Simaetha Versus Medea: Examples of Oppositio in Imitando in Apollonius Rhodius’ Argonautica

Abstract

This paper compares Theocritus’ Idyll 2 with some passages from the third and fourth books of the Argonautica by Apollonius Rhodius. It assumes that Pharmakeutriai was a model for Apollonius in some aspects, especially regarding love and magic motifs. The article analyses the epic poet’s intertextual techniques which, in comparison with Theocritus’ Idyll 2, result in a change of his poem’s character.