HIRUNDO THE MCGILL JOURNAL OF CLASSICAL STUDIES VOLUME SEVEN

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1 THE MCGILL JOURNAL OF CLASSICAL STUDIES VOLUME SEVEN MCGILL UNIVERSITY MONTRÉAL, QUÉBEC, CANADA

2 Hirundo is the Latin word for martlet, a mythical bird without legs, always shown in flight, unceasing in its quest for knowledge. The McGill coat-of-arms has three martlets. HIRUNDO THE MCGILL JOURNAL OF CLASSICAL STUDIES Founded 2001 Published once a year by the Classics Students' Association of McGill University Margherita Devine EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Samantha Briffett, Robert Eisenberg, Katharine Heus, Darren Hunter, Amber Irwin, Anne Jones-Millar, Solomon Klein, Brahm Kleinman, Catherine McPherson, Zachary Masoud, Samantha Perera, Vanessa Peters, Michèle Smith, Veronica Wheeler, David Whiteside EDITORIAL BOARD Amber Irwin LAYOUT EDITOR Professor Michael P. Fronda ACADEMIC ADVISOR Front and back cover pictures were taken by Margherita Devine. The front cover picture is entitled The Approach and features the Villa dei Quintili in Rome, Italy. The back cover picture is entitled Ancient Perspectives and features the Tomb of Caecilia Metella in Rome, Italy. Hirundo accepts essay contributions, from students of McGill University, between 1,000 and 8,000 words in length, which relate to ancient Europe and the Mediterranean world, including the Near East and Egypt, from prehistoric to late antique times. An abstract of not more than 75 words should accompany a submission. Since Hirundo has a policy of "blind review," information identifying the author should appear separate from the essay text. Students wishing to write a book review should contact the Editor-in-Chief. It is journal policy that the copyright to the contents of each issue belongs to Hirundo. Essays in either English or French are welcome and may be sent to: II Editor-in-Chief, Hirundo Department of History and Classics Program Stephen Leacock Building, Room Sherbrooke Street West Montréal, Québec, H3A 2T7 No portion of this journal may be reproduced without the formal consent of the editorial board.

3 Table of Contents Front Matter Editor s Preface...VI Supporters...V Articles Stephen Aylward Stepping into Rivers: Ontology in Heraclitus Max Flomen The Original Godfather: Ricimer and the Fall of Rome Leon Grek Performing Ovid s Metamorphoses in Titus Andronicus and A Midsummer Night s Dream Kate Hart The Violence of Appropriation in Virgil s the Aeneid Warren Huard A Persian Influence on the Greeks? Amber Irwin Donatism: the Makings of a Schism Solomon Klein Aqueducts and Euergetism in the Roman Republic Brahm Kleinman The Crisis at Antioch Under Julian the Apostate Sarah Limoges Expansionism or Fear: The Underlying Reasons for the Bacchanalia Affair of 186 B.C Vanessa Peters The Shields of Achilles and Aeneas: The Worlds Portrayed by Homer and Vergil III

4 Dan Ruppel Caesar s Corny Commentaries: Provisions as Power in The Gallic War Back Matter Photo Essay Interview with Professor Gladhill Helpful Resources for Ancient History IV

5 Hirundo ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY The Arts Undergraduate Society The Students Society of McGill University The Dean of Arts Development Fund The McGill History Department The McGill Classics Programme The Classics Students Association The Office of the Dean of Students V

6 VI Editor s Preface The past few years have been full of exciting new developments in Classical Studies at McGill, and this year has been no exception. This year s diverse collection of essays represent the historical, literary and theological approaches which make Classics the wonderful mix of disciplines that it is. In this edition, Stephen Aylward navigates the waters of Heraclitus doctrine of flux, steering us through interpretations, both ancient and modern, of his philosophy. Then, Max Flomen offers a fresh interpretation of Flavius Ricimer and his influential role in the political machinations of the collapsing Western Roman Empire. McGill alumnus Leon Grek charms with his exploration of Ovidian metamorphosis within Shakespeare s Titus Andronicus and A Midsummer Night s Dream, noting the subtleties in the reception of Classical material. Next, Kate Hart examines Vergil s use of tree imagery within the Aeneid as emblematic of Aeneas and the Trojans struggle to found a new country ultimately based on a violence cycle of appropriation. Warren Huard delves into Persian religious influences on Pre-Socratic philosophy, finding new and interesting connections in the dialogue between Persian and Greek societies. Thereafter, Amber Irwin pieces together the Donatist schism in 4 th century North Africa, reexamining the traditional scholarship regarding this fascinating sect. Solomon Klein offers us a new perspective on Roman aqueducts and their social dimensions in addition to bringing something so vital to Romans, they were also tools of euergetism. Brahm Kleinman then evaluates Julian the Apostate s role in the crisis at Antioch, finding him guilty of mishandling the existing tensions between himself and the people of Antioch. McGill alumna Sarah Limoges examines the Bacchanalia Affair of the second century BCE, probing its underlying causes, and Vanessa Peters analyzes the imagery in literary descriptions of Achilles and Aeneas shields. Finally, Dan Ruppel looks at the vital but oft-ignored role of food supplies during war, focusing on soldiers reactions, leaders actions, and the outcome of wars fought on empty stomachs. I would like to thank our generous patrons: the Classics Programme, the Deparment of History, the Classics Students Association, the Dean s Improvement Fund, SSMU and the AUS. Without your support, this year s edition of Hirundo would not have been possible. To the many wonderful faculty members who have inspired the papers in this edition, your support and guidance has allowed this year s journal to come to fruition, and for this we thank you. I want to offer special thanks to Professor Fronda, Hirundo s faculty advisor, for his unflagging wisdom, guidance, kindness and belief in me. And last, but certainly not least, my editorial board and layout editors have my greatest thanks and appreciation for their enthusiasm, creativity and responsibility throughout the project. Your help has made my job one of my most rewarding experiences, and produced a spectacular journal. Margherita Devine Editor-in-Chief