuchungen zur spateren griechischen
Epik und zu verwandten Gedichtgattungen (Lund Gleerup 1933)H Wolfflin Renaissance und Barock Eine Untersuchung uber Wesen und Entstehung des Barockstils in
Italien (Munich T Ackermann 1888)
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from X (= preposition thorn noun) appears vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective)
b k ml wn (A) 7lon Iar (B) rsquoa0nto (v 189)
From his limbs (A) spring itself (B) appeared
(4) As Gigli Piccardi (1985 70) already noticed Nonnus invented his own extended
metaphorical formula lsquoan autonomous linguistic constellationrsquo lsquowhen X becomes
visible Y appearsrsquo (sometimes followed by a comparison) Whereas the theme of the
moon is introduced by a comparison in vv 186ndash87 it is closed in vv 191ndash92 by such
a lsquoNonnianrsquo metaphor
2 d booglndashnwn rsquoa wn 2rsquogg i k0klN 2rsquoqalmo1rdquo l lizn (X) 7lh sl0giz Slndashnh (Y)
and if he turned his eyes with their bright iris gleaming with a cowrsquos eye glow (X) the light of the
full moon shone (Y)
The large number of metaphors cast in many different forms results in a descrip-
tion that is far from literal The blooming satyr boy and the blooming spring mingle
both being connected to the three phases of the moon Ampelus almost becomes
Bacchic nature himself His first meeting with the God already contains the promise
of his own future metamorphosis the expression b0trurdquo as noticed above being
one of its most explicit indicators26 The golden flower of youth not only contains
life but also death and resurrection Thus the totality of the metaphors expresses
perpetual change
Pampino
As we have seen in section lsquoBaroque metaphorrsquo the story of Pampino belongs to a set
of love-stories told by the gods to Venus as a consolation after the death of her lover
Adonis In Adone 19 ott 66ndash67 the god Dionysus describes the beautiful Pampino
ott 66 La bella fronte gli adorno Natura
di gentil maesta drsquoaria celeste
Dolce color di fragola matura
4 gli facea rosseggiar le guance oneste
Nela bocca ridea la grana pura
tra schiette perle in doppio fil conteste
ne quivi avea la rosa purpurina
8 prodotta ancor la sua dorata spina
ott 67 La notte tenebrosa il ciel turbato
si rischiarava dersquo begli occhi al lume
Il vago piede imporporava il prato
4 la bianca mano innargentava il fiume
Qualor lievrsquoaura con soave fiato
confondendogli il crin scotea le piume
26 See also Gigli Piccardi (1985 69) and (2003 700ndash1 ad vv 175ndash92)
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parea sparso su rsquol collo il bel tesoro
8 sovra un colle drsquoavorio un bosco drsquooro
ott 66 His beautiful forehead Nature adorned
with refined nobility with heavenly looks
The sweet colour of ripe strawberries4 painted his honest cheeks red
In his mouth pure pomegranate laughed
set between real pearls in a double row
There the purple rose had not
8 yet produced her golden thorns
ott 67 The shady night the darkened sky
brightened at the light of his beautiful eyesHis yearning foot turned the meadow purple
4 his white hand turned the river silver
When a gentle breeze with its soft breath
playing with his hair shook his feathers
on his neck the beautiful treasure seemed to spread out
8 on an ivory hill a forest of gold
This description of Pampino owes much to Nonnusrsquo description of Ampelus but is
at the same time different Since Marino uses and plays with the Renaissance canon
of beauty I will discuss this canon briefly in order to gain a better understanding of
the Pampino passage
The topos of beauty began to acquire fixed rules during the Middle Ages and was
completely canonized by the Renaissance27 From the Middle Ages onwards two
types of canon for feminine beauty were developed the short and the long canon
The short canon (used by Petrarch) focuses on the face mentioning hair eyes
mouth and cheeks Hand and breast are briefly referred to forehead and neck are
seldom included The long canon (used by Boccaccio and Ariosto) adds more detail
and leads the gaze further downwards from head to toe Central features of the short
canon are splendour (light) and colour (white) whereas the long canon emphasizes
harmonious proportions (of the body)
Renaissance poets use set comparisons and oppositions such as lsquoredrsquo versus
lsquowhitersquo But within these fixed boundaries there were ample possibilities for vari-
ance One way to play with conventions was the following a poet could mention only
one element of an opposition and thereby automatically evoke its counterpart in the
27 For an overview of Greek poetry up to the Byzantine period see Jax (1933) with dis-
turbing racist emphasis on lsquodas weibliche Schonheitsideal der weiszligen Rassersquo for the
Latin Middle-Ages see Faral (1962 esp p 75 ss) Sidonius Apollinarisrsquo portrait of
Theodoric (Ep I 2 2 sixth century) is seen as the best model for descriptions of persons
by Geoffroy de Vinsauf (Poetria nova 1210 CE) for the Renaissance see Pozzi (1979 and
1984)
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nloaded from
mind of the audience For example if he described a hand a foot was to be imagined
by the reader when a rose was mentioned it was intended that a lily be brought to
mind etc
Favourite source domains for metaphors were in the first place flowers roses
lilies and violets for colour and evanescence secondly precious materials pearls
rubies coral and gold for colour and diamond and sapphire for splendour and
thirdly lsquoheavenly bodiesrsquo stars and the sun for splendour and movement For
special effects these elements could be combined into homogeneous or heteroge-
neous couples a lily and a rose or ivory and a rose etc
How are these images used and constructed in the present passage from
Marino Marino combines the two canons adopting the short canon for his descrip-
tion of the young man and then enumerating his several parts from head to toe He
begins with the (moral) qualities given by Nature to Pampinorsquos forehead (ott 66
1ndash2) continues with his cheeks mouth and cheeks again (ott 66 3ndash8) then turns to
his eyes (ott 67 1ndash2) to his foot and hand (ott 67 3ndash4 the foot belonging to the
long canon) and finally to his hair and neck (ott 67 5ndash8) Marino adds various
(moral) qualifications The first octave is relatively quiet drawing as it were
Pampinorsquos portrait Its three source domains for the metaphors are lsquofruitrsquo lsquoprecious
materialsrsquo lsquoflowersrsquo (pomegranate pearl rose) connected with contrasting colours
(red white and golden) and positive qualifications (beautiful refined heavenly
sweet honest pure real) The second octave is stirred by movement the
sky brightens Pampinorsquos touch turns nature into something else the playing
wind shakes hair locks spreads out It also introduces the opposition light-dark
(shady night darken brighten light) The source domains of the second octave
are lsquobucolic landscapersquo (meadow river breeze) and lsquoprecious materialsrsquo
(silver gold)
As is to be expected Marino is fond of metaphors and expresses them in
various ways But unlike Nonnus he obviously prefers metaphors in absentia
(Pasinirsquos type 4 see section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo above)
The description of Pampino includes moral and physical qualities In ott 66 3ndash4
the strawberry (lsquodolce color di fragola maturarsquo lsquothe sweet colour of ripe strawberriesrsquo)
paving the way for the source domain lsquofruitrsquo is followed by a series of metaphors
(1) There are several instances of metaphors in absentia which are intelligible when
one looks at either the direct context in which they are embedded or at the existing
Renaissance conventions
vehicle (B = noun thorn- adjective)
a la grana pura (ott 66 5) ndash pure pomegranate (sc in his mouth gt tongue)
b schiette perle (ott 66 6) ndash real pearls (sc in double row gt teeth)
c rosa purpurina (ott 66 7) ndash purple rose (sc there gt on his cheeks gt beard)
d le piume (ott 67 6) ndash feathers (of his hair gt locks of hair)
e tesoro (ott 67 7) ndash treasure (his rich hair)
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(2) To these examples two metaphorical verbs can be added
vehicle (B = verb)
a imporporava (ott 67 3) ndash turned purpleb innargentava (ott 67 4) ndash turned silver
(3) The following metaphor in absentia is qualified by a metaphorical adjective
vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective)
la sua dorata spina (ott 66 8) ndash her golden thorns (reddish-blonde bristles)
(4) Another variant are the metaphors in absentia that combine two metaphorical
expressions
vehicle (B = noun) of vehicle (B = noun)
a colle (B) drsquoavorio (B) (ott 67 8) ndash an ivory hill (of his white neck)
b un bosco (B) drsquooro (B) (ott 67 8) ndash a forest of gold (of his blond hair)
(5) Taken together two final verses of ott 67 are an example of a typical baroque
metaphor (discussed in section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo) a concatenation
of metaphorical images Ott 67 7 is elaborated in the next verse by a metaphor in
apposition on neck (tenorrsquo) the beautiful treasure (tenorrsquorsquo) on an ivory hill (vehiclersquo)a forest of gold (vehiclersquorsquo) Both vehicles are from the source domain lsquolandscapersquo (hill
forest) and continue the image of the previous bucolic description (meadow river
breeze) But at the same time the lsquotreasurersquo (tenorrsquorsquo) is already itself a metaphor (for
lsquohairrsquo) from another source domain (lsquoprecious materialsrsquo) that is elaborated by its
own two metaphorical adjectives lsquoivoryrsquo and lsquogoldrsquo from the same source domain As
we have seen with the example of Lemene the image evokes a further image
creating a kind of lsquoliterary trompe lrsquoœilrsquo
On tenor (Arsquo = noun) tenor (Arsquorsquo = noun) on vehicle (Brsquo noun thorn Brsquorsquo adjec) vehiclersquorsquo
(Brsquorsquo noun thorn Brsquorsquo adjec)
su rsquol collo (Arsquo) il bel tesoro (Arsquorsquo) sovra un colle drsquoavorio (Brsquothorn Brsquorsquo) un bosco drsquooro (Brsquorsquothorn Brsquorsquo)
Some intertextual notes
Apart from the topoi shared by Nonnus and Marino it is easy to see that several of
Marinorsquos verses in ott 67 are closely modelled on Nonnus of course in Lubinrsquos
translation (ed 1606)28 Marino ott 67 1ndash2 (darkness flees before Pampinorsquos eyes)
28 175 Et aliquanto venans sub petra umbrosa sylvae Aequalis iuvenis rosea delectabatur
forma Nunc etenim Phrygiae sub colle puer ludens Ampelus crescebat nuper
enutritus ramus amorum Neque ipsi mollis lanugo rubentis menti 180 Imberbes
nivea signaverat circulos maxilla Iuventae aureum florem In tergum reiectarum vero
comarum Racemi flexuosi super splendidis currebant humeris Non complicati Suavi
vero una concitati cum aura Flatu elevabantur Retractis vero comis 185 In
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combines Nonnus vv 186ndash87 (Ampelusrsquo neck is like the moon shining though
clouds) and vv 191ndash92 (when Ampelus looks the moon shines) Marino ott 67
3ndash4 (Pampinorsquos foot and hand transform meadow and river) is like Nonnus vv
189ndash90 (Ampelusrsquo limbsfoot elicit spring and flowers in the meadow) Marino
ott 67 5ndash6 (the wind playing with Pampinorsquos hair and showing his neck) is similar
to Nonnus vv 183ndash85 (the wind playing with Ampelusrsquo hair and revealing his neck)
Marino was unable to borrow Nonnusrsquo image of Ampelusrsquo foot eliciting spring
because Falkenburgrsquos text and Lubinrsquos translation present a different textual reading
from Chretienrsquos Falkenburg does not have (drsquo7lon) Iar (lsquospringrsquo) but (g1r) 5niar
which was translated as lsquoemolumentumrsquo (lsquogainrsquo) by Lubin
There are however some significant differences To describe the effect of the
Ampelusrsquo neck and eyes Nonnus introduces the image of the moon emerging through
the clouds while evoking simultaneously the moon cycle He begins with a compari-
son and continues with a metaphor spread out over eight verses To describe the
instant effect of Pampinorsquos eyes Marino (or to be more precise the narrator
Dionysus) simply states a truth a hyperbolic truth the light of Pampinorsquos eyes illu-
minates darkness To describe the effect of the neck of the satyr boy he introduces the
landscape and treasure metaphor The importance of the neck seems to point towards
another intertext the description of feminine beauty in the Song of Songs29 The lovers
in the Song of Songs describe each other in metaphorical terms their eyes hair teeth
lips voice cheeks neck breast and overall fairness etc (he in 4 she in 5 10ndash16 he
again in 6 4ndash7 and 7 1ndash9) Among the many source domains in the Song of Songs
lsquofruitrsquo lsquoastral phenomenarsquo and lsquoprecious materialsrsquo are present too To give some
examples her temples are pomegranates (4 3) his arms are rods of gold set with topaz
(5 14) she appears like the dawn the moon the sun the stars (6 10) and last but not
least her neck is an ivory tower (7 4)30 Elsewhere in the Adone (as often in Italian
Baroque poetry) Christian imagery is also clearly present31
summitate apparens oriebatur media nudata cervix Et fulgorem eiaculabatur umbram
relinquens qualia lucet In medio apparens nubem humidam perrumpens Luna Et
oris rosei mel spirans (Lectius 1606 lsquospiansrsquo instead of lsquospiransrsquo) fluebat oratio Ex
membris enim emolumentum (Falkenburg reads g1r 5niar lsquogainrsquo where Chretien has
drsquo7lon Iar) apparebat Cum iret vero 190 Ex pede argenteo pedum (Falkenburg reads
2rgur oio pod8n instead of Chretienrsquos 2rgursquo oio oslashod8n) rubebat pratum Cum vero
faciei bovinae ventorum (Falkenburg has 2n mwn instead of Chretienrsquos rsquoa wn Lectius
1606 has lsquobavinaersquo for lsquobovinaersquo) illustri circulo Oculos circumvertisset tota resplen-
debat Luna
29 Parallels between the Song of Songs and Greek love poetry are already present in Greek
poetry from Antiquity see various articles in Hagedorn (2005)
30 Paradoxically Marino is closer to the Hebrew original (that he was unable to read) than
to the Latin translation of the Vulgate (which he must have used) the Vulgate turns most
of the original metaphors into similes with the indicator lsquosicutrsquo
31 For example the suggested parallel between Adone and Christ condemned by the
Inquisition a nymph acting as Judas revealing Adonersquos hiding place and committing
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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Marino changes some of Nonnusrsquo explicit (rationalizing see Pasini section lsquoA set
of practical tools for analysisrsquo) images into more implicit (open see Pasini section
lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo) ones evoking a concatenation of associations
The image of Ampelusrsquo silvery footstep (Greek 2rguroioLatin argenteo) that
turned the meadow red with roses is adapted to Marinorsquos own time Pampinorsquos
foot is no longer silvery but lsquovagorsquo (a reminiscence of Petrarcarsquos lsquovago piersquo)32 and it
still turns the meadow purple but the reader has to supply the exact nature of the
purple (eg purple gt flower gt rose) Since in the Renaissance canon lsquofootrsquo evokes
lsquohandrsquo and since the colour lsquopurplersquo evokes the contrast lsquowhitersquo Pampinorsquos foot and
the purple meadow in ott 67 3 lead lsquospontaneouslyrsquo to lsquohis white handrsquo in ott 67 4
Finally Nonnusrsquo lsquosilveryrsquo is not lost but transformed into the metaphorical verb
lsquoturned into silverrsquo (an interesting invention to provoke a new contrast in the readerrsquos
mind because the story is situated in Phrygia with its proverbially gold-gleaming
river Pactolus)33
What can we conclude on the basis of the similarities and differences in the
passages of Nonnus and Marino about their use of metaphor
First it is evident that Nonnus and Marino are equally fond of metaphors
Nonnusrsquo eighteen verses contain twelve metaphors and one comparison Marinorsquo
sixteen verses contain twelve metaphors On a quantitative level the abundant and
cumulative use of metaphors by Nonnus could be called lsquobaroquersquo
Secondly we have seen that on a conceptual level Nonnus and Marino share some
characteristics but not all Both poets work with the contrasting couples red-white
and light-dark and use the source domain lsquoflowerrsquo But the more traditional source
domains lsquoprecious materialsrsquo and lsquofruitrsquo inherited by Marino from the Renaissance
canon of beauty are barely or not at all present in Nonnus at least not in this passage
Thirdly at the linguistic level Nonnus and Marino clearly employ different
kinds and complexities of metaphor Nonnus on the one hand uses a concatenation
of metaphors in praesentia crowned by his personal metaphorical formula in which
the appearance of the tenor simultaneously evokes the vehicle Linguistically speak-
ing the relation between tenor and vehicle remains visible and controllable
suicide Venus crying over Adonersquos body as Mary did over Jesusrsquo body Adone is not
wounded in his thigh as in Greek mythology but in his side See also Guardiani (2001)
and Gonnelli (2003 29ndash30 on pagan and Christian syncretism in Nonnusrsquo Paraphrasis
and Marinorsquos Adone) The last motif recurs in the fresco lsquoLa Morte di Adonersquo by Luca
Giordano (1682ndash85) Palazzo Medici-Riccardi Florence It is reminiscent of the parallel
between Dionysus and Christ also expressed in various mosaics for example in a Roman
mosaic depicting Dionysusrsquo discovery of Ariadne on Naxos (Syria 3rd-4th cent Miho
Museum Kyoto Japan cat NA) where Dionysus not only has a nimbus but also a
wound in his sidebreast (a later addition) (I thank Berenice Verhelst for pointing out
this mosaic to me)
32 For this intricate Renaissance style word play see Pozzi (1976) ad loc
33 See Nonn Dion 11 17ndash55 for the swimming contest with Dionysus and Ampelus and
the effect on the satyr boy of the golden water of the river Pactolus
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(lsquorationalrsquo lsquoclosedrsquo) Marino on the other hand prefers metaphors in absentia
opening the associative distance between vehicle and tenor to a maximum He uses
the auto-referential metaphor that is so typical of Baroque poetry Marinorsquos method
reflects instability the arbitrariness of the relation between tenor and vehicle seems to
express the absence of a shared and well-organized world with absolute values As
Conte (1972 37) puts it lsquoconfronted by a reality (human social politic cultural) in
crisis the baroque word denounces the prerogative of the word it speaks almost
exclusively of itself but speaking of itself it imitates takes possession of exorcizes
and even organizes the crisisrsquo Therefore on a linguistic level there seems to be more
method in Nonnusrsquo madness than in Marinorsquos
Finally what about the overall effect of the metaphors they use in their respective
descriptions Nonnus and Marino both describe beautiful beardless satyr boys
caught in a fleeting moment of radiant movement in an eroticizing bucolic setting
They put equal emphasis on the beauty and the fragility of youth and on the satyr
boyrsquos impact on the nature surrounding him As we have seen Nonnusrsquo metaphors
make Ampelus progressively intermingle with nature announcing the satyr boyrsquos
metamorphosis Even though they are classified as more lsquorationalrsquo on a linguistic
level (see Pasini) their effect is impressively irrational and open Just as Marinorsquos
metaphors they are constantly related to metamorphosis expressing change and
instability These are typical features of the Baroque that also explain at least partly
Marinorsquos affiliation with Nonnus
Conclusion
To return to the initial question of this article do we need the term lsquobaroquersquo to
characterize Nonnusrsquo poetry We have seen that the use of lsquobaroquersquo for other
periods than the seventeenth-century Baroque has met with positive and negative
reactions being found either too restricted or too broad and that the term lsquobaroquersquo
is often used for Nonnusrsquo Dionysiaca in an impressionistic way to indicate that his
aesthetics deviate from the lsquoclassicalrsquo Used in this sense lsquobaroquersquo can suggest
openness expansion abundance accumulation asymmetry moving musicality
optical illusion and the absence of a vanishing point as opposed to lsquoclassicalrsquo
with its connotation of contours closed nature unity harmony symmetry archi-
tectural fixity and converging perspectives Many of these tendencies known from
the historical Baroque are visible in Late Antique poetry
What about the other qualifications at hand such as poik0lordquo lsquojeweledrsquo and
lsquocumulativersquo Can they replace the term lsquobaroquersquo The first poikil0a is intimately
linked with Nonnusrsquo own poetics as becomes immediately clear from his prologue
where it refers to variety and polymorphism in the poem as a whole The poet wishes
that lsquoProteus of the many turnsrsquo the god of endless transformation lsquomay appear in
all his diversity of shapes since I twang my harp to a diversity of songsrsquo34 It is
34 Nonn Dion I 15 5rsquora rsquoan0h poik0lon Idordquo ecwn 7ti poik0lon 4mnon 2r0ssw (transl
Rouse 1940) The term poik0lordquo has been used very frequently by scholars to describe
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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nloaded from
applied to Late Antique literature as well as to art works both art forms being
intimately linked during this period Gianfranco Agosti (1997 34ndash35 see also
2006 361ss) expands its use understanding it lsquonot only as stylistic varietas but
above all as a code intended to characterize reality The concept of poikil0a goes
far beyond mere rhetorical or stylistic boundaries and becomes a peculiar way of
viewing realityrsquo When used in this way as a psychological category applied to the
relation between word and image it becomes a hermeneutic tool to explore Late
Antique world views
The second expression lsquojeweled stylersquo is used for Late Antique writers and
artists who place their words and phrases or their gems and colours in geometric
patterns The aim of these patterns is to create a symbolic unity which is considered
more important than linear narrative sequences in literature and realism in the visual
arts The term has been coined by Michael Roberts (1989) for the aesthetics of Latin
poetry from Late Antiquity (Ausonius Prudentius Claudian Sidonius etc) but
can be applied mutatis mutandis to Greek literature from the same period
The third expression lsquocumulative aestheticrsquo describes a similar attitude in Late
Antique art characterized by a particular attention to detail (lsquoexquisite miniatur-
izationrsquo) and by a preference for the re-use of precious elements from the past
(spolia) The sum of these separate entities forms a new unity and expresses a
new vision of the world Jas Elsner (2004) discusses the term in the context of the
visual arts but it can also be applied to literature
Poikil0a jeweled style and cumulative aesthetic are free of the charge of
anachronism They are related each of them covering several aspects of Late
Antique art and literature but not all In my opinion the term lsquobaroquersquo serves a
different purpose it can indicate generally the kind of expressive possibilities chosen
by an author provided that this sketchy characterization is subsequently elaborated
in order to lend the term lsquobaroquersquo a more specific significance especially by
comparing it to the lsquoBaroquersquo
The term lsquobaroquersquo as a general indication for Nonnusrsquo style invited me to com-
pare lsquobaroquersquo Nonnus with lsquoBaroque Marinorsquo I picked up the Tesaurorsquos telescope
to zoom in on metaphor and to study the lsquoqueen of figuresrsquo from close up Nonnusrsquo
metaphors clearly appealed to the poetic creativity of Marino There is much aes-
thetic affinity between the stylistic norms they adopted when composing metaphors
They use comparable expressive possibilities to articulate their vision of the world
even if these worlds are very different and even if the lsquomost Baroque of baroque
poetsrsquo goes one step further than Nonnus Zooming out again I conclude two things
Nonnusrsquo style on the basis of his own proemium See for example Lindsay (1965 379ndash
84) String (1966 33ndash70) Vian (1976 9ndash10) Gonzalez Senmartı (1981) Hopkinson
(1994) Whitby (1994 101 112 116) Agosti (1997) Shorrock (2001) Miguelez-
Cavero (2008 139ndash45 162ndash68) Hernandez de la Fuente (2011) As a poetical qualifica-
tion poikil0a is already present in Pindar see Nunlist (1998 118) For poikil0avarietas
in epideictic rhetoric of the Imperial Period see Pernot (1993 337)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
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nloaded from
if not pinned down as a strictly historical category the term lsquobaroquersquo can to a
certain extent be applied to Nonnus and above all can invite further exploration of
the intertextual relationships between poets and be helpful in comparing artistic
norms from different periods of time Used in this way it does not replace nor is
replaced by the terms poikil0a lsquojeweled stylersquo and cumulative aesthetics but is a
stimulating tool to bring to light similarities and differences in poetic creativity not
only of metaphor but also of other characteristics which have been called lsquotypically
baroquersquo35 It can help to gain insight into the exact nature of a literary lsquodialogue at
distancersquo and could also prove fruitful in analysing and characterizing Marinorsquos
intertexutal relations with other authors from Antiquity
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank G Agosti M H Koenen P Lanfranchi and M Pearson for
their stimulating comments and lively discussions during the various stages of this
article as well as Jas Elsner the associate editor and the anonymous referees of
Classical Receptions Journal for their accurate and useful suggestions
References
G Agosti lsquoPoemi digressivi tardoantichi (e moderni)rsquo Compar(a)ison no 1 (1995) pp 131ndash51mdashmdash lsquoThe poikil0a of Paul the Bishoprsquo ZPE no 116 (1997) pp 31ndash38mdashmdash lsquoImmagini e poesia nella tarda antichita Per uno studio dellrsquoestetica visuale della poesia greca fra
III e IV sec d Crsquo Incontri Triestini di Filologia Classica 4 2004-2005 (2006) pp 351ndash74 Onlinesince 22 August 2006 httphdlhandlenet10077949 [accessed 4 July 2012]
S Bar Review of Miguelez-Cavero 2008 in Plekos no 12 (2010) pp 67ndash77 httpwwwplekosuni-muenchende2010r-caveropdf [accessed 4 July 2012]
E van Boven and G Dorleijn Literair Mechaniek Inleiding tot de Analyse van Verhalen en Gedichten(Bussum Coutinho 2003) esp pp 159ndash80 (lsquoBeeldspraakrsquo)
Ch Brooke-Rose A Grammar of Metaphor (London Secker amp Warburg 1958)P Cherchi lsquoPoetry Philosophy and Sciencersquo in P Brand and L Pertile (eds) The Cambridge History
of Italian Literature vol I The Seicento (Cambridge Cambridge University Press 1996)pp 301ndash17
G Chretien Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t IV chants IXndashX (Paris Les Belles Lettres1985)
G Conte La Metafora barocca Saggio sulle poetiche del Seicento (Milano Mursia 1972)E R Curtius Europaische Literatur und lateinisches Mittelalter (Bern Francke Verlag 1948)G DrsquoIppolito Studi Nonniani Lrsquoepillio nelle Dionisiache (Palermo Presso lrsquoAccademia 1964)E DrsquoOrs Du Baroque (Paris Gallimard 1935)
35 Other intertexual relations such as the ones briefly discussed by Tissoni (1998 59ndash62)
could be analysed according to the procedure of Rousset (1954) although he restricted
his method to the seventeenth-century French Baroque literature He formulated four
main criteria applicable to various seventeenth-century Baroque art forms (architecture
painting and literature) lsquoinstabilityrsquo lsquomobilityrsquo lsquometamorphosisrsquo and lsquodominance of
