Apostrophe to the gods in Ovid's Metamorphoses, Lucan's Pharsalia, and Statius' Thebaid

This dissertation examines the significance of apostrophes to gods in three post- Vergilian epics: Ovid's Metamorphoses, Lucan's Pharsalia, and Statius' Thebaid..;This work devotes one chapter each to the Metamorphoses, Pharsalia, and the Thebaid, with an introduction and a conclusion. The introduction establishes a working definition of apostrophe and postulates that apostrophe in post-Vergilian epic is a space in which the poet can add meaning. Apostrophes to gods during the early principate are places in which poets do not merely heighten the emotional tone of an episode, but comment on the role of political or religious power.;In the chapters on Ovid, Lucan, and Statius, apostrophes to gods are treated by the episodes in which they occur, in the order in which they come in the epic, allowing the reader to follow trends and changes as they occur. Each apostrophe to a god is discussed, even those that exist for no greater purpose than variety. By comparison, then, one can better appreciate the function of those apostrophes that clearly do contribute to the meaning of particular passages or reveal sentiments that the poet did not express directly.;The conclusion discusses trends found in the use of apostrophe to the gods within each of the epics, then across the three works. Ovid uses apostrophes to gods to guide readers to the conclusion that mortals owe reverence to their rulers out of fear, no matter how cruel or unjust they might be. Apostrophes to many gods accompany the panegyric to Augustus that ends the work; by placing Caesar and Augustus in Book 15 alongside a pantheon Ovid has taken such pains to disgrace throughout the Metamorphoses, he colors the reader's impression of the new regime. Lucan uses apostrophes to gods mainly to establish his assertion that Fortuna is the real force behind the advancement of history, a capricious deity that is indifferent to the fate of Rome at best and actively hostile to its interests at worst. Apostrophes to gods in Statius help reestablish the unquestionable power of the Olympians. Statius exhibits a tension between tradition and novelty in his apostrophes to gods and is careful to use only minor characters to criticize the actions of gods or rulers through them. The examination of apostrophes to gods across the three epics reveals an evolution of permissible speech, from Ovid's cavalier brazenness to Lucan's confrontational assertiveness to Statius' baroque deference. Read against this evolution, apostrophes to the gods help the reader interpret the panegyrics to the sitting emperors in each epic.