Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

'Pro Iuppiter!' : A Study of the Use of Oaths, Curses, and Prayers in Roman Comedy

Peukert Stock, Olivia LU (2021)
Abstract
This thesis concerns oaths, curses, and prayers in Roman comedy, more precisely the comedies by the playwriter Terence (185/84 - 159 BC). So-called informal/interjectional oaths and prayers constitute the main focus of this investigation, however, asseverations, formal oaths, formal prayers, and curses are included as well. In this study, carried out by utilizing the methodological frameworks hermeneutics and discourse analysis together with the method corpus analysis and a new adaption of the ancient septem circumstantiae-system, information on how the Romans of the 2nd century BC – the era of Terence – utilized religion to express themselves in everyday-life situations has been provided. A categorization by type, use, function, and... (More)
This thesis concerns oaths, curses, and prayers in Roman comedy, more precisely the comedies by the playwriter Terence (185/84 - 159 BC). So-called informal/interjectional oaths and prayers constitute the main focus of this investigation, however, asseverations, formal oaths, formal prayers, and curses are included as well. In this study, carried out by utilizing the methodological frameworks hermeneutics and discourse analysis together with the method corpus analysis and a new adaption of the ancient septem circumstantiae-system, information on how the Romans of the 2nd century BC – the era of Terence – utilized religion to express themselves in everyday-life situations has been provided. A categorization by type, use, function, and frequency of a large amount of Latin colloquial expressions as well as a mapping of common emotional triggers for these expressions are found in this research. Further, included as well are discussions on the differing gender-usages of these religious-rooted utterances, the Romans’ attitude towards their gods, and their fear of perjury. Finally, by distinguishing distinct Roman traits in the use of oaths, curses, and prayers this thesis helps to strengthen the notion that the comedies are adaptions, not translations, of their Greek models in order to be appreciated by a Roman audience. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
supervisor
organization
publishing date
type
Thesis
publication status
published
subject
pages
186 pages
publisher
Lund University
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
77a96eca-f598-4905-a783-166d209f0e41
alternative location
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9057276
date added to LUP
2023-10-30 16:44:55
date last changed
2023-11-02 09:32:23
@misc{77a96eca-f598-4905-a783-166d209f0e41,
  abstract     = {{This thesis concerns oaths, curses, and prayers in Roman comedy, more precisely the comedies by the playwriter Terence (185/84 - 159 BC). So-called informal/interjectional oaths and prayers constitute the main focus of this investigation, however, asseverations, formal oaths, formal prayers, and curses are included as well. In this study, carried out by utilizing the methodological frameworks hermeneutics and discourse analysis together with the method corpus analysis and a new adaption of the ancient septem circumstantiae-system, information on how the Romans of the 2nd century BC – the era of Terence – utilized religion to express themselves in everyday-life situations has been provided. A categorization by type, use, function, and frequency of a large amount of Latin colloquial expressions as well as a mapping of common emotional triggers for these expressions are found in this research. Further, included as well are discussions on the differing gender-usages of these religious-rooted utterances, the Romans’ attitude towards their gods, and their fear of perjury. Finally, by distinguishing distinct Roman traits in the use of oaths, curses, and prayers this thesis helps to strengthen the notion that the comedies are adaptions, not translations, of their Greek models in order to be appreciated by a Roman audience.}},
  author       = {{Peukert Stock, Olivia}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{06}},
  publisher    = {{Lund University}},
  title        = {{'Pro Iuppiter!' : A Study of the Use of Oaths, Curses, and Prayers in Roman Comedy}},
  url          = {{http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9057276}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}