A Few Remarks on the Myth of Romulus in Lucan’s Pharsalia

Although scholars have noted the presence of the myth of Romulus in the Pharsalia, it would seem that its role in Lucan’s epic is much more significant than has hitherto been thought, for — firstly — the strong association of Caesar with Romulus unveils the dark side of the ancient legend, and — secondly – it links those scenes in which Caesar plays the part of a “Neo-Romulus”. The scene in the seventh book of the poem — in which the corpses of the Pompeian soldiers killed at Pharsalus are torn to pieces by wild animals and in which vultures bespatter Caesar with the battle gore that drops from their wings — possibly alludes to the apocryphal version of the myth of Romulus — mentioned by Livy (Liv. 1, 16, 4) — according to which the founder of Rome was himself eventually torn to pieces by furious senators. It is therefore quite probable that this scene functions as an oraculum mortis foreshadowing the Ides of March, which Lucan may well have planned to include in his Pharsalia