Per la chioma di Minerva: nota a Tibullo 1, 4, 23-26

The oath ‘on Minerva’s hair’ at Tib. 1, 4, 26 has been suspected (Luck, for example, obelizes crines) or else it is interpreted as a reference to the rare myth of the beauty competition between Minerva and Medusa. The transmitted text is here defended, instead, as an example of subtle irony on the part of Tibullus: in order to conquer the desired puer, the lover swears on anything, however absurd.