Cicero (and Symmachus) : between humanitas, amicitia, contagion and letters
tra humanitas, amicitia, contagio e lettere
Additional information
Authors
Type
Journal Article
Year
2023
Language
English
Abstract
Focusing on the Latin authors Cicero (I century BC) and, to a lesser extent, Symmachus (IV-V centuries AD), this contribution explores the relationship between the value concept of humanitas, amicitia understood in its sociopolitical dimension, and the epistolary exchange. In particular, it aims to show that non unlike a virus like SARS-CoV2, the idea(l) of humanitas can be infective – although infective is to be taken in a positive way on this occasion – and that it too is influenced by innate characteristics in much the same way as medicine defines congenital components. Moreover, it will emerge that humanitas also has a preferential means of propagation, namely letters, which at the same time prove to be an ideal serological test or molecular swab.
Keywords
Humanitas, Genetics, Cicero, Symmachus, Infection, Amicitia
Journal
Altre modernità
Volume
12
Pages (or article number)
39-52
Diffusion
License
CC BY-SA
Visibility
Public
Status open access
Gold
