Literary notes about cornucopia (AI summary)
The term "cornucopia" has been employed in literature to evoke images of abundance and overflow, though its usage varies with context. In Thomas Carlyle’s historical narrative, for example, it metaphorically represents a "cornucopia of ready-money," implying a wealth of resources now at risk [1]. Meanwhile, Suetonius integrates it into the iconography of divine favor by depicting it as an attribute alongside a mural crown and sistrum, symbolizing prosperity [2]. Rabelais, too, uses the term to convey an exuberant abundance, describing life as a "true cornucopia of merriment and raillery" [3]. This symbolic richness is further confirmed by its association with religious and cultural imagery in numismatic representations, where deities like Demeter or Ceres are shown with the cornucopia to signify fertility and ample provision [4]. Even in encyclopedic entries, "cornucopia" functions as a descriptor, highlighting the idea of a plentiful source, thereby underlining the term’s lasting metaphorical and literal appeal across different literary traditions and contexts [5].