Un topos literar dihotomic: laus Italiae
A Dichotomous Literary Topos: Laus Italiae

Summary/Abstract: ) The image of an Edenic Italic space, of which the description is often utopic, has a long tradition. Italy's topos as an ideal homeland pervades Latin literature, it's visage echoing into the present day. But as the artistic discourse is constructed, in prosperity's shadow we see the threatening signs of dissolution. Aiming intensely at the awakening of the numbed consciences, the topos knows an essence twist. In such circumstances, prosperity becomes also an index of decadence. The cohabitation – dynamic, tense – between utopian and dystopian adds a layer of dramatism that we perceive today from an elevated standpoint. My paper follows some of the literary milestones of this topos, with a particular focus on its manifestations in the Latin literature from the last half of the pre-Christian century.

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