Cruor effusus et cruor qui pollue. La représentation rhétorique d’une vierge aspirant au sacerdoce dans la contr. 1, 2, 1 de Sénèque l’Ancien

Abstract

Seneca the Elder’s controuersia 1, 2 opens with the intervention of Porcius Latro. The rhetor presents a complex tableau in which numerous elements clearly highlight the incompatibility between the young girl aspiring to the priesthood of Vesta and the prerequisites necessary to obtain it. In this regard, the description of the moment when the cruenta girl manages to escape from the lupanar acquires considerable significance. This study aims to focus on the rhetorical representation of the cruenta girl, seeking to explore the deeper meanings of such an image and the emotional and religious reactions it could evoke. It will also highlight what must have been a crucial aspect of Latro’s argumentation, ultimately revealing a significant element from a technical-rhetorical perspective.