It seems superfluous to write an introduction to
Lucan's Pharsalia (or Bellum Civile), especially since any
reliable translation would already have one. Yet, it is precisely
because I am using a specific translation (Susan Braund's) that I have
felt it necessary, for, undoubtedly, my reading of the text is influenced
by the translator's selection and juxtapositioning of words. In short,
my interpretation of Lucan is not entirely my interpretation.
It is, therefore, my hope that, by prefacing these commentaries with an
introduction, I can reduce the likelihood of my misleading the reader.
That said, I would like to begin with a few historical comments on the
poet and his life.
Marcus Annaeus Lucanus (Lucan) was born into a prominent
family in Roman Spain in the year 39 A.D. Before his first birthday,
however, the family moved to the capital, and this proved to be beneficial
for Lucan, since it was here in Rome that he received his education--an
education which placed great emphasis on literature and rhetoric.
He later moved to Athens to finish his studies but was recalled to Rome
by the young emperor Nero. The origin of their friendship is unclear,
but, since Nero was a patron of the arts, it would be reasonable to assume
that the two men had mutual interests and that those interests fostered
a certain respect and trust. Indeed, it is known that Lucan held
the quaestorship under Nero.
These were productive years for Lucan. It
was during this period that he wrote a Journey to the Underworld,
a
Tale of Troy, and Medea (none of which survive).
Unfortunately, by about 64 A.D., he seems to have lost faith in the emperor.
Again, the cause of the conflict is not known. It may simply be that
Nero had become jealous of his protégé's notoriety.
In any event, Lucan joined the conspiracy of Calpurnius Piso to overthrow
Nero. Of course, the plot failed, Lucan was implicated, and, in April
of 65 A.D., he was forced to commit suicide. He was 25.
For a variety of reasons, it is widely assumed that
Lucan was writing the Pharsalia at the time of his death.
Certainly, this would account for the fact that the poem was never finished.
The date of its composition is important, though, because it has a bearing
on the author's intent. In Book I, for example, there is a passage
(45-66) in which Lucan seems to praise Nero. If this passage was
written before 64 A.D., the praise is probably genuine. On the other
hand, if the passage was written during or after 64 A.D., the praise is
probably sarcastic.
Lucan's primary sources are Livy (whose history
for this period no longer exists) and Caesar's own account of the civil
wars (See appraisal for Lucan's attitude toward Caesar.). It should
be noted, however, that the poem also contains numerous anecdotes and digressions
which have no "historical" basis but are simply manifestations of the author's
own personal interests (geography, mythology, astrology, etc., etc.).
As mentioned above, the poem is incomplete, for
it ends abruptly in the middle of the tenth book. Its projected length
(12 or possibly 16 books) is relevant, since it would surely determine
the meaning of the poem. One other point should be emphasized here:
like most literary works from antiquity, the Pharsalia was meant
to be read aloud. The knowledge that his work would be recited to
a public audience must have influenced Lucan's conception and composition
of the poem. To some extent, this helps to explain his interest in
the sensational.
Finally, as I also mentioned above, I am using Susan
H. Braund's translation (New York: Oxford Univ. Pr., 1992) for my
commentaries. Interested readers, however, may wish to compare her
translation with one or more of the following:
Lucan. Pharsalia. Trans. Jane Wilson Joyce. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell Univ. Pr., 1993.-----. Lucan's Civil War. Trans. P. F. Widdows. Bloomington: Indiana Univ. Pr., 1988.
-----. Pharsalia. Trans. Robert Graves. Baltimore, MD.: Penguin Bks., 1957.
-----. The Civil War. Trans. J. D. Duff. Vol. 220 of the Loeb Classical Library. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard Univ. Pr., 1928.
-----. Pharsalia. Trans. Sir Edward Ridley (1896). The Online Medieval & Classical Library. http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/OMACL/Pharsalia/