Tragédie républicaine méconnue : les actes fondateurs de Livius Andronicus

Abstract

Biographies of an Alexandrian type substitute for historic accuracy the symbolism of reported events. It is thus possible to carry on regardless of the usual debates over chronological accuracy and to interpret the facts of an author's life as so many founding acts of the Latin tragedy. The following data stand uppermost : 1 ) the emphasis laid on the hymnic capacity of the early form of Republican tragic pinpoints the importance in the Latin drama of the orchestics -dance and mime— as well as the vocal recital —words, recitative, song— ; 2) two complementary pieces of evidence are the nature of the costume donned by Livius Andronicus and the dissociation he effects between actor and cantor, 3) grauitas and pathos jointly refer to contents whose foundation are primarily ethic and metaphysical prior to their becoming philosophical and rhetorical as shows a brief historical survey of Republican tragedy. While a primary sacred ritual consisting in a pathetic show is gradually superseded by a more secular and overtly spectacular ritualisation, the primary Republican manner nevertheless constitutes the essence of the Latin tragic so much so that its foundation are to be found again in Seneca.