settingrsquo He subsequently applied these criteria to five literary instances first of all lsquoa type
of metaphorrsquo followed by lsquoa type of poemrsquo lsquoa poetic work as a wholersquo lsquoa theatrical work as
a wholersquo and lsquoa general attitudersquo ie lsquodisplayrsquo (1954 181ss)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
23 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
J Elsner lsquoLate Antique Art The Problem of the Concept and the Cumulative Aestheticrsquo in S Swainand M Edwards (eds) Approaching Late Antiquity The Transformation from Early to Late Empire(Oxford Oxford University Press 2004) pp 271ndash309
E Faral Les Arts Poetiques du XIIe et XIIIe siecle Recherches et Documents sur la Technique Litteraire duMoyen Age (Paris Champion 1962)
W Fauth Eidos Poikilon Zur Thematik der Metamorphose und zum Prinzip der Wandlung aus demGegensatz in den Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Gottingen Vandenhoeck amp Ruprecht 1981)
P Friedlander Johannes von Gaza und Paulus Silentiarius Kunstbeschreibungen Justinianischer Zeit(Leipzig Teubner 1912)
H de la Fuente lsquoThe One and the Many and the Circular Movement Neo-Platonism and Poetics inNonnus of Panopolisrsquo in Id (ed) New Perspectives on Late Antiquity (Newcastle-upon-TyneCambridge Scholars 2011)
F Gonnelli Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol II (canti XIIIndashXXIV) (Milano BibliotecaUniversale Rizzoli 2003)
V Giraudet lsquoLe rivage la presqursquoıle et le marais Espaces baroques chez Achille Tatius et Nonnos dePanopolisrsquo in R Poignault (ed) Presence du Roman grec et Latin (Clermont-Ferrand Centre deRecherches A Piganiol 2011) pp 147ndash66
Groupe m (J Dubois ea) Rhetorique generale (Paris du Seuil 1970)F Guardiani lsquoA Christological Metamorphosis in a Baroque Poemrsquo in J Goering ea (ed) Saints and
the Sacred Select Proceedings of the 3rd St Michaelrsquos College Annual Symposium (Feb 25-26 2000)(Ottawa Legas 2001) pp 185ndash95
A C Hagedorn (ed) Perspectives on the Song of Songs (Berlin De Gruyter 2005)F Hallyn Formes metaphoriques dans la poesie lyrique de lrsquoage baroque en France (Geneve Droz 1975)H Hatzfeld lsquoThe Baroque from the Viewpoint of the Literary Historianrsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art
Criticism 142 Second Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1955) 156ndash64N Hopkinson (ed) Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society
1994)R Huyghe lsquoLa seve du baroquersquo Baroque [online] no 4 (1969) Online since 3 May 2012 http
baroquerevuesorg304 [accessed 22 January 2013]K Jax Die weibliche Schonheit in der griechischen Dichtung (Innsbruck Wagner 1933)R Keydell lsquoNonnosrsquo in Th Klauser (ed) Reallexikon fur Antike und Christentum vol XVII
(Stuttgart Hiersemann 1936) vol XVII pp 902ndash20G Lakoff Metaphors We Live By (Chicago University of Chicago Press 1980)G Lakoff and M Turner More Than Cool Reason A Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor (Chicago
University of Chicago Press 1989)L R Lind lsquoNonnos and His Readersrsquo Res Publica Litterarum (1978) 159ndash70J Lindsay Leisure and Pleasure in Roman Egypt (London Muller 1965)V De Malde Giovan Battista Marino La Sampogna (Parma Fondazione Pietro Bembo Ugo Guanda
Editore 1993)A Martini Letteratura Italiana Le Opere Vol II Dal Cinquecento al Settecento A Asor Rosa (ed)
(Turin Einaudi 1993) pp 777ndash97R T Matthews and F DeWitt Platt The Western Humanities (Boston McGraw-Hill 2004)L Miguelez-Cavero Poems in Context Greek Poetry in the Egyptian Thebaid 200-600 AD (Berlin De
Gruyter 2008)R F Newbold lsquoMimesis and Illusion in Nonnus Deceit Distrust and the Search for Meaningrsquo
Helios 37 no 1 (2010) pp 81ndash106R Nunlist Poetologische Bildersprache in der fruhgriechischen Dichtung (Stuttgart Teubner 1998)G F Pasini lsquoDalla comparazione alla metaforarsquo Lingua e Stile 7 no 3 (1972) pp 441ndash69L Pernot La rhetorique de lrsquoeloge dans le monde greco-romain vol I (Paris Institut drsquoEtudes
Augustiennes 1993)S N Peters lsquoMetaphor and lsquolsquoMaravigliarsquorsquo Tradition and Innovation in the Adone of GB Marinorsquo
Lingua e Stile 7 no 2 (1972) pp 321ndash41D G Piccardi Metafora e Poetica in Nonno di Panopoli (Florence Universite degli Studi di Firenze
1985)mdashmdash Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol I (canti IndashXII) (Milano Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli
2003)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
24 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
G Pozzi Giovan Battista Marino vol II LrsquoAdone (Milano Mondadori 1976)mdashmdash lsquoIl ritratto della donna nella poesia drsquoinizio Cinquecento e la pittura di Giorgionersquo Lettere Italiane
311 gennaio-marzo (1979) pp 3ndash30mdashmdash lsquoTemi t0poi stereotipirsquo in A Asor Rosa (ed) Letteratura italiana III Le forme del testo I
Teoria e poesia (Torino Einaudi 1984) pp 391ndash436I A Richards The Philosophy of Rhetoric (New York Oxford University Press 1936)M Riemschneider lsquoDer Stil des Nonnosrsquo Berliner byzantinistische Arbeiten no 5 (1957) pp 46ndash70M Roberts The Jeweled Style Poetry and Poetics in Late Antiquity (Ithaca and London Cornell
University Press 1989)W H D Rouse Nonnus Dionysiaca (Cambridge MA Harvard University Press 1940)J Rousset La litterature de lrsquoage baroque en France Circe et le paon (Paris Corti 1954)E Russo lsquoSul barocco letterario in Italia Giudizi revisioni distinzionirsquo Les Dossiers du Grihl [Online]
2012-02 j 2012 Online since 25 June 2012 httpdossiersgrihlrevuesorg5223 [accessed 4 March2013]
A G Senmartı lsquoLa lsquolsquopoikiliarsquorsquo como principio estilıstico de las Dionisıacas de Nonorsquo AFB no 7(1981) pp 101ndash07
R Shorrock The Challenge of Epic Allusive Engagement in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Leiden Brill2001)
mdashmdash lsquoNonnusrsquo in J Foley (ed) A Companion to Ancient Epic (Oxford Wiley-Blackwell 2005)pp 374ndash85
mdashmdash The Myth of Paganism Nonnus Dionysus and the World of Late Antiquity (London BristolClassical Press 2011)
G Steen lsquoMetaphor and Stylersquo in P Stockwell and S Whiteley (eds) The Cambridge Handbook ofStylistics (Cambridge Cambridge University Press forthcoming 2014)
M String Untersuchungen zum Stil der Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Hamburg sn (disserta-tion) 1966)
E Tesauro Il Cannocchiale Aristotelico (Venice Baglioni 1654ndash70)F Tissoni Nonno di Panopoli I Canti di Penteo (Dionisiache 44ndash46) Commento (Florence La Nuova
Italia Editrice 1998)F Vian Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t I chants IndashII (Paris Les Belles Lettres 1976)R Wellek lsquoThe Concept of Baroque in Literary Scholarshiprsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism
52 Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1946) pp 77ndash109M Whitby lsquoFrom Moschus to Nonnus The Evolution of the Nonnian Stylersquo in N Hopkinson (ed)
Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society 1994) pp 99ndash155A Wifstrand Von Kallimachos zu Nonnos Metrisch-stilistische Untersuchungen zur spateren griechischen
Epik und zu verwandten Gedichtgattungen (Lund Gleerup 1933)H Wolfflin Renaissance und Barock Eine Untersuchung uber Wesen und Entstehung des Barockstils in
Italien (Munich T Ackermann 1888)
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25 of 25
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ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
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nloaded from
parea sparso su rsquol collo il bel tesoro
8 sovra un colle drsquoavorio un bosco drsquooro
ott 66 His beautiful forehead Nature adorned
with refined nobility with heavenly looks
The sweet colour of ripe strawberries4 painted his honest cheeks red
In his mouth pure pomegranate laughed
set between real pearls in a double row
There the purple rose had not
8 yet produced her golden thorns
ott 67 The shady night the darkened sky
brightened at the light of his beautiful eyesHis yearning foot turned the meadow purple
4 his white hand turned the river silver
When a gentle breeze with its soft breath
playing with his hair shook his feathers
on his neck the beautiful treasure seemed to spread out
8 on an ivory hill a forest of gold
This description of Pampino owes much to Nonnusrsquo description of Ampelus but is
at the same time different Since Marino uses and plays with the Renaissance canon
of beauty I will discuss this canon briefly in order to gain a better understanding of
the Pampino passage
The topos of beauty began to acquire fixed rules during the Middle Ages and was
completely canonized by the Renaissance27 From the Middle Ages onwards two
types of canon for feminine beauty were developed the short and the long canon
The short canon (used by Petrarch) focuses on the face mentioning hair eyes
mouth and cheeks Hand and breast are briefly referred to forehead and neck are
seldom included The long canon (used by Boccaccio and Ariosto) adds more detail
and leads the gaze further downwards from head to toe Central features of the short
canon are splendour (light) and colour (white) whereas the long canon emphasizes
harmonious proportions (of the body)
Renaissance poets use set comparisons and oppositions such as lsquoredrsquo versus
lsquowhitersquo But within these fixed boundaries there were ample possibilities for vari-
ance One way to play with conventions was the following a poet could mention only
one element of an opposition and thereby automatically evoke its counterpart in the
27 For an overview of Greek poetry up to the Byzantine period see Jax (1933) with dis-
turbing racist emphasis on lsquodas weibliche Schonheitsideal der weiszligen Rassersquo for the
Latin Middle-Ages see Faral (1962 esp p 75 ss) Sidonius Apollinarisrsquo portrait of
Theodoric (Ep I 2 2 sixth century) is seen as the best model for descriptions of persons
by Geoffroy de Vinsauf (Poetria nova 1210 CE) for the Renaissance see Pozzi (1979 and
1984)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
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nloaded from
mind of the audience For example if he described a hand a foot was to be imagined
by the reader when a rose was mentioned it was intended that a lily be brought to
mind etc
Favourite source domains for metaphors were in the first place flowers roses
lilies and violets for colour and evanescence secondly precious materials pearls
rubies coral and gold for colour and diamond and sapphire for splendour and
thirdly lsquoheavenly bodiesrsquo stars and the sun for splendour and movement For
special effects these elements could be combined into homogeneous or heteroge-
neous couples a lily and a rose or ivory and a rose etc
How are these images used and constructed in the present passage from
Marino Marino combines the two canons adopting the short canon for his descrip-
tion of the young man and then enumerating his several parts from head to toe He
begins with the (moral) qualities given by Nature to Pampinorsquos forehead (ott 66
1ndash2) continues with his cheeks mouth and cheeks again (ott 66 3ndash8) then turns to
his eyes (ott 67 1ndash2) to his foot and hand (ott 67 3ndash4 the foot belonging to the
long canon) and finally to his hair and neck (ott 67 5ndash8) Marino adds various
(moral) qualifications The first octave is relatively quiet drawing as it were
Pampinorsquos portrait Its three source domains for the metaphors are lsquofruitrsquo lsquoprecious
materialsrsquo lsquoflowersrsquo (pomegranate pearl rose) connected with contrasting colours
(red white and golden) and positive qualifications (beautiful refined heavenly
sweet honest pure real) The second octave is stirred by movement the
sky brightens Pampinorsquos touch turns nature into something else the playing
wind shakes hair locks spreads out It also introduces the opposition light-dark
(shady night darken brighten light) The source domains of the second octave
are lsquobucolic landscapersquo (meadow river breeze) and lsquoprecious materialsrsquo
(silver gold)
As is to be expected Marino is fond of metaphors and expresses them in
various ways But unlike Nonnus he obviously prefers metaphors in absentia
(Pasinirsquos type 4 see section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo above)
The description of Pampino includes moral and physical qualities In ott 66 3ndash4
the strawberry (lsquodolce color di fragola maturarsquo lsquothe sweet colour of ripe strawberriesrsquo)
paving the way for the source domain lsquofruitrsquo is followed by a series of metaphors
(1) There are several instances of metaphors in absentia which are intelligible when
one looks at either the direct context in which they are embedded or at the existing
Renaissance conventions
vehicle (B = noun thorn- adjective)
a la grana pura (ott 66 5) ndash pure pomegranate (sc in his mouth gt tongue)
b schiette perle (ott 66 6) ndash real pearls (sc in double row gt teeth)
c rosa purpurina (ott 66 7) ndash purple rose (sc there gt on his cheeks gt beard)
d le piume (ott 67 6) ndash feathers (of his hair gt locks of hair)
e tesoro (ott 67 7) ndash treasure (his rich hair)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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nloaded from
(2) To these examples two metaphorical verbs can be added
vehicle (B = verb)
a imporporava (ott 67 3) ndash turned purpleb innargentava (ott 67 4) ndash turned silver
(3) The following metaphor in absentia is qualified by a metaphorical adjective
vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective)
la sua dorata spina (ott 66 8) ndash her golden thorns (reddish-blonde bristles)
(4) Another variant are the metaphors in absentia that combine two metaphorical
expressions
vehicle (B = noun) of vehicle (B = noun)
a colle (B) drsquoavorio (B) (ott 67 8) ndash an ivory hill (of his white neck)
b un bosco (B) drsquooro (B) (ott 67 8) ndash a forest of gold (of his blond hair)
(5) Taken together two final verses of ott 67 are an example of a typical baroque
metaphor (discussed in section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo) a concatenation
of metaphorical images Ott 67 7 is elaborated in the next verse by a metaphor in
apposition on neck (tenorrsquo) the beautiful treasure (tenorrsquorsquo) on an ivory hill (vehiclersquo)a forest of gold (vehiclersquorsquo) Both vehicles are from the source domain lsquolandscapersquo (hill
forest) and continue the image of the previous bucolic description (meadow river
breeze) But at the same time the lsquotreasurersquo (tenorrsquorsquo) is already itself a metaphor (for
lsquohairrsquo) from another source domain (lsquoprecious materialsrsquo) that is elaborated by its
own two metaphorical adjectives lsquoivoryrsquo and lsquogoldrsquo from the same source domain As
we have seen with the example of Lemene the image evokes a further image
creating a kind of lsquoliterary trompe lrsquoœilrsquo
On tenor (Arsquo = noun) tenor (Arsquorsquo = noun) on vehicle (Brsquo noun thorn Brsquorsquo adjec) vehiclersquorsquo
(Brsquorsquo noun thorn Brsquorsquo adjec)
su rsquol collo (Arsquo) il bel tesoro (Arsquorsquo) sovra un colle drsquoavorio (Brsquothorn Brsquorsquo) un bosco drsquooro (Brsquorsquothorn Brsquorsquo)
Some intertextual notes
Apart from the topoi shared by Nonnus and Marino it is easy to see that several of
Marinorsquos verses in ott 67 are closely modelled on Nonnus of course in Lubinrsquos
translation (ed 1606)28 Marino ott 67 1ndash2 (darkness flees before Pampinorsquos eyes)
28 175 Et aliquanto venans sub petra umbrosa sylvae Aequalis iuvenis rosea delectabatur
forma Nunc etenim Phrygiae sub colle puer ludens Ampelus crescebat nuper
enutritus ramus amorum Neque ipsi mollis lanugo rubentis menti 180 Imberbes
nivea signaverat circulos maxilla Iuventae aureum florem In tergum reiectarum vero
comarum Racemi flexuosi super splendidis currebant humeris Non complicati Suavi
vero una concitati cum aura Flatu elevabantur Retractis vero comis 185 In
E M V A N O P S T A L L
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combines Nonnus vv 186ndash87 (Ampelusrsquo neck is like the moon shining though
clouds) and vv 191ndash92 (when Ampelus looks the moon shines) Marino ott 67
3ndash4 (Pampinorsquos foot and hand transform meadow and river) is like Nonnus vv
189ndash90 (Ampelusrsquo limbsfoot elicit spring and flowers in the meadow) Marino
ott 67 5ndash6 (the wind playing with Pampinorsquos hair and showing his neck) is similar
to Nonnus vv 183ndash85 (the wind playing with Ampelusrsquo hair and revealing his neck)
Marino was unable to borrow Nonnusrsquo image of Ampelusrsquo foot eliciting spring
because Falkenburgrsquos text and Lubinrsquos translation present a different textual reading
from Chretienrsquos Falkenburg does not have (drsquo7lon) Iar (lsquospringrsquo) but (g1r) 5niar
which was translated as lsquoemolumentumrsquo (lsquogainrsquo) by Lubin
There are however some significant differences To describe the effect of the
Ampelusrsquo neck and eyes Nonnus introduces the image of the moon emerging through
the clouds while evoking simultaneously the moon cycle He begins with a compari-
son and continues with a metaphor spread out over eight verses To describe the
instant effect of Pampinorsquos eyes Marino (or to be more precise the narrator
Dionysus) simply states a truth a hyperbolic truth the light of Pampinorsquos eyes illu-
minates darkness To describe the effect of the neck of the satyr boy he introduces the
landscape and treasure metaphor The importance of the neck seems to point towards
another intertext the description of feminine beauty in the Song of Songs29 The lovers
in the Song of Songs describe each other in metaphorical terms their eyes hair teeth
lips voice cheeks neck breast and overall fairness etc (he in 4 she in 5 10ndash16 he
again in 6 4ndash7 and 7 1ndash9) Among the many source domains in the Song of Songs
lsquofruitrsquo lsquoastral phenomenarsquo and lsquoprecious materialsrsquo are present too To give some
examples her temples are pomegranates (4 3) his arms are rods of gold set with topaz
(5 14) she appears like the dawn the moon the sun the stars (6 10) and last but not
least her neck is an ivory tower (7 4)30 Elsewhere in the Adone (as often in Italian
Baroque poetry) Christian imagery is also clearly present31
summitate apparens oriebatur media nudata cervix Et fulgorem eiaculabatur umbram
relinquens qualia lucet In medio apparens nubem humidam perrumpens Luna Et
oris rosei mel spirans (Lectius 1606 lsquospiansrsquo instead of lsquospiransrsquo) fluebat oratio Ex
membris enim emolumentum (Falkenburg reads g1r 5niar lsquogainrsquo where Chretien has
drsquo7lon Iar) apparebat Cum iret vero 190 Ex pede argenteo pedum (Falkenburg reads
2rgur oio pod8n instead of Chretienrsquos 2rgursquo oio oslashod8n) rubebat pratum Cum vero
faciei bovinae ventorum (Falkenburg has 2n mwn instead of Chretienrsquos rsquoa wn Lectius
1606 has lsquobavinaersquo for lsquobovinaersquo) illustri circulo Oculos circumvertisset tota resplen-
debat Luna
29 Parallels between the Song of Songs and Greek love poetry are already present in Greek
poetry from Antiquity see various articles in Hagedorn (2005)
30 Paradoxically Marino is closer to the Hebrew original (that he was unable to read) than
to the Latin translation of the Vulgate (which he must have used) the Vulgate turns most
of the original metaphors into similes with the indicator lsquosicutrsquo
31 For example the suggested parallel between Adone and Christ condemned by the
Inquisition a nymph acting as Judas revealing Adonersquos hiding place and committing
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
19 of 25
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nloaded from
Marino changes some of Nonnusrsquo explicit (rationalizing see Pasini section lsquoA set
of practical tools for analysisrsquo) images into more implicit (open see Pasini section
lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo) ones evoking a concatenation of associations
The image of Ampelusrsquo silvery footstep (Greek 2rguroioLatin argenteo) that
turned the meadow red with roses is adapted to Marinorsquos own time Pampinorsquos
foot is no longer silvery but lsquovagorsquo (a reminiscence of Petrarcarsquos lsquovago piersquo)32 and it
still turns the meadow purple but the reader has to supply the exact nature of the
purple (eg purple gt flower gt rose) Since in the Renaissance canon lsquofootrsquo evokes
lsquohandrsquo and since the colour lsquopurplersquo evokes the contrast lsquowhitersquo Pampinorsquos foot and
the purple meadow in ott 67 3 lead lsquospontaneouslyrsquo to lsquohis white handrsquo in ott 67 4
Finally Nonnusrsquo lsquosilveryrsquo is not lost but transformed into the metaphorical verb
lsquoturned into silverrsquo (an interesting invention to provoke a new contrast in the readerrsquos
mind because the story is situated in Phrygia with its proverbially gold-gleaming
river Pactolus)33
What can we conclude on the basis of the similarities and differences in the
passages of Nonnus and Marino about their use of metaphor
First it is evident that Nonnus and Marino are equally fond of metaphors
Nonnusrsquo eighteen verses contain twelve metaphors and one comparison Marinorsquo
sixteen verses contain twelve metaphors On a quantitative level the abundant and
cumulative use of metaphors by Nonnus could be called lsquobaroquersquo
Secondly we have seen that on a conceptual level Nonnus and Marino share some
characteristics but not all Both poets work with the contrasting couples red-white
and light-dark and use the source domain lsquoflowerrsquo But the more traditional source
domains lsquoprecious materialsrsquo and lsquofruitrsquo inherited by Marino from the Renaissance
canon of beauty are barely or not at all present in Nonnus at least not in this passage
Thirdly at the linguistic level Nonnus and Marino clearly employ different
kinds and complexities of metaphor Nonnus on the one hand uses a concatenation
of metaphors in praesentia crowned by his personal metaphorical formula in which
the appearance of the tenor simultaneously evokes the vehicle Linguistically speak-
ing the relation between tenor and vehicle remains visible and controllable
suicide Venus crying over Adonersquos body as Mary did over Jesusrsquo body Adone is not
wounded in his thigh as in Greek mythology but in his side See also Guardiani (2001)
and Gonnelli (2003 29ndash30 on pagan and Christian syncretism in Nonnusrsquo Paraphrasis
and Marinorsquos Adone) The last motif recurs in the fresco lsquoLa Morte di Adonersquo by Luca
Giordano (1682ndash85) Palazzo Medici-Riccardi Florence It is reminiscent of the parallel
between Dionysus and Christ also expressed in various mosaics for example in a Roman
mosaic depicting Dionysusrsquo discovery of Ariadne on Naxos (Syria 3rd-4th cent Miho
Museum Kyoto Japan cat NA) where Dionysus not only has a nimbus but also a
wound in his sidebreast (a later addition) (I thank Berenice Verhelst for pointing out
this mosaic to me)
32 For this intricate Renaissance style word play see Pozzi (1976) ad loc
33 See Nonn Dion 11 17ndash55 for the swimming contest with Dionysus and Ampelus and
the effect on the satyr boy of the golden water of the river Pactolus
E M V A N O P S T A L L
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(lsquorationalrsquo lsquoclosedrsquo) Marino on the other hand prefers metaphors in absentia
opening the associative distance between vehicle and tenor to a maximum He uses
the auto-referential metaphor that is so typical of Baroque poetry Marinorsquos method
reflects instability the arbitrariness of the relation between tenor and vehicle seems to
express the absence of a shared and well-organized world with absolute values As
Conte (1972 37) puts it lsquoconfronted by a reality (human social politic cultural) in
crisis the baroque word denounces the prerogative of the word it speaks almost
exclusively of itself but speaking of itself it imitates takes possession of exorcizes
and even organizes the crisisrsquo Therefore on a linguistic level there seems to be more
method in Nonnusrsquo madness than in Marinorsquos
Finally what about the overall effect of the metaphors they use in their respective
descriptions Nonnus and Marino both describe beautiful beardless satyr boys
caught in a fleeting moment of radiant movement in an eroticizing bucolic setting
They put equal emphasis on the beauty and the fragility of youth and on the satyr
boyrsquos impact on the nature surrounding him As we have seen Nonnusrsquo metaphors
make Ampelus progressively intermingle with nature announcing the satyr boyrsquos
metamorphosis Even though they are classified as more lsquorationalrsquo on a linguistic
level (see Pasini) their effect is impressively irrational and open Just as Marinorsquos
metaphors they are constantly related to metamorphosis expressing change and
instability These are typical features of the Baroque that also explain at least partly
Marinorsquos affiliation with Nonnus
Conclusion
To return to the initial question of this article do we need the term lsquobaroquersquo to
characterize Nonnusrsquo poetry We have seen that the use of lsquobaroquersquo for other
periods than the seventeenth-century Baroque has met with positive and negative
reactions being found either too restricted or too broad and that the term lsquobaroquersquo
is often used for Nonnusrsquo Dionysiaca in an impressionistic way to indicate that his
aesthetics deviate from the lsquoclassicalrsquo Used in this sense lsquobaroquersquo can suggest
openness expansion abundance accumulation asymmetry moving musicality
optical illusion and the absence of a vanishing point as opposed to lsquoclassicalrsquo
with its connotation of contours closed nature unity harmony symmetry archi-
tectural fixity and converging perspectives Many of these tendencies known from
the historical Baroque are visible in Late Antique poetry
What about the other qualifications at hand such as poik0lordquo lsquojeweledrsquo and
lsquocumulativersquo Can they replace the term lsquobaroquersquo The first poikil0a is intimately
linked with Nonnusrsquo own poetics as becomes immediately clear from his prologue
where it refers to variety and polymorphism in the poem as a whole The poet wishes
that lsquoProteus of the many turnsrsquo the god of endless transformation lsquomay appear in
all his diversity of shapes since I twang my harp to a diversity of songsrsquo34 It is
34 Nonn Dion I 15 5rsquora rsquoan0h poik0lon Idordquo ecwn 7ti poik0lon 4mnon 2r0ssw (transl
Rouse 1940) The term poik0lordquo has been used very frequently by scholars to describe
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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Dow
nloaded from
applied to Late Antique literature as well as to art works both art forms being
intimately linked during this period Gianfranco Agosti (1997 34ndash35 see also
2006 361ss) expands its use understanding it lsquonot only as stylistic varietas but
above all as a code intended to characterize reality The concept of poikil0a goes
far beyond mere rhetorical or stylistic boundaries and becomes a peculiar way of
viewing realityrsquo When used in this way as a psychological category applied to the
relation between word and image it becomes a hermeneutic tool to explore Late
Antique world views
The second expression lsquojeweled stylersquo is used for Late Antique writers and
artists who place their words and phrases or their gems and colours in geometric
patterns The aim of these patterns is to create a symbolic unity which is considered
more important than linear narrative sequences in literature and realism in the visual
arts The term has been coined by Michael Roberts (1989) for the aesthetics of Latin
poetry from Late Antiquity (Ausonius Prudentius Claudian Sidonius etc) but
can be applied mutatis mutandis to Greek literature from the same period
The third expression lsquocumulative aestheticrsquo describes a similar attitude in Late
Antique art characterized by a particular attention to detail (lsquoexquisite miniatur-
