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Aitia, n°13.1/2023

Chercher la petite bête

Edited by Sara Cusset, Claire-Emmanuelle Nardone

Aitia. Regards sur la culture hellénistique au XXIe siècle



Representing animals in ancient literature

This issue brings together the papers of a workshop focusing on the theme of man and animal: human beings speak about themselves through the animal, and make the animal in their image and, vice versa, sometimes take temporarily or permanently its appearance. The exploration of the resemblance between human beings and animals constitutes a recurring motif in ancient literature, because it allows us to question human nature. The ancient bestiary, by its variety and by the hierarchical relationships it contains, reflects a certain perception of the realities that these relationships symbolize, whether they are characters or philosophical or poetic postures.