Ciris: A Poem Attributed to Vergil

Ciris: A Poem Attributed to Vergil Synopsis

The Ciris is a mythological narrative poem on the legend of Scylla and Nisus, and is an outstanding example of the epyllion genre - miniture epics, of which there must have been many from Catullus onwards. Late sources in Antiquity and inferior manuscript tradition attributed this poem to Vergil, and the possibility of Vergilian authorship has been discussed since the Renaissance. Dr Lyne has reassessed the manuscript authorities for the Ciris and here presents a new and better text of the poem with apparatus criticus.

In his introduction and commentary he provides a complete account of the Ciris: its manuscripts, its style and language, the poet's treatment of the Scylla myths, his narrative technique and his method of composition. Dr Lyne's tracking down of the poet's borrowings from the now lost neoteric poets of Catullus' generation is especially interesting.