Early Modern Anger Management: Seneca, Ovid and Lieven De Meyere’s De ira ibri tres (Antwerp, 1694)

Author:

Haskell, Yasmin Annabel

Format:

Journal Article

Year:

2011

Journal Title:

International Journal of the Classical Tradition

Volume:

18

Issue:

1

Language:

English

Abstract:

Anger’s power to reduce men to the level of beasts is a familiar theme in Western thought and literature. The notion that music and poetry can mitigate irrational rage is exemplified in the myth of Orpheus, who tames the savage beasts and the powers of Hell with his song. But can poetry really be a remedy or preventative against anger? And what if that poetry is read, rather than sung? This paper explores both explicit and implicit responses to those questions in an unjustly forgotten Latin poem ‘On Anger’ by Louvain Jesuit, theologian, and controversialist, Lieven de Meyere (1655–1730).

Who (Jesuits):

Meyer, Liévin De, 1655–1730

What (Subjects):

Poetry -- Latin

Psychology -- Anger

Where (Locations):

Europe -- Belgium -- Louvain

When (Centuries):

17th century

18th century

Publisher URL:

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12138-011-0233-8

Other link:

https://www.jstor.org/stable/41474686

Page Range:

36–65

ISSN:

1874-6292

1073-0508

DOI:

10.1007/s12138-011-0233-8