Abstract

Towards the middle of Calp. ecl. 1 we find a prophecy etched into a beech trunk by the god Faunus, in which a new ruler is praised; it is read aloud by one of the characters, Ornytus, to whom the other character, Corydon, listens. Obviously, the poem abounds with allusions to other texts, in particular to Virgil. This paper revisits the poem’s relation to its bucolic intertexts (especially Verg. ecl. 4 and 5) and points to an important epic intertext, namely the opening of Aen. 6 (and thus also to the end of Helenus’ speech in Aen. 3,441-462), where Virgil reflects upon whether it is better for prophecies to be written or sung. Calpurnius seems to engage with this Virgilian question, but assesses the relationship of speech and writing differently. It will be argued that considering the relationship of speech and writing and its Virgilian background helps us to enhance our understanding of intertextuality in Calpurnius, not only as a literary, but also as a socially and politically grounded phenomenon.