Shannon
BYRNE Validating Epigram: Martial's Wish
for a Maecenas
Changing attitudes towards literary pursuits
during the late Republic and early Empire created an
opportunity for Roman poets to declare hopes for
remuneration in a frank manner that would have been
unacceptable in previous times. It was not until the end
of the republic that poetry as a serious pursuit caught
on in aristocratic circles, particularly among
equestrians with no interest in a political career.
Compensation was too delicate a topic for a Virgil or a
Horace to mention, and it is not until around the time of
the Nero that Roman poets are clear regarding their
expectations of patronage. This is when Maecenas becomes
the ideal patron. This paper examines how Martial
reflects the new social acceptability regarding
remuneration for poetry and how he uses Maecenas'
reputation as a discerning patron to implant a minor
genre firmly in the mainstream of Roman readership.
Augustan poets employ symbols of friendship
suggestive of patronage in poems to Maecenas, but they
never state that they write for his favor or ask for
support in exchange for poetry. By the time of Nero Roman
poets on the periphery of the imperial court were as bold
as Greek poets in their pleas for support, and they
turned Maecenas into the model patron, that is, a man of
substance who not only recognized and appreciated poetic
talent, but also rewarded poets with gifts and support
that allowed them to pursue a literary career without the
distractions of poverty (cf. Calp. Sic. Ecl. 4.158-163; Laus Pis. 230-248).
Martial refers to Maecenas' role as patron
five times (1.107; 7.29; 8.55(56); 11.3; 12.3(4),
connecting him to the same poets (Virgil, Varius, and
Horace) named by Neronian court poets as lucky
benefactors of Maecenas' generosity in poems that request
similar remuneration. In addition to pleas for support,
however, Martial uses Maecenas as part of his effort to
elevate epigram and make it a genre suitable for serious
poetic expression. He may be not writing anything of the
magnitude of an Aeneid, but a wise patron will recognize the value
of his epigrams, as Maecenas recognized the value of
Virgil's epic, Horace's lyrics, and Varius' tragedy.
Martial's reality is that he must deal with
a host of lukewarm patrons, as evidenced by the multitude
of aristocrats courted&emdash;not always
successfully&emdash;in his poems. He plays to the desire
of the elite for literature that mentions them favorably
by name and enhances their profile in the right
aristocratic circles. Martial's vehicle for praise,
however, is a minor genre with origins in inscription and
a recent reputation as a medium suited to private jokes,
slander, and anecdotes. In his talented hands, epigram
becomes substantial enough even for the extended praise
of the Emperor. When Martial pines for a Maecenas, he
pines for a type of patronage that he in fact helps to
idealize while energizing a genre generally considered a
Greek specialty or amateur sport.
Abstracts
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