History and rhetoric in the death of Agrippina (Tacitus, Annales XIV, 1-13)

Abstract

The narrative section on the death of Agrippina (Tac., Ann., XIV,1-13) is a striking example of Tacitus’ genius in suggesting the causes of historical events by a simple narrative link. It also shows how , with this historian, the narrative genre can easily «slip» into the demonstrative genre. In effect, developed around a very distinctive «narrative scheme» and rendered more expressive, particularly thanks to a choice of vocabulary which is noble and at times rare and poetic, and through the frequent recurrence of certain stylistic effects, his compositions reveal a clear influence from rhetoric, thus transforming the story into a real discourse looking to condemn Emperor Neron. To achieve this, Tacitus focuses on human causality, on human passions. In the final analysis, the verdict is unequivocal; based on a richly detailed psychological picture, Neron is portrayed as a man condemned, not only by men but also by nature and by the gods.