EPIC EXEGESIS AND THE USE OF VERGIL
IN THE EARLY BIBLICAL POETS
G erald M alsbary
The L a t i n C h r i s t i a n b i b l i c a l poets o f l a t e
d iv i d e d in t o
two g ro u p s:
a)
o f the s c r i p t u r a l n a r r a t i v e ,
a n t iq u i t y are c usto m arily
those who keep r a t h e r s t r i c t l y
and b)
to a "p a r a p h r a s e "
those who go "b ey on d p a r a p h r a s e "
in o r d e r
to develop im a g in a t iv e and dram atic i n t e r e s t o r a l l e g o r i c a l and t y p o l o g ic a l
commentary.
Thus Juvencus and "C y p r ia n u s " G a l l u s ,
paraphrase- m akers o f the New and O ld Testam ents
u s u a lly w it h d is p a ra g em e n t,
A v it u s,
and A r a t o r ,
ex e rc isin g
from P r o b a ,
A ltho ug h
th is
the p o ets who are n o t e d ,
V ic to r iu s ,
are s e t a p a r t ,
D r a c o n t iu s ,
and sometimes p r a i s e d ,
fo r
freedom from the s a c r e d t e x t .^
c o n v e n tio n a l d i s t i n c t i o n is n e i t h e r f a l s e nor u s e l e s s ,
s h o u ld not be a llo w e d to d i s t r a c t our a t t e n t io n
ist ic s
re sp ectively ,
S e d u liu s,
a d egree o f p o e t i c o r e x e g e t i c a l
the s t r a ig h t f o r w a r d
s h a r e d by b oth k in d s o f p o e t s :
in
it
from the e s s e n t i a l c h a r a c t e r ­
t h e ir v a r io u s w a y s ,
they a l l have
" i n t e r p r e t e d " some p o r t io n o r theme o f the J u d a e o - C h r is tia n S c r ip t u r e s i n the
"m edium " o r "l a n g u a g e " o f the Greco-Roman hexam eter ep ic t r a d i t i o n .
The
r e c o g n it io n in a l l t h e i r works o f a c o l l e c t i v e and p e r s o n a l a chievem ent o f
c u lt u r a l
s y n t h e s is can p r o v id e a sound s t a r t i n g p o i n t f o r a new c r i t i c a l
approach.
I t is
im p o rtan t fo r us to focus on the common c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f these
p o ets b e c a u se t h e i r p ro p er a p p r e c ia tio n has been d is t o r t e d by the s p e c ia l
emphases o f
the e s t a b l i s h e d modern d i s c i p l i n e s .
"no- m an's l a n d " between P a t r i s t i c /
it
B ib lic a l
Caught as they are in a
and C l a s s i c a l /
L it e r a r y s t u d i e s ,
is d i f f i c u l t to ask the r ig h t c r i t i c a l q u e s t io n s about them.
55
When the
d i s t i n c t i o n b etw e en
methods i s
"m ere" p a r a p h r a s t i c and more p o e t i c or e x e g e t i c a l
a llo w e d to overcome our s en se o f what they have in common, our
study o f the b i b l i c a l p o ets
o f these
two d i s c i p l i n e s ,
is
g u id e d by the in t e r e s t s o f one o r the o th e r
l e a d i n g us to ask at the o u t s e t to what e x t e n t they
" d e p a r t ” from the s c r i p t u r a l
t e x t and thus produce b e t t e r po etry
or become more r e c o g n iz a b ly e x e g e t i c a l
R e g a rd le s s o f how c l o s e l y
cally
th at
they seem to reshape i t ,
they are a l l ,
as p o e t s ,
(lik e A r a t o r ).
they seem to keep to the t e x t o r how d r a s t i ­
we s h o u ld n eve r fo r g e t two t h in g s :
e q u a lly f a i t h f u l
e n t e r p r is e o f
In
b i b l i c a l p o ets
sy n t h e s is ,
tend to o b sc u r e
and I w i l l
t h is sim p le b u t a ll- im po rtan t f a c t o f c u l t u r a l
then attem pt to i l l u s t r a t e i t s p r es en ce i n p as s a g e s
from three ro ug h ly contem porary poems
(a
fo r a p a r t i c u l a r human a u d ie n c e .
