Andam faunos pelos bosques: erudição clássica num "faceto discorrer" sobre o "génio da espécie"

Andam faunos pelos bosques stands out in the literary production of Aquilino Ribeiro due to the suggestion of the fantastic, inscribed in the title, and the quantity and variety of manifestations of the classical world, both pagan and Christian. The fauns / Faun appear within the framework of the symbolic representation of the disruptive force of the “genius of the species”, which Aquilino introduces in his native Beira Alta in order to problematize the “debate between sensuality and spirituality”. The alleged Faun, followed by groups of disciples in search of a new moral and religious order, and persecuted by moralistic and spiteful detractors, also causes a heated ecclesiastical debate about his existence and affiliation to God or the Devil. This discussion promotes the insistent use of a cultural substratum that mixes theology with profane Greek and Roman heritage, underlining centuries old misconceptions and intolerance. The convergence of pagan and Christian cultural heritage thus ends up being a crucial topic in Aquilino’s attempt to reconcile Eros and Christ, providing the novel with remarkable richness and coherence.