Connivences ovidiennes: traducteurs et lecteurs d’Ovide aux XVIe et XVIIe siècles

Résumé 0

In sixteenth and seventeenth century France, Ovid’s works and Ovid himself were the object of discordant aesthetic and moral judgments; moreover, the dynamics of the reception of his works varied considerably depending on the periods and the socio-cultural contexts. Dealing with an ambiguous auctoritas and operating in a complex editorial context, the translators of Ovid were not only careful to claim the merits of their work in their prefatory texts, but also to assert its legitimacy. They aimed to persuade the readers of the interest of the text provided by exalting the qualities of Ovid and the excellence of the translated work, while pointing out the relevance of the choice to translate it and the qualities of the translation given. They also aimed to position themselves in the reception’s context, by indicating their relations with competing translators and their consideration of exegetical and editorial practices, literary vogues and kinds of readers. This paper aims to analyze the rhetorical strategies adopted by Ovid’s translators in their prefaces in order to promote their works, and it focuses on an element which is shared by most of the prefaces, namely the construction of a relationship of special understanding, connivance or friendship linking Ovid, the translator and the reader.