5—
Narrative in Speech
Although Virgil avoided the dramatic element in the parts of his work that we have
examined so far, he reverted to it when he constructed the individual speeches. Once
again it is useful to start with a comparison with Homer. Speech in ancient epic can
be characterized briefly as being infinitely capable of extension,[58] particularly when
it is a question of incorporating additional epic material. Wherever and whenever
the poet chooses, he turns epic speech into narrative, however incongruous it may
seem from a realistic point of view. This peculiar characteristic of epic speech does
not spring merely from the poet's insatiable appetite for story-telling, as people have
been quick to assume; rather, he uses these interpolations as a convenient and
conventional means of explaining the facts underlying his characters' emotions, so
that their actions appear in a clearer light[59] and their relationships with each other
become psychologically deeper. This ability to incorporate extra material is however
only the most noticeable consequence of the stylistic principle which governs both
the monologues and the whole epic work. 'There is no obvious striving towards a
main goal, even when it is present in the content of the speech; each part which
prepares for subsequent development seems to stand only for its own sake; progress
is leisurely, there are long descriptions which are sensuous and enlivening, se-
quences are loosely linked, as in the epic in general'. In all of these regards, Virgil's
use of speech is the exact opposite. Its guiding principle is concentration: each
415 speech is the expression of a single emotion, a single decision or train of thought. In
place of loose links he has strict connections; instead of long descriptions he has
basic expressions of feeling; instead of leisurely progress he has an energetic striv-
ing towards a goal, or leisurely, but equally energetic, dissection of an emotion.
Virgil is well aware that extension of speech by means of narrative insertions is
an essential feature of the epic tone which he is striving to achieve. He therefore
does not avoid it, by any means; on the contrary, he seeks out opportunities to use it;
but he only considers that the opportunity is there when the insertion can be ex-
plained by the context, i.e. when it makes an essential contribution to the purpose of
the speech and therefore to the action; and such opportunities are not exactly plenti-
fu1.[60] There is one place where such epic insertions serve ethopoia [depiction of
character]: when Evander, the old king, in addition to the independent tales of
Hercules and of Saturn, also weaves in other tales – about his meeting with Anchises
(8.157), Mezentius' atrocities (483), his fight with Erulus of Praeneste (561) – this
trait is supposed to remind us of Nestor and thereby define Evander's character; but
unlike Nestor's all these tales are carefully motivated by the context, with the
exception of the last-named, which is intended to make the imitation more
416 obvious,[61] and at the same time Virgil manages to weave in an Italian legend which
did not find a place in the catalogues. This is one deviation from his established
stylistic rule; another, much more remarkable one occurs in Diana's long tale of
Camilla's youth (11.539-84).[62] It is obvious that the motivation for the narrative in
this context is inadequate; one cannot justify it as ethopoia . Add to this the fact that
during the narrative Diana herself, although participating in the action, keeps com-
pletely in the background, and, when she cannot avoid being mentioned, even
speaks of herself in the third person;[63] and finally, if one considers that the picture of
Camilla drawn here bears no resemblance to that given elsewhere,[64] one will no
longer doubt that this is merely a provisional version which was never given a final
revision by the poet.[65]
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