“Las muchas figuras, colores y ornamentos con que va la verdad del hecho vestida y ornada”. Fundamentos de la épica clásica en la "Austriaca siue Naumachia" de Francisco de Pedrosa

Abstract

In 1580, Francisco de Pedrosa finished a large epic poem following the literary tendency motivated by the impact of the Battle of Lepanto in Spanish and Latin poetry. This epic poem, whose title is Austriaca siue Naumachia , is not well-known, as his own author. It was conceived like a new Aeneid offered to Philipp II in order to commemorate one of the most relevant historic events within his reign. In this paper we analyse one of the central concepts in the creation process of this work: the elements, topics and features inspired in classical epic. We study as well how these have been adapted to the religious tone of the poem.