The role of evocatio in Macrobius' Saturnalia

Abstract

In the third book of Macrobius’ Saturnalia, the evocatio and devotio of Carthage stands in sharp contrast to the surrounding text and to other quotations in the dialogue. Why would the author incorporate such a lengthy text into his dialogue, and how does the evocatio relate to Saturnalia 3 as a whole? In the past, scholars have treated the Saturnalia as a sourcebook, but more recent scholarship has centered on the didactic nature of the dialogue and its role in Vergilian criticism. How does the evocatio contribute to Macrobius’ educational dialogue? To answer these questions, I will examine how the evocatio fits within Praetexataus’ speech, how the evocatio relates to other quotations within Sat. 3, and how Macrobius’ treatment of the evocatio differs from his contemporary, Servius.