Il peso della cultura: palliati e suffarcinati da Plauto ad Agostino

Abstract

This study focuses on the passage from Plautus’ Curculio (vv. 288-295) in which the
parasite mocks the Greeks wearing the pallium. In the light of the previous bibliography, my
textual analysis aims at drawing attention to the interpretation of palliatus, capite operto,
suffarcinatus, sportula. The reception of the scene is then examined, through the references to
the typical dress of philosophers and the presence of the word suffarcinati in other authors. It
is mainly an archaic word of comedy, which has few occurrences after Plautus and Terence.
Suffarcinati was probably taken up by Jerome, a passionate reader of Plautus’ plays, and
thanks to him the verb was brought back to use in Late Antiquity, by Paulinus of Nola and
Augustine.

Key-words: Plautus, Curculio, palliatus, suffarcinatus, Jerome, Paulinus of Nola, Augustine.