Z badań nad źródłami opisów zwierząt u Solinusa

Abstract

About the research on sources of animals ’ descriptions by Solinus

The article is another voice on the issue of sources used by Gaius Iulius Solinus, the author of Collectanea rerum memorabilium. The fundamental study on Memorabilia by Theodor Mommsen 1st ed.: 1864; 2nd corrected ed.: 1894 includes a detailed set of similiar referring to a certain place in source texts of Solinus, i.e. Naturalis historia by Pliny the Elder and De chorographia by Pomponius Mela. It is worth considering that in his descriptions of fauna, Mommsen pointed out only one connection with De chorographia. The author of the article made an attempt to find other examples of Mela’s influence on zoological descriptions in Memorabilia. 3 descriptions of pegasus, lycaon and ants digging up gold were chosen and analysed. The first two animals were also described by Pliny, whereas the German author did not find any information on ants there. A detailed comparison with relevant descriptions of those animals in Chorographia allowed the author of the article to state that the work of Mela had either direct or indirect influence on the information included in descriptions of animals.