Try Khov
Professor Dale Carrico
Rhetoric 103A
November 22, 2016
GSI: Kuan Hwa
Justice
For All
While
death may allow one to escape justice from mortals, it ultimately leads to the
divine judgment of the gods. In Seneca’s satirical piece, titled Apocolocyntosis,
the former Roman emperor, Claudius, dies and seeks godhood from the gods in the
afterlife. However, the gods ultimately reject him and sends him to Hades,
where he will spend eternity rolling dice. The punishment that Claudius must
endure is Seneca’s attempt to convey his mockery of the Roman judicial system
while presenting the idea that justice prevails in the end through the use of
symbols, irony, and rhyme scheme.
Despite the seemingly ridiculous punishment that Claudius is to undergo, his punishment of rolling dice presents a rather subtle irony. Aeacus, “the soul of justice” (14), proclaims, “As he did, so he be done by, this is justice undefiled” (14). Since Claudius was a notorious gambler, his punishment presents the idea that what once brought Claudius joy now brings him suffering. “Aeacus decreed [Claudius] should rattle dice for ever in a box with no bottom. At once the poor wretch began his fruitless task of hunting for the dice, which for ever slipped his fingers” (14). For the joy of rolling dice is to be replaced with annoyance of looking for them instead. In addition, Claudius encounters his former slave, Caligula. “All on a sudden who should turn up but Caligula, and claims the man for a slave…[Claudius] is handed over to Caligula, and Caligula makes [Claudius] present to Aeacus” (15). The moment, in which “[Claudius] is handed over to Caligula” (14), conveys a reversal of power. No longer does Caligula serve Claudius, but he also seems to possess power over Claudius in the afterlife as opposed to his slavery to Claudius in their mortal lives. The reversal of power between former slave and master as well as what once brought joy now brings suffering illustrates a former Roman emperor’s ironic fate.
Despite the seemingly ridiculous punishment that Claudius is to undergo, his punishment of rolling dice presents a rather subtle irony. Aeacus, “the soul of justice” (14), proclaims, “As he did, so he be done by, this is justice undefiled” (14). Since Claudius was a notorious gambler, his punishment presents the idea that what once brought Claudius joy now brings him suffering. “Aeacus decreed [Claudius] should rattle dice for ever in a box with no bottom. At once the poor wretch began his fruitless task of hunting for the dice, which for ever slipped his fingers” (14). For the joy of rolling dice is to be replaced with annoyance of looking for them instead. In addition, Claudius encounters his former slave, Caligula. “All on a sudden who should turn up but Caligula, and claims the man for a slave…[Claudius] is handed over to Caligula, and Caligula makes [Claudius] present to Aeacus” (15). The moment, in which “[Claudius] is handed over to Caligula” (14), conveys a reversal of power. No longer does Caligula serve Claudius, but he also seems to possess power over Claudius in the afterlife as opposed to his slavery to Claudius in their mortal lives. The reversal of power between former slave and master as well as what once brought joy now brings suffering illustrates a former Roman emperor’s ironic fate.
However,
Seneca also uses the dice and Claudius as symbols for his criticism of the
Roman judicial system. Dice commonly represent fairness and chance. However,
Seneca contradicts this idea through Aeacus’s verdict on Claudius. “Aeacus
hears the case against Claudius, refuses to hear the other side and passes
sentence against him… It was nothing new to Claudius, yet he thought it unfair”
(14). The fact that Aeacus refuses to hear Claudius’s defense presents the idea
that the hopes of the accused in the Roman judicial system relied more on luck
and chance as opposed to evidence and fairness.
In addition, since Claudius was a former Roman emperor, his status
represents the entirety of the Roman Empire, which includes its judicial
system. Claudius as a symbol conveys the belief that no one is above the law,
not even those that enforce or create it. In addition, Claudius is a
demonstration that those that escape mortal judgment will ultimately undergo
divine justice.
Lastly, the rhyme scheme illustrates the satirical element of Apocolocyntosis. “For when he rattled with the box, and thought he now had got ‘em. / The little cubes would vanish thro’ the perforated bottom. / Then he would pick ‘em up again, and once more set a-trying: / The dice but served him the same trick: away they went a-flying” (15). The rhyme scheme in the poem conveys a sense of entertainment. Since Seneca wrote a satirical piece on Claudius’s death, Seneca uses the rhyme scheme to present a sense of joy towards Claudius’s fate. In addition, the narrative, which is Seneca’s construction, illustrates Seneca’s entertainment in dictating Claudius’s fate as well as conveys Seneca’s belief that justice prevails in the end.
In conclusion, Apocolocyntosis undermines the Roman judicial system through the use of symbols, irony, and rhyme scheme. Seneca contradicts the symbolism of the fairness of the dice with the unfairness of Claudius’s trial as well as the use of Claudius as a symbol for the Roman judicial system itself. Additionally, the rhyme scheme illustrates Seneca’s entertainment with dictating the events that followed Claudius’s death. Seneca demonstrates that despite the unfairness of Roman law, no one is free from true judgment after death for true justice is not a power of mortals but of the gods.
Lastly, the rhyme scheme illustrates the satirical element of Apocolocyntosis. “For when he rattled with the box, and thought he now had got ‘em. / The little cubes would vanish thro’ the perforated bottom. / Then he would pick ‘em up again, and once more set a-trying: / The dice but served him the same trick: away they went a-flying” (15). The rhyme scheme in the poem conveys a sense of entertainment. Since Seneca wrote a satirical piece on Claudius’s death, Seneca uses the rhyme scheme to present a sense of joy towards Claudius’s fate. In addition, the narrative, which is Seneca’s construction, illustrates Seneca’s entertainment in dictating Claudius’s fate as well as conveys Seneca’s belief that justice prevails in the end.
In conclusion, Apocolocyntosis undermines the Roman judicial system through the use of symbols, irony, and rhyme scheme. Seneca contradicts the symbolism of the fairness of the dice with the unfairness of Claudius’s trial as well as the use of Claudius as a symbol for the Roman judicial system itself. Additionally, the rhyme scheme illustrates Seneca’s entertainment with dictating the events that followed Claudius’s death. Seneca demonstrates that despite the unfairness of Roman law, no one is free from true judgment after death for true justice is not a power of mortals but of the gods.
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