izationrsquo) and by a preference for the re-use of precious elements from the past
(spolia) The sum of these separate entities forms a new unity and expresses a
new vision of the world Jas Elsner (2004) discusses the term in the context of the
visual arts but it can also be applied to literature
Poikil0a jeweled style and cumulative aesthetic are free of the charge of
anachronism They are related each of them covering several aspects of Late
Antique art and literature but not all In my opinion the term lsquobaroquersquo serves a
different purpose it can indicate generally the kind of expressive possibilities chosen
by an author provided that this sketchy characterization is subsequently elaborated
in order to lend the term lsquobaroquersquo a more specific significance especially by
comparing it to the lsquoBaroquersquo
The term lsquobaroquersquo as a general indication for Nonnusrsquo style invited me to com-
pare lsquobaroquersquo Nonnus with lsquoBaroque Marinorsquo I picked up the Tesaurorsquos telescope
to zoom in on metaphor and to study the lsquoqueen of figuresrsquo from close up Nonnusrsquo
metaphors clearly appealed to the poetic creativity of Marino There is much aes-
thetic affinity between the stylistic norms they adopted when composing metaphors
They use comparable expressive possibilities to articulate their vision of the world
even if these worlds are very different and even if the lsquomost Baroque of baroque
poetsrsquo goes one step further than Nonnus Zooming out again I conclude two things
Nonnusrsquo style on the basis of his own proemium See for example Lindsay (1965 379ndash
84) String (1966 33ndash70) Vian (1976 9ndash10) Gonzalez Senmartı (1981) Hopkinson
(1994) Whitby (1994 101 112 116) Agosti (1997) Shorrock (2001) Miguelez-
Cavero (2008 139ndash45 162ndash68) Hernandez de la Fuente (2011) As a poetical qualifica-
tion poikil0a is already present in Pindar see Nunlist (1998 118) For poikil0avarietas
in epideictic rhetoric of the Imperial Period see Pernot (1993 337)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
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nloaded from
if not pinned down as a strictly historical category the term lsquobaroquersquo can to a
certain extent be applied to Nonnus and above all can invite further exploration of
the intertextual relationships between poets and be helpful in comparing artistic
norms from different periods of time Used in this way it does not replace nor is
replaced by the terms poikil0a lsquojeweled stylersquo and cumulative aesthetics but is a
stimulating tool to bring to light similarities and differences in poetic creativity not
only of metaphor but also of other characteristics which have been called lsquotypically
baroquersquo35 It can help to gain insight into the exact nature of a literary lsquodialogue at
distancersquo and could also prove fruitful in analysing and characterizing Marinorsquos
intertexutal relations with other authors from Antiquity
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank G Agosti M H Koenen P Lanfranchi and M Pearson for
their stimulating comments and lively discussions during the various stages of this
article as well as Jas Elsner the associate editor and the anonymous referees of
Classical Receptions Journal for their accurate and useful suggestions
References
G Agosti lsquoPoemi digressivi tardoantichi (e moderni)rsquo Compar(a)ison no 1 (1995) pp 131ndash51mdashmdash lsquoThe poikil0a of Paul the Bishoprsquo ZPE no 116 (1997) pp 31ndash38mdashmdash lsquoImmagini e poesia nella tarda antichita Per uno studio dellrsquoestetica visuale della poesia greca fra
III e IV sec d Crsquo Incontri Triestini di Filologia Classica 4 2004-2005 (2006) pp 351ndash74 Onlinesince 22 August 2006 httphdlhandlenet10077949 [accessed 4 July 2012]
S Bar Review of Miguelez-Cavero 2008 in Plekos no 12 (2010) pp 67ndash77 httpwwwplekosuni-muenchende2010r-caveropdf [accessed 4 July 2012]
E van Boven and G Dorleijn Literair Mechaniek Inleiding tot de Analyse van Verhalen en Gedichten(Bussum Coutinho 2003) esp pp 159ndash80 (lsquoBeeldspraakrsquo)
Ch Brooke-Rose A Grammar of Metaphor (London Secker amp Warburg 1958)P Cherchi lsquoPoetry Philosophy and Sciencersquo in P Brand and L Pertile (eds) The Cambridge History
of Italian Literature vol I The Seicento (Cambridge Cambridge University Press 1996)pp 301ndash17
G Chretien Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t IV chants IXndashX (Paris Les Belles Lettres1985)
G Conte La Metafora barocca Saggio sulle poetiche del Seicento (Milano Mursia 1972)E R Curtius Europaische Literatur und lateinisches Mittelalter (Bern Francke Verlag 1948)G DrsquoIppolito Studi Nonniani Lrsquoepillio nelle Dionisiache (Palermo Presso lrsquoAccademia 1964)E DrsquoOrs Du Baroque (Paris Gallimard 1935)
35 Other intertexual relations such as the ones briefly discussed by Tissoni (1998 59ndash62)
could be analysed according to the procedure of Rousset (1954) although he restricted
his method to the seventeenth-century French Baroque literature He formulated four
main criteria applicable to various seventeenth-century Baroque art forms (architecture
painting and literature) lsquoinstabilityrsquo lsquomobilityrsquo lsquometamorphosisrsquo and lsquodominance of
settingrsquo He subsequently applied these criteria to five literary instances first of all lsquoa type
of metaphorrsquo followed by lsquoa type of poemrsquo lsquoa poetic work as a wholersquo lsquoa theatrical work as
a wholersquo and lsquoa general attitudersquo ie lsquodisplayrsquo (1954 181ss)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
23 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
J Elsner lsquoLate Antique Art The Problem of the Concept and the Cumulative Aestheticrsquo in S Swainand M Edwards (eds) Approaching Late Antiquity The Transformation from Early to Late Empire(Oxford Oxford University Press 2004) pp 271ndash309
E Faral Les Arts Poetiques du XIIe et XIIIe siecle Recherches et Documents sur la Technique Litteraire duMoyen Age (Paris Champion 1962)
W Fauth Eidos Poikilon Zur Thematik der Metamorphose und zum Prinzip der Wandlung aus demGegensatz in den Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Gottingen Vandenhoeck amp Ruprecht 1981)
P Friedlander Johannes von Gaza und Paulus Silentiarius Kunstbeschreibungen Justinianischer Zeit(Leipzig Teubner 1912)
H de la Fuente lsquoThe One and the Many and the Circular Movement Neo-Platonism and Poetics inNonnus of Panopolisrsquo in Id (ed) New Perspectives on Late Antiquity (Newcastle-upon-TyneCambridge Scholars 2011)
F Gonnelli Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol II (canti XIIIndashXXIV) (Milano BibliotecaUniversale Rizzoli 2003)
V Giraudet lsquoLe rivage la presqursquoıle et le marais Espaces baroques chez Achille Tatius et Nonnos dePanopolisrsquo in R Poignault (ed) Presence du Roman grec et Latin (Clermont-Ferrand Centre deRecherches A Piganiol 2011) pp 147ndash66
Groupe m (J Dubois ea) Rhetorique generale (Paris du Seuil 1970)F Guardiani lsquoA Christological Metamorphosis in a Baroque Poemrsquo in J Goering ea (ed) Saints and
the Sacred Select Proceedings of the 3rd St Michaelrsquos College Annual Symposium (Feb 25-26 2000)(Ottawa Legas 2001) pp 185ndash95
A C Hagedorn (ed) Perspectives on the Song of Songs (Berlin De Gruyter 2005)F Hallyn Formes metaphoriques dans la poesie lyrique de lrsquoage baroque en France (Geneve Droz 1975)H Hatzfeld lsquoThe Baroque from the Viewpoint of the Literary Historianrsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art
Criticism 142 Second Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1955) 156ndash64N Hopkinson (ed) Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society
1994)R Huyghe lsquoLa seve du baroquersquo Baroque [online] no 4 (1969) Online since 3 May 2012 http
baroquerevuesorg304 [accessed 22 January 2013]K Jax Die weibliche Schonheit in der griechischen Dichtung (Innsbruck Wagner 1933)R Keydell lsquoNonnosrsquo in Th Klauser (ed) Reallexikon fur Antike und Christentum vol XVII
(Stuttgart Hiersemann 1936) vol XVII pp 902ndash20G Lakoff Metaphors We Live By (Chicago University of Chicago Press 1980)G Lakoff and M Turner More Than Cool Reason A Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor (Chicago
University of Chicago Press 1989)L R Lind lsquoNonnos and His Readersrsquo Res Publica Litterarum (1978) 159ndash70J Lindsay Leisure and Pleasure in Roman Egypt (London Muller 1965)V De Malde Giovan Battista Marino La Sampogna (Parma Fondazione Pietro Bembo Ugo Guanda
Editore 1993)A Martini Letteratura Italiana Le Opere Vol II Dal Cinquecento al Settecento A Asor Rosa (ed)
(Turin Einaudi 1993) pp 777ndash97R T Matthews and F DeWitt Platt The Western Humanities (Boston McGraw-Hill 2004)L Miguelez-Cavero Poems in Context Greek Poetry in the Egyptian Thebaid 200-600 AD (Berlin De
Gruyter 2008)R F Newbold lsquoMimesis and Illusion in Nonnus Deceit Distrust and the Search for Meaningrsquo
Helios 37 no 1 (2010) pp 81ndash106R Nunlist Poetologische Bildersprache in der fruhgriechischen Dichtung (Stuttgart Teubner 1998)G F Pasini lsquoDalla comparazione alla metaforarsquo Lingua e Stile 7 no 3 (1972) pp 441ndash69L Pernot La rhetorique de lrsquoeloge dans le monde greco-romain vol I (Paris Institut drsquoEtudes
Augustiennes 1993)S N Peters lsquoMetaphor and lsquolsquoMaravigliarsquorsquo Tradition and Innovation in the Adone of GB Marinorsquo
Lingua e Stile 7 no 2 (1972) pp 321ndash41D G Piccardi Metafora e Poetica in Nonno di Panopoli (Florence Universite degli Studi di Firenze
1985)mdashmdash Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol I (canti IndashXII) (Milano Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli
2003)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
24 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
G Pozzi Giovan Battista Marino vol II LrsquoAdone (Milano Mondadori 1976)mdashmdash lsquoIl ritratto della donna nella poesia drsquoinizio Cinquecento e la pittura di Giorgionersquo Lettere Italiane
311 gennaio-marzo (1979) pp 3ndash30mdashmdash lsquoTemi t0poi stereotipirsquo in A Asor Rosa (ed) Letteratura italiana III Le forme del testo I
Teoria e poesia (Torino Einaudi 1984) pp 391ndash436I A Richards The Philosophy of Rhetoric (New York Oxford University Press 1936)M Riemschneider lsquoDer Stil des Nonnosrsquo Berliner byzantinistische Arbeiten no 5 (1957) pp 46ndash70M Roberts The Jeweled Style Poetry and Poetics in Late Antiquity (Ithaca and London Cornell
University Press 1989)W H D Rouse Nonnus Dionysiaca (Cambridge MA Harvard University Press 1940)J Rousset La litterature de lrsquoage baroque en France Circe et le paon (Paris Corti 1954)E Russo lsquoSul barocco letterario in Italia Giudizi revisioni distinzionirsquo Les Dossiers du Grihl [Online]
2012-02 j 2012 Online since 25 June 2012 httpdossiersgrihlrevuesorg5223 [accessed 4 March2013]
A G Senmartı lsquoLa lsquolsquopoikiliarsquorsquo como principio estilıstico de las Dionisıacas de Nonorsquo AFB no 7(1981) pp 101ndash07
R Shorrock The Challenge of Epic Allusive Engagement in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Leiden Brill2001)
mdashmdash lsquoNonnusrsquo in J Foley (ed) A Companion to Ancient Epic (Oxford Wiley-Blackwell 2005)pp 374ndash85
mdashmdash The Myth of Paganism Nonnus Dionysus and the World of Late Antiquity (London BristolClassical Press 2011)
G Steen lsquoMetaphor and Stylersquo in P Stockwell and S Whiteley (eds) The Cambridge Handbook ofStylistics (Cambridge Cambridge University Press forthcoming 2014)
M String Untersuchungen zum Stil der Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Hamburg sn (disserta-tion) 1966)
E Tesauro Il Cannocchiale Aristotelico (Venice Baglioni 1654ndash70)F Tissoni Nonno di Panopoli I Canti di Penteo (Dionisiache 44ndash46) Commento (Florence La Nuova
Italia Editrice 1998)F Vian Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t I chants IndashII (Paris Les Belles Lettres 1976)R Wellek lsquoThe Concept of Baroque in Literary Scholarshiprsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism
52 Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1946) pp 77ndash109M Whitby lsquoFrom Moschus to Nonnus The Evolution of the Nonnian Stylersquo in N Hopkinson (ed)
Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society 1994) pp 99ndash155A Wifstrand Von Kallimachos zu Nonnos Metrisch-stilistische Untersuchungen zur spateren griechischen
Epik und zu verwandten Gedichtgattungen (Lund Gleerup 1933)H Wolfflin Renaissance und Barock Eine Untersuchung uber Wesen und Entstehung des Barockstils in
Italien (Munich T Ackermann 1888)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
25 of 25
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ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
mind of the audience For example if he described a hand a foot was to be imagined
by the reader when a rose was mentioned it was intended that a lily be brought to
mind etc
Favourite source domains for metaphors were in the first place flowers roses
lilies and violets for colour and evanescence secondly precious materials pearls
rubies coral and gold for colour and diamond and sapphire for splendour and
thirdly lsquoheavenly bodiesrsquo stars and the sun for splendour and movement For
special effects these elements could be combined into homogeneous or heteroge-
neous couples a lily and a rose or ivory and a rose etc
How are these images used and constructed in the present passage from
Marino Marino combines the two canons adopting the short canon for his descrip-
tion of the young man and then enumerating his several parts from head to toe He
begins with the (moral) qualities given by Nature to Pampinorsquos forehead (ott 66
1ndash2) continues with his cheeks mouth and cheeks again (ott 66 3ndash8) then turns to
his eyes (ott 67 1ndash2) to his foot and hand (ott 67 3ndash4 the foot belonging to the
long canon) and finally to his hair and neck (ott 67 5ndash8) Marino adds various
(moral) qualifications The first octave is relatively quiet drawing as it were
Pampinorsquos portrait Its three source domains for the metaphors are lsquofruitrsquo lsquoprecious
materialsrsquo lsquoflowersrsquo (pomegranate pearl rose) connected with contrasting colours
(red white and golden) and positive qualifications (beautiful refined heavenly
sweet honest pure real) The second octave is stirred by movement the
sky brightens Pampinorsquos touch turns nature into something else the playing
wind shakes hair locks spreads out It also introduces the opposition light-dark
(shady night darken brighten light) The source domains of the second octave
are lsquobucolic landscapersquo (meadow river breeze) and lsquoprecious materialsrsquo
(silver gold)
As is to be expected Marino is fond of metaphors and expresses them in
various ways But unlike Nonnus he obviously prefers metaphors in absentia
(Pasinirsquos type 4 see section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo above)
The description of Pampino includes moral and physical qualities In ott 66 3ndash4
the strawberry (lsquodolce color di fragola maturarsquo lsquothe sweet colour of ripe strawberriesrsquo)
paving the way for the source domain lsquofruitrsquo is followed by a series of metaphors
(1) There are several instances of metaphors in absentia which are intelligible when
one looks at either the direct context in which they are embedded or at the existing
Renaissance conventions
vehicle (B = noun thorn- adjective)
a la grana pura (ott 66 5) ndash pure pomegranate (sc in his mouth gt tongue)
b schiette perle (ott 66 6) ndash real pearls (sc in double row gt teeth)
c rosa purpurina (ott 66 7) ndash purple rose (sc there gt on his cheeks gt beard)
d le piume (ott 67 6) ndash feathers (of his hair gt locks of hair)
e tesoro (ott 67 7) ndash treasure (his rich hair)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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nloaded from
(2) To these examples two metaphorical verbs can be added
vehicle (B = verb)
a imporporava (ott 67 3) ndash turned purpleb innargentava (ott 67 4) ndash turned silver
(3) The following metaphor in absentia is qualified by a metaphorical adjective
vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective)
la sua dorata spina (ott 66 8) ndash her golden thorns (reddish-blonde bristles)
(4) Another variant are the metaphors in absentia that combine two metaphorical
expressions
vehicle (B = noun) of vehicle (B = noun)
a colle (B) drsquoavorio (B) (ott 67 8) ndash an ivory hill (of his white neck)
b un bosco (B) drsquooro (B) (ott 67 8) ndash a forest of gold (of his blond hair)
(5) Taken together two final verses of ott 67 are an example of a typical baroque
metaphor (discussed in section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo) a concatenation
of metaphorical images Ott 67 7 is elaborated in the next verse by a metaphor in
apposition on neck (tenorrsquo) the beautiful treasure (tenorrsquorsquo) on an ivory hill (vehiclersquo)a forest of gold (vehiclersquorsquo) Both vehicles are from the source domain lsquolandscapersquo (hill
forest) and continue the image of the previous bucolic description (meadow river
breeze) But at the same time the lsquotreasurersquo (tenorrsquorsquo) is already itself a metaphor (for
lsquohairrsquo) from another source domain (lsquoprecious materialsrsquo) that is elaborated by its
own two metaphorical adjectives lsquoivoryrsquo and lsquogoldrsquo from the same source domain As
we have seen with the example of Lemene the image evokes a further image
creating a kind of lsquoliterary trompe lrsquoœilrsquo
On tenor (Arsquo = noun) tenor (Arsquorsquo = noun) on vehicle (Brsquo noun thorn Brsquorsquo adjec) vehiclersquorsquo
(Brsquorsquo noun thorn Brsquorsquo adjec)
su rsquol collo (Arsquo) il bel tesoro (Arsquorsquo) sovra un colle drsquoavorio (Brsquothorn Brsquorsquo) un bosco drsquooro (Brsquorsquothorn Brsquorsquo)
Some intertextual notes
Apart from the topoi shared by Nonnus and Marino it is easy to see that several of
Marinorsquos verses in ott 67 are closely modelled on Nonnus of course in Lubinrsquos
translation (ed 1606)28 Marino ott 67 1ndash2 (darkness flees before Pampinorsquos eyes)
28 175 Et aliquanto venans sub petra umbrosa sylvae Aequalis iuvenis rosea delectabatur
forma Nunc etenim Phrygiae sub colle puer ludens Ampelus crescebat nuper
enutritus ramus amorum Neque ipsi mollis lanugo rubentis menti 180 Imberbes
nivea signaverat circulos maxilla Iuventae aureum florem In tergum reiectarum vero
comarum Racemi flexuosi super splendidis currebant humeris Non complicati Suavi
vero una concitati cum aura Flatu elevabantur Retractis vero comis 185 In
E M V A N O P S T A L L
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combines Nonnus vv 186ndash87 (Ampelusrsquo neck is like the moon shining though
clouds) and vv 191ndash92 (when Ampelus looks the moon shines) Marino ott 67
3ndash4 (Pampinorsquos foot and hand transform meadow and river) is like Nonnus vv
189ndash90 (Ampelusrsquo limbsfoot elicit spring and flowers in the meadow) Marino
ott 67 5ndash6 (the wind playing with Pampinorsquos hair and showing his neck) is similar
to Nonnus vv 183ndash85 (the wind playing with Ampelusrsquo hair and revealing his neck)
Marino was unable to borrow Nonnusrsquo image of Ampelusrsquo foot eliciting spring
because Falkenburgrsquos text and Lubinrsquos translation present a different textual reading
from Chretienrsquos Falkenburg does not have (drsquo7lon) Iar (lsquospringrsquo) but (g1r) 5niar
which was translated as lsquoemolumentumrsquo (lsquogainrsquo) by Lubin
There are however some significant differences To describe the effect of the
Ampelusrsquo neck and eyes Nonnus introduces the image of the moon emerging through
the clouds while evoking simultaneously the moon cycle He begins with a compari-
son and continues with a metaphor spread out over eight verses To describe the
instant effect of Pampinorsquos eyes Marino (or to be more precise the narrator
Dionysus) simply states a truth a hyperbolic truth the light of Pampinorsquos eyes illu-
minates darkness To describe the effect of the neck of the satyr boy he introduces the
landscape and treasure metaphor The importance of the neck seems to point towards
another intertext the description of feminine beauty in the Song of Songs29 The lovers
in the Song of Songs describe each other in metaphorical terms their eyes hair teeth
lips voice cheeks neck breast and overall fairness etc (he in 4 she in 5 10ndash16 he
again in 6 4ndash7 and 7 1ndash9) Among the many source domains in the Song of Songs
lsquofruitrsquo lsquoastral phenomenarsquo and lsquoprecious materialsrsquo are present too To give some
examples her temples are pomegranates (4 3) his arms are rods of gold set with topaz
(5 14) she appears like the dawn the moon the sun the stars (6 10) and last but not
least her neck is an ivory tower (7 4)30 Elsewhere in the Adone (as often in Italian
Baroque poetry) Christian imagery is also clearly present31
summitate apparens oriebatur media nudata cervix Et fulgorem eiaculabatur umbram
relinquens qualia lucet In medio apparens nubem humidam perrumpens Luna Et
oris rosei mel spirans (Lectius 1606 lsquospiansrsquo instead of lsquospiransrsquo) fluebat oratio Ex
membris enim emolumentum (Falkenburg reads g1r 5niar lsquogainrsquo where Chretien has
drsquo7lon Iar) apparebat Cum iret vero 190 Ex pede argenteo pedum (Falkenburg reads
2rgur oio pod8n instead of Chretienrsquos 2rgursquo oio oslashod8n) rubebat pratum Cum vero
faciei bovinae ventorum (Falkenburg has 2n mwn instead of Chretienrsquos rsquoa wn Lectius
1606 has lsquobavinaersquo for lsquobovinaersquo) illustri circulo Oculos circumvertisset tota resplen-
debat Luna
29 Parallels between the Song of Songs and Greek love poetry are already present in Greek
poetry from Antiquity see various articles in Hagedorn (2005)
30 Paradoxically Marino is closer to the Hebrew original (that he was unable to read) than
to the Latin translation of the Vulgate (which he must have used) the Vulgate turns most
of the original metaphors into similes with the indicator lsquosicutrsquo
31 For example the suggested parallel between Adone and Christ condemned by the
Inquisition a nymph acting as Judas revealing Adonersquos hiding place and committing
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
19 of 25
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Dow
nloaded from
Marino changes some of Nonnusrsquo explicit (rationalizing see Pasini section lsquoA set
of practical tools for analysisrsquo) images into more implicit (open see Pasini section
lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo) ones evoking a concatenation of associations
The image of Ampelusrsquo silvery footstep (Greek 2rguroioLatin argenteo) that
turned the meadow red with roses is adapted to Marinorsquos own time Pampinorsquos
foot is no longer silvery but lsquovagorsquo (a reminiscence of Petrarcarsquos lsquovago piersquo)32 and it
still turns the meadow purple but the reader has to supply the exact nature of the
purple (eg purple gt flower gt rose) Since in the Renaissance canon lsquofootrsquo evokes
lsquohandrsquo and since the colour lsquopurplersquo evokes the contrast lsquowhitersquo Pampinorsquos foot and
the purple meadow in ott 67 3 lead lsquospontaneouslyrsquo to lsquohis white handrsquo in ott 67 4
Finally Nonnusrsquo lsquosilveryrsquo is not lost but transformed into the metaphorical verb
lsquoturned into silverrsquo (an interesting invention to provoke a new contrast in the readerrsquos
mind because the story is situated in Phrygia with its proverbially gold-gleaming
river Pactolus)33
What can we conclude on the basis of the similarities and differences in the
passages of Nonnus and Marino about their use of metaphor
First it is evident that Nonnus and Marino are equally fond of metaphors
Nonnusrsquo eighteen verses contain twelve metaphors and one comparison Marinorsquo
sixteen verses contain twelve metaphors On a quantitative level the abundant and
cumulative use of metaphors by Nonnus could be called lsquobaroquersquo
Secondly we have seen that on a conceptual level Nonnus and Marino share some
characteristics but not all Both poets work with the contrasting couples red-white
and light-dark and use the source domain lsquoflowerrsquo But the more traditional source
domains lsquoprecious materialsrsquo and lsquofruitrsquo inherited by Marino from the Renaissance
canon of beauty are barely or not at all present in Nonnus at least not in this passage
Thirdly at the linguistic level Nonnus and Marino clearly employ different
kinds and complexities of metaphor Nonnus on the one hand uses a concatenation
of metaphors in praesentia crowned by his personal metaphorical formula in which
the appearance of the tenor simultaneously evokes the vehicle Linguistically speak-
ing the relation between tenor and vehicle remains visible and controllable
suicide Venus crying over Adonersquos body as Mary did over Jesusrsquo body Adone is not
wounded in his thigh as in Greek mythology but in his side See also Guardiani (2001)
and Gonnelli (2003 29ndash30 on pagan and Christian syncretism in Nonnusrsquo Paraphrasis
and Marinorsquos Adone) The last motif recurs in the fresco lsquoLa Morte di Adonersquo by Luca
Giordano (1682ndash85) Palazzo Medici-Riccardi Florence It is reminiscent of the parallel
between Dionysus and Christ also expressed in various mosaics for example in a Roman
mosaic depicting Dionysusrsquo discovery of Ariadne on Naxos (Syria 3rd-4th cent Miho
Museum Kyoto Japan cat NA) where Dionysus not only has a nimbus but also a
wound in his sidebreast (a later addition) (I thank Berenice Verhelst for pointing out
this mosaic to me)
32 For this intricate Renaissance style word play see Pozzi (1976) ad loc
33 See Nonn Dion 11 17ndash55 for the swimming contest with Dionysus and Ampelus and
the effect on the satyr boy of the golden water of the river Pactolus
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(lsquorationalrsquo lsquoclosedrsquo) Marino on the other hand prefers metaphors in absentia
opening the associative distance between vehicle and tenor to a maximum He uses
the auto-referential metaphor that is so typical of Baroque poetry Marinorsquos method
reflects instability the arbitrariness of the relation between tenor and vehicle seems to
express the absence of a shared and well-organized world with absolute values As
Conte (1972 37) puts it lsquoconfronted by a reality (human social politic cultural) in
crisis the baroque word denounces the prerogative of the word it speaks almost
exclusively of itself but speaking of itself it imitates takes possession of exorcizes
and even organizes the crisisrsquo Therefore on a linguistic level there seems to be more
method in Nonnusrsquo madness than in Marinorsquos
Finally what about the overall effect of the metaphors they use in their respective
descriptions Nonnus and Marino both describe beautiful beardless satyr boys
caught in a fleeting moment of radiant movement in an eroticizing bucolic setting
They put equal emphasis on the beauty and the fragility of youth and on the satyr
boyrsquos impact on the nature surrounding him As we have seen Nonnusrsquo metaphors
make Ampelus progressively intermingle with nature announcing the satyr boyrsquos
metamorphosis Even though they are classified as more lsquorationalrsquo on a linguistic
level (see Pasini) their effect is impressively irrational and open Just as Marinorsquos
metaphors they are constantly related to metamorphosis expressing change and
instability These are typical features of the Baroque that also explain at least partly
Marinorsquos affiliation with Nonnus
Conclusion
To return to the initial question of this article do we need the term lsquobaroquersquo to
characterize Nonnusrsquo poetry We have seen that the use of lsquobaroquersquo for other
periods than the seventeenth-century Baroque has met with positive and negative
reactions being found either too restricted or too broad and that the term lsquobaroquersquo
is often used for Nonnusrsquo Dionysiaca in an impressionistic way to indicate that his
