The Medieval Classic: Twelfth-Century Latin Epic and the Virgilian Commentary Tradition

by Justin A. Haynes

Overview

The Medieval Classic considers how ancient and medieval commentaries on the Aeneid by Servius, Fulgentius, Bernard Silvestris, and others can give us new insights into four twelfth-century Latin epics — the Ylias by Joseph of Exeter, the Alexandreis by Walter of Châtillon, the Anticlaudianus by Alan of Lille, and the Architrenius by John of Hauville.

Justin Haynes argues that the most profound connections between medieval epic and the Aeneid have been overlooked because ancient and medieval interpretations, as preserved by the commentary tradition, were often radically different from modern ones. By explaining how to interpret the Aeneid, these commentaries directly influenced the way in which medieval authors were inspired by the poem. At the same time, these commentaries allow us a greater awareness of the generic expectations held by medieval readers.

Because two of the medieval epics considered here are allegorical narratives, this book offers new perspectives on the importance of commentaries in the development of allegorical literature. Thus, The Medieval Classic contributes to our understanding of ancient and medieval perceptions of the Aeneid while exploring the importance of commentaries in shaping poetic composition, imitation, and the history of allegorical literature.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780190091361
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	04/14/2021
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	9.30(w) x 6.40(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Justin A. Haynes is Assistant Professor of Classics at Georgetown University.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Chapter 1: Allegorical Mimesis
Chapter 2: The Anticlaudianus as Virgilian Allegory
Chapter 3: The Architrenius as Virgilian Allegory
Chapter 4: History in the Ylias and Alexandreis
Chapter 5: Myth in the Ylias and Alexandreis
Chapter 6: Blurring the Lines between History and Allegory
Conclusion

Editorial Reviews

"Haynes scores some notable successes in demonstrating its cogency in the case of these twelfth-century Latin epics." — L. B. T. Houghton, International Journal of the Classical Tradition

"A novel approach to the history of the reception of the Aeneid that privileges medieval encounters with Virgil's work mediated through allegorical commentary rather than the direct influence of the poem itself.... The Medieval Classic adds a welcome new dimension to the history of the reception of Virgil's Aeneid in the Middle Ages." — Bryn Mawr Classical Review

"By reading his chosen texts in the light of ancient and medieval commentaries on the Aeneid, Haynes opens up new perspectives on those texts and on their relation to Virgil. His book is an impressive work of scholarship that comes to original and largely persuasive conclusions that will demand the attention of all scholars in the field." — Michael Roberts, Rich Professor of Latin Emeritus, Wesleyan University

"The Medieval Classic shows that the connections between the Aeneid and twelfth-century Latin epic have not been properly appreciated because the importance of the late antique and medieval commentaries on Virgil's poetry has not been fully acknowledged. Haynes's book clarifies these connections, providing insight into both the Virgilian commentary tradition and the development of allegorical epic in the Middle Ages. A must-read." — Craig Kallendorf, Professor of Classics and English, Texas A&M University

"These epic poems have been substantially influenced by Aeneid's interpretation which is already found in the commentary of Fulgentius." — Medioevo latino

From the Publisher