L’ALLEGORIA NEOPLATONICA NELLA RAZIONALIZZAZIONE DEI MITI: LA TESTIMONIANZA DELL’ANONIMO DE INCREDIBILIBUS

ABSTRACT – The anonymous literary work titled De incredibilibus contains rationalistic interpretations that come from the Neoplatonic philosophy. In particular, the chapters 20 and 21 show that the Anonymous makes reference to the rationalistic explanation contained in Proclus’ Commentary on Plato’s Republic. These chapters explain in a rationalistic way two epic episodes, Il. V 127 (chapter 20) and Il. V 838-839 (chapter 21). The purpose of the Neoplatonic commentary was to bring to light the truth that was hidden behind literary texts; similarly the purpose of the Anonymous’ work is to reveal the truth that hides behind the mythical story. This explains the reason that led the Anonymous to select the two sections of Proclus’ Commentary.