01-05-2016, 08:25 AM
Helmut - I think this is more or less the "second act" of the story. It tells of Philomela being muted and captured, and ends in her being freed and able to "speak". As such, it could be a standalone dramatic fragment.
Also, I don't think the VM is a story book. To my understanding, myths were used as a means to make other information easier to remember - as a mnemonic device. So whatever the author wanted to communicate, he did so by tying that information to this part of the Philomela story.
The labels clearly don't spell the names of the characters, so they may contain this actual information that is mapped to the myth as a didactic tool.
Also, I don't think the VM is a story book. To my understanding, myths were used as a means to make other information easier to remember - as a mnemonic device. So whatever the author wanted to communicate, he did so by tying that information to this part of the Philomela story.
The labels clearly don't spell the names of the characters, so they may contain this actual information that is mapped to the myth as a didactic tool.