The Ruler's House: Contesting Power and Privacy in Julio-Claudian Rome by Harriet Fertik

Abstract

BOOK REVIEWS/COMPTES RENDUS 177 the self-reflexive way Pliny minutely adapts (and inverts, sometimes polemically) parts of Institutio 10. The usual suspects (Cicero, Seneca the Elder, and Tacitus) are also present in the discussion. Chapters Nine, “Docendo discitur” (323–352), and Ten, “Reflections of an Author” (353–406), focus on ethical rather than rhetorical matters and perfectly display how Pliny’s imitation of the Institutio contributes to his autobiography. Chapter Nine, which examines Ep. 6.11, 6.29, 9.36, and 9.40, a cycle of letters related to Fuscus and Quadratus , offers interesting metaliterary readings and confirms the significant place of the Institutio in Pliny’s Epistles. Chapter Ten (dealing with Ep. 2.9, 8.4, 5.16, 3.1, 3.5, and 9.3) goes a step further in tackling Pliny’s systematic incorporation of the Institutio as part of his compositional plan. Chapter Eleven, “Quintilian, Pliny, Tacitus” (407–472), includes a useful syncrisis between Epistles 1–9 and the intertextual modes of Epistles 10 and the Panegyricus, as well as scrupulous investigation of Tacitus’ place in the broader project of Pliny’s imitation of Quintilian, while the epilogic Chapter Twelve, “Beginnings ” (473–494), analyses the introductory letters 1.1–2 and 9.1–2 and examines another triangulation, that between Pliny, Quintilian, and Cicero. The book concludes with an extensive list of “References” (495–530) and multiple indices (531–557). Whitton fulfils his aims with great success: he adroitly reveals the subtleties of Pliny’s imitation and highlights beyond any doubt the importance of the Institutio to the Epistles. At the same time, he opens new horizons in the interpretation of Latin prose intertextuality in general. He proves that the latter can work even with just one word, and a common one at that, so long as certain other prerequisites are met, putting special emphasis on the relevance of the ideas found in the engaged texts. Furthermore, Whitton demonstrates a keen interest in a multitude of details which he utilizes most effectively, such as the sound of the words and the aural echoes, the alliteration, the rhythm, the syntactical structure, and the number of the syllables in corresponding words or phrases, or even the number of the syllables proceeding or following. Despite the fact that some of Whitton’s claims could, at first glance, be considered rather bold, and some of the similarities he cites could be ascribed to mere coincidence, as one proceeds with the study of each chapter and the bigger picture becomes clearer, it is easy to put any reservations aside and allow oneself to be convinced that it is indeed possible to interpret the Epistles as “miniaturist readings” of the Institutio. This is an insightful, well-argued, and well-organized book, written in a fascinating style and tone and with impressive erudition. It is documented by abundant (and often lengthy) footnotes, which nonetheless do not detract from the pleasant reading of the work. Transitions from one chapter to another are smooth, while frequent crossreferences reinforce the book’s cohesion, further facilitated by some necessary or inevitable repetitions. No doubt this book will become a reference work, not only for the study of Pliny but also for that of Latin prose imitation. University of Cyprus Spyridon Tzounakas The Ruler's House: Contesting Power and Privacy in Julio-Claudian Rome. By Harriet Fertik. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. 2019. Pp. x, 241. The titles of books can be used either to inform or to tantalize, and the first service a reviewer of this book can perform for possible readers is to tell them straight away that its 178 PHOENIX tantalizing title might, for a moment, mislead them. The argument of the first chapter finds us far from any royal palace, with Caesar at Ilerda and with Pompey in Egypt; no historical ruler’s house is properly discussed until the third of six chapters; and the historical rulers’ actual houses that are discussed in any detail can be counted on the fingers of one hand. The subtitle, however, is a better guide to the book and to the purpose of the author, who also makes no bones about her method and intentions as soon as...