I p rop o se to show how c u r r e n t c r i t i c a l approaches to the
(the f i r s t h a l f o f the f i f t h
on b oth s id e s o f the customary d i v i d e :
G a l lu s
th at they are a l l ,
e q u a l l y en ga ge d i n the t r a d i t i o n a l J u d a eo - C h r is tian
a c t u a l i z i n g s a c r e d h is t o r y
t h is a r t i c l e
fir s t,
to c e r t a in fundam ental r e q u i r e ­
ments o f the t r a d i t i o n a l hexam eter e p ic medium, and s e c o n d ,
as C h r i s t i a n p o e t s ,
(l i k e A v it u s )
2
century)
from the H eptateuch o s o f C yp rianu s
"m erely p a r a p h r a s t i c " p o e t ) , and from the Carmen P a s c h a le o f C a e l i u s
S e d u l iu s and the A l e t h i a o f C la u d iu s M arius V ic t o r i u s
(both o f whom go beyo n d
"mere p a r a p h r a s i s ") .
By e m p h a s iz in g the c u l t u r a l s y n t h e s is we w i l l a ls o be b e t t e r p r e p a r e d
to face a n o t h er p rob lem even more fundam ental than the d iv i s i o n s o f modern
d isc ip lin e s:
the s y n t h e s is o f C h r i s t i a n a nd C l a s s i c a l ,
g e n e r a lly h e l d to have b een a f a i l u r e in
Mohrmann sp eaks o f
i n f l i c t e d on
w h il e E . R .
if
a ck n o w led ged ,
the work o f these p o e t s .
is
C h r is t i n e
the "d is a p p o in t m e n t o f the modern rea de r at t h is
treatm ent
the B i b l e by the m ediocre techniqu e o f p e d a n t ic v e r s i f i e r s , " ^
C u r t iu s
c alls
the whole t r a d i t i o n o f b i b l i c a l e p i c from Juvencu s
to the eigh t e e n th - c e n tu ry K lo p s to c k " a h y b r i d w it h an i n n e r la ck o f t r u t h ,
a gen re f a u x , " a nd m a in ta in s
sen ts i t ,
it
t h a t "t h e C h r is t i a n s t o r y , as the B i b l e p r e ­
adm its no t ra n s fo r m a t io n in to pseudo- antique form.
thereby lo s e i t s p o w e r f u l ,
u n iq u e ,
Not o nly does
a u t h o r i t a t i v e e x p r e s s io n , b u t i t is
f a l s i f i e d by the g e n re b orro w ed from a n t iq u e C l a s s ic i s m and by the con4
com itant l i n g u i s t i c and m e t r ic a l c o n v e n t i o n s .”
S in c e n e i t h e r o f these
auth orities
can be taken to be opponents o f a s y n t h e s is o f C h r i s t i a n and
C las s ic a l p er s e ,
i t must be the p e c u l i a r form the s y n t h e s is
b i b l i c a l p o ets w h ic h causes
t h e i r annoyance and w h ic h ,
takes in the
c o n s e q u e n t ly ,
r e q u ir e s
defen se.
