Residui mitici nella cosmografia dell'epica cantata. L'immagine del fiume nei soggetti bylinici

Mythical Remainings in Russian Epic Songs. The Image of River in Bylinic Subjects This essay aims to analyze the symbolic role of the river and its func on in the by- linic text, as a speci c element of early Slavic representa on of the cosmos in the epic tradi on, from more archaic narra ve plots and gures, to more recent ones. The survey is mainly conducted on the evidence provided by such byliny as Do- brynja i zmej, Aleša i Tugarin, Dunaj, Suchman and highlights how the analysis of rep- resenta on of natural space in the bylinic context is a precious key to understanding cosmological concep ons in the early east Slavic world. It also shows how these con- cep ons change, a er Rus’ was converted to Chris anity and the consequent transi- on of represented con icts from a mythical to a historical plan.