COMMENT NOURRISSAIT-ON LES CANARDS «CONVIVES» DANS LA VOLIÈRE DE VARRON (3, 5, 14)? RISUS ET INVENTIO DANS LES RES RUSTICAE.

The passage describing varro's aviary in Res rusticae 3, 5 presents various textual and interpretative problems, including the meaning of the term convivae that appears in the description of the center of the tholus (3, 5, 16) surrounded by the round cage located in the colonnade. While most critics think it refers to the friends who have come to diner in varro's aviary, some see it as a rather playful way of referring to the ducks confined in this structure. a review of the literature dedicated to this vexata quaestio allows me to propose a new reading of this passage, thanks also to the contribution of great Humanists such as angelo Poliziano and members of Paolo Giovio's family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]