aesthetics deviate from the lsquoclassicalrsquo Used in this sense lsquobaroquersquo can suggest
openness expansion abundance accumulation asymmetry moving musicality
optical illusion and the absence of a vanishing point as opposed to lsquoclassicalrsquo
with its connotation of contours closed nature unity harmony symmetry archi-
tectural fixity and converging perspectives Many of these tendencies known from
the historical Baroque are visible in Late Antique poetry
What about the other qualifications at hand such as poik0lordquo lsquojeweledrsquo and
lsquocumulativersquo Can they replace the term lsquobaroquersquo The first poikil0a is intimately
linked with Nonnusrsquo own poetics as becomes immediately clear from his prologue
where it refers to variety and polymorphism in the poem as a whole The poet wishes
that lsquoProteus of the many turnsrsquo the god of endless transformation lsquomay appear in
all his diversity of shapes since I twang my harp to a diversity of songsrsquo34 It is
34 Nonn Dion I 15 5rsquora rsquoan0h poik0lon Idordquo ecwn 7ti poik0lon 4mnon 2r0ssw (transl
Rouse 1940) The term poik0lordquo has been used very frequently by scholars to describe
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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nloaded from
applied to Late Antique literature as well as to art works both art forms being
intimately linked during this period Gianfranco Agosti (1997 34ndash35 see also
2006 361ss) expands its use understanding it lsquonot only as stylistic varietas but
above all as a code intended to characterize reality The concept of poikil0a goes
far beyond mere rhetorical or stylistic boundaries and becomes a peculiar way of
viewing realityrsquo When used in this way as a psychological category applied to the
relation between word and image it becomes a hermeneutic tool to explore Late
Antique world views
The second expression lsquojeweled stylersquo is used for Late Antique writers and
artists who place their words and phrases or their gems and colours in geometric
patterns The aim of these patterns is to create a symbolic unity which is considered
more important than linear narrative sequences in literature and realism in the visual
arts The term has been coined by Michael Roberts (1989) for the aesthetics of Latin
poetry from Late Antiquity (Ausonius Prudentius Claudian Sidonius etc) but
can be applied mutatis mutandis to Greek literature from the same period
The third expression lsquocumulative aestheticrsquo describes a similar attitude in Late
Antique art characterized by a particular attention to detail (lsquoexquisite miniatur-
izationrsquo) and by a preference for the re-use of precious elements from the past
(spolia) The sum of these separate entities forms a new unity and expresses a
new vision of the world Jas Elsner (2004) discusses the term in the context of the
visual arts but it can also be applied to literature
Poikil0a jeweled style and cumulative aesthetic are free of the charge of
anachronism They are related each of them covering several aspects of Late
Antique art and literature but not all In my opinion the term lsquobaroquersquo serves a
different purpose it can indicate generally the kind of expressive possibilities chosen
by an author provided that this sketchy characterization is subsequently elaborated
in order to lend the term lsquobaroquersquo a more specific significance especially by
comparing it to the lsquoBaroquersquo
The term lsquobaroquersquo as a general indication for Nonnusrsquo style invited me to com-
pare lsquobaroquersquo Nonnus with lsquoBaroque Marinorsquo I picked up the Tesaurorsquos telescope
to zoom in on metaphor and to study the lsquoqueen of figuresrsquo from close up Nonnusrsquo
metaphors clearly appealed to the poetic creativity of Marino There is much aes-
thetic affinity between the stylistic norms they adopted when composing metaphors
They use comparable expressive possibilities to articulate their vision of the world
even if these worlds are very different and even if the lsquomost Baroque of baroque
poetsrsquo goes one step further than Nonnus Zooming out again I conclude two things
Nonnusrsquo style on the basis of his own proemium See for example Lindsay (1965 379ndash
84) String (1966 33ndash70) Vian (1976 9ndash10) Gonzalez Senmartı (1981) Hopkinson
(1994) Whitby (1994 101 112 116) Agosti (1997) Shorrock (2001) Miguelez-
Cavero (2008 139ndash45 162ndash68) Hernandez de la Fuente (2011) As a poetical qualifica-
tion poikil0a is already present in Pindar see Nunlist (1998 118) For poikil0avarietas
in epideictic rhetoric of the Imperial Period see Pernot (1993 337)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
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nloaded from
if not pinned down as a strictly historical category the term lsquobaroquersquo can to a
certain extent be applied to Nonnus and above all can invite further exploration of
the intertextual relationships between poets and be helpful in comparing artistic
norms from different periods of time Used in this way it does not replace nor is
replaced by the terms poikil0a lsquojeweled stylersquo and cumulative aesthetics but is a
stimulating tool to bring to light similarities and differences in poetic creativity not
only of metaphor but also of other characteristics which have been called lsquotypically
baroquersquo35 It can help to gain insight into the exact nature of a literary lsquodialogue at
distancersquo and could also prove fruitful in analysing and characterizing Marinorsquos
intertexutal relations with other authors from Antiquity
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank G Agosti M H Koenen P Lanfranchi and M Pearson for
their stimulating comments and lively discussions during the various stages of this
article as well as Jas Elsner the associate editor and the anonymous referees of
Classical Receptions Journal for their accurate and useful suggestions
References
G Agosti lsquoPoemi digressivi tardoantichi (e moderni)rsquo Compar(a)ison no 1 (1995) pp 131ndash51mdashmdash lsquoThe poikil0a of Paul the Bishoprsquo ZPE no 116 (1997) pp 31ndash38mdashmdash lsquoImmagini e poesia nella tarda antichita Per uno studio dellrsquoestetica visuale della poesia greca fra
III e IV sec d Crsquo Incontri Triestini di Filologia Classica 4 2004-2005 (2006) pp 351ndash74 Onlinesince 22 August 2006 httphdlhandlenet10077949 [accessed 4 July 2012]
S Bar Review of Miguelez-Cavero 2008 in Plekos no 12 (2010) pp 67ndash77 httpwwwplekosuni-muenchende2010r-caveropdf [accessed 4 July 2012]
E van Boven and G Dorleijn Literair Mechaniek Inleiding tot de Analyse van Verhalen en Gedichten(Bussum Coutinho 2003) esp pp 159ndash80 (lsquoBeeldspraakrsquo)
Ch Brooke-Rose A Grammar of Metaphor (London Secker amp Warburg 1958)P Cherchi lsquoPoetry Philosophy and Sciencersquo in P Brand and L Pertile (eds) The Cambridge History
of Italian Literature vol I The Seicento (Cambridge Cambridge University Press 1996)pp 301ndash17
G Chretien Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t IV chants IXndashX (Paris Les Belles Lettres1985)
G Conte La Metafora barocca Saggio sulle poetiche del Seicento (Milano Mursia 1972)E R Curtius Europaische Literatur und lateinisches Mittelalter (Bern Francke Verlag 1948)G DrsquoIppolito Studi Nonniani Lrsquoepillio nelle Dionisiache (Palermo Presso lrsquoAccademia 1964)E DrsquoOrs Du Baroque (Paris Gallimard 1935)
35 Other intertexual relations such as the ones briefly discussed by Tissoni (1998 59ndash62)
could be analysed according to the procedure of Rousset (1954) although he restricted
his method to the seventeenth-century French Baroque literature He formulated four
main criteria applicable to various seventeenth-century Baroque art forms (architecture
painting and literature) lsquoinstabilityrsquo lsquomobilityrsquo lsquometamorphosisrsquo and lsquodominance of
settingrsquo He subsequently applied these criteria to five literary instances first of all lsquoa type
of metaphorrsquo followed by lsquoa type of poemrsquo lsquoa poetic work as a wholersquo lsquoa theatrical work as
a wholersquo and lsquoa general attitudersquo ie lsquodisplayrsquo (1954 181ss)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
23 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
J Elsner lsquoLate Antique Art The Problem of the Concept and the Cumulative Aestheticrsquo in S Swainand M Edwards (eds) Approaching Late Antiquity The Transformation from Early to Late Empire(Oxford Oxford University Press 2004) pp 271ndash309
E Faral Les Arts Poetiques du XIIe et XIIIe siecle Recherches et Documents sur la Technique Litteraire duMoyen Age (Paris Champion 1962)
W Fauth Eidos Poikilon Zur Thematik der Metamorphose und zum Prinzip der Wandlung aus demGegensatz in den Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Gottingen Vandenhoeck amp Ruprecht 1981)
P Friedlander Johannes von Gaza und Paulus Silentiarius Kunstbeschreibungen Justinianischer Zeit(Leipzig Teubner 1912)
H de la Fuente lsquoThe One and the Many and the Circular Movement Neo-Platonism and Poetics inNonnus of Panopolisrsquo in Id (ed) New Perspectives on Late Antiquity (Newcastle-upon-TyneCambridge Scholars 2011)
F Gonnelli Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol II (canti XIIIndashXXIV) (Milano BibliotecaUniversale Rizzoli 2003)
V Giraudet lsquoLe rivage la presqursquoıle et le marais Espaces baroques chez Achille Tatius et Nonnos dePanopolisrsquo in R Poignault (ed) Presence du Roman grec et Latin (Clermont-Ferrand Centre deRecherches A Piganiol 2011) pp 147ndash66
Groupe m (J Dubois ea) Rhetorique generale (Paris du Seuil 1970)F Guardiani lsquoA Christological Metamorphosis in a Baroque Poemrsquo in J Goering ea (ed) Saints and
the Sacred Select Proceedings of the 3rd St Michaelrsquos College Annual Symposium (Feb 25-26 2000)(Ottawa Legas 2001) pp 185ndash95
A C Hagedorn (ed) Perspectives on the Song of Songs (Berlin De Gruyter 2005)F Hallyn Formes metaphoriques dans la poesie lyrique de lrsquoage baroque en France (Geneve Droz 1975)H Hatzfeld lsquoThe Baroque from the Viewpoint of the Literary Historianrsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art
Criticism 142 Second Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1955) 156ndash64N Hopkinson (ed) Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society
1994)R Huyghe lsquoLa seve du baroquersquo Baroque [online] no 4 (1969) Online since 3 May 2012 http
baroquerevuesorg304 [accessed 22 January 2013]K Jax Die weibliche Schonheit in der griechischen Dichtung (Innsbruck Wagner 1933)R Keydell lsquoNonnosrsquo in Th Klauser (ed) Reallexikon fur Antike und Christentum vol XVII
(Stuttgart Hiersemann 1936) vol XVII pp 902ndash20G Lakoff Metaphors We Live By (Chicago University of Chicago Press 1980)G Lakoff and M Turner More Than Cool Reason A Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor (Chicago
University of Chicago Press 1989)L R Lind lsquoNonnos and His Readersrsquo Res Publica Litterarum (1978) 159ndash70J Lindsay Leisure and Pleasure in Roman Egypt (London Muller 1965)V De Malde Giovan Battista Marino La Sampogna (Parma Fondazione Pietro Bembo Ugo Guanda
Editore 1993)A Martini Letteratura Italiana Le Opere Vol II Dal Cinquecento al Settecento A Asor Rosa (ed)
(Turin Einaudi 1993) pp 777ndash97R T Matthews and F DeWitt Platt The Western Humanities (Boston McGraw-Hill 2004)L Miguelez-Cavero Poems in Context Greek Poetry in the Egyptian Thebaid 200-600 AD (Berlin De
Gruyter 2008)R F Newbold lsquoMimesis and Illusion in Nonnus Deceit Distrust and the Search for Meaningrsquo
Helios 37 no 1 (2010) pp 81ndash106R Nunlist Poetologische Bildersprache in der fruhgriechischen Dichtung (Stuttgart Teubner 1998)G F Pasini lsquoDalla comparazione alla metaforarsquo Lingua e Stile 7 no 3 (1972) pp 441ndash69L Pernot La rhetorique de lrsquoeloge dans le monde greco-romain vol I (Paris Institut drsquoEtudes
Augustiennes 1993)S N Peters lsquoMetaphor and lsquolsquoMaravigliarsquorsquo Tradition and Innovation in the Adone of GB Marinorsquo
Lingua e Stile 7 no 2 (1972) pp 321ndash41D G Piccardi Metafora e Poetica in Nonno di Panopoli (Florence Universite degli Studi di Firenze
1985)mdashmdash Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol I (canti IndashXII) (Milano Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli
2003)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
24 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
G Pozzi Giovan Battista Marino vol II LrsquoAdone (Milano Mondadori 1976)mdashmdash lsquoIl ritratto della donna nella poesia drsquoinizio Cinquecento e la pittura di Giorgionersquo Lettere Italiane
311 gennaio-marzo (1979) pp 3ndash30mdashmdash lsquoTemi t0poi stereotipirsquo in A Asor Rosa (ed) Letteratura italiana III Le forme del testo I
Teoria e poesia (Torino Einaudi 1984) pp 391ndash436I A Richards The Philosophy of Rhetoric (New York Oxford University Press 1936)M Riemschneider lsquoDer Stil des Nonnosrsquo Berliner byzantinistische Arbeiten no 5 (1957) pp 46ndash70M Roberts The Jeweled Style Poetry and Poetics in Late Antiquity (Ithaca and London Cornell
University Press 1989)W H D Rouse Nonnus Dionysiaca (Cambridge MA Harvard University Press 1940)J Rousset La litterature de lrsquoage baroque en France Circe et le paon (Paris Corti 1954)E Russo lsquoSul barocco letterario in Italia Giudizi revisioni distinzionirsquo Les Dossiers du Grihl [Online]
2012-02 j 2012 Online since 25 June 2012 httpdossiersgrihlrevuesorg5223 [accessed 4 March2013]
A G Senmartı lsquoLa lsquolsquopoikiliarsquorsquo como principio estilıstico de las Dionisıacas de Nonorsquo AFB no 7(1981) pp 101ndash07
R Shorrock The Challenge of Epic Allusive Engagement in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Leiden Brill2001)
mdashmdash lsquoNonnusrsquo in J Foley (ed) A Companion to Ancient Epic (Oxford Wiley-Blackwell 2005)pp 374ndash85
mdashmdash The Myth of Paganism Nonnus Dionysus and the World of Late Antiquity (London BristolClassical Press 2011)
G Steen lsquoMetaphor and Stylersquo in P Stockwell and S Whiteley (eds) The Cambridge Handbook ofStylistics (Cambridge Cambridge University Press forthcoming 2014)
M String Untersuchungen zum Stil der Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Hamburg sn (disserta-tion) 1966)
E Tesauro Il Cannocchiale Aristotelico (Venice Baglioni 1654ndash70)F Tissoni Nonno di Panopoli I Canti di Penteo (Dionisiache 44ndash46) Commento (Florence La Nuova
Italia Editrice 1998)F Vian Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t I chants IndashII (Paris Les Belles Lettres 1976)R Wellek lsquoThe Concept of Baroque in Literary Scholarshiprsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism
52 Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1946) pp 77ndash109M Whitby lsquoFrom Moschus to Nonnus The Evolution of the Nonnian Stylersquo in N Hopkinson (ed)
Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society 1994) pp 99ndash155A Wifstrand Von Kallimachos zu Nonnos Metrisch-stilistische Untersuchungen zur spateren griechischen
Epik und zu verwandten Gedichtgattungen (Lund Gleerup 1933)H Wolfflin Renaissance und Barock Eine Untersuchung uber Wesen und Entstehung des Barockstils in
Italien (Munich T Ackermann 1888)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
25 of 25
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ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
(2) To these examples two metaphorical verbs can be added
vehicle (B = verb)
a imporporava (ott 67 3) ndash turned purpleb innargentava (ott 67 4) ndash turned silver
(3) The following metaphor in absentia is qualified by a metaphorical adjective
vehicle (B = noun thorn adjective)
la sua dorata spina (ott 66 8) ndash her golden thorns (reddish-blonde bristles)
(4) Another variant are the metaphors in absentia that combine two metaphorical
expressions
vehicle (B = noun) of vehicle (B = noun)
a colle (B) drsquoavorio (B) (ott 67 8) ndash an ivory hill (of his white neck)
b un bosco (B) drsquooro (B) (ott 67 8) ndash a forest of gold (of his blond hair)
(5) Taken together two final verses of ott 67 are an example of a typical baroque
metaphor (discussed in section lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo) a concatenation
of metaphorical images Ott 67 7 is elaborated in the next verse by a metaphor in
apposition on neck (tenorrsquo) the beautiful treasure (tenorrsquorsquo) on an ivory hill (vehiclersquo)a forest of gold (vehiclersquorsquo) Both vehicles are from the source domain lsquolandscapersquo (hill
forest) and continue the image of the previous bucolic description (meadow river
breeze) But at the same time the lsquotreasurersquo (tenorrsquorsquo) is already itself a metaphor (for
lsquohairrsquo) from another source domain (lsquoprecious materialsrsquo) that is elaborated by its
own two metaphorical adjectives lsquoivoryrsquo and lsquogoldrsquo from the same source domain As
we have seen with the example of Lemene the image evokes a further image
creating a kind of lsquoliterary trompe lrsquoœilrsquo
On tenor (Arsquo = noun) tenor (Arsquorsquo = noun) on vehicle (Brsquo noun thorn Brsquorsquo adjec) vehiclersquorsquo
(Brsquorsquo noun thorn Brsquorsquo adjec)
su rsquol collo (Arsquo) il bel tesoro (Arsquorsquo) sovra un colle drsquoavorio (Brsquothorn Brsquorsquo) un bosco drsquooro (Brsquorsquothorn Brsquorsquo)
Some intertextual notes
Apart from the topoi shared by Nonnus and Marino it is easy to see that several of
Marinorsquos verses in ott 67 are closely modelled on Nonnus of course in Lubinrsquos
translation (ed 1606)28 Marino ott 67 1ndash2 (darkness flees before Pampinorsquos eyes)
28 175 Et aliquanto venans sub petra umbrosa sylvae Aequalis iuvenis rosea delectabatur
forma Nunc etenim Phrygiae sub colle puer ludens Ampelus crescebat nuper
enutritus ramus amorum Neque ipsi mollis lanugo rubentis menti 180 Imberbes
nivea signaverat circulos maxilla Iuventae aureum florem In tergum reiectarum vero
comarum Racemi flexuosi super splendidis currebant humeris Non complicati Suavi
vero una concitati cum aura Flatu elevabantur Retractis vero comis 185 In
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combines Nonnus vv 186ndash87 (Ampelusrsquo neck is like the moon shining though
clouds) and vv 191ndash92 (when Ampelus looks the moon shines) Marino ott 67
3ndash4 (Pampinorsquos foot and hand transform meadow and river) is like Nonnus vv
189ndash90 (Ampelusrsquo limbsfoot elicit spring and flowers in the meadow) Marino
ott 67 5ndash6 (the wind playing with Pampinorsquos hair and showing his neck) is similar
to Nonnus vv 183ndash85 (the wind playing with Ampelusrsquo hair and revealing his neck)
Marino was unable to borrow Nonnusrsquo image of Ampelusrsquo foot eliciting spring
because Falkenburgrsquos text and Lubinrsquos translation present a different textual reading
from Chretienrsquos Falkenburg does not have (drsquo7lon) Iar (lsquospringrsquo) but (g1r) 5niar
which was translated as lsquoemolumentumrsquo (lsquogainrsquo) by Lubin
There are however some significant differences To describe the effect of the
Ampelusrsquo neck and eyes Nonnus introduces the image of the moon emerging through
the clouds while evoking simultaneously the moon cycle He begins with a compari-
son and continues with a metaphor spread out over eight verses To describe the
instant effect of Pampinorsquos eyes Marino (or to be more precise the narrator
Dionysus) simply states a truth a hyperbolic truth the light of Pampinorsquos eyes illu-
minates darkness To describe the effect of the neck of the satyr boy he introduces the
landscape and treasure metaphor The importance of the neck seems to point towards
another intertext the description of feminine beauty in the Song of Songs29 The lovers
in the Song of Songs describe each other in metaphorical terms their eyes hair teeth
lips voice cheeks neck breast and overall fairness etc (he in 4 she in 5 10ndash16 he
again in 6 4ndash7 and 7 1ndash9) Among the many source domains in the Song of Songs
lsquofruitrsquo lsquoastral phenomenarsquo and lsquoprecious materialsrsquo are present too To give some
examples her temples are pomegranates (4 3) his arms are rods of gold set with topaz
(5 14) she appears like the dawn the moon the sun the stars (6 10) and last but not
least her neck is an ivory tower (7 4)30 Elsewhere in the Adone (as often in Italian
Baroque poetry) Christian imagery is also clearly present31
summitate apparens oriebatur media nudata cervix Et fulgorem eiaculabatur umbram
relinquens qualia lucet In medio apparens nubem humidam perrumpens Luna Et
oris rosei mel spirans (Lectius 1606 lsquospiansrsquo instead of lsquospiransrsquo) fluebat oratio Ex
membris enim emolumentum (Falkenburg reads g1r 5niar lsquogainrsquo where Chretien has
drsquo7lon Iar) apparebat Cum iret vero 190 Ex pede argenteo pedum (Falkenburg reads
2rgur oio pod8n instead of Chretienrsquos 2rgursquo oio oslashod8n) rubebat pratum Cum vero
faciei bovinae ventorum (Falkenburg has 2n mwn instead of Chretienrsquos rsquoa wn Lectius
1606 has lsquobavinaersquo for lsquobovinaersquo) illustri circulo Oculos circumvertisset tota resplen-
debat Luna
29 Parallels between the Song of Songs and Greek love poetry are already present in Greek
poetry from Antiquity see various articles in Hagedorn (2005)
30 Paradoxically Marino is closer to the Hebrew original (that he was unable to read) than
to the Latin translation of the Vulgate (which he must have used) the Vulgate turns most
of the original metaphors into similes with the indicator lsquosicutrsquo
31 For example the suggested parallel between Adone and Christ condemned by the
Inquisition a nymph acting as Judas revealing Adonersquos hiding place and committing
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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Marino changes some of Nonnusrsquo explicit (rationalizing see Pasini section lsquoA set
of practical tools for analysisrsquo) images into more implicit (open see Pasini section
lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo) ones evoking a concatenation of associations
The image of Ampelusrsquo silvery footstep (Greek 2rguroioLatin argenteo) that
turned the meadow red with roses is adapted to Marinorsquos own time Pampinorsquos
foot is no longer silvery but lsquovagorsquo (a reminiscence of Petrarcarsquos lsquovago piersquo)32 and it
still turns the meadow purple but the reader has to supply the exact nature of the
purple (eg purple gt flower gt rose) Since in the Renaissance canon lsquofootrsquo evokes
lsquohandrsquo and since the colour lsquopurplersquo evokes the contrast lsquowhitersquo Pampinorsquos foot and
the purple meadow in ott 67 3 lead lsquospontaneouslyrsquo to lsquohis white handrsquo in ott 67 4
Finally Nonnusrsquo lsquosilveryrsquo is not lost but transformed into the metaphorical verb
lsquoturned into silverrsquo (an interesting invention to provoke a new contrast in the readerrsquos
mind because the story is situated in Phrygia with its proverbially gold-gleaming
river Pactolus)33
What can we conclude on the basis of the similarities and differences in the
passages of Nonnus and Marino about their use of metaphor
First it is evident that Nonnus and Marino are equally fond of metaphors
Nonnusrsquo eighteen verses contain twelve metaphors and one comparison Marinorsquo
sixteen verses contain twelve metaphors On a quantitative level the abundant and
cumulative use of metaphors by Nonnus could be called lsquobaroquersquo
Secondly we have seen that on a conceptual level Nonnus and Marino share some
characteristics but not all Both poets work with the contrasting couples red-white
and light-dark and use the source domain lsquoflowerrsquo But the more traditional source
domains lsquoprecious materialsrsquo and lsquofruitrsquo inherited by Marino from the Renaissance
canon of beauty are barely or not at all present in Nonnus at least not in this passage
Thirdly at the linguistic level Nonnus and Marino clearly employ different
kinds and complexities of metaphor Nonnus on the one hand uses a concatenation
of metaphors in praesentia crowned by his personal metaphorical formula in which
the appearance of the tenor simultaneously evokes the vehicle Linguistically speak-
ing the relation between tenor and vehicle remains visible and controllable
suicide Venus crying over Adonersquos body as Mary did over Jesusrsquo body Adone is not
wounded in his thigh as in Greek mythology but in his side See also Guardiani (2001)
and Gonnelli (2003 29ndash30 on pagan and Christian syncretism in Nonnusrsquo Paraphrasis
and Marinorsquos Adone) The last motif recurs in the fresco lsquoLa Morte di Adonersquo by Luca
Giordano (1682ndash85) Palazzo Medici-Riccardi Florence It is reminiscent of the parallel
between Dionysus and Christ also expressed in various mosaics for example in a Roman
mosaic depicting Dionysusrsquo discovery of Ariadne on Naxos (Syria 3rd-4th cent Miho
Museum Kyoto Japan cat NA) where Dionysus not only has a nimbus but also a
wound in his sidebreast (a later addition) (I thank Berenice Verhelst for pointing out
this mosaic to me)
32 For this intricate Renaissance style word play see Pozzi (1976) ad loc
33 See Nonn Dion 11 17ndash55 for the swimming contest with Dionysus and Ampelus and
the effect on the satyr boy of the golden water of the river Pactolus
E M V A N O P S T A L L
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Dow
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(lsquorationalrsquo lsquoclosedrsquo) Marino on the other hand prefers metaphors in absentia
opening the associative distance between vehicle and tenor to a maximum He uses
the auto-referential metaphor that is so typical of Baroque poetry Marinorsquos method
reflects instability the arbitrariness of the relation between tenor and vehicle seems to
express the absence of a shared and well-organized world with absolute values As
Conte (1972 37) puts it lsquoconfronted by a reality (human social politic cultural) in
crisis the baroque word denounces the prerogative of the word it speaks almost
exclusively of itself but speaking of itself it imitates takes possession of exorcizes
and even organizes the crisisrsquo Therefore on a linguistic level there seems to be more
method in Nonnusrsquo madness than in Marinorsquos
Finally what about the overall effect of the metaphors they use in their respective
descriptions Nonnus and Marino both describe beautiful beardless satyr boys
caught in a fleeting moment of radiant movement in an eroticizing bucolic setting
They put equal emphasis on the beauty and the fragility of youth and on the satyr
boyrsquos impact on the nature surrounding him As we have seen Nonnusrsquo metaphors
make Ampelus progressively intermingle with nature announcing the satyr boyrsquos
metamorphosis Even though they are classified as more lsquorationalrsquo on a linguistic
level (see Pasini) their effect is impressively irrational and open Just as Marinorsquos
metaphors they are constantly related to metamorphosis expressing change and
instability These are typical features of the Baroque that also explain at least partly
Marinorsquos affiliation with Nonnus
Conclusion
To return to the initial question of this article do we need the term lsquobaroquersquo to
characterize Nonnusrsquo poetry We have seen that the use of lsquobaroquersquo for other
periods than the seventeenth-century Baroque has met with positive and negative
reactions being found either too restricted or too broad and that the term lsquobaroquersquo
is often used for Nonnusrsquo Dionysiaca in an impressionistic way to indicate that his
aesthetics deviate from the lsquoclassicalrsquo Used in this sense lsquobaroquersquo can suggest
openness expansion abundance accumulation asymmetry moving musicality
optical illusion and the absence of a vanishing point as opposed to lsquoclassicalrsquo
with its connotation of contours closed nature unity harmony symmetry archi-
tectural fixity and converging perspectives Many of these tendencies known from
the historical Baroque are visible in Late Antique poetry
What about the other qualifications at hand such as poik0lordquo lsquojeweledrsquo and
