«Quell’antica pazzia» di Alessandro e i «passaggi» di Olimpiade. Dal De casibus e De mulieribus alle Genealogie

Autore: Roberta Morosini
In: Critica del testo. XVI/3, 2013
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Abstract

«Quell’antica pazzia» di Alessandro e i «passaggi» di Olimpiade. Dal De casibus e De mulieribus alle Genealogie
Fourteen-century Italian writers enjoyed the tales about the fantastic Alexander: his journey to heaven and to the abyss of the sea, as well as his voyages in India. Other Italian writers, like Petrarch, used Alexander to build the political myth of Alexander- Rome. None of these approaches applies to Boccaccio and his tales of Alexander. since his poetics is against any form of fanciful and implausible narration. A study of Alexander’s presence in Boccaccio’s works contributes to prove his commitment to narrate with “utilitas” a usefulness for the civic community, free of any moralistic judgment. From Boccaccio’s De casibus and De mulieribus a unique portrait of Alexander emerges through the space given to his mother Olympias. Why is Olympias so present in Boccaccio’s works? The article intends to show that through Olympias, Boccaccio shows the tragic consequences of Alexander’s «antica pazzia» (‘an ancient madness’, Genealogie, XIII lxxi, 1): the desire of fame by affiliation with the gods instead of earning it with virtuous deeds.