Interiority Reflected: The Lion Simile of Seneca’s Oedipus Open Access

Abstract

The lion simile is a common figurative tool employed in many Greek and Roman epics and tragedies. The lion of the simile world is foremost a predator, hunting humans and animals and displaying unrivalled levels of ferocity and bloodlust. This depiction of the lion as an apex predator is reflected in several other ancient mediums, including art, fable, philosophy, and encyclopedic review. A lion simile in the fifth act of Seneca the Younger’s first century C.E. tragedy Oedipus diverges from this well-established tradition of lion similes in much of the work that precedes it. There are notable variations from the hunting lion narrative in several similes in Greek and Roman epic and tragedy, including ones that describe a parental lion protecting its cubs or pairs of lions growing up together. But the lion simile in Seneca’s Oedipus uniquely focuses on a single lion raging in the field with no outward context provided for the beast’s anger, removing the lion’s identity from that of an apex predator. This figurative choice is significant because it reflects the nature of Oedipus’ internal problems in the play as a man whose life is completely undone by his own confused, perverted identity. 

Table of Contents

Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………………….……1

Chapter One: The Royal Lion of Ancient Art, Fable, and Philosophy………………………….……5

Chapter Two: The Shapeshifting Lion of Greek Epic and Tragedy……………………………….…25

Chapter Three: Roman Innovation of the Lion Simile……………………………………………….…45

Chapter Four: Interiority Reflected: The Lion Simile in Seneca’s Oedipus……………….…….63

Conclusion..…………………………………………………………………………………………..…………..78

Figures……………………………………………………………………………………………………………....80

Bibliography..…………………………………………………………………………………..………….………81

About this Honors Thesis

Rights statement

• Permission granted by the author to include this thesis or dissertation in this repository. All rights reserved by the author. Please contact the author for information regarding the reproduction and use of this thesis or dissertation.

School	Emory College
Department	Classics
Degree	B.A.
Submission	Honors Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Classical Studies
Keyword	Classics Lion Simile Ancient Tragedy Oedipus Seneca
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Campbell, Celia, Emory University
Committee Members	Master, Emily, Emory University Reiss, Benjamin, Emory University

Last modified

Primary PDF

Thumbnail	Title	Date Uploaded	Actions
	Interiority Reflected: The Lion Simile of Seneca’s Oedipus ()	2026-04-13 17:09:56 -0400	Press to Select an action Download

Supplemental Files

Thumbnail	Title	Date Uploaded	Actions