lsquocumulativersquo Can they replace the term lsquobaroquersquo The first poikil0a is intimately
linked with Nonnusrsquo own poetics as becomes immediately clear from his prologue
where it refers to variety and polymorphism in the poem as a whole The poet wishes
that lsquoProteus of the many turnsrsquo the god of endless transformation lsquomay appear in
all his diversity of shapes since I twang my harp to a diversity of songsrsquo34 It is
34 Nonn Dion I 15 5rsquora rsquoan0h poik0lon Idordquo ecwn 7ti poik0lon 4mnon 2r0ssw (transl
Rouse 1940) The term poik0lordquo has been used very frequently by scholars to describe
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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Dow
nloaded from
applied to Late Antique literature as well as to art works both art forms being
intimately linked during this period Gianfranco Agosti (1997 34ndash35 see also
2006 361ss) expands its use understanding it lsquonot only as stylistic varietas but
above all as a code intended to characterize reality The concept of poikil0a goes
far beyond mere rhetorical or stylistic boundaries and becomes a peculiar way of
viewing realityrsquo When used in this way as a psychological category applied to the
relation between word and image it becomes a hermeneutic tool to explore Late
Antique world views
The second expression lsquojeweled stylersquo is used for Late Antique writers and
artists who place their words and phrases or their gems and colours in geometric
patterns The aim of these patterns is to create a symbolic unity which is considered
more important than linear narrative sequences in literature and realism in the visual
arts The term has been coined by Michael Roberts (1989) for the aesthetics of Latin
poetry from Late Antiquity (Ausonius Prudentius Claudian Sidonius etc) but
can be applied mutatis mutandis to Greek literature from the same period
The third expression lsquocumulative aestheticrsquo describes a similar attitude in Late
Antique art characterized by a particular attention to detail (lsquoexquisite miniatur-
izationrsquo) and by a preference for the re-use of precious elements from the past
(spolia) The sum of these separate entities forms a new unity and expresses a
new vision of the world Jas Elsner (2004) discusses the term in the context of the
visual arts but it can also be applied to literature
Poikil0a jeweled style and cumulative aesthetic are free of the charge of
anachronism They are related each of them covering several aspects of Late
Antique art and literature but not all In my opinion the term lsquobaroquersquo serves a
different purpose it can indicate generally the kind of expressive possibilities chosen
by an author provided that this sketchy characterization is subsequently elaborated
in order to lend the term lsquobaroquersquo a more specific significance especially by
comparing it to the lsquoBaroquersquo
The term lsquobaroquersquo as a general indication for Nonnusrsquo style invited me to com-
pare lsquobaroquersquo Nonnus with lsquoBaroque Marinorsquo I picked up the Tesaurorsquos telescope
to zoom in on metaphor and to study the lsquoqueen of figuresrsquo from close up Nonnusrsquo
metaphors clearly appealed to the poetic creativity of Marino There is much aes-
thetic affinity between the stylistic norms they adopted when composing metaphors
They use comparable expressive possibilities to articulate their vision of the world
even if these worlds are very different and even if the lsquomost Baroque of baroque
poetsrsquo goes one step further than Nonnus Zooming out again I conclude two things
Nonnusrsquo style on the basis of his own proemium See for example Lindsay (1965 379ndash
84) String (1966 33ndash70) Vian (1976 9ndash10) Gonzalez Senmartı (1981) Hopkinson
(1994) Whitby (1994 101 112 116) Agosti (1997) Shorrock (2001) Miguelez-
Cavero (2008 139ndash45 162ndash68) Hernandez de la Fuente (2011) As a poetical qualifica-
tion poikil0a is already present in Pindar see Nunlist (1998 118) For poikil0avarietas
in epideictic rhetoric of the Imperial Period see Pernot (1993 337)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
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nloaded from
if not pinned down as a strictly historical category the term lsquobaroquersquo can to a
certain extent be applied to Nonnus and above all can invite further exploration of
the intertextual relationships between poets and be helpful in comparing artistic
norms from different periods of time Used in this way it does not replace nor is
replaced by the terms poikil0a lsquojeweled stylersquo and cumulative aesthetics but is a
stimulating tool to bring to light similarities and differences in poetic creativity not
only of metaphor but also of other characteristics which have been called lsquotypically
baroquersquo35 It can help to gain insight into the exact nature of a literary lsquodialogue at
distancersquo and could also prove fruitful in analysing and characterizing Marinorsquos
intertexutal relations with other authors from Antiquity
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank G Agosti M H Koenen P Lanfranchi and M Pearson for
their stimulating comments and lively discussions during the various stages of this
article as well as Jas Elsner the associate editor and the anonymous referees of
Classical Receptions Journal for their accurate and useful suggestions
References
G Agosti lsquoPoemi digressivi tardoantichi (e moderni)rsquo Compar(a)ison no 1 (1995) pp 131ndash51mdashmdash lsquoThe poikil0a of Paul the Bishoprsquo ZPE no 116 (1997) pp 31ndash38mdashmdash lsquoImmagini e poesia nella tarda antichita Per uno studio dellrsquoestetica visuale della poesia greca fra
III e IV sec d Crsquo Incontri Triestini di Filologia Classica 4 2004-2005 (2006) pp 351ndash74 Onlinesince 22 August 2006 httphdlhandlenet10077949 [accessed 4 July 2012]
S Bar Review of Miguelez-Cavero 2008 in Plekos no 12 (2010) pp 67ndash77 httpwwwplekosuni-muenchende2010r-caveropdf [accessed 4 July 2012]
E van Boven and G Dorleijn Literair Mechaniek Inleiding tot de Analyse van Verhalen en Gedichten(Bussum Coutinho 2003) esp pp 159ndash80 (lsquoBeeldspraakrsquo)
Ch Brooke-Rose A Grammar of Metaphor (London Secker amp Warburg 1958)P Cherchi lsquoPoetry Philosophy and Sciencersquo in P Brand and L Pertile (eds) The Cambridge History
of Italian Literature vol I The Seicento (Cambridge Cambridge University Press 1996)pp 301ndash17
G Chretien Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t IV chants IXndashX (Paris Les Belles Lettres1985)
G Conte La Metafora barocca Saggio sulle poetiche del Seicento (Milano Mursia 1972)E R Curtius Europaische Literatur und lateinisches Mittelalter (Bern Francke Verlag 1948)G DrsquoIppolito Studi Nonniani Lrsquoepillio nelle Dionisiache (Palermo Presso lrsquoAccademia 1964)E DrsquoOrs Du Baroque (Paris Gallimard 1935)
35 Other intertexual relations such as the ones briefly discussed by Tissoni (1998 59ndash62)
could be analysed according to the procedure of Rousset (1954) although he restricted
his method to the seventeenth-century French Baroque literature He formulated four
main criteria applicable to various seventeenth-century Baroque art forms (architecture
painting and literature) lsquoinstabilityrsquo lsquomobilityrsquo lsquometamorphosisrsquo and lsquodominance of
settingrsquo He subsequently applied these criteria to five literary instances first of all lsquoa type
of metaphorrsquo followed by lsquoa type of poemrsquo lsquoa poetic work as a wholersquo lsquoa theatrical work as
a wholersquo and lsquoa general attitudersquo ie lsquodisplayrsquo (1954 181ss)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
23 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
J Elsner lsquoLate Antique Art The Problem of the Concept and the Cumulative Aestheticrsquo in S Swainand M Edwards (eds) Approaching Late Antiquity The Transformation from Early to Late Empire(Oxford Oxford University Press 2004) pp 271ndash309
E Faral Les Arts Poetiques du XIIe et XIIIe siecle Recherches et Documents sur la Technique Litteraire duMoyen Age (Paris Champion 1962)
W Fauth Eidos Poikilon Zur Thematik der Metamorphose und zum Prinzip der Wandlung aus demGegensatz in den Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Gottingen Vandenhoeck amp Ruprecht 1981)
P Friedlander Johannes von Gaza und Paulus Silentiarius Kunstbeschreibungen Justinianischer Zeit(Leipzig Teubner 1912)
H de la Fuente lsquoThe One and the Many and the Circular Movement Neo-Platonism and Poetics inNonnus of Panopolisrsquo in Id (ed) New Perspectives on Late Antiquity (Newcastle-upon-TyneCambridge Scholars 2011)
F Gonnelli Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol II (canti XIIIndashXXIV) (Milano BibliotecaUniversale Rizzoli 2003)
V Giraudet lsquoLe rivage la presqursquoıle et le marais Espaces baroques chez Achille Tatius et Nonnos dePanopolisrsquo in R Poignault (ed) Presence du Roman grec et Latin (Clermont-Ferrand Centre deRecherches A Piganiol 2011) pp 147ndash66
Groupe m (J Dubois ea) Rhetorique generale (Paris du Seuil 1970)F Guardiani lsquoA Christological Metamorphosis in a Baroque Poemrsquo in J Goering ea (ed) Saints and
the Sacred Select Proceedings of the 3rd St Michaelrsquos College Annual Symposium (Feb 25-26 2000)(Ottawa Legas 2001) pp 185ndash95
A C Hagedorn (ed) Perspectives on the Song of Songs (Berlin De Gruyter 2005)F Hallyn Formes metaphoriques dans la poesie lyrique de lrsquoage baroque en France (Geneve Droz 1975)H Hatzfeld lsquoThe Baroque from the Viewpoint of the Literary Historianrsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art
Criticism 142 Second Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1955) 156ndash64N Hopkinson (ed) Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society
1994)R Huyghe lsquoLa seve du baroquersquo Baroque [online] no 4 (1969) Online since 3 May 2012 http
baroquerevuesorg304 [accessed 22 January 2013]K Jax Die weibliche Schonheit in der griechischen Dichtung (Innsbruck Wagner 1933)R Keydell lsquoNonnosrsquo in Th Klauser (ed) Reallexikon fur Antike und Christentum vol XVII
(Stuttgart Hiersemann 1936) vol XVII pp 902ndash20G Lakoff Metaphors We Live By (Chicago University of Chicago Press 1980)G Lakoff and M Turner More Than Cool Reason A Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor (Chicago
University of Chicago Press 1989)L R Lind lsquoNonnos and His Readersrsquo Res Publica Litterarum (1978) 159ndash70J Lindsay Leisure and Pleasure in Roman Egypt (London Muller 1965)V De Malde Giovan Battista Marino La Sampogna (Parma Fondazione Pietro Bembo Ugo Guanda
Editore 1993)A Martini Letteratura Italiana Le Opere Vol II Dal Cinquecento al Settecento A Asor Rosa (ed)
(Turin Einaudi 1993) pp 777ndash97R T Matthews and F DeWitt Platt The Western Humanities (Boston McGraw-Hill 2004)L Miguelez-Cavero Poems in Context Greek Poetry in the Egyptian Thebaid 200-600 AD (Berlin De
Gruyter 2008)R F Newbold lsquoMimesis and Illusion in Nonnus Deceit Distrust and the Search for Meaningrsquo
Helios 37 no 1 (2010) pp 81ndash106R Nunlist Poetologische Bildersprache in der fruhgriechischen Dichtung (Stuttgart Teubner 1998)G F Pasini lsquoDalla comparazione alla metaforarsquo Lingua e Stile 7 no 3 (1972) pp 441ndash69L Pernot La rhetorique de lrsquoeloge dans le monde greco-romain vol I (Paris Institut drsquoEtudes
Augustiennes 1993)S N Peters lsquoMetaphor and lsquolsquoMaravigliarsquorsquo Tradition and Innovation in the Adone of GB Marinorsquo
Lingua e Stile 7 no 2 (1972) pp 321ndash41D G Piccardi Metafora e Poetica in Nonno di Panopoli (Florence Universite degli Studi di Firenze
1985)mdashmdash Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol I (canti IndashXII) (Milano Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli
2003)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
24 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
G Pozzi Giovan Battista Marino vol II LrsquoAdone (Milano Mondadori 1976)mdashmdash lsquoIl ritratto della donna nella poesia drsquoinizio Cinquecento e la pittura di Giorgionersquo Lettere Italiane
311 gennaio-marzo (1979) pp 3ndash30mdashmdash lsquoTemi t0poi stereotipirsquo in A Asor Rosa (ed) Letteratura italiana III Le forme del testo I
Teoria e poesia (Torino Einaudi 1984) pp 391ndash436I A Richards The Philosophy of Rhetoric (New York Oxford University Press 1936)M Riemschneider lsquoDer Stil des Nonnosrsquo Berliner byzantinistische Arbeiten no 5 (1957) pp 46ndash70M Roberts The Jeweled Style Poetry and Poetics in Late Antiquity (Ithaca and London Cornell
University Press 1989)W H D Rouse Nonnus Dionysiaca (Cambridge MA Harvard University Press 1940)J Rousset La litterature de lrsquoage baroque en France Circe et le paon (Paris Corti 1954)E Russo lsquoSul barocco letterario in Italia Giudizi revisioni distinzionirsquo Les Dossiers du Grihl [Online]
2012-02 j 2012 Online since 25 June 2012 httpdossiersgrihlrevuesorg5223 [accessed 4 March2013]
A G Senmartı lsquoLa lsquolsquopoikiliarsquorsquo como principio estilıstico de las Dionisıacas de Nonorsquo AFB no 7(1981) pp 101ndash07
R Shorrock The Challenge of Epic Allusive Engagement in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Leiden Brill2001)
mdashmdash lsquoNonnusrsquo in J Foley (ed) A Companion to Ancient Epic (Oxford Wiley-Blackwell 2005)pp 374ndash85
mdashmdash The Myth of Paganism Nonnus Dionysus and the World of Late Antiquity (London BristolClassical Press 2011)
G Steen lsquoMetaphor and Stylersquo in P Stockwell and S Whiteley (eds) The Cambridge Handbook ofStylistics (Cambridge Cambridge University Press forthcoming 2014)
M String Untersuchungen zum Stil der Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Hamburg sn (disserta-tion) 1966)
E Tesauro Il Cannocchiale Aristotelico (Venice Baglioni 1654ndash70)F Tissoni Nonno di Panopoli I Canti di Penteo (Dionisiache 44ndash46) Commento (Florence La Nuova
Italia Editrice 1998)F Vian Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t I chants IndashII (Paris Les Belles Lettres 1976)R Wellek lsquoThe Concept of Baroque in Literary Scholarshiprsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism
52 Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1946) pp 77ndash109M Whitby lsquoFrom Moschus to Nonnus The Evolution of the Nonnian Stylersquo in N Hopkinson (ed)
Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society 1994) pp 99ndash155A Wifstrand Von Kallimachos zu Nonnos Metrisch-stilistische Untersuchungen zur spateren griechischen
Epik und zu verwandten Gedichtgattungen (Lund Gleerup 1933)H Wolfflin Renaissance und Barock Eine Untersuchung uber Wesen und Entstehung des Barockstils in
Italien (Munich T Ackermann 1888)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
25 of 25
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ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
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nloaded from
combines Nonnus vv 186ndash87 (Ampelusrsquo neck is like the moon shining though
clouds) and vv 191ndash92 (when Ampelus looks the moon shines) Marino ott 67
3ndash4 (Pampinorsquos foot and hand transform meadow and river) is like Nonnus vv
189ndash90 (Ampelusrsquo limbsfoot elicit spring and flowers in the meadow) Marino
ott 67 5ndash6 (the wind playing with Pampinorsquos hair and showing his neck) is similar
to Nonnus vv 183ndash85 (the wind playing with Ampelusrsquo hair and revealing his neck)
Marino was unable to borrow Nonnusrsquo image of Ampelusrsquo foot eliciting spring
because Falkenburgrsquos text and Lubinrsquos translation present a different textual reading
from Chretienrsquos Falkenburg does not have (drsquo7lon) Iar (lsquospringrsquo) but (g1r) 5niar
which was translated as lsquoemolumentumrsquo (lsquogainrsquo) by Lubin
There are however some significant differences To describe the effect of the
Ampelusrsquo neck and eyes Nonnus introduces the image of the moon emerging through
the clouds while evoking simultaneously the moon cycle He begins with a compari-
son and continues with a metaphor spread out over eight verses To describe the
instant effect of Pampinorsquos eyes Marino (or to be more precise the narrator
Dionysus) simply states a truth a hyperbolic truth the light of Pampinorsquos eyes illu-
minates darkness To describe the effect of the neck of the satyr boy he introduces the
landscape and treasure metaphor The importance of the neck seems to point towards
another intertext the description of feminine beauty in the Song of Songs29 The lovers
in the Song of Songs describe each other in metaphorical terms their eyes hair teeth
lips voice cheeks neck breast and overall fairness etc (he in 4 she in 5 10ndash16 he
again in 6 4ndash7 and 7 1ndash9) Among the many source domains in the Song of Songs
lsquofruitrsquo lsquoastral phenomenarsquo and lsquoprecious materialsrsquo are present too To give some
examples her temples are pomegranates (4 3) his arms are rods of gold set with topaz
(5 14) she appears like the dawn the moon the sun the stars (6 10) and last but not
least her neck is an ivory tower (7 4)30 Elsewhere in the Adone (as often in Italian
Baroque poetry) Christian imagery is also clearly present31
summitate apparens oriebatur media nudata cervix Et fulgorem eiaculabatur umbram
relinquens qualia lucet In medio apparens nubem humidam perrumpens Luna Et
oris rosei mel spirans (Lectius 1606 lsquospiansrsquo instead of lsquospiransrsquo) fluebat oratio Ex
membris enim emolumentum (Falkenburg reads g1r 5niar lsquogainrsquo where Chretien has
drsquo7lon Iar) apparebat Cum iret vero 190 Ex pede argenteo pedum (Falkenburg reads
2rgur oio pod8n instead of Chretienrsquos 2rgursquo oio oslashod8n) rubebat pratum Cum vero
faciei bovinae ventorum (Falkenburg has 2n mwn instead of Chretienrsquos rsquoa wn Lectius
1606 has lsquobavinaersquo for lsquobovinaersquo) illustri circulo Oculos circumvertisset tota resplen-
debat Luna
29 Parallels between the Song of Songs and Greek love poetry are already present in Greek
poetry from Antiquity see various articles in Hagedorn (2005)
30 Paradoxically Marino is closer to the Hebrew original (that he was unable to read) than
to the Latin translation of the Vulgate (which he must have used) the Vulgate turns most
of the original metaphors into similes with the indicator lsquosicutrsquo
31 For example the suggested parallel between Adone and Christ condemned by the
Inquisition a nymph acting as Judas revealing Adonersquos hiding place and committing
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
19 of 25
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Marino changes some of Nonnusrsquo explicit (rationalizing see Pasini section lsquoA set
of practical tools for analysisrsquo) images into more implicit (open see Pasini section
lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo) ones evoking a concatenation of associations
The image of Ampelusrsquo silvery footstep (Greek 2rguroioLatin argenteo) that
turned the meadow red with roses is adapted to Marinorsquos own time Pampinorsquos
foot is no longer silvery but lsquovagorsquo (a reminiscence of Petrarcarsquos lsquovago piersquo)32 and it
still turns the meadow purple but the reader has to supply the exact nature of the
purple (eg purple gt flower gt rose) Since in the Renaissance canon lsquofootrsquo evokes
lsquohandrsquo and since the colour lsquopurplersquo evokes the contrast lsquowhitersquo Pampinorsquos foot and
the purple meadow in ott 67 3 lead lsquospontaneouslyrsquo to lsquohis white handrsquo in ott 67 4
Finally Nonnusrsquo lsquosilveryrsquo is not lost but transformed into the metaphorical verb
lsquoturned into silverrsquo (an interesting invention to provoke a new contrast in the readerrsquos
mind because the story is situated in Phrygia with its proverbially gold-gleaming
river Pactolus)33
What can we conclude on the basis of the similarities and differences in the
passages of Nonnus and Marino about their use of metaphor
First it is evident that Nonnus and Marino are equally fond of metaphors
Nonnusrsquo eighteen verses contain twelve metaphors and one comparison Marinorsquo
sixteen verses contain twelve metaphors On a quantitative level the abundant and
cumulative use of metaphors by Nonnus could be called lsquobaroquersquo
Secondly we have seen that on a conceptual level Nonnus and Marino share some
characteristics but not all Both poets work with the contrasting couples red-white
and light-dark and use the source domain lsquoflowerrsquo But the more traditional source
domains lsquoprecious materialsrsquo and lsquofruitrsquo inherited by Marino from the Renaissance
canon of beauty are barely or not at all present in Nonnus at least not in this passage
Thirdly at the linguistic level Nonnus and Marino clearly employ different
kinds and complexities of metaphor Nonnus on the one hand uses a concatenation
of metaphors in praesentia crowned by his personal metaphorical formula in which
the appearance of the tenor simultaneously evokes the vehicle Linguistically speak-
ing the relation between tenor and vehicle remains visible and controllable
suicide Venus crying over Adonersquos body as Mary did over Jesusrsquo body Adone is not
wounded in his thigh as in Greek mythology but in his side See also Guardiani (2001)
and Gonnelli (2003 29ndash30 on pagan and Christian syncretism in Nonnusrsquo Paraphrasis
and Marinorsquos Adone) The last motif recurs in the fresco lsquoLa Morte di Adonersquo by Luca
Giordano (1682ndash85) Palazzo Medici-Riccardi Florence It is reminiscent of the parallel
between Dionysus and Christ also expressed in various mosaics for example in a Roman
mosaic depicting Dionysusrsquo discovery of Ariadne on Naxos (Syria 3rd-4th cent Miho
Museum Kyoto Japan cat NA) where Dionysus not only has a nimbus but also a
wound in his sidebreast (a later addition) (I thank Berenice Verhelst for pointing out
this mosaic to me)
32 For this intricate Renaissance style word play see Pozzi (1976) ad loc
33 See Nonn Dion 11 17ndash55 for the swimming contest with Dionysus and Ampelus and
the effect on the satyr boy of the golden water of the river Pactolus
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(lsquorationalrsquo lsquoclosedrsquo) Marino on the other hand prefers metaphors in absentia
opening the associative distance between vehicle and tenor to a maximum He uses
the auto-referential metaphor that is so typical of Baroque poetry Marinorsquos method
reflects instability the arbitrariness of the relation between tenor and vehicle seems to
express the absence of a shared and well-organized world with absolute values As
Conte (1972 37) puts it lsquoconfronted by a reality (human social politic cultural) in
crisis the baroque word denounces the prerogative of the word it speaks almost
exclusively of itself but speaking of itself it imitates takes possession of exorcizes
and even organizes the crisisrsquo Therefore on a linguistic level there seems to be more
method in Nonnusrsquo madness than in Marinorsquos
Finally what about the overall effect of the metaphors they use in their respective
descriptions Nonnus and Marino both describe beautiful beardless satyr boys
caught in a fleeting moment of radiant movement in an eroticizing bucolic setting
They put equal emphasis on the beauty and the fragility of youth and on the satyr
boyrsquos impact on the nature surrounding him As we have seen Nonnusrsquo metaphors
make Ampelus progressively intermingle with nature announcing the satyr boyrsquos
metamorphosis Even though they are classified as more lsquorationalrsquo on a linguistic
level (see Pasini) their effect is impressively irrational and open Just as Marinorsquos
metaphors they are constantly related to metamorphosis expressing change and
instability These are typical features of the Baroque that also explain at least partly
Marinorsquos affiliation with Nonnus
Conclusion
To return to the initial question of this article do we need the term lsquobaroquersquo to
characterize Nonnusrsquo poetry We have seen that the use of lsquobaroquersquo for other
periods than the seventeenth-century Baroque has met with positive and negative
reactions being found either too restricted or too broad and that the term lsquobaroquersquo
is often used for Nonnusrsquo Dionysiaca in an impressionistic way to indicate that his
aesthetics deviate from the lsquoclassicalrsquo Used in this sense lsquobaroquersquo can suggest
openness expansion abundance accumulation asymmetry moving musicality
optical illusion and the absence of a vanishing point as opposed to lsquoclassicalrsquo
with its connotation of contours closed nature unity harmony symmetry archi-
tectural fixity and converging perspectives Many of these tendencies known from
the historical Baroque are visible in Late Antique poetry
What about the other qualifications at hand such as poik0lordquo lsquojeweledrsquo and
lsquocumulativersquo Can they replace the term lsquobaroquersquo The first poikil0a is intimately
linked with Nonnusrsquo own poetics as becomes immediately clear from his prologue
where it refers to variety and polymorphism in the poem as a whole The poet wishes
that lsquoProteus of the many turnsrsquo the god of endless transformation lsquomay appear in
all his diversity of shapes since I twang my harp to a diversity of songsrsquo34 It is
34 Nonn Dion I 15 5rsquora rsquoan0h poik0lon Idordquo ecwn 7ti poik0lon 4mnon 2r0ssw (transl
Rouse 1940) The term poik0lordquo has been used very frequently by scholars to describe
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
21 of 25
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Dow
nloaded from
applied to Late Antique literature as well as to art works both art forms being
intimately linked during this period Gianfranco Agosti (1997 34ndash35 see also
2006 361ss) expands its use understanding it lsquonot only as stylistic varietas but
above all as a code intended to characterize reality The concept of poikil0a goes
far beyond mere rhetorical or stylistic boundaries and becomes a peculiar way of
viewing realityrsquo When used in this way as a psychological category applied to the
relation between word and image it becomes a hermeneutic tool to explore Late
Antique world views
The second expression lsquojeweled stylersquo is used for Late Antique writers and
artists who place their words and phrases or their gems and colours in geometric
patterns The aim of these patterns is to create a symbolic unity which is considered
more important than linear narrative sequences in literature and realism in the visual
arts The term has been coined by Michael Roberts (1989) for the aesthetics of Latin
poetry from Late Antiquity (Ausonius Prudentius Claudian Sidonius etc) but
can be applied mutatis mutandis to Greek literature from the same period
The third expression lsquocumulative aestheticrsquo describes a similar attitude in Late
Antique art characterized by a particular attention to detail (lsquoexquisite miniatur-
izationrsquo) and by a preference for the re-use of precious elements from the past
(spolia) The sum of these separate entities forms a new unity and expresses a
new vision of the world Jas Elsner (2004) discusses the term in the context of the
visual arts but it can also be applied to literature
Poikil0a jeweled style and cumulative aesthetic are free of the charge of
anachronism They are related each of them covering several aspects of Late
Antique art and literature but not all In my opinion the term lsquobaroquersquo serves a
different purpose it can indicate generally the kind of expressive possibilities chosen
by an author provided that this sketchy characterization is subsequently elaborated
in order to lend the term lsquobaroquersquo a more specific significance especially by
comparing it to the lsquoBaroquersquo
The term lsquobaroquersquo as a general indication for Nonnusrsquo style invited me to com-
pare lsquobaroquersquo Nonnus with lsquoBaroque Marinorsquo I picked up the Tesaurorsquos telescope
to zoom in on metaphor and to study the lsquoqueen of figuresrsquo from close up Nonnusrsquo
metaphors clearly appealed to the poetic creativity of Marino There is much aes-
thetic affinity between the stylistic norms they adopted when composing metaphors
