L’isola, il bosco e la reggia: spazi di tensione nell’Achilleide di Stazio

This article investigates the representation of the island of Scyros in Statius’ Achilleid, a feminine and peaceful dimension, in light of the gender tensions triggered by Achilles’ heroic nature. A metaphorical surrogate of Thetis’ womb, Scyros is progressively transformed by Achilles himself into a stage for the conquest of his masculine identity: in the forest sacred to Bacchus, he asserts his sexual power by raping Deidamia; in the palace of King Lycomedes he demonstrates his political ambition, thus foreshadowing a civil-war scenario. Achilles turns the maternal universe of Scyros upside down and makes it part of his military and political training.