Proems

http://giemmardelplata.org/archivos/librosyactas/
Capítulo publicado en: Florio, Rubén (dir.) Varia et diversa: Sus contactos con la Historia, Mar del Plata, UNMPdP / UNL, 2018, pp. 157-206. // The main purpose of this research is proposing a new critical approach to the reading of the poem entitled De Raptu Helenae, which was written by Blossius Aemilius Dracontius in the 5th Century. We will particularly examine its exordium, in order to suggest that there is a strong formal connection between the compositional technique of centonal poems’ authors and certain narrative strategies adopted by Dracontius when he inscribes his text in the epic proemium’s tradition. Once established that the invocation of Homer and Virgil substitutes the conventional request to the Muse for inspiration, we shall demonstrate that the apparent praise constitutes actually a veiled attack to those pagan authors, structured by the semantic inversion of different quotes and allusion taken from Virgil, Ovid, Lucan, Prudentius and Ausonius, among other poets.
Centonal compositions - epic proems - Dracontius

The proem of Lucretius DRN 4 (1-25) has often been considered as a mere repetition of verses DRN 1.926-950. In the present article this view has been contended as μετάθεσις is not applicable since the two units do not coincide at their openings (lines 1.926-7 do not constitute a beginning of a new unit, as lines 4.1-2 do); furthermore, the two units have different conclusions. The impossibility of metathesis – a principle originating in Greek philosophy – is also a Lucretian tenet according to which even a slight change in a unit of elementa or even words or verses produces a different meaning affecting the whole (poem).

Not unlike the other volumes of the series, ELEATICA 7 associates the Eleatic Lectures by Alberto Bernabé to a wide debate with thirteen commentators. One of these comments is mine.
My main contention is that the proem has no special relation with the doctrine of Being. I.a.: in the proem there is no allusion at all to the leading ideas exploited in the section on being; similarly, in the 'ontological' section no allusion at all is made to the proem. Besides, each sub-unit envisages an audience with  very different curiosities, interests, competence.
Conclusion: I firmly disagree from every attempt to postulate a special connection of the proem with the very first doctrinal section of the poem.

BAJS 2019
Abstract

A woman's life according the the halakhic proems in Tanchuma Buber

Ronit Nikolsky

Out of the 61 halakhic proems in Tanchuma Buber, 18 are strongly connected to women. Of these 18 there are two types: either the halakhah itself is concerned with women-issues, such as premature birth or menstrual impurity, or the halakhah is not connected to women in essence, but women are an essential part of its interpretation, explanation or exemplification.
In both cases the data is surprising. Tanchuma Buber is not a halakhic composition, but rather a collection of preaching material arranged according to the order of biblical narrative, relying heavily on Palestinian midrash. The halakhic material there is limited in scope and is not systematically presented.
Therefore, the fact that almost a third of the halakhic material is about women-issues points to the high visibility of women in the Tanchuma cultural reality. This suggests not only a culture in which women were active members, as the intended congregation apparently was, but also to the probability that in other rabbinic writings, those that are mainly study-house oriented, women were silenced because of the nature of the institution where the texts originated, but were not necessarily silenced in the society as a whole.
In my lecture I will describe and analyse the data from the halakhic proems of Tanchuma Buber, by looking at both original Tanchuma material as well as reworkings of earlier one. This study sheds light on the nature of the society in which Tanchuma emerged, and in particular on how women participated in it, and how they were perceived.

Os primeiros 21 versos da Teogonia de Hesíodo suscitam questões basilares que permeiam todo o proêmio, tornando seu estudo fundamental para a compreensão do poema e da tradição de poesia oral no qual ele se insere. Neles estão contidos uma breve descrição das atividades das Musas no monte Hélicon e um sucinto catálogo de divindades, o primeiro do poema, precedendo imediatamente o episódio do encontro do poeta com as Musas no qual ele se nomeia. Tendo em vista a importância desses versos iniciais e sua posição enquanto abertura do poema, este artigo traz um comentário com o objetivo de apresentá-los de forma mais aprofundada do que numa tradução, ainda que anotada. Nele são expostas as principais questões e interpretações relativas ao trecho selecionado, formuladas por comentaristas e estudiosos, que têm guiado sua compreensão. Almeja-se, assim, que este artigo-comentário venha auxiliar na leitura do poema e, consequentemente, possa incentivar seu estudo.

The article examines the five proems (Petihtaot) that lead Midrash Song of Songs Rabbah, and designates them as a later addition and not an integral part of the composition. This is determined by exploration of different perspectives: language and style, literary form, and ideas. The article concludes by examining the usage of the term "Midrash Hazita" as the title of Song of Songs Rabbah, in what areas was this title widespread, and what this can teach us about the redaction and transmission of the Midrash.