Origin and Purpose of Romulus’ boiled turnips

Abstract

Since the publication in 1864 of Franz Bücheler's commentary on Seneca's Apocolocyntosis, the representation of Romulus devouring boiled turnips in heaven has been the subject of debate and controversy among specialists. After 157 years of exegesis, it is generally accepted that Seneca, with this depiction, is quoting from a supposed fragment of Lucilius’ Saturae where the prolific satirist (and, consequently, Seneca) is mocking whether Romulus or Ennius and the seriousness of his Annales. In the present contribution, I will argue against this view. To begin with, I will argue that the attribution to Lucilius of the sentence [Romulus in caelo] ferventia rapa vorare is untenable. Next, that the author of this quotation is in fact Seneca. Thirdly, that the representation of Romulus devouring turnips in heaven is, in spite of its mocking crudeness, a symbol of traditional values and, finally, that Seneca uses it in a favorable way as a means of opposing it to the negative example of Claudius. To demonstrate this claim, I will discuss the origin and evolution of this representation of Romulus on the basis of Malavolta (2017), and the links of Seneca's Menippean satire with Cicero's thought.