Ennius and the Tradition of Republican Epic

This chapter re-examines the influence of Ennius on subsequent Latin epic poetry before Lucretius, showing that this influence is far less apparent and much more nuanced than has been generally assumed. Close analysis of the fragments of post-Ennian Republican epic shows that engagement with the Annales during this period was dynamic and eristic, rather than reflexive and inevitable. In the final analysis, this chapter argues for a new conceptualization of the literary terrain into which Lucretius embarks in writing his poem, one marked by creative engagement with the Annales.