The Fables of Avianus. Intersection of genres and textual criticism

As a poet and fabulist Avianus was frequently clumsy and imprecise; therefore, in many passages it is difficult for the textual critic to determine whether errors in syntax, prosody or narrative construction are to be attributed to the author himself or to the copyists. However, Avianus was unquestionably a learned man and an avid reader of the great Latin poetry of the Golden and Silver Ages. Thus, for the purposes of textual criticism and interpretation, intertextual analysis is an extraordinarily effective tool, since in some passages it reveals that the transmitted text, apparently corrupt, is actually sound, in others it is the key to healing a paradosis that is really corrupt. In Avianus’ case, intertextual analysis must be intergeneric, as Avianus tended to mix different poetic genres (fable, epic, tragedy, elegy, comedy, lyric) to create his own poetic parole. Four passages from Avianus are dealt with in this paper: in two of them (Avian. 6.7–8; 35.1–4) intertextual analysis shows that the transmitted text should not be altered; in the third and fourth (Avian. 34.5–10; 3.5–6) it inspires emendations. This paper also demonstrates that Avianus knew Catullus.