Hidden structures in Symmachus’ letter collection

This paper offers a fresh insight into arrangement criteria in Symmachus’ Letters. According to a common opinion, Symmachus’ epistolary corpus would offer to its readers a monotonous repetition of refined conversations. This idea is strengthened by the inconsistency in arrangement criteria between books 1-7 and books 8-10. This contribution argues that letter order in Symmachus’ Letters is regulated by patterns repeating with consistency; the internal architecture of the collection reveals the presence of ramifications both in books 1-7, which have been prepared for publication by Symmachus, and in the section 8-10, probably put together in a much later period. This complex ‘hidden’ structure connecting the various parts of the corpus at different levels expresses the author’s view on his society and historical period, and therefore is relevant to understand the aim of the collection and to assess the impact of Symmachus’ authorial intervention on the publication of the corpus.