Principles of constructing groups of similes in Valerius Flaccus’ Argonautica (4. 193-198, 4. 199-203)

The purpose of the article is to establish the principles of constructing a group of similes in Valerius Flaccus’ Argonautica (verses 4. 193-198, 4. 199-203). The analysis of the first simile is complicated by the textual gap after the verse 195. A scholarly literature review validates that it was reasonable to rely on the version of the text from Ludovicus Carrio’s edition of Argonautica. Attention is paid to spatial organization of the similes in the text. It is established that the comparison objects match in both similes. Another observation is that in the analyzed group the author uses different tertia comparationis to emphasize various qualities of the object. The study of the author’s technique of creating similes is aimed at determining the role of this expressive device in the author’s individual style. The research value is in creating a new approach to the study of the poetics of Valerius Flaccus’ Argonautica and expanding theoretical knowledge of similes and the stylistics of the Roman heroic epos.