literaturaTmcodneobis Tanamedrove problemebi Contemporary ...

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Rusudan Tsanava
Georgia, Tbilisi
The Function of Gossip in Antique Epos
Summary
Gossip has quite interesting overtones in all genres of antique Greek and
Roman literature - epos, lyric poetry, drama, historiography, and novels. The
analysis of the materials shows that gossip has the following clear-cut functions
in artistic texts: 1. to prepare public opinion in support or against a specific
view; 2. to study sentiments among the public; 3. to discredit or glorify
someone; 4. to test a person's mental maturity by asking him to distinguish
between gossip and truth in an initiation ritual; 5. to show that in separate cases,
gossip (together with other factors) can ruin a person.
In this report, we analyse the following epic texts: Odyssey and Iliad by
Homer, Aeneid by Vergil, Metamorphoses by Ovid, and Thebaid by Statius. In
Greek texts, the word }ossa is used to denote gossip. It is often capitalised and
in such cases, it has the functions of a deity. The Latin words for gossip are fama
and rumor. In Aeneid by Vergil, Fama personifies a frightful winged creature,
which penetrates every house as soon as it gets perched on a town's battlement.
Etymologically }ossa is linked to the Sanskrit vák and Latin vox "voice".
}Ossa is a messenger from Zeus. It is accordance with Zeus's will that {Ossa
suggests to Achaeans in Troy to assemble and decide the fate of the army (Iliad,
II, 94). }{Ossa is quick in bringing messages from Zeus (Odyssey, I, 281-3; II,
216). It informs the Ithacans that suitors have been massacred (XXIV, 413-415).
Fama (Favma) has the same function. With Sophocles, Fama is news, divine
voice, "child of golden Hope". Both }ossa and muØqo~ come from Zeus, but the
Thunderer communicates muØqo~ (news) through the speeches (songs) of divine
aeds and }ossa through exiles and self-styled soothsayers. At the same time,
muØqo~ is believed to be true, but }ossa is not. In reality, there is as much truth
in muØqo~ as there is falsehood in }ossa. Correspondingly, muØqo~ (news) and
}ossa (gossip) compensate each other, shaping public opinion and creating
ideals (or vice versa). It can be said that }ossa is the shadow of muØqo~. In this
report, we consider what function gossip has in the initiation of Telemachos
(Odyssey) and how gossip ruins Dido, Queen of Carthago (Aeneid).
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