La preghiera di Camillo (Piu., Cam. 5.7-9)

Abstract

The Camillus’ prayer shows a hero that is not judge of his men, but with them and for them he is ready to submit himself to the gods’ judgement. For Plutarch, what’s more, this prayer seems to be the best way to stress the hero’s pietas and πρόνοια and, on the narrative plan, to anticipate the future events of Camillus’ life. In the Roman dictator’s interpretation of his own fall, at the end of the prayer, it is possible to see the prophecy of his temporary exile, that is an έλάχιστον κακόν compared with the biggest heroic action (ίύτυχία μΕγίστη) that he will perform afterwards, saving Rome from the Gauls.