Afterworld, Dream and Prophecy in Cantos de la Batalla Ausonia by Pedro de Acosta Perestrello: John of Austria›s Descensus ad Inferos

Abstract

In this paper we analyze a scene of descensus ad Inferos of the unknown Cantos de la batalla ausonia, a Lepantine epic poem composed by the Portuguese Pedro de Acosta Perestrello at the end of the 16th century. Our purpose is to demonstrate the Virgilian nature of this episode and to observe the extent to which the poet has adapted some literary and moral concepts. With this aim, we take as our starting point the scenes of catabasis of the Odyssey and the Aeneid and we pay attention to the traditional and innovative elements introduced by Acosta.