Antinoüs

Antinoüs (in Greek old Ἀντίνοo / Antínoos ), is an young man originating in Bithynie having lived with. Lover of the emperor Hadrian, it dies approximately 18 years old, drowned in the Nile, in circumstances which remain mysterious. Divinisé by Hadrian, Antinous is represented by a great number of works of art which do of it one of the most famous faces of Antiquity.

Biography

Few things are known of Antinoüs before its meeting with Hadrian. He is born in Bithynie (province of minor Asia), with Bithynium - Claudiopolis. Its birth date can be given only by reference to that, relatively well-known, of its death: Antinous dies into 130, whereas he is still young man. On the basis of representation statuaries, which shows it approximately 18 years old, one agrees to place his birth date towards 110 - 112.

Hadrian meets it at the time of the one of its voyages in Asia, probably in 123. It quickly becomes a favorite of the Empereur. In October 130, there find death drowned in the the Nile, in the area of Hermopolis, in circumstances remained mysterious. Several explanations were advanced:

  • simple accident: official version brought back by Spartianus in its Vita Hadriani ( History Auguste );

  • political assassination: not very probable assumption insofar as the young man had little influence political;
  • ritual suicide, in the hope to prolong the life of Hadrian.

Hadrian is very affected by the death of its favorite. On their side, the Égyptiens divinisent the young man: they see in drowned the Nile the servants of Osiris. A city is even founded on the river, Antinoupolis. Hadrian encourages the development of the news Religion by multiplying the works of art to the effigy of the young man. The Greek also recognize in Antinoüs a misadventure of Hermes. In 131 - 132 are founded the Antinoeia , plays reserved for the beautiful young man S mixing gymnic tests and musical contests. One distinguishes Antinoeia “from the city”, i.e. Athens, and those of Éleusis. With Rome, the worship is received more coldly, but ends up being established. It will be the last great worship introduced before the arrival of the Christianisme.

Antinoüs in art and the literature

Antinoüs is especially known today for us by the many sculptures with its image, left personification of the ideal beauty. One can quote:

  • the colossal statue of Antinoüs with the attributes of Dionysos - Osiris with the the Vatican

  • the marble bust of the museum of the Hermitage with Saint-Pétersbourg
  • the low-relief of Antinoüs with the attributes of Dionysos to the Palate Massimo ale Term with Rome
  • Aninoüs Albani of the Museums capitolins with Rome
  • Antinoüs with the attributes of Aristée to the Museum of Louvre to Paris.
  • Egyptian Antinoüs carrying a Nemes surmounted Uræus , with the museum of Louvre (image)
  • statue of worship of Antinoüs, works of the time of Hadrian (117-138 a. J. - C.) to the museum of Delphes

See Representations of Antinoüs.

Its life with Hadrian is told in the novel of Marguerite Yourcenar, the memories of Hadrian . The life of the young man also inspired the collection of poems Antinoüs with Fernando Pessoa. The work of Louvre, with the empty eyelids, is in the center of the novel of Jean Lorrain, Mister de Phocas .

See too

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