They use comparable expressive possibilities to articulate their vision of the world
even if these worlds are very different and even if the lsquomost Baroque of baroque
poetsrsquo goes one step further than Nonnus Zooming out again I conclude two things
Nonnusrsquo style on the basis of his own proemium See for example Lindsay (1965 379ndash
84) String (1966 33ndash70) Vian (1976 9ndash10) Gonzalez Senmartı (1981) Hopkinson
(1994) Whitby (1994 101 112 116) Agosti (1997) Shorrock (2001) Miguelez-
Cavero (2008 139ndash45 162ndash68) Hernandez de la Fuente (2011) As a poetical qualifica-
tion poikil0a is already present in Pindar see Nunlist (1998 118) For poikil0avarietas
in epideictic rhetoric of the Imperial Period see Pernot (1993 337)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
22 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
if not pinned down as a strictly historical category the term lsquobaroquersquo can to a
certain extent be applied to Nonnus and above all can invite further exploration of
the intertextual relationships between poets and be helpful in comparing artistic
norms from different periods of time Used in this way it does not replace nor is
replaced by the terms poikil0a lsquojeweled stylersquo and cumulative aesthetics but is a
stimulating tool to bring to light similarities and differences in poetic creativity not
only of metaphor but also of other characteristics which have been called lsquotypically
baroquersquo35 It can help to gain insight into the exact nature of a literary lsquodialogue at
distancersquo and could also prove fruitful in analysing and characterizing Marinorsquos
intertexutal relations with other authors from Antiquity
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank G Agosti M H Koenen P Lanfranchi and M Pearson for
their stimulating comments and lively discussions during the various stages of this
article as well as Jas Elsner the associate editor and the anonymous referees of
Classical Receptions Journal for their accurate and useful suggestions
References
G Agosti lsquoPoemi digressivi tardoantichi (e moderni)rsquo Compar(a)ison no 1 (1995) pp 131ndash51mdashmdash lsquoThe poikil0a of Paul the Bishoprsquo ZPE no 116 (1997) pp 31ndash38mdashmdash lsquoImmagini e poesia nella tarda antichita Per uno studio dellrsquoestetica visuale della poesia greca fra
III e IV sec d Crsquo Incontri Triestini di Filologia Classica 4 2004-2005 (2006) pp 351ndash74 Onlinesince 22 August 2006 httphdlhandlenet10077949 [accessed 4 July 2012]
S Bar Review of Miguelez-Cavero 2008 in Plekos no 12 (2010) pp 67ndash77 httpwwwplekosuni-muenchende2010r-caveropdf [accessed 4 July 2012]
E van Boven and G Dorleijn Literair Mechaniek Inleiding tot de Analyse van Verhalen en Gedichten(Bussum Coutinho 2003) esp pp 159ndash80 (lsquoBeeldspraakrsquo)
Ch Brooke-Rose A Grammar of Metaphor (London Secker amp Warburg 1958)P Cherchi lsquoPoetry Philosophy and Sciencersquo in P Brand and L Pertile (eds) The Cambridge History
of Italian Literature vol I The Seicento (Cambridge Cambridge University Press 1996)pp 301ndash17
G Chretien Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t IV chants IXndashX (Paris Les Belles Lettres1985)
G Conte La Metafora barocca Saggio sulle poetiche del Seicento (Milano Mursia 1972)E R Curtius Europaische Literatur und lateinisches Mittelalter (Bern Francke Verlag 1948)G DrsquoIppolito Studi Nonniani Lrsquoepillio nelle Dionisiache (Palermo Presso lrsquoAccademia 1964)E DrsquoOrs Du Baroque (Paris Gallimard 1935)
35 Other intertexual relations such as the ones briefly discussed by Tissoni (1998 59ndash62)
could be analysed according to the procedure of Rousset (1954) although he restricted
his method to the seventeenth-century French Baroque literature He formulated four
main criteria applicable to various seventeenth-century Baroque art forms (architecture
painting and literature) lsquoinstabilityrsquo lsquomobilityrsquo lsquometamorphosisrsquo and lsquodominance of
settingrsquo He subsequently applied these criteria to five literary instances first of all lsquoa type
of metaphorrsquo followed by lsquoa type of poemrsquo lsquoa poetic work as a wholersquo lsquoa theatrical work as
a wholersquo and lsquoa general attitudersquo ie lsquodisplayrsquo (1954 181ss)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
23 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
J Elsner lsquoLate Antique Art The Problem of the Concept and the Cumulative Aestheticrsquo in S Swainand M Edwards (eds) Approaching Late Antiquity The Transformation from Early to Late Empire(Oxford Oxford University Press 2004) pp 271ndash309
E Faral Les Arts Poetiques du XIIe et XIIIe siecle Recherches et Documents sur la Technique Litteraire duMoyen Age (Paris Champion 1962)
W Fauth Eidos Poikilon Zur Thematik der Metamorphose und zum Prinzip der Wandlung aus demGegensatz in den Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Gottingen Vandenhoeck amp Ruprecht 1981)
P Friedlander Johannes von Gaza und Paulus Silentiarius Kunstbeschreibungen Justinianischer Zeit(Leipzig Teubner 1912)
H de la Fuente lsquoThe One and the Many and the Circular Movement Neo-Platonism and Poetics inNonnus of Panopolisrsquo in Id (ed) New Perspectives on Late Antiquity (Newcastle-upon-TyneCambridge Scholars 2011)
F Gonnelli Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol II (canti XIIIndashXXIV) (Milano BibliotecaUniversale Rizzoli 2003)
V Giraudet lsquoLe rivage la presqursquoıle et le marais Espaces baroques chez Achille Tatius et Nonnos dePanopolisrsquo in R Poignault (ed) Presence du Roman grec et Latin (Clermont-Ferrand Centre deRecherches A Piganiol 2011) pp 147ndash66
Groupe m (J Dubois ea) Rhetorique generale (Paris du Seuil 1970)F Guardiani lsquoA Christological Metamorphosis in a Baroque Poemrsquo in J Goering ea (ed) Saints and
the Sacred Select Proceedings of the 3rd St Michaelrsquos College Annual Symposium (Feb 25-26 2000)(Ottawa Legas 2001) pp 185ndash95
A C Hagedorn (ed) Perspectives on the Song of Songs (Berlin De Gruyter 2005)F Hallyn Formes metaphoriques dans la poesie lyrique de lrsquoage baroque en France (Geneve Droz 1975)H Hatzfeld lsquoThe Baroque from the Viewpoint of the Literary Historianrsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art
Criticism 142 Second Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1955) 156ndash64N Hopkinson (ed) Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society
1994)R Huyghe lsquoLa seve du baroquersquo Baroque [online] no 4 (1969) Online since 3 May 2012 http
baroquerevuesorg304 [accessed 22 January 2013]K Jax Die weibliche Schonheit in der griechischen Dichtung (Innsbruck Wagner 1933)R Keydell lsquoNonnosrsquo in Th Klauser (ed) Reallexikon fur Antike und Christentum vol XVII
(Stuttgart Hiersemann 1936) vol XVII pp 902ndash20G Lakoff Metaphors We Live By (Chicago University of Chicago Press 1980)G Lakoff and M Turner More Than Cool Reason A Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor (Chicago
University of Chicago Press 1989)L R Lind lsquoNonnos and His Readersrsquo Res Publica Litterarum (1978) 159ndash70J Lindsay Leisure and Pleasure in Roman Egypt (London Muller 1965)V De Malde Giovan Battista Marino La Sampogna (Parma Fondazione Pietro Bembo Ugo Guanda
Editore 1993)A Martini Letteratura Italiana Le Opere Vol II Dal Cinquecento al Settecento A Asor Rosa (ed)
(Turin Einaudi 1993) pp 777ndash97R T Matthews and F DeWitt Platt The Western Humanities (Boston McGraw-Hill 2004)L Miguelez-Cavero Poems in Context Greek Poetry in the Egyptian Thebaid 200-600 AD (Berlin De
Gruyter 2008)R F Newbold lsquoMimesis and Illusion in Nonnus Deceit Distrust and the Search for Meaningrsquo
Helios 37 no 1 (2010) pp 81ndash106R Nunlist Poetologische Bildersprache in der fruhgriechischen Dichtung (Stuttgart Teubner 1998)G F Pasini lsquoDalla comparazione alla metaforarsquo Lingua e Stile 7 no 3 (1972) pp 441ndash69L Pernot La rhetorique de lrsquoeloge dans le monde greco-romain vol I (Paris Institut drsquoEtudes
Augustiennes 1993)S N Peters lsquoMetaphor and lsquolsquoMaravigliarsquorsquo Tradition and Innovation in the Adone of GB Marinorsquo
Lingua e Stile 7 no 2 (1972) pp 321ndash41D G Piccardi Metafora e Poetica in Nonno di Panopoli (Florence Universite degli Studi di Firenze
1985)mdashmdash Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol I (canti IndashXII) (Milano Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli
2003)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
24 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
G Pozzi Giovan Battista Marino vol II LrsquoAdone (Milano Mondadori 1976)mdashmdash lsquoIl ritratto della donna nella poesia drsquoinizio Cinquecento e la pittura di Giorgionersquo Lettere Italiane
311 gennaio-marzo (1979) pp 3ndash30mdashmdash lsquoTemi t0poi stereotipirsquo in A Asor Rosa (ed) Letteratura italiana III Le forme del testo I
Teoria e poesia (Torino Einaudi 1984) pp 391ndash436I A Richards The Philosophy of Rhetoric (New York Oxford University Press 1936)M Riemschneider lsquoDer Stil des Nonnosrsquo Berliner byzantinistische Arbeiten no 5 (1957) pp 46ndash70M Roberts The Jeweled Style Poetry and Poetics in Late Antiquity (Ithaca and London Cornell
University Press 1989)W H D Rouse Nonnus Dionysiaca (Cambridge MA Harvard University Press 1940)J Rousset La litterature de lrsquoage baroque en France Circe et le paon (Paris Corti 1954)E Russo lsquoSul barocco letterario in Italia Giudizi revisioni distinzionirsquo Les Dossiers du Grihl [Online]
2012-02 j 2012 Online since 25 June 2012 httpdossiersgrihlrevuesorg5223 [accessed 4 March2013]
A G Senmartı lsquoLa lsquolsquopoikiliarsquorsquo como principio estilıstico de las Dionisıacas de Nonorsquo AFB no 7(1981) pp 101ndash07
R Shorrock The Challenge of Epic Allusive Engagement in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Leiden Brill2001)
mdashmdash lsquoNonnusrsquo in J Foley (ed) A Companion to Ancient Epic (Oxford Wiley-Blackwell 2005)pp 374ndash85
mdashmdash The Myth of Paganism Nonnus Dionysus and the World of Late Antiquity (London BristolClassical Press 2011)
G Steen lsquoMetaphor and Stylersquo in P Stockwell and S Whiteley (eds) The Cambridge Handbook ofStylistics (Cambridge Cambridge University Press forthcoming 2014)
M String Untersuchungen zum Stil der Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Hamburg sn (disserta-tion) 1966)
E Tesauro Il Cannocchiale Aristotelico (Venice Baglioni 1654ndash70)F Tissoni Nonno di Panopoli I Canti di Penteo (Dionisiache 44ndash46) Commento (Florence La Nuova
Italia Editrice 1998)F Vian Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t I chants IndashII (Paris Les Belles Lettres 1976)R Wellek lsquoThe Concept of Baroque in Literary Scholarshiprsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism
52 Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1946) pp 77ndash109M Whitby lsquoFrom Moschus to Nonnus The Evolution of the Nonnian Stylersquo in N Hopkinson (ed)
Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society 1994) pp 99ndash155A Wifstrand Von Kallimachos zu Nonnos Metrisch-stilistische Untersuchungen zur spateren griechischen
Epik und zu verwandten Gedichtgattungen (Lund Gleerup 1933)H Wolfflin Renaissance und Barock Eine Untersuchung uber Wesen und Entstehung des Barockstils in
Italien (Munich T Ackermann 1888)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
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Dow
nloaded from
Marino changes some of Nonnusrsquo explicit (rationalizing see Pasini section lsquoA set
of practical tools for analysisrsquo) images into more implicit (open see Pasini section
lsquoA set of practical tools for analysisrsquo) ones evoking a concatenation of associations
The image of Ampelusrsquo silvery footstep (Greek 2rguroioLatin argenteo) that
turned the meadow red with roses is adapted to Marinorsquos own time Pampinorsquos
foot is no longer silvery but lsquovagorsquo (a reminiscence of Petrarcarsquos lsquovago piersquo)32 and it
still turns the meadow purple but the reader has to supply the exact nature of the
purple (eg purple gt flower gt rose) Since in the Renaissance canon lsquofootrsquo evokes
lsquohandrsquo and since the colour lsquopurplersquo evokes the contrast lsquowhitersquo Pampinorsquos foot and
the purple meadow in ott 67 3 lead lsquospontaneouslyrsquo to lsquohis white handrsquo in ott 67 4
Finally Nonnusrsquo lsquosilveryrsquo is not lost but transformed into the metaphorical verb
lsquoturned into silverrsquo (an interesting invention to provoke a new contrast in the readerrsquos
mind because the story is situated in Phrygia with its proverbially gold-gleaming
river Pactolus)33
What can we conclude on the basis of the similarities and differences in the
passages of Nonnus and Marino about their use of metaphor
First it is evident that Nonnus and Marino are equally fond of metaphors
Nonnusrsquo eighteen verses contain twelve metaphors and one comparison Marinorsquo
sixteen verses contain twelve metaphors On a quantitative level the abundant and
cumulative use of metaphors by Nonnus could be called lsquobaroquersquo
Secondly we have seen that on a conceptual level Nonnus and Marino share some
characteristics but not all Both poets work with the contrasting couples red-white
and light-dark and use the source domain lsquoflowerrsquo But the more traditional source
domains lsquoprecious materialsrsquo and lsquofruitrsquo inherited by Marino from the Renaissance
canon of beauty are barely or not at all present in Nonnus at least not in this passage
Thirdly at the linguistic level Nonnus and Marino clearly employ different
kinds and complexities of metaphor Nonnus on the one hand uses a concatenation
of metaphors in praesentia crowned by his personal metaphorical formula in which
the appearance of the tenor simultaneously evokes the vehicle Linguistically speak-
ing the relation between tenor and vehicle remains visible and controllable
suicide Venus crying over Adonersquos body as Mary did over Jesusrsquo body Adone is not
wounded in his thigh as in Greek mythology but in his side See also Guardiani (2001)
and Gonnelli (2003 29ndash30 on pagan and Christian syncretism in Nonnusrsquo Paraphrasis
and Marinorsquos Adone) The last motif recurs in the fresco lsquoLa Morte di Adonersquo by Luca
Giordano (1682ndash85) Palazzo Medici-Riccardi Florence It is reminiscent of the parallel
between Dionysus and Christ also expressed in various mosaics for example in a Roman
mosaic depicting Dionysusrsquo discovery of Ariadne on Naxos (Syria 3rd-4th cent Miho
Museum Kyoto Japan cat NA) where Dionysus not only has a nimbus but also a
wound in his sidebreast (a later addition) (I thank Berenice Verhelst for pointing out
this mosaic to me)
32 For this intricate Renaissance style word play see Pozzi (1976) ad loc
33 See Nonn Dion 11 17ndash55 for the swimming contest with Dionysus and Ampelus and
the effect on the satyr boy of the golden water of the river Pactolus
E M V A N O P S T A L L
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Dow
nloaded from
(lsquorationalrsquo lsquoclosedrsquo) Marino on the other hand prefers metaphors in absentia
opening the associative distance between vehicle and tenor to a maximum He uses
the auto-referential metaphor that is so typical of Baroque poetry Marinorsquos method
reflects instability the arbitrariness of the relation between tenor and vehicle seems to
express the absence of a shared and well-organized world with absolute values As
Conte (1972 37) puts it lsquoconfronted by a reality (human social politic cultural) in
crisis the baroque word denounces the prerogative of the word it speaks almost
exclusively of itself but speaking of itself it imitates takes possession of exorcizes
and even organizes the crisisrsquo Therefore on a linguistic level there seems to be more
method in Nonnusrsquo madness than in Marinorsquos
Finally what about the overall effect of the metaphors they use in their respective
descriptions Nonnus and Marino both describe beautiful beardless satyr boys
caught in a fleeting moment of radiant movement in an eroticizing bucolic setting
They put equal emphasis on the beauty and the fragility of youth and on the satyr
boyrsquos impact on the nature surrounding him As we have seen Nonnusrsquo metaphors
make Ampelus progressively intermingle with nature announcing the satyr boyrsquos
metamorphosis Even though they are classified as more lsquorationalrsquo on a linguistic
level (see Pasini) their effect is impressively irrational and open Just as Marinorsquos
metaphors they are constantly related to metamorphosis expressing change and
instability These are typical features of the Baroque that also explain at least partly
Marinorsquos affiliation with Nonnus
Conclusion
To return to the initial question of this article do we need the term lsquobaroquersquo to
characterize Nonnusrsquo poetry We have seen that the use of lsquobaroquersquo for other
periods than the seventeenth-century Baroque has met with positive and negative
reactions being found either too restricted or too broad and that the term lsquobaroquersquo
is often used for Nonnusrsquo Dionysiaca in an impressionistic way to indicate that his
aesthetics deviate from the lsquoclassicalrsquo Used in this sense lsquobaroquersquo can suggest
openness expansion abundance accumulation asymmetry moving musicality
optical illusion and the absence of a vanishing point as opposed to lsquoclassicalrsquo
with its connotation of contours closed nature unity harmony symmetry archi-
tectural fixity and converging perspectives Many of these tendencies known from
the historical Baroque are visible in Late Antique poetry
What about the other qualifications at hand such as poik0lordquo lsquojeweledrsquo and
lsquocumulativersquo Can they replace the term lsquobaroquersquo The first poikil0a is intimately
linked with Nonnusrsquo own poetics as becomes immediately clear from his prologue
where it refers to variety and polymorphism in the poem as a whole The poet wishes
that lsquoProteus of the many turnsrsquo the god of endless transformation lsquomay appear in
all his diversity of shapes since I twang my harp to a diversity of songsrsquo34 It is
34 Nonn Dion I 15 5rsquora rsquoan0h poik0lon Idordquo ecwn 7ti poik0lon 4mnon 2r0ssw (transl
Rouse 1940) The term poik0lordquo has been used very frequently by scholars to describe
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
21 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
applied to Late Antique literature as well as to art works both art forms being
intimately linked during this period Gianfranco Agosti (1997 34ndash35 see also
2006 361ss) expands its use understanding it lsquonot only as stylistic varietas but
above all as a code intended to characterize reality The concept of poikil0a goes
far beyond mere rhetorical or stylistic boundaries and becomes a peculiar way of
viewing realityrsquo When used in this way as a psychological category applied to the
relation between word and image it becomes a hermeneutic tool to explore Late
Antique world views
The second expression lsquojeweled stylersquo is used for Late Antique writers and
artists who place their words and phrases or their gems and colours in geometric
patterns The aim of these patterns is to create a symbolic unity which is considered
more important than linear narrative sequences in literature and realism in the visual
arts The term has been coined by Michael Roberts (1989) for the aesthetics of Latin
poetry from Late Antiquity (Ausonius Prudentius Claudian Sidonius etc) but
can be applied mutatis mutandis to Greek literature from the same period
The third expression lsquocumulative aestheticrsquo describes a similar attitude in Late
Antique art characterized by a particular attention to detail (lsquoexquisite miniatur-
izationrsquo) and by a preference for the re-use of precious elements from the past
(spolia) The sum of these separate entities forms a new unity and expresses a
new vision of the world Jas Elsner (2004) discusses the term in the context of the
visual arts but it can also be applied to literature
Poikil0a jeweled style and cumulative aesthetic are free of the charge of
anachronism They are related each of them covering several aspects of Late
Antique art and literature but not all In my opinion the term lsquobaroquersquo serves a
different purpose it can indicate generally the kind of expressive possibilities chosen
by an author provided that this sketchy characterization is subsequently elaborated
in order to lend the term lsquobaroquersquo a more specific significance especially by
comparing it to the lsquoBaroquersquo
The term lsquobaroquersquo as a general indication for Nonnusrsquo style invited me to com-
pare lsquobaroquersquo Nonnus with lsquoBaroque Marinorsquo I picked up the Tesaurorsquos telescope
to zoom in on metaphor and to study the lsquoqueen of figuresrsquo from close up Nonnusrsquo
metaphors clearly appealed to the poetic creativity of Marino There is much aes-
thetic affinity between the stylistic norms they adopted when composing metaphors
They use comparable expressive possibilities to articulate their vision of the world
even if these worlds are very different and even if the lsquomost Baroque of baroque
poetsrsquo goes one step further than Nonnus Zooming out again I conclude two things
Nonnusrsquo style on the basis of his own proemium See for example Lindsay (1965 379ndash
84) String (1966 33ndash70) Vian (1976 9ndash10) Gonzalez Senmartı (1981) Hopkinson
(1994) Whitby (1994 101 112 116) Agosti (1997) Shorrock (2001) Miguelez-
Cavero (2008 139ndash45 162ndash68) Hernandez de la Fuente (2011) As a poetical qualifica-
tion poikil0a is already present in Pindar see Nunlist (1998 118) For poikil0avarietas
in epideictic rhetoric of the Imperial Period see Pernot (1993 337)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
22 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
if not pinned down as a strictly historical category the term lsquobaroquersquo can to a
certain extent be applied to Nonnus and above all can invite further exploration of
the intertextual relationships between poets and be helpful in comparing artistic
norms from different periods of time Used in this way it does not replace nor is
replaced by the terms poikil0a lsquojeweled stylersquo and cumulative aesthetics but is a
stimulating tool to bring to light similarities and differences in poetic creativity not
only of metaphor but also of other characteristics which have been called lsquotypically
baroquersquo35 It can help to gain insight into the exact nature of a literary lsquodialogue at
distancersquo and could also prove fruitful in analysing and characterizing Marinorsquos
intertexutal relations with other authors from Antiquity
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank G Agosti M H Koenen P Lanfranchi and M Pearson for
their stimulating comments and lively discussions during the various stages of this
article as well as Jas Elsner the associate editor and the anonymous referees of
Classical Receptions Journal for their accurate and useful suggestions
References
G Agosti lsquoPoemi digressivi tardoantichi (e moderni)rsquo Compar(a)ison no 1 (1995) pp 131ndash51mdashmdash lsquoThe poikil0a of Paul the Bishoprsquo ZPE no 116 (1997) pp 31ndash38mdashmdash lsquoImmagini e poesia nella tarda antichita Per uno studio dellrsquoestetica visuale della poesia greca fra
III e IV sec d Crsquo Incontri Triestini di Filologia Classica 4 2004-2005 (2006) pp 351ndash74 Onlinesince 22 August 2006 httphdlhandlenet10077949 [accessed 4 July 2012]
S Bar Review of Miguelez-Cavero 2008 in Plekos no 12 (2010) pp 67ndash77 httpwwwplekosuni-muenchende2010r-caveropdf [accessed 4 July 2012]
E van Boven and G Dorleijn Literair Mechaniek Inleiding tot de Analyse van Verhalen en Gedichten(Bussum Coutinho 2003) esp pp 159ndash80 (lsquoBeeldspraakrsquo)
Ch Brooke-Rose A Grammar of Metaphor (London Secker amp Warburg 1958)P Cherchi lsquoPoetry Philosophy and Sciencersquo in P Brand and L Pertile (eds) The Cambridge History
of Italian Literature vol I The Seicento (Cambridge Cambridge University Press 1996)pp 301ndash17
G Chretien Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t IV chants IXndashX (Paris Les Belles Lettres1985)
G Conte La Metafora barocca Saggio sulle poetiche del Seicento (Milano Mursia 1972)E R Curtius Europaische Literatur und lateinisches Mittelalter (Bern Francke Verlag 1948)G DrsquoIppolito Studi Nonniani Lrsquoepillio nelle Dionisiache (Palermo Presso lrsquoAccademia 1964)E DrsquoOrs Du Baroque (Paris Gallimard 1935)
35 Other intertexual relations such as the ones briefly discussed by Tissoni (1998 59ndash62)
could be analysed according to the procedure of Rousset (1954) although he restricted
his method to the seventeenth-century French Baroque literature He formulated four
main criteria applicable to various seventeenth-century Baroque art forms (architecture
painting and literature) lsquoinstabilityrsquo lsquomobilityrsquo lsquometamorphosisrsquo and lsquodominance of
settingrsquo He subsequently applied these criteria to five literary instances first of all lsquoa type
of metaphorrsquo followed by lsquoa type of poemrsquo lsquoa poetic work as a wholersquo lsquoa theatrical work as
a wholersquo and lsquoa general attitudersquo ie lsquodisplayrsquo (1954 181ss)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
23 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
J Elsner lsquoLate Antique Art The Problem of the Concept and the Cumulative Aestheticrsquo in S Swainand M Edwards (eds) Approaching Late Antiquity The Transformation from Early to Late Empire(Oxford Oxford University Press 2004) pp 271ndash309
E Faral Les Arts Poetiques du XIIe et XIIIe siecle Recherches et Documents sur la Technique Litteraire duMoyen Age (Paris Champion 1962)
W Fauth Eidos Poikilon Zur Thematik der Metamorphose und zum Prinzip der Wandlung aus demGegensatz in den Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Gottingen Vandenhoeck amp Ruprecht 1981)
P Friedlander Johannes von Gaza und Paulus Silentiarius Kunstbeschreibungen Justinianischer Zeit(Leipzig Teubner 1912)
H de la Fuente lsquoThe One and the Many and the Circular Movement Neo-Platonism and Poetics inNonnus of Panopolisrsquo in Id (ed) New Perspectives on Late Antiquity (Newcastle-upon-TyneCambridge Scholars 2011)
F Gonnelli Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol II (canti XIIIndashXXIV) (Milano BibliotecaUniversale Rizzoli 2003)
V Giraudet lsquoLe rivage la presqursquoıle et le marais Espaces baroques chez Achille Tatius et Nonnos dePanopolisrsquo in R Poignault (ed) Presence du Roman grec et Latin (Clermont-Ferrand Centre deRecherches A Piganiol 2011) pp 147ndash66
Groupe m (J Dubois ea) Rhetorique generale (Paris du Seuil 1970)F Guardiani lsquoA Christological Metamorphosis in a Baroque Poemrsquo in J Goering ea (ed) Saints and
the Sacred Select Proceedings of the 3rd St Michaelrsquos College Annual Symposium (Feb 25-26 2000)(Ottawa Legas 2001) pp 185ndash95
A C Hagedorn (ed) Perspectives on the Song of Songs (Berlin De Gruyter 2005)F Hallyn Formes metaphoriques dans la poesie lyrique de lrsquoage baroque en France (Geneve Droz 1975)H Hatzfeld lsquoThe Baroque from the Viewpoint of the Literary Historianrsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art
Criticism 142 Second Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1955) 156ndash64N Hopkinson (ed) Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society
1994)R Huyghe lsquoLa seve du baroquersquo Baroque [online] no 4 (1969) Online since 3 May 2012 http
baroquerevuesorg304 [accessed 22 January 2013]K Jax Die weibliche Schonheit in der griechischen Dichtung (Innsbruck Wagner 1933)R Keydell lsquoNonnosrsquo in Th Klauser (ed) Reallexikon fur Antike und Christentum vol XVII
(Stuttgart Hiersemann 1936) vol XVII pp 902ndash20G Lakoff Metaphors We Live By (Chicago University of Chicago Press 1980)G Lakoff and M Turner More Than Cool Reason A Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor (Chicago
