Abstract

 
 
 
 The present paper analyzes Martianus Capella’s De nuptiis Philologiae et Mercurii from a generic point of view, departing from Systemic Functional Linguistics, in order to establish parody as its main feature, in consistence with its generic adscription to Menippean Satire. As a result, we expect to prove that Martianus is attacking discourse and discursive knowledge, and proposing silence as an alternative category for the characterization of transcendence and truth. This perspective intends to show De nuptiis as a Menippean Satire which subverts all values exposed along the work, turn ing thus into an anti-didactic text.
 
 
 
Highlights
The author attaches a seemingly allegorical fable that seems to act as an amusing introduction and frames the exposition of the Liberal Arts
In the case of Martianus, perception of the parodic register resignifies this set stage and, at the same time, the discursive genre of the work, which goes from being a didactic manual to a Menippean satire
We find sapis/desipis; liquet revelato/creperum; nictantis/ἐγέρσιμον:19 some things are dark for Martianus Junior though clear for Martianus pater because of the revelation of the fabella inspired by Satura, which he will immediately reproduce
Summary
Summary: The present paper analyzes Martianus Capella’s De nuptiis Philologiae et Mercurii from a generic point of view, departing from Systemic Functional Linguistics, in order to establish parody as its main feature, in consistence with its generic adscription to Menippean Satire. In the case of Martianus, perception of the parodic register resignifies this set stage and, at the same time, the discursive genre of the work, which goes from being a didactic manual to a Menippean satire This rapprochement allows for an important flexibility in the study of literary genre, and explains the confusion and imprecision with regards to the generic adscription of the De nuptiis, since didactic elements are present in the work, but only insofar as to function as objects of parody and subversion. The creator of this narration is Martianus himself, referred to as mi pater respersum capillis albicantibus verticem incrementisque lustralibus decuriatum, and the first person of verbal processes (or the second, when Martianus Junior is speaking): cano, deproperas, edoce, explicabo This chain is linked by collocation to the term Satura, inspiration of the work, and prosopopeia of the literary genre of De nuptiis. With the definition of the figure of the discipulus, the setting of the didactic stage is completed
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