Roleplay and Wordplay in Tibullus: The Reverberation of Horatian Iambic

Tibullus’ sixteen canonical poems owe a debt to Horace’s invective Epodes, sixteen of which are in metres that feature alternating lines. Play and playfulness, in particu- lar roleplay and wordplay, typify the creative dialogue between these poetry collections. This article teases out the links between Epode 16 and Tibullus II 5, both featuring Sibylline-style prophecy related to Rome and absence from Rome, with an iambic edge to the elegist’s depiction of the Parilia festival, and reminiscences of the etymology of iambic in a focus on magic that also pervades the other Nemesis poems. The poem spoken by Priapus, I 4, also contains iambic elements in the play on the names of the questioner and Tibullus’ own beloved Marathus, the gender politics with an attenuated god and hints of cinaedic activity, and the imagery of dogs. Uncovering such echoes enhances our understanding of the influences and achievements of both poets