University of Chicago Press 1989)L R Lind lsquoNonnos and His Readersrsquo Res Publica Litterarum (1978) 159ndash70J Lindsay Leisure and Pleasure in Roman Egypt (London Muller 1965)V De Malde Giovan Battista Marino La Sampogna (Parma Fondazione Pietro Bembo Ugo Guanda
Editore 1993)A Martini Letteratura Italiana Le Opere Vol II Dal Cinquecento al Settecento A Asor Rosa (ed)
(Turin Einaudi 1993) pp 777ndash97R T Matthews and F DeWitt Platt The Western Humanities (Boston McGraw-Hill 2004)L Miguelez-Cavero Poems in Context Greek Poetry in the Egyptian Thebaid 200-600 AD (Berlin De
Gruyter 2008)R F Newbold lsquoMimesis and Illusion in Nonnus Deceit Distrust and the Search for Meaningrsquo
Helios 37 no 1 (2010) pp 81ndash106R Nunlist Poetologische Bildersprache in der fruhgriechischen Dichtung (Stuttgart Teubner 1998)G F Pasini lsquoDalla comparazione alla metaforarsquo Lingua e Stile 7 no 3 (1972) pp 441ndash69L Pernot La rhetorique de lrsquoeloge dans le monde greco-romain vol I (Paris Institut drsquoEtudes
Augustiennes 1993)S N Peters lsquoMetaphor and lsquolsquoMaravigliarsquorsquo Tradition and Innovation in the Adone of GB Marinorsquo
Lingua e Stile 7 no 2 (1972) pp 321ndash41D G Piccardi Metafora e Poetica in Nonno di Panopoli (Florence Universite degli Studi di Firenze
1985)mdashmdash Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol I (canti IndashXII) (Milano Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli
2003)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
24 of 25
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ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
G Pozzi Giovan Battista Marino vol II LrsquoAdone (Milano Mondadori 1976)mdashmdash lsquoIl ritratto della donna nella poesia drsquoinizio Cinquecento e la pittura di Giorgionersquo Lettere Italiane
311 gennaio-marzo (1979) pp 3ndash30mdashmdash lsquoTemi t0poi stereotipirsquo in A Asor Rosa (ed) Letteratura italiana III Le forme del testo I
Teoria e poesia (Torino Einaudi 1984) pp 391ndash436I A Richards The Philosophy of Rhetoric (New York Oxford University Press 1936)M Riemschneider lsquoDer Stil des Nonnosrsquo Berliner byzantinistische Arbeiten no 5 (1957) pp 46ndash70M Roberts The Jeweled Style Poetry and Poetics in Late Antiquity (Ithaca and London Cornell
University Press 1989)W H D Rouse Nonnus Dionysiaca (Cambridge MA Harvard University Press 1940)J Rousset La litterature de lrsquoage baroque en France Circe et le paon (Paris Corti 1954)E Russo lsquoSul barocco letterario in Italia Giudizi revisioni distinzionirsquo Les Dossiers du Grihl [Online]
2012-02 j 2012 Online since 25 June 2012 httpdossiersgrihlrevuesorg5223 [accessed 4 March2013]
A G Senmartı lsquoLa lsquolsquopoikiliarsquorsquo como principio estilıstico de las Dionisıacas de Nonorsquo AFB no 7(1981) pp 101ndash07
R Shorrock The Challenge of Epic Allusive Engagement in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Leiden Brill2001)
mdashmdash lsquoNonnusrsquo in J Foley (ed) A Companion to Ancient Epic (Oxford Wiley-Blackwell 2005)pp 374ndash85
mdashmdash The Myth of Paganism Nonnus Dionysus and the World of Late Antiquity (London BristolClassical Press 2011)
G Steen lsquoMetaphor and Stylersquo in P Stockwell and S Whiteley (eds) The Cambridge Handbook ofStylistics (Cambridge Cambridge University Press forthcoming 2014)
M String Untersuchungen zum Stil der Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Hamburg sn (disserta-tion) 1966)
E Tesauro Il Cannocchiale Aristotelico (Venice Baglioni 1654ndash70)F Tissoni Nonno di Panopoli I Canti di Penteo (Dionisiache 44ndash46) Commento (Florence La Nuova
Italia Editrice 1998)F Vian Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t I chants IndashII (Paris Les Belles Lettres 1976)R Wellek lsquoThe Concept of Baroque in Literary Scholarshiprsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism
52 Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1946) pp 77ndash109M Whitby lsquoFrom Moschus to Nonnus The Evolution of the Nonnian Stylersquo in N Hopkinson (ed)
Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society 1994) pp 99ndash155A Wifstrand Von Kallimachos zu Nonnos Metrisch-stilistische Untersuchungen zur spateren griechischen
Epik und zu verwandten Gedichtgattungen (Lund Gleerup 1933)H Wolfflin Renaissance und Barock Eine Untersuchung uber Wesen und Entstehung des Barockstils in
Italien (Munich T Ackermann 1888)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
25 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
(lsquorationalrsquo lsquoclosedrsquo) Marino on the other hand prefers metaphors in absentia
opening the associative distance between vehicle and tenor to a maximum He uses
the auto-referential metaphor that is so typical of Baroque poetry Marinorsquos method
reflects instability the arbitrariness of the relation between tenor and vehicle seems to
express the absence of a shared and well-organized world with absolute values As
Conte (1972 37) puts it lsquoconfronted by a reality (human social politic cultural) in
crisis the baroque word denounces the prerogative of the word it speaks almost
exclusively of itself but speaking of itself it imitates takes possession of exorcizes
and even organizes the crisisrsquo Therefore on a linguistic level there seems to be more
method in Nonnusrsquo madness than in Marinorsquos
Finally what about the overall effect of the metaphors they use in their respective
descriptions Nonnus and Marino both describe beautiful beardless satyr boys
caught in a fleeting moment of radiant movement in an eroticizing bucolic setting
They put equal emphasis on the beauty and the fragility of youth and on the satyr
boyrsquos impact on the nature surrounding him As we have seen Nonnusrsquo metaphors
make Ampelus progressively intermingle with nature announcing the satyr boyrsquos
metamorphosis Even though they are classified as more lsquorationalrsquo on a linguistic
level (see Pasini) their effect is impressively irrational and open Just as Marinorsquos
metaphors they are constantly related to metamorphosis expressing change and
instability These are typical features of the Baroque that also explain at least partly
Marinorsquos affiliation with Nonnus
Conclusion
To return to the initial question of this article do we need the term lsquobaroquersquo to
characterize Nonnusrsquo poetry We have seen that the use of lsquobaroquersquo for other
periods than the seventeenth-century Baroque has met with positive and negative
reactions being found either too restricted or too broad and that the term lsquobaroquersquo
is often used for Nonnusrsquo Dionysiaca in an impressionistic way to indicate that his
aesthetics deviate from the lsquoclassicalrsquo Used in this sense lsquobaroquersquo can suggest
openness expansion abundance accumulation asymmetry moving musicality
optical illusion and the absence of a vanishing point as opposed to lsquoclassicalrsquo
with its connotation of contours closed nature unity harmony symmetry archi-
tectural fixity and converging perspectives Many of these tendencies known from
the historical Baroque are visible in Late Antique poetry
What about the other qualifications at hand such as poik0lordquo lsquojeweledrsquo and
lsquocumulativersquo Can they replace the term lsquobaroquersquo The first poikil0a is intimately
linked with Nonnusrsquo own poetics as becomes immediately clear from his prologue
where it refers to variety and polymorphism in the poem as a whole The poet wishes
that lsquoProteus of the many turnsrsquo the god of endless transformation lsquomay appear in
all his diversity of shapes since I twang my harp to a diversity of songsrsquo34 It is
34 Nonn Dion I 15 5rsquora rsquoan0h poik0lon Idordquo ecwn 7ti poik0lon 4mnon 2r0ssw (transl
Rouse 1940) The term poik0lordquo has been used very frequently by scholars to describe
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
21 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
applied to Late Antique literature as well as to art works both art forms being
intimately linked during this period Gianfranco Agosti (1997 34ndash35 see also
2006 361ss) expands its use understanding it lsquonot only as stylistic varietas but
above all as a code intended to characterize reality The concept of poikil0a goes
far beyond mere rhetorical or stylistic boundaries and becomes a peculiar way of
viewing realityrsquo When used in this way as a psychological category applied to the
relation between word and image it becomes a hermeneutic tool to explore Late
Antique world views
The second expression lsquojeweled stylersquo is used for Late Antique writers and
artists who place their words and phrases or their gems and colours in geometric
patterns The aim of these patterns is to create a symbolic unity which is considered
more important than linear narrative sequences in literature and realism in the visual
arts The term has been coined by Michael Roberts (1989) for the aesthetics of Latin
poetry from Late Antiquity (Ausonius Prudentius Claudian Sidonius etc) but
can be applied mutatis mutandis to Greek literature from the same period
The third expression lsquocumulative aestheticrsquo describes a similar attitude in Late
Antique art characterized by a particular attention to detail (lsquoexquisite miniatur-
izationrsquo) and by a preference for the re-use of precious elements from the past
(spolia) The sum of these separate entities forms a new unity and expresses a
new vision of the world Jas Elsner (2004) discusses the term in the context of the
visual arts but it can also be applied to literature
Poikil0a jeweled style and cumulative aesthetic are free of the charge of
anachronism They are related each of them covering several aspects of Late
Antique art and literature but not all In my opinion the term lsquobaroquersquo serves a
different purpose it can indicate generally the kind of expressive possibilities chosen
by an author provided that this sketchy characterization is subsequently elaborated
in order to lend the term lsquobaroquersquo a more specific significance especially by
comparing it to the lsquoBaroquersquo
The term lsquobaroquersquo as a general indication for Nonnusrsquo style invited me to com-
pare lsquobaroquersquo Nonnus with lsquoBaroque Marinorsquo I picked up the Tesaurorsquos telescope
to zoom in on metaphor and to study the lsquoqueen of figuresrsquo from close up Nonnusrsquo
metaphors clearly appealed to the poetic creativity of Marino There is much aes-
thetic affinity between the stylistic norms they adopted when composing metaphors
They use comparable expressive possibilities to articulate their vision of the world
even if these worlds are very different and even if the lsquomost Baroque of baroque
poetsrsquo goes one step further than Nonnus Zooming out again I conclude two things
Nonnusrsquo style on the basis of his own proemium See for example Lindsay (1965 379ndash
84) String (1966 33ndash70) Vian (1976 9ndash10) Gonzalez Senmartı (1981) Hopkinson
(1994) Whitby (1994 101 112 116) Agosti (1997) Shorrock (2001) Miguelez-
Cavero (2008 139ndash45 162ndash68) Hernandez de la Fuente (2011) As a poetical qualifica-
tion poikil0a is already present in Pindar see Nunlist (1998 118) For poikil0avarietas
in epideictic rhetoric of the Imperial Period see Pernot (1993 337)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
22 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
if not pinned down as a strictly historical category the term lsquobaroquersquo can to a
certain extent be applied to Nonnus and above all can invite further exploration of
the intertextual relationships between poets and be helpful in comparing artistic
norms from different periods of time Used in this way it does not replace nor is
replaced by the terms poikil0a lsquojeweled stylersquo and cumulative aesthetics but is a
stimulating tool to bring to light similarities and differences in poetic creativity not
only of metaphor but also of other characteristics which have been called lsquotypically
baroquersquo35 It can help to gain insight into the exact nature of a literary lsquodialogue at
distancersquo and could also prove fruitful in analysing and characterizing Marinorsquos
intertexutal relations with other authors from Antiquity
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank G Agosti M H Koenen P Lanfranchi and M Pearson for
their stimulating comments and lively discussions during the various stages of this
article as well as Jas Elsner the associate editor and the anonymous referees of
Classical Receptions Journal for their accurate and useful suggestions
References
G Agosti lsquoPoemi digressivi tardoantichi (e moderni)rsquo Compar(a)ison no 1 (1995) pp 131ndash51mdashmdash lsquoThe poikil0a of Paul the Bishoprsquo ZPE no 116 (1997) pp 31ndash38mdashmdash lsquoImmagini e poesia nella tarda antichita Per uno studio dellrsquoestetica visuale della poesia greca fra
III e IV sec d Crsquo Incontri Triestini di Filologia Classica 4 2004-2005 (2006) pp 351ndash74 Onlinesince 22 August 2006 httphdlhandlenet10077949 [accessed 4 July 2012]
S Bar Review of Miguelez-Cavero 2008 in Plekos no 12 (2010) pp 67ndash77 httpwwwplekosuni-muenchende2010r-caveropdf [accessed 4 July 2012]
E van Boven and G Dorleijn Literair Mechaniek Inleiding tot de Analyse van Verhalen en Gedichten(Bussum Coutinho 2003) esp pp 159ndash80 (lsquoBeeldspraakrsquo)
Ch Brooke-Rose A Grammar of Metaphor (London Secker amp Warburg 1958)P Cherchi lsquoPoetry Philosophy and Sciencersquo in P Brand and L Pertile (eds) The Cambridge History
of Italian Literature vol I The Seicento (Cambridge Cambridge University Press 1996)pp 301ndash17
G Chretien Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t IV chants IXndashX (Paris Les Belles Lettres1985)
G Conte La Metafora barocca Saggio sulle poetiche del Seicento (Milano Mursia 1972)E R Curtius Europaische Literatur und lateinisches Mittelalter (Bern Francke Verlag 1948)G DrsquoIppolito Studi Nonniani Lrsquoepillio nelle Dionisiache (Palermo Presso lrsquoAccademia 1964)E DrsquoOrs Du Baroque (Paris Gallimard 1935)
35 Other intertexual relations such as the ones briefly discussed by Tissoni (1998 59ndash62)
could be analysed according to the procedure of Rousset (1954) although he restricted
his method to the seventeenth-century French Baroque literature He formulated four
main criteria applicable to various seventeenth-century Baroque art forms (architecture
painting and literature) lsquoinstabilityrsquo lsquomobilityrsquo lsquometamorphosisrsquo and lsquodominance of
settingrsquo He subsequently applied these criteria to five literary instances first of all lsquoa type
of metaphorrsquo followed by lsquoa type of poemrsquo lsquoa poetic work as a wholersquo lsquoa theatrical work as
a wholersquo and lsquoa general attitudersquo ie lsquodisplayrsquo (1954 181ss)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
23 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
J Elsner lsquoLate Antique Art The Problem of the Concept and the Cumulative Aestheticrsquo in S Swainand M Edwards (eds) Approaching Late Antiquity The Transformation from Early to Late Empire(Oxford Oxford University Press 2004) pp 271ndash309
E Faral Les Arts Poetiques du XIIe et XIIIe siecle Recherches et Documents sur la Technique Litteraire duMoyen Age (Paris Champion 1962)
W Fauth Eidos Poikilon Zur Thematik der Metamorphose und zum Prinzip der Wandlung aus demGegensatz in den Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Gottingen Vandenhoeck amp Ruprecht 1981)
P Friedlander Johannes von Gaza und Paulus Silentiarius Kunstbeschreibungen Justinianischer Zeit(Leipzig Teubner 1912)
H de la Fuente lsquoThe One and the Many and the Circular Movement Neo-Platonism and Poetics inNonnus of Panopolisrsquo in Id (ed) New Perspectives on Late Antiquity (Newcastle-upon-TyneCambridge Scholars 2011)
F Gonnelli Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol II (canti XIIIndashXXIV) (Milano BibliotecaUniversale Rizzoli 2003)
V Giraudet lsquoLe rivage la presqursquoıle et le marais Espaces baroques chez Achille Tatius et Nonnos dePanopolisrsquo in R Poignault (ed) Presence du Roman grec et Latin (Clermont-Ferrand Centre deRecherches A Piganiol 2011) pp 147ndash66
Groupe m (J Dubois ea) Rhetorique generale (Paris du Seuil 1970)F Guardiani lsquoA Christological Metamorphosis in a Baroque Poemrsquo in J Goering ea (ed) Saints and
the Sacred Select Proceedings of the 3rd St Michaelrsquos College Annual Symposium (Feb 25-26 2000)(Ottawa Legas 2001) pp 185ndash95
A C Hagedorn (ed) Perspectives on the Song of Songs (Berlin De Gruyter 2005)F Hallyn Formes metaphoriques dans la poesie lyrique de lrsquoage baroque en France (Geneve Droz 1975)H Hatzfeld lsquoThe Baroque from the Viewpoint of the Literary Historianrsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art
Criticism 142 Second Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1955) 156ndash64N Hopkinson (ed) Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society
1994)R Huyghe lsquoLa seve du baroquersquo Baroque [online] no 4 (1969) Online since 3 May 2012 http
baroquerevuesorg304 [accessed 22 January 2013]K Jax Die weibliche Schonheit in der griechischen Dichtung (Innsbruck Wagner 1933)R Keydell lsquoNonnosrsquo in Th Klauser (ed) Reallexikon fur Antike und Christentum vol XVII
(Stuttgart Hiersemann 1936) vol XVII pp 902ndash20G Lakoff Metaphors We Live By (Chicago University of Chicago Press 1980)G Lakoff and M Turner More Than Cool Reason A Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor (Chicago
University of Chicago Press 1989)L R Lind lsquoNonnos and His Readersrsquo Res Publica Litterarum (1978) 159ndash70J Lindsay Leisure and Pleasure in Roman Egypt (London Muller 1965)V De Malde Giovan Battista Marino La Sampogna (Parma Fondazione Pietro Bembo Ugo Guanda
Editore 1993)A Martini Letteratura Italiana Le Opere Vol II Dal Cinquecento al Settecento A Asor Rosa (ed)
(Turin Einaudi 1993) pp 777ndash97R T Matthews and F DeWitt Platt The Western Humanities (Boston McGraw-Hill 2004)L Miguelez-Cavero Poems in Context Greek Poetry in the Egyptian Thebaid 200-600 AD (Berlin De
Gruyter 2008)R F Newbold lsquoMimesis and Illusion in Nonnus Deceit Distrust and the Search for Meaningrsquo
Helios 37 no 1 (2010) pp 81ndash106R Nunlist Poetologische Bildersprache in der fruhgriechischen Dichtung (Stuttgart Teubner 1998)G F Pasini lsquoDalla comparazione alla metaforarsquo Lingua e Stile 7 no 3 (1972) pp 441ndash69L Pernot La rhetorique de lrsquoeloge dans le monde greco-romain vol I (Paris Institut drsquoEtudes
Augustiennes 1993)S N Peters lsquoMetaphor and lsquolsquoMaravigliarsquorsquo Tradition and Innovation in the Adone of GB Marinorsquo
Lingua e Stile 7 no 2 (1972) pp 321ndash41D G Piccardi Metafora e Poetica in Nonno di Panopoli (Florence Universite degli Studi di Firenze
1985)mdashmdash Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol I (canti IndashXII) (Milano Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli
2003)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
24 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
G Pozzi Giovan Battista Marino vol II LrsquoAdone (Milano Mondadori 1976)mdashmdash lsquoIl ritratto della donna nella poesia drsquoinizio Cinquecento e la pittura di Giorgionersquo Lettere Italiane
311 gennaio-marzo (1979) pp 3ndash30mdashmdash lsquoTemi t0poi stereotipirsquo in A Asor Rosa (ed) Letteratura italiana III Le forme del testo I
Teoria e poesia (Torino Einaudi 1984) pp 391ndash436I A Richards The Philosophy of Rhetoric (New York Oxford University Press 1936)M Riemschneider lsquoDer Stil des Nonnosrsquo Berliner byzantinistische Arbeiten no 5 (1957) pp 46ndash70M Roberts The Jeweled Style Poetry and Poetics in Late Antiquity (Ithaca and London Cornell
University Press 1989)W H D Rouse Nonnus Dionysiaca (Cambridge MA Harvard University Press 1940)J Rousset La litterature de lrsquoage baroque en France Circe et le paon (Paris Corti 1954)E Russo lsquoSul barocco letterario in Italia Giudizi revisioni distinzionirsquo Les Dossiers du Grihl [Online]
2012-02 j 2012 Online since 25 June 2012 httpdossiersgrihlrevuesorg5223 [accessed 4 March2013]
A G Senmartı lsquoLa lsquolsquopoikiliarsquorsquo como principio estilıstico de las Dionisıacas de Nonorsquo AFB no 7(1981) pp 101ndash07
R Shorrock The Challenge of Epic Allusive Engagement in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Leiden Brill2001)
mdashmdash lsquoNonnusrsquo in J Foley (ed) A Companion to Ancient Epic (Oxford Wiley-Blackwell 2005)pp 374ndash85
mdashmdash The Myth of Paganism Nonnus Dionysus and the World of Late Antiquity (London BristolClassical Press 2011)
G Steen lsquoMetaphor and Stylersquo in P Stockwell and S Whiteley (eds) The Cambridge Handbook ofStylistics (Cambridge Cambridge University Press forthcoming 2014)
M String Untersuchungen zum Stil der Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Hamburg sn (disserta-tion) 1966)
E Tesauro Il Cannocchiale Aristotelico (Venice Baglioni 1654ndash70)F Tissoni Nonno di Panopoli I Canti di Penteo (Dionisiache 44ndash46) Commento (Florence La Nuova
Italia Editrice 1998)F Vian Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t I chants IndashII (Paris Les Belles Lettres 1976)R Wellek lsquoThe Concept of Baroque in Literary Scholarshiprsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism
52 Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1946) pp 77ndash109M Whitby lsquoFrom Moschus to Nonnus The Evolution of the Nonnian Stylersquo in N Hopkinson (ed)
Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society 1994) pp 99ndash155A Wifstrand Von Kallimachos zu Nonnos Metrisch-stilistische Untersuchungen zur spateren griechischen
Epik und zu verwandten Gedichtgattungen (Lund Gleerup 1933)H Wolfflin Renaissance und Barock Eine Untersuchung uber Wesen und Entstehung des Barockstils in
Italien (Munich T Ackermann 1888)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
25 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
applied to Late Antique literature as well as to art works both art forms being
intimately linked during this period Gianfranco Agosti (1997 34ndash35 see also
2006 361ss) expands its use understanding it lsquonot only as stylistic varietas but
above all as a code intended to characterize reality The concept of poikil0a goes
far beyond mere rhetorical or stylistic boundaries and becomes a peculiar way of
viewing realityrsquo When used in this way as a psychological category applied to the
relation between word and image it becomes a hermeneutic tool to explore Late
Antique world views
The second expression lsquojeweled stylersquo is used for Late Antique writers and
artists who place their words and phrases or their gems and colours in geometric
patterns The aim of these patterns is to create a symbolic unity which is considered
more important than linear narrative sequences in literature and realism in the visual
arts The term has been coined by Michael Roberts (1989) for the aesthetics of Latin
poetry from Late Antiquity (Ausonius Prudentius Claudian Sidonius etc) but
can be applied mutatis mutandis to Greek literature from the same period
The third expression lsquocumulative aestheticrsquo describes a similar attitude in Late
Antique art characterized by a particular attention to detail (lsquoexquisite miniatur-
izationrsquo) and by a preference for the re-use of precious elements from the past
(spolia) The sum of these separate entities forms a new unity and expresses a
new vision of the world Jas Elsner (2004) discusses the term in the context of the
visual arts but it can also be applied to literature
Poikil0a jeweled style and cumulative aesthetic are free of the charge of
anachronism They are related each of them covering several aspects of Late
Antique art and literature but not all In my opinion the term lsquobaroquersquo serves a
different purpose it can indicate generally the kind of expressive possibilities chosen
by an author provided that this sketchy characterization is subsequently elaborated
in order to lend the term lsquobaroquersquo a more specific significance especially by
comparing it to the lsquoBaroquersquo
The term lsquobaroquersquo as a general indication for Nonnusrsquo style invited me to com-
pare lsquobaroquersquo Nonnus with lsquoBaroque Marinorsquo I picked up the Tesaurorsquos telescope
to zoom in on metaphor and to study the lsquoqueen of figuresrsquo from close up Nonnusrsquo
metaphors clearly appealed to the poetic creativity of Marino There is much aes-
thetic affinity between the stylistic norms they adopted when composing metaphors
They use comparable expressive possibilities to articulate their vision of the world
even if these worlds are very different and even if the lsquomost Baroque of baroque
poetsrsquo goes one step further than Nonnus Zooming out again I conclude two things
Nonnusrsquo style on the basis of his own proemium See for example Lindsay (1965 379ndash
84) String (1966 33ndash70) Vian (1976 9ndash10) Gonzalez Senmartı (1981) Hopkinson
(1994) Whitby (1994 101 112 116) Agosti (1997) Shorrock (2001) Miguelez-
Cavero (2008 139ndash45 162ndash68) Hernandez de la Fuente (2011) As a poetical qualifica-
tion poikil0a is already present in Pindar see Nunlist (1998 118) For poikil0avarietas
in epideictic rhetoric of the Imperial Period see Pernot (1993 337)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
22 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
if not pinned down as a strictly historical category the term lsquobaroquersquo can to a
certain extent be applied to Nonnus and above all can invite further exploration of
the intertextual relationships between poets and be helpful in comparing artistic
norms from different periods of time Used in this way it does not replace nor is
replaced by the terms poikil0a lsquojeweled stylersquo and cumulative aesthetics but is a
stimulating tool to bring to light similarities and differences in poetic creativity not
only of metaphor but also of other characteristics which have been called lsquotypically
baroquersquo35 It can help to gain insight into the exact nature of a literary lsquodialogue at
distancersquo and could also prove fruitful in analysing and characterizing Marinorsquos
intertexutal relations with other authors from Antiquity
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank G Agosti M H Koenen P Lanfranchi and M Pearson for
their stimulating comments and lively discussions during the various stages of this
article as well as Jas Elsner the associate editor and the anonymous referees of
Classical Receptions Journal for their accurate and useful suggestions
References
G Agosti lsquoPoemi digressivi tardoantichi (e moderni)rsquo Compar(a)ison no 1 (1995) pp 131ndash51mdashmdash lsquoThe poikil0a of Paul the Bishoprsquo ZPE no 116 (1997) pp 31ndash38mdashmdash lsquoImmagini e poesia nella tarda antichita Per uno studio dellrsquoestetica visuale della poesia greca fra
III e IV sec d Crsquo Incontri Triestini di Filologia Classica 4 2004-2005 (2006) pp 351ndash74 Onlinesince 22 August 2006 httphdlhandlenet10077949 [accessed 4 July 2012]
S Bar Review of Miguelez-Cavero 2008 in Plekos no 12 (2010) pp 67ndash77 httpwwwplekosuni-muenchende2010r-caveropdf [accessed 4 July 2012]
E van Boven and G Dorleijn Literair Mechaniek Inleiding tot de Analyse van Verhalen en Gedichten(Bussum Coutinho 2003) esp pp 159ndash80 (lsquoBeeldspraakrsquo)
Ch Brooke-Rose A Grammar of Metaphor (London Secker amp Warburg 1958)P Cherchi lsquoPoetry Philosophy and Sciencersquo in P Brand and L Pertile (eds) The Cambridge History
of Italian Literature vol I The Seicento (Cambridge Cambridge University Press 1996)pp 301ndash17
G Chretien Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t IV chants IXndashX (Paris Les Belles Lettres1985)
G Conte La Metafora barocca Saggio sulle poetiche del Seicento (Milano Mursia 1972)E R Curtius Europaische Literatur und lateinisches Mittelalter (Bern Francke Verlag 1948)G DrsquoIppolito Studi Nonniani Lrsquoepillio nelle Dionisiache (Palermo Presso lrsquoAccademia 1964)E DrsquoOrs Du Baroque (Paris Gallimard 1935)
35 Other intertexual relations such as the ones briefly discussed by Tissoni (1998 59ndash62)
could be analysed according to the procedure of Rousset (1954) although he restricted
