For Whom Hesperus Shines: An Astronomical Allusion in Roman Epithalamic Poetry

Abstract This paper reconstructs the history and meaning of a hitherto unexplained astronomical allusion recurring several times in Roman epithalamic poetry: association evening star with Mount Oeta. By examining iterations this motif surviving Latin literature (especially Catullus 62, Vergil's Eclogue 8 pseudo-Vergilian Ciris ), I propose to explain original as mythological reference wedding Peleus Thetis, offering reconstruction Hellenistic context where it was probably invented, an interpretation its function each poems under consideration. The results analysis shed new light on some most well-known texts literature, allowing us understand how used explore relations between genres poetry, bucolic epyllion.