Ovid and the Julio-Claudians: Livia – “Love, Myths and Other Stories” – LXXV
In “Fasti” Book I, Ovid tells us about Livia as a goddess.
«utque ego perpetuis olim sacrabor in aris,
sic Augusta novum lulia numen erit.»
[Fasti. I, 535 – 536]
“shall one day be sanctified at eternal altars, so shall Julia Augusta be a new divinity"
Ovid's addressee is Germanicus, Drusus Major’s son, Livia's grandson, adopted by her son and his uncle Tiberius to be joint heir with Tiberius' natural son Drusus the Younger. By the will of Augustus, Livia was adopted into the Julian family and became Julia Augusta. With these verses Ovid anticipates her deification by her grandson, the emperor Claudius.
«hanc tua constituit genetrix et rebus et ara,
sola toro magni digna reperta lovis.» [Fasti. I, 649 – 650]
“That goddess your mother honored both by her life and by an altar, she who alone was found worthy to share the bed of mighty Jupiter.”
The addressee of this second passage is Tiberius, Livia’s son from her previous marriage with Tiberius Claudius Nero. Here Augustus is assimilated to Juppiter.
Translation By Franzer J.G.
Marble statue
223 x 87 x 40 cm
38 - 40 AD
From Parma, “Complesso Monumentale della Pilotta”
Exhibition: “Ovidio: Loves, Myths & Other Stories”
Scuderie del Quirinale, Rome
Ovid and the Julio-Claudians: Livia – “Love, Myths and Other Stories” – LXXV
In “Fasti” Book I, Ovid tells us about Livia as a goddess.
«utque ego perpetuis olim sacrabor in aris,
sic Augusta novum lulia numen erit.»
[Fasti. I, 535 – 536]
“shall one day be sanctified at eternal altars, so shall Julia Augusta be a new divinity"
Ovid's addressee is Germanicus, Drusus Major’s son, Livia's grandson, adopted by her son and his uncle Tiberius to be joint heir with Tiberius' natural son Drusus the Younger. By the will of Augustus, Livia was adopted into the Julian family and became Julia Augusta. With these verses Ovid anticipates her deification by her grandson, the emperor Claudius.
«hanc tua constituit genetrix et rebus et ara,
sola toro magni digna reperta lovis.» [Fasti. I, 649 – 650]
“That goddess your mother honored both by her life and by an altar, she who alone was found worthy to share the bed of mighty Jupiter.”
The addressee of this second passage is Tiberius, Livia’s son from her previous marriage with Tiberius Claudius Nero. Here Augustus is assimilated to Juppiter.
Translation By Franzer J.G.
Marble statue
223 x 87 x 40 cm
38 - 40 AD
From Parma, “Complesso Monumentale della Pilotta”
Exhibition: “Ovidio: Loves, Myths & Other Stories”
Scuderie del Quirinale, Rome