L'ideologia del lavoro in Virgilio

The so-called 'theodicy of work', is one of the most emblematic steps of the Georgics, but also one of the most controversial. Virgil describes it as Jupiter, fearing the privileges granted and the risk to humans of a progressive numbness, putting an end to the spontaneous luxuriance of nature, and forced the man to take care of themselves with his forces.The present study aims to reconstruct a coherent and unified ideological framework: the labor should not be regarded as the antithesis of otium but as the valuable opportunity offered by Jupiter men to recover the original value and most authentic otium, not to be understood crudely as inertia, but as voltage speculative able to perceive and enjoy the Edenic ethos constantly, even in historical times, of nature; should be kept distinct positive judgment on the aims pursued by the Pronoia of God and the judgment on the ethical responsibilities of homo laborans.