Enjeux mémoriels d’un récit de voyage de Lyon à Rome : Sidoine Apollinaire (Lettre 1, 5)

Abstract

In Letter I, 5, Sidonius Apollinaris gives to posterity the memory of his prestigious journey from Lyon to Rome. This study explores how the author gives an account in which memory (§ 1 memoratu) takes a central place, how he reworks the travel narrative, plays with a rich literary memory (Horace, Vergil, Lucan, Pliny the Younger…) and builds self-memory. The re-evaluated memory of Silius Italicus, Prudentius and Claudian’s VI Panegyricus of Honorius is crucial in arguing that Sidonius renews the places of memory and excludes pagan elements. He also gives a testimony of his Christian faith and a discreet criticism of General Ricimer.

Keywords

• Claudian
• christianisation
• memory issues
• Apollinaris (Sidonius)
• Italicus (Silius)