Talk:Pharsalia

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Renaming the article

Latest comment: 3 months ago1 comment1 person in discussion

I propose we change the article's title to "Bellum Civile (Lucan)" as it's the name by which this work is most frequently referred to in scholarahip. PastelKos (talk) 17:45, 13 March 2026 (UTC)Reply

Lucan's clear anti-imperialism

Latest comment: 2 months ago1 comment1 person in discussion

The article refers to "Lucan's clear anti-imperialism". It is not clear to me. Take as an example this passage from the Thomas May translation:

Deare Cittizens, what brainßick charmes?
What outrage of dißordered armes?
Leades you to feaßt your enuious foes,
To ßee you goar'd with your owne blowes?
Proud Babylon your force doth ßcorn
Whoße ßpoyles your trophies might adorne
And Craßßus vnreunged ghoßt,
Roames wayling through the Parthian coaßt.
Doth now your hearts ßuch warre desire
As yeelds no triumphs for your hyre?
O what a world by Lands and Seas,
Mought you haue won with much more eaße.
Then halfe the bloud your weapons draines,
in ciuill ßtrife from out your vaines!

Compare that to the Merriam Webster definition of imperialism:

Imperialism: the policy, practice, or advocacy of extending the power and dominion of a nation especially by direct territorial acquisitions or by gaining indirect control over the political or economic life of other areas

I cannot characterize this as anti-imperialist. Lucan (through his narrator) advocates for foreign war on the basis that it would bring his people money, territory, and even simple revenge. I don't see how it could be less anti-imperialist. For this reason I say that anti-imperialism is not a theme in the poem. ~2026-23528-47 (talk) 04:14, 17 April 2026 (UTC)Reply

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