Text: Ovid, Tristia 4.10 — Passage 1: Sulmo, family, and cosmic markers

Q: What is Ovid’s homeland and how does he describe it in Tristia 4.10?

A: My homeland is Sulmo, richest in icy waters, which lies ninety miles from Rome.

Q: What historical detail does Ovid use to date his birth?

A: He was born when both consuls fell by fate on the same day.

Q: What does Ovid say about his position in his family?

A: Nor was I the first-born of the line; I was created with a brother already born, who had come into the world four months before me.

Q: What cosmic or celestial sign was present at Ovid’s and his brother’s birth?

A: The Morning Star (Lucifer) was present at both their birthdays alike.

Q: What domestic ritual does Ovid mention in relation to his and his brother’s birthdays?

A: One celebration was marked by two cakes.

Q: How does the poem open and what does it achieve in terms of identity?

A: The poem opens by locating the speaker socially and geographically — Sulmo mihi patria est, gelidis uberrimus undis — celebrating a small-town richness. It establishes origin as identity construction.

Q: What is paradoxical about Ovid’s description of Sulmo?

A: The phrase uberrimus undis gelidis (abundant yet cold) creates a paradox, announcing a recurring Ovidian tactic: things are not simply what they seem.

Q: How does place become part of Ovid’s characterisation of himself?

A: Place becomes character — a modest, productive origin that explains but does not excuse the poet’s later ambitions.

Q: How does Ovid use the consul-date in his autobiography?

A: By dating his birth with a political event (cum cecidit fato consul uterque pari), Ovid ties his personal narrative to Roman history, giving it civic credibility and showing awareness of public time and events.

Q: What theme is suggested by the detail about Ovid’s brother and the Morning Star?

A: The twinning of fate — both brothers share the same cosmic witness (Lucifer), suggesting paired destinies.

Q: What is notable about Ovid’s verb choice in “genito sum fratre creatus”?

A: The passive creatus (“produced”) suggests a crafted identity rather than a spontaneous one.

Q: How does Ovid balance modesty and privilege in describing his birth?

A: He minimizes himself (nec stirps prima fui) yet shows divine observation of his life, blending humility with cosmic importance.

Q: What is the symbolic significance of the liba (sacrificial cakes)?

A: They blend private family ritual and religiosity, making domestic biography feel sacred and sanctioned by ritual.

Q: What are the main thematic points in this passage?

A:

• Origin as identity construction.

• Historical anchoring and public self-fashioning.

• Sibling relationship and twinning of fate.

  • Domestic ritual with sacred overtones.

Q: How does Ovid’s language perform this identity construction?

A:

• The superlative uberrimus gives pride without arrogance.

• Temporal/political references (consuls) add civic tone.

• Cosmic imagery (Lucifer) elevates domestic biography to cosmic significance, showing divine approval of the poet’s life.