his method to the seventeenth-century French Baroque literature He formulated four
main criteria applicable to various seventeenth-century Baroque art forms (architecture
painting and literature) lsquoinstabilityrsquo lsquomobilityrsquo lsquometamorphosisrsquo and lsquodominance of
settingrsquo He subsequently applied these criteria to five literary instances first of all lsquoa type
of metaphorrsquo followed by lsquoa type of poemrsquo lsquoa poetic work as a wholersquo lsquoa theatrical work as
a wholersquo and lsquoa general attitudersquo ie lsquodisplayrsquo (1954 181ss)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
23 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
J Elsner lsquoLate Antique Art The Problem of the Concept and the Cumulative Aestheticrsquo in S Swainand M Edwards (eds) Approaching Late Antiquity The Transformation from Early to Late Empire(Oxford Oxford University Press 2004) pp 271ndash309
E Faral Les Arts Poetiques du XIIe et XIIIe siecle Recherches et Documents sur la Technique Litteraire duMoyen Age (Paris Champion 1962)
W Fauth Eidos Poikilon Zur Thematik der Metamorphose und zum Prinzip der Wandlung aus demGegensatz in den Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Gottingen Vandenhoeck amp Ruprecht 1981)
P Friedlander Johannes von Gaza und Paulus Silentiarius Kunstbeschreibungen Justinianischer Zeit(Leipzig Teubner 1912)
H de la Fuente lsquoThe One and the Many and the Circular Movement Neo-Platonism and Poetics inNonnus of Panopolisrsquo in Id (ed) New Perspectives on Late Antiquity (Newcastle-upon-TyneCambridge Scholars 2011)
F Gonnelli Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol II (canti XIIIndashXXIV) (Milano BibliotecaUniversale Rizzoli 2003)
V Giraudet lsquoLe rivage la presqursquoıle et le marais Espaces baroques chez Achille Tatius et Nonnos dePanopolisrsquo in R Poignault (ed) Presence du Roman grec et Latin (Clermont-Ferrand Centre deRecherches A Piganiol 2011) pp 147ndash66
Groupe m (J Dubois ea) Rhetorique generale (Paris du Seuil 1970)F Guardiani lsquoA Christological Metamorphosis in a Baroque Poemrsquo in J Goering ea (ed) Saints and
the Sacred Select Proceedings of the 3rd St Michaelrsquos College Annual Symposium (Feb 25-26 2000)(Ottawa Legas 2001) pp 185ndash95
A C Hagedorn (ed) Perspectives on the Song of Songs (Berlin De Gruyter 2005)F Hallyn Formes metaphoriques dans la poesie lyrique de lrsquoage baroque en France (Geneve Droz 1975)H Hatzfeld lsquoThe Baroque from the Viewpoint of the Literary Historianrsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art
Criticism 142 Second Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1955) 156ndash64N Hopkinson (ed) Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society
1994)R Huyghe lsquoLa seve du baroquersquo Baroque [online] no 4 (1969) Online since 3 May 2012 http
baroquerevuesorg304 [accessed 22 January 2013]K Jax Die weibliche Schonheit in der griechischen Dichtung (Innsbruck Wagner 1933)R Keydell lsquoNonnosrsquo in Th Klauser (ed) Reallexikon fur Antike und Christentum vol XVII
(Stuttgart Hiersemann 1936) vol XVII pp 902ndash20G Lakoff Metaphors We Live By (Chicago University of Chicago Press 1980)G Lakoff and M Turner More Than Cool Reason A Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor (Chicago
University of Chicago Press 1989)L R Lind lsquoNonnos and His Readersrsquo Res Publica Litterarum (1978) 159ndash70J Lindsay Leisure and Pleasure in Roman Egypt (London Muller 1965)V De Malde Giovan Battista Marino La Sampogna (Parma Fondazione Pietro Bembo Ugo Guanda
Editore 1993)A Martini Letteratura Italiana Le Opere Vol II Dal Cinquecento al Settecento A Asor Rosa (ed)
(Turin Einaudi 1993) pp 777ndash97R T Matthews and F DeWitt Platt The Western Humanities (Boston McGraw-Hill 2004)L Miguelez-Cavero Poems in Context Greek Poetry in the Egyptian Thebaid 200-600 AD (Berlin De
Gruyter 2008)R F Newbold lsquoMimesis and Illusion in Nonnus Deceit Distrust and the Search for Meaningrsquo
Helios 37 no 1 (2010) pp 81ndash106R Nunlist Poetologische Bildersprache in der fruhgriechischen Dichtung (Stuttgart Teubner 1998)G F Pasini lsquoDalla comparazione alla metaforarsquo Lingua e Stile 7 no 3 (1972) pp 441ndash69L Pernot La rhetorique de lrsquoeloge dans le monde greco-romain vol I (Paris Institut drsquoEtudes
Augustiennes 1993)S N Peters lsquoMetaphor and lsquolsquoMaravigliarsquorsquo Tradition and Innovation in the Adone of GB Marinorsquo
Lingua e Stile 7 no 2 (1972) pp 321ndash41D G Piccardi Metafora e Poetica in Nonno di Panopoli (Florence Universite degli Studi di Firenze
1985)mdashmdash Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol I (canti IndashXII) (Milano Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli
2003)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
24 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
G Pozzi Giovan Battista Marino vol II LrsquoAdone (Milano Mondadori 1976)mdashmdash lsquoIl ritratto della donna nella poesia drsquoinizio Cinquecento e la pittura di Giorgionersquo Lettere Italiane
311 gennaio-marzo (1979) pp 3ndash30mdashmdash lsquoTemi t0poi stereotipirsquo in A Asor Rosa (ed) Letteratura italiana III Le forme del testo I
Teoria e poesia (Torino Einaudi 1984) pp 391ndash436I A Richards The Philosophy of Rhetoric (New York Oxford University Press 1936)M Riemschneider lsquoDer Stil des Nonnosrsquo Berliner byzantinistische Arbeiten no 5 (1957) pp 46ndash70M Roberts The Jeweled Style Poetry and Poetics in Late Antiquity (Ithaca and London Cornell
University Press 1989)W H D Rouse Nonnus Dionysiaca (Cambridge MA Harvard University Press 1940)J Rousset La litterature de lrsquoage baroque en France Circe et le paon (Paris Corti 1954)E Russo lsquoSul barocco letterario in Italia Giudizi revisioni distinzionirsquo Les Dossiers du Grihl [Online]
2012-02 j 2012 Online since 25 June 2012 httpdossiersgrihlrevuesorg5223 [accessed 4 March2013]
A G Senmartı lsquoLa lsquolsquopoikiliarsquorsquo como principio estilıstico de las Dionisıacas de Nonorsquo AFB no 7(1981) pp 101ndash07
R Shorrock The Challenge of Epic Allusive Engagement in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Leiden Brill2001)
mdashmdash lsquoNonnusrsquo in J Foley (ed) A Companion to Ancient Epic (Oxford Wiley-Blackwell 2005)pp 374ndash85
mdashmdash The Myth of Paganism Nonnus Dionysus and the World of Late Antiquity (London BristolClassical Press 2011)
G Steen lsquoMetaphor and Stylersquo in P Stockwell and S Whiteley (eds) The Cambridge Handbook ofStylistics (Cambridge Cambridge University Press forthcoming 2014)
M String Untersuchungen zum Stil der Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Hamburg sn (disserta-tion) 1966)
E Tesauro Il Cannocchiale Aristotelico (Venice Baglioni 1654ndash70)F Tissoni Nonno di Panopoli I Canti di Penteo (Dionisiache 44ndash46) Commento (Florence La Nuova
Italia Editrice 1998)F Vian Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t I chants IndashII (Paris Les Belles Lettres 1976)R Wellek lsquoThe Concept of Baroque in Literary Scholarshiprsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism
52 Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1946) pp 77ndash109M Whitby lsquoFrom Moschus to Nonnus The Evolution of the Nonnian Stylersquo in N Hopkinson (ed)
Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society 1994) pp 99ndash155A Wifstrand Von Kallimachos zu Nonnos Metrisch-stilistische Untersuchungen zur spateren griechischen
Epik und zu verwandten Gedichtgattungen (Lund Gleerup 1933)H Wolfflin Renaissance und Barock Eine Untersuchung uber Wesen und Entstehung des Barockstils in
Italien (Munich T Ackermann 1888)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
25 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
if not pinned down as a strictly historical category the term lsquobaroquersquo can to a
certain extent be applied to Nonnus and above all can invite further exploration of
the intertextual relationships between poets and be helpful in comparing artistic
norms from different periods of time Used in this way it does not replace nor is
replaced by the terms poikil0a lsquojeweled stylersquo and cumulative aesthetics but is a
stimulating tool to bring to light similarities and differences in poetic creativity not
only of metaphor but also of other characteristics which have been called lsquotypically
baroquersquo35 It can help to gain insight into the exact nature of a literary lsquodialogue at
distancersquo and could also prove fruitful in analysing and characterizing Marinorsquos
intertexutal relations with other authors from Antiquity
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank G Agosti M H Koenen P Lanfranchi and M Pearson for
their stimulating comments and lively discussions during the various stages of this
article as well as Jas Elsner the associate editor and the anonymous referees of
Classical Receptions Journal for their accurate and useful suggestions
References
G Agosti lsquoPoemi digressivi tardoantichi (e moderni)rsquo Compar(a)ison no 1 (1995) pp 131ndash51mdashmdash lsquoThe poikil0a of Paul the Bishoprsquo ZPE no 116 (1997) pp 31ndash38mdashmdash lsquoImmagini e poesia nella tarda antichita Per uno studio dellrsquoestetica visuale della poesia greca fra
III e IV sec d Crsquo Incontri Triestini di Filologia Classica 4 2004-2005 (2006) pp 351ndash74 Onlinesince 22 August 2006 httphdlhandlenet10077949 [accessed 4 July 2012]
S Bar Review of Miguelez-Cavero 2008 in Plekos no 12 (2010) pp 67ndash77 httpwwwplekosuni-muenchende2010r-caveropdf [accessed 4 July 2012]
E van Boven and G Dorleijn Literair Mechaniek Inleiding tot de Analyse van Verhalen en Gedichten(Bussum Coutinho 2003) esp pp 159ndash80 (lsquoBeeldspraakrsquo)
Ch Brooke-Rose A Grammar of Metaphor (London Secker amp Warburg 1958)P Cherchi lsquoPoetry Philosophy and Sciencersquo in P Brand and L Pertile (eds) The Cambridge History
of Italian Literature vol I The Seicento (Cambridge Cambridge University Press 1996)pp 301ndash17
G Chretien Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t IV chants IXndashX (Paris Les Belles Lettres1985)
G Conte La Metafora barocca Saggio sulle poetiche del Seicento (Milano Mursia 1972)E R Curtius Europaische Literatur und lateinisches Mittelalter (Bern Francke Verlag 1948)G DrsquoIppolito Studi Nonniani Lrsquoepillio nelle Dionisiache (Palermo Presso lrsquoAccademia 1964)E DrsquoOrs Du Baroque (Paris Gallimard 1935)
35 Other intertexual relations such as the ones briefly discussed by Tissoni (1998 59ndash62)
could be analysed according to the procedure of Rousset (1954) although he restricted
his method to the seventeenth-century French Baroque literature He formulated four
main criteria applicable to various seventeenth-century Baroque art forms (architecture
painting and literature) lsquoinstabilityrsquo lsquomobilityrsquo lsquometamorphosisrsquo and lsquodominance of
settingrsquo He subsequently applied these criteria to five literary instances first of all lsquoa type
of metaphorrsquo followed by lsquoa type of poemrsquo lsquoa poetic work as a wholersquo lsquoa theatrical work as
a wholersquo and lsquoa general attitudersquo ie lsquodisplayrsquo (1954 181ss)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
23 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
J Elsner lsquoLate Antique Art The Problem of the Concept and the Cumulative Aestheticrsquo in S Swainand M Edwards (eds) Approaching Late Antiquity The Transformation from Early to Late Empire(Oxford Oxford University Press 2004) pp 271ndash309
E Faral Les Arts Poetiques du XIIe et XIIIe siecle Recherches et Documents sur la Technique Litteraire duMoyen Age (Paris Champion 1962)
W Fauth Eidos Poikilon Zur Thematik der Metamorphose und zum Prinzip der Wandlung aus demGegensatz in den Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Gottingen Vandenhoeck amp Ruprecht 1981)
P Friedlander Johannes von Gaza und Paulus Silentiarius Kunstbeschreibungen Justinianischer Zeit(Leipzig Teubner 1912)
H de la Fuente lsquoThe One and the Many and the Circular Movement Neo-Platonism and Poetics inNonnus of Panopolisrsquo in Id (ed) New Perspectives on Late Antiquity (Newcastle-upon-TyneCambridge Scholars 2011)
F Gonnelli Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol II (canti XIIIndashXXIV) (Milano BibliotecaUniversale Rizzoli 2003)
V Giraudet lsquoLe rivage la presqursquoıle et le marais Espaces baroques chez Achille Tatius et Nonnos dePanopolisrsquo in R Poignault (ed) Presence du Roman grec et Latin (Clermont-Ferrand Centre deRecherches A Piganiol 2011) pp 147ndash66
Groupe m (J Dubois ea) Rhetorique generale (Paris du Seuil 1970)F Guardiani lsquoA Christological Metamorphosis in a Baroque Poemrsquo in J Goering ea (ed) Saints and
the Sacred Select Proceedings of the 3rd St Michaelrsquos College Annual Symposium (Feb 25-26 2000)(Ottawa Legas 2001) pp 185ndash95
A C Hagedorn (ed) Perspectives on the Song of Songs (Berlin De Gruyter 2005)F Hallyn Formes metaphoriques dans la poesie lyrique de lrsquoage baroque en France (Geneve Droz 1975)H Hatzfeld lsquoThe Baroque from the Viewpoint of the Literary Historianrsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art
Criticism 142 Second Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1955) 156ndash64N Hopkinson (ed) Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society
1994)R Huyghe lsquoLa seve du baroquersquo Baroque [online] no 4 (1969) Online since 3 May 2012 http
baroquerevuesorg304 [accessed 22 January 2013]K Jax Die weibliche Schonheit in der griechischen Dichtung (Innsbruck Wagner 1933)R Keydell lsquoNonnosrsquo in Th Klauser (ed) Reallexikon fur Antike und Christentum vol XVII
(Stuttgart Hiersemann 1936) vol XVII pp 902ndash20G Lakoff Metaphors We Live By (Chicago University of Chicago Press 1980)G Lakoff and M Turner More Than Cool Reason A Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor (Chicago
University of Chicago Press 1989)L R Lind lsquoNonnos and His Readersrsquo Res Publica Litterarum (1978) 159ndash70J Lindsay Leisure and Pleasure in Roman Egypt (London Muller 1965)V De Malde Giovan Battista Marino La Sampogna (Parma Fondazione Pietro Bembo Ugo Guanda
Editore 1993)A Martini Letteratura Italiana Le Opere Vol II Dal Cinquecento al Settecento A Asor Rosa (ed)
(Turin Einaudi 1993) pp 777ndash97R T Matthews and F DeWitt Platt The Western Humanities (Boston McGraw-Hill 2004)L Miguelez-Cavero Poems in Context Greek Poetry in the Egyptian Thebaid 200-600 AD (Berlin De
Gruyter 2008)R F Newbold lsquoMimesis and Illusion in Nonnus Deceit Distrust and the Search for Meaningrsquo
Helios 37 no 1 (2010) pp 81ndash106R Nunlist Poetologische Bildersprache in der fruhgriechischen Dichtung (Stuttgart Teubner 1998)G F Pasini lsquoDalla comparazione alla metaforarsquo Lingua e Stile 7 no 3 (1972) pp 441ndash69L Pernot La rhetorique de lrsquoeloge dans le monde greco-romain vol I (Paris Institut drsquoEtudes
Augustiennes 1993)S N Peters lsquoMetaphor and lsquolsquoMaravigliarsquorsquo Tradition and Innovation in the Adone of GB Marinorsquo
Lingua e Stile 7 no 2 (1972) pp 321ndash41D G Piccardi Metafora e Poetica in Nonno di Panopoli (Florence Universite degli Studi di Firenze
1985)mdashmdash Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol I (canti IndashXII) (Milano Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli
2003)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
24 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
G Pozzi Giovan Battista Marino vol II LrsquoAdone (Milano Mondadori 1976)mdashmdash lsquoIl ritratto della donna nella poesia drsquoinizio Cinquecento e la pittura di Giorgionersquo Lettere Italiane
311 gennaio-marzo (1979) pp 3ndash30mdashmdash lsquoTemi t0poi stereotipirsquo in A Asor Rosa (ed) Letteratura italiana III Le forme del testo I
Teoria e poesia (Torino Einaudi 1984) pp 391ndash436I A Richards The Philosophy of Rhetoric (New York Oxford University Press 1936)M Riemschneider lsquoDer Stil des Nonnosrsquo Berliner byzantinistische Arbeiten no 5 (1957) pp 46ndash70M Roberts The Jeweled Style Poetry and Poetics in Late Antiquity (Ithaca and London Cornell
University Press 1989)W H D Rouse Nonnus Dionysiaca (Cambridge MA Harvard University Press 1940)J Rousset La litterature de lrsquoage baroque en France Circe et le paon (Paris Corti 1954)E Russo lsquoSul barocco letterario in Italia Giudizi revisioni distinzionirsquo Les Dossiers du Grihl [Online]
2012-02 j 2012 Online since 25 June 2012 httpdossiersgrihlrevuesorg5223 [accessed 4 March2013]
A G Senmartı lsquoLa lsquolsquopoikiliarsquorsquo como principio estilıstico de las Dionisıacas de Nonorsquo AFB no 7(1981) pp 101ndash07
R Shorrock The Challenge of Epic Allusive Engagement in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Leiden Brill2001)
mdashmdash lsquoNonnusrsquo in J Foley (ed) A Companion to Ancient Epic (Oxford Wiley-Blackwell 2005)pp 374ndash85
mdashmdash The Myth of Paganism Nonnus Dionysus and the World of Late Antiquity (London BristolClassical Press 2011)
G Steen lsquoMetaphor and Stylersquo in P Stockwell and S Whiteley (eds) The Cambridge Handbook ofStylistics (Cambridge Cambridge University Press forthcoming 2014)
M String Untersuchungen zum Stil der Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Hamburg sn (disserta-tion) 1966)
E Tesauro Il Cannocchiale Aristotelico (Venice Baglioni 1654ndash70)F Tissoni Nonno di Panopoli I Canti di Penteo (Dionisiache 44ndash46) Commento (Florence La Nuova
Italia Editrice 1998)F Vian Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t I chants IndashII (Paris Les Belles Lettres 1976)R Wellek lsquoThe Concept of Baroque in Literary Scholarshiprsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism
52 Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1946) pp 77ndash109M Whitby lsquoFrom Moschus to Nonnus The Evolution of the Nonnian Stylersquo in N Hopkinson (ed)
Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society 1994) pp 99ndash155A Wifstrand Von Kallimachos zu Nonnos Metrisch-stilistische Untersuchungen zur spateren griechischen
Epik und zu verwandten Gedichtgattungen (Lund Gleerup 1933)H Wolfflin Renaissance und Barock Eine Untersuchung uber Wesen und Entstehung des Barockstils in
Italien (Munich T Ackermann 1888)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
25 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
J Elsner lsquoLate Antique Art The Problem of the Concept and the Cumulative Aestheticrsquo in S Swainand M Edwards (eds) Approaching Late Antiquity The Transformation from Early to Late Empire(Oxford Oxford University Press 2004) pp 271ndash309
E Faral Les Arts Poetiques du XIIe et XIIIe siecle Recherches et Documents sur la Technique Litteraire duMoyen Age (Paris Champion 1962)
W Fauth Eidos Poikilon Zur Thematik der Metamorphose und zum Prinzip der Wandlung aus demGegensatz in den Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Gottingen Vandenhoeck amp Ruprecht 1981)
P Friedlander Johannes von Gaza und Paulus Silentiarius Kunstbeschreibungen Justinianischer Zeit(Leipzig Teubner 1912)
H de la Fuente lsquoThe One and the Many and the Circular Movement Neo-Platonism and Poetics inNonnus of Panopolisrsquo in Id (ed) New Perspectives on Late Antiquity (Newcastle-upon-TyneCambridge Scholars 2011)
F Gonnelli Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol II (canti XIIIndashXXIV) (Milano BibliotecaUniversale Rizzoli 2003)
V Giraudet lsquoLe rivage la presqursquoıle et le marais Espaces baroques chez Achille Tatius et Nonnos dePanopolisrsquo in R Poignault (ed) Presence du Roman grec et Latin (Clermont-Ferrand Centre deRecherches A Piganiol 2011) pp 147ndash66
Groupe m (J Dubois ea) Rhetorique generale (Paris du Seuil 1970)F Guardiani lsquoA Christological Metamorphosis in a Baroque Poemrsquo in J Goering ea (ed) Saints and
the Sacred Select Proceedings of the 3rd St Michaelrsquos College Annual Symposium (Feb 25-26 2000)(Ottawa Legas 2001) pp 185ndash95
A C Hagedorn (ed) Perspectives on the Song of Songs (Berlin De Gruyter 2005)F Hallyn Formes metaphoriques dans la poesie lyrique de lrsquoage baroque en France (Geneve Droz 1975)H Hatzfeld lsquoThe Baroque from the Viewpoint of the Literary Historianrsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art
Criticism 142 Second Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1955) 156ndash64N Hopkinson (ed) Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society
1994)R Huyghe lsquoLa seve du baroquersquo Baroque [online] no 4 (1969) Online since 3 May 2012 http
baroquerevuesorg304 [accessed 22 January 2013]K Jax Die weibliche Schonheit in der griechischen Dichtung (Innsbruck Wagner 1933)R Keydell lsquoNonnosrsquo in Th Klauser (ed) Reallexikon fur Antike und Christentum vol XVII
(Stuttgart Hiersemann 1936) vol XVII pp 902ndash20G Lakoff Metaphors We Live By (Chicago University of Chicago Press 1980)G Lakoff and M Turner More Than Cool Reason A Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor (Chicago
University of Chicago Press 1989)L R Lind lsquoNonnos and His Readersrsquo Res Publica Litterarum (1978) 159ndash70J Lindsay Leisure and Pleasure in Roman Egypt (London Muller 1965)V De Malde Giovan Battista Marino La Sampogna (Parma Fondazione Pietro Bembo Ugo Guanda
Editore 1993)A Martini Letteratura Italiana Le Opere Vol II Dal Cinquecento al Settecento A Asor Rosa (ed)
(Turin Einaudi 1993) pp 777ndash97R T Matthews and F DeWitt Platt The Western Humanities (Boston McGraw-Hill 2004)L Miguelez-Cavero Poems in Context Greek Poetry in the Egyptian Thebaid 200-600 AD (Berlin De
Gruyter 2008)R F Newbold lsquoMimesis and Illusion in Nonnus Deceit Distrust and the Search for Meaningrsquo
Helios 37 no 1 (2010) pp 81ndash106R Nunlist Poetologische Bildersprache in der fruhgriechischen Dichtung (Stuttgart Teubner 1998)G F Pasini lsquoDalla comparazione alla metaforarsquo Lingua e Stile 7 no 3 (1972) pp 441ndash69L Pernot La rhetorique de lrsquoeloge dans le monde greco-romain vol I (Paris Institut drsquoEtudes
Augustiennes 1993)S N Peters lsquoMetaphor and lsquolsquoMaravigliarsquorsquo Tradition and Innovation in the Adone of GB Marinorsquo
Lingua e Stile 7 no 2 (1972) pp 321ndash41D G Piccardi Metafora e Poetica in Nonno di Panopoli (Florence Universite degli Studi di Firenze
1985)mdashmdash Nonno di Panopoli Le Dionisiache vol I (canti IndashXII) (Milano Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli
2003)
E M V A N O P S T A L L
24 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
G Pozzi Giovan Battista Marino vol II LrsquoAdone (Milano Mondadori 1976)mdashmdash lsquoIl ritratto della donna nella poesia drsquoinizio Cinquecento e la pittura di Giorgionersquo Lettere Italiane
311 gennaio-marzo (1979) pp 3ndash30mdashmdash lsquoTemi t0poi stereotipirsquo in A Asor Rosa (ed) Letteratura italiana III Le forme del testo I
Teoria e poesia (Torino Einaudi 1984) pp 391ndash436I A Richards The Philosophy of Rhetoric (New York Oxford University Press 1936)M Riemschneider lsquoDer Stil des Nonnosrsquo Berliner byzantinistische Arbeiten no 5 (1957) pp 46ndash70M Roberts The Jeweled Style Poetry and Poetics in Late Antiquity (Ithaca and London Cornell
University Press 1989)W H D Rouse Nonnus Dionysiaca (Cambridge MA Harvard University Press 1940)J Rousset La litterature de lrsquoage baroque en France Circe et le paon (Paris Corti 1954)E Russo lsquoSul barocco letterario in Italia Giudizi revisioni distinzionirsquo Les Dossiers du Grihl [Online]
2012-02 j 2012 Online since 25 June 2012 httpdossiersgrihlrevuesorg5223 [accessed 4 March2013]
A G Senmartı lsquoLa lsquolsquopoikiliarsquorsquo como principio estilıstico de las Dionisıacas de Nonorsquo AFB no 7(1981) pp 101ndash07
R Shorrock The Challenge of Epic Allusive Engagement in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Leiden Brill2001)
mdashmdash lsquoNonnusrsquo in J Foley (ed) A Companion to Ancient Epic (Oxford Wiley-Blackwell 2005)pp 374ndash85
mdashmdash The Myth of Paganism Nonnus Dionysus and the World of Late Antiquity (London BristolClassical Press 2011)
G Steen lsquoMetaphor and Stylersquo in P Stockwell and S Whiteley (eds) The Cambridge Handbook ofStylistics (Cambridge Cambridge University Press forthcoming 2014)
M String Untersuchungen zum Stil der Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Hamburg sn (disserta-tion) 1966)
E Tesauro Il Cannocchiale Aristotelico (Venice Baglioni 1654ndash70)F Tissoni Nonno di Panopoli I Canti di Penteo (Dionisiache 44ndash46) Commento (Florence La Nuova
Italia Editrice 1998)F Vian Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t I chants IndashII (Paris Les Belles Lettres 1976)R Wellek lsquoThe Concept of Baroque in Literary Scholarshiprsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism
52 Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1946) pp 77ndash109M Whitby lsquoFrom Moschus to Nonnus The Evolution of the Nonnian Stylersquo in N Hopkinson (ed)
Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society 1994) pp 99ndash155A Wifstrand Von Kallimachos zu Nonnos Metrisch-stilistische Untersuchungen zur spateren griechischen
Epik und zu verwandten Gedichtgattungen (Lund Gleerup 1933)H Wolfflin Renaissance und Barock Eine Untersuchung uber Wesen und Entstehung des Barockstils in
Italien (Munich T Ackermann 1888)
T H E G O L D E N F L O W E R O F Y O U T H
25 of 25
by guest on Novem
ber 13 2013httpcrjoxfordjournalsorg
Dow
nloaded from
G Pozzi Giovan Battista Marino vol II LrsquoAdone (Milano Mondadori 1976)mdashmdash lsquoIl ritratto della donna nella poesia drsquoinizio Cinquecento e la pittura di Giorgionersquo Lettere Italiane
311 gennaio-marzo (1979) pp 3ndash30mdashmdash lsquoTemi t0poi stereotipirsquo in A Asor Rosa (ed) Letteratura italiana III Le forme del testo I
Teoria e poesia (Torino Einaudi 1984) pp 391ndash436I A Richards The Philosophy of Rhetoric (New York Oxford University Press 1936)M Riemschneider lsquoDer Stil des Nonnosrsquo Berliner byzantinistische Arbeiten no 5 (1957) pp 46ndash70M Roberts The Jeweled Style Poetry and Poetics in Late Antiquity (Ithaca and London Cornell
University Press 1989)W H D Rouse Nonnus Dionysiaca (Cambridge MA Harvard University Press 1940)J Rousset La litterature de lrsquoage baroque en France Circe et le paon (Paris Corti 1954)E Russo lsquoSul barocco letterario in Italia Giudizi revisioni distinzionirsquo Les Dossiers du Grihl [Online]
2012-02 j 2012 Online since 25 June 2012 httpdossiersgrihlrevuesorg5223 [accessed 4 March2013]
A G Senmartı lsquoLa lsquolsquopoikiliarsquorsquo como principio estilıstico de las Dionisıacas de Nonorsquo AFB no 7(1981) pp 101ndash07
R Shorrock The Challenge of Epic Allusive Engagement in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Leiden Brill2001)
mdashmdash lsquoNonnusrsquo in J Foley (ed) A Companion to Ancient Epic (Oxford Wiley-Blackwell 2005)pp 374ndash85
mdashmdash The Myth of Paganism Nonnus Dionysus and the World of Late Antiquity (London BristolClassical Press 2011)
G Steen lsquoMetaphor and Stylersquo in P Stockwell and S Whiteley (eds) The Cambridge Handbook ofStylistics (Cambridge Cambridge University Press forthcoming 2014)
M String Untersuchungen zum Stil der Dionysiaka des Nonnos von Panopolis (Hamburg sn (disserta-tion) 1966)
E Tesauro Il Cannocchiale Aristotelico (Venice Baglioni 1654ndash70)F Tissoni Nonno di Panopoli I Canti di Penteo (Dionisiache 44ndash46) Commento (Florence La Nuova
Italia Editrice 1998)F Vian Nonnos de Panopolis Les Dionysiaques t I chants IndashII (Paris Les Belles Lettres 1976)R Wellek lsquoThe Concept of Baroque in Literary Scholarshiprsquo Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism
52 Special Issue on Baroque Style in Various Arts (1946) pp 77ndash109M Whitby lsquoFrom Moschus to Nonnus The Evolution of the Nonnian Stylersquo in N Hopkinson (ed)
Studies in the Dionysiaca of Nonnus (Cambridge Cambridge Philological Society 1994) pp 99ndash155A Wifstrand Von Kallimachos zu Nonnos Metrisch-stilistische Untersuchungen zur spateren griechischen
Epik und zu verwandten Gedichtgattungen (Lund Gleerup 1933)H Wolfflin Renaissance und Barock Eine Untersuchung uber Wesen und Entstehung des Barockstils in
Italien (Munich T Ackermann 1888)
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