O prólogo de Geórgicas III e os demais prólogos do poema: uma abordagem descritivo-comparativa

Abstract

In this paper we intend to discuss the prologue to Virgil’s Georgics book III, which deals with topics related to raising animals. First, after narrowing the importance of the proemial theme in ancient Literature, we present some specific features of this third prologue.These features – which after would be “retaken” by the opening lines of Aeneid I – are: the summarization of the subject matters to be treated by Virgil; metalanguage; the invocation of the gods; building links between patron and poet; and highlighting, to some extent, the topics covered in the same part of this Virgilian didactic work. Finally, we compare briefly the prologue to Georgics III to other prologues of the poem, obtaining as a result that it can be equated, due to its extension and complexity, with the one of the first book, while it differs, in similar points, from the prologues associated with books II and IV.