F o rtu nately ,
L a t i n p o etr y o f
a m idst the r e c e n t r i s e o f in t e r e s t in e a r ly C h r is t i a n
a l l v a r i e t i e s ,^
two fu ll- le n g t h works have now b een s p e c i a l l y
d evoted to
have
thus
the b i b l i c a l p o ets by R e in h a rd Herzog** and M ich ael
taken us a lo ng way toward the s o l u t io n o f the f i r s t o r " d i s c i p ­
l i n a r y " p ro b lem by e s t a b l i s h i n g
tin c t fie l d
I w o uld l i k e
these p o ets as a d i s ­
W h i l e n ot in t e n d in g
the many v a lu a b le o b s e r v a tio n s p r e s e n t e d i n
fo u n d e d ,
in o r d e r to c l a r i f y
c o n st a n t e v id e n c e
t h e o r ie s
these
to
two w orks
the need fo r a new approach b a s e d on
A lth o ug h both H erzo g and Roberts p r e s e n t
fo r such a s y n t h e s i s ,
and show no d is c o m fo r t w it h i t ,
r e q u ir e an undue em phasis on one o f the two t r a d i t i o n s
ex pe nse o f the o t h e r ,
t o r t io n s
and a p p r e c i a t i o n .
to focus on the o p p o s in g t h e o rie s o f b i b l i c a l p o e tr y on w h ich
the id e a o f c u l t u r a l s y n t h e s i s .
t h e ir
the g e n e r a l study o f
fo r c r i t i c a l a n a l y s i s
d is p u t e i n d e t a i l
they are
R o b e r t s ,7 and
and thus serv e
b oth
at the
to p e r p e tu a t e the o l d d i s c i p l i n a r y
d is ­
in a d i s g u i s e d form.
H erzo g em p hasizes
the
" C h r i s t i a n " s id e
at the ex pe nse o f the
"C la ssic a l.
B a s in g h is
i n t e r p r e t a t i o n on the t h e o r ie s o f the school o f fo r m - c ritic ism
g
(F o r m g e sc h ic h t e ) ,
he e x p l a in s the developm ent o f the b i b l i c a l e p i c as a
fu r t h e r c o n t in u a t io n o f
the C h r is t i a n modes o f e x p r e s s io n
fo r m - c ritic a l sc ho o l) , a lr ead y p r e s e n t in
(a s d e f i n e d by the
the New T estam en t, b u t w it h
the
fourth- century b i b l i c a l e p ic
"m oving in t o the a e s t h e t i c a l l y autonomous
9
ex p r e s s io n - w o rld o f a n t i q u i t y . "
The tec h n iq u es o f the a n c ie n t e p ic are
"r e c e i v e d " by t h is p o e tr y in the fu n c t io n o f a d e v o t io n a l
o f the s c r i p t u r a l n a r r a t i v e . ^
o f as a g en u in e
D e s tr u k tio n o f
T h is p r o c e s s , ho w ev er ,
c o n t in u a t io n o f the Greco-Roman e p o s :
the a n t iq u e g enre b ro u g h t about by it s
b ib lic a l e p i c .^
There is
"in t e n s ific a t io n "
is n o t to be thought
H e rzo g speaks o f
the
in c o r p o r a t io n in to
a "h etero no m o u s" r e l a t i o n s h i p betw een
the
the l i t e r a r y
and a e s t h e t i c v a lu e s o f the a n c i e n t e p i c and the d e v o t io n a l and e d i f y i n g
12
(e r b a u l i c h ) in t e n t o f the b i b l i c a l p o e t s .
W ith such an e x p la n a t io n we seem n o t to have gone b eyo n d C u r t i u s ' n o t io n
o f the genre f a u x :
all
the " d i d a c t i c i s m " is
w h il e the Greco-Roman e p ic t r a d it i o n
"a e s t h e t ic "
nature,
C h ristia n p o e t,
a t cross- purposes w it h
m anner,
h o w ev er,
e d u c a t iv e
is
f o r m . T o
as d i s i n t e g r a t e d e l e m e n t s ,
u n d er sta n d the b i b l i c a l e p ic in
to n e g l e c t the h ig h ly
fu n c t i o n o f the a n c ie n t e p i c ,
rela tiv ely
the e d i f y i n g i n t e n t o f the
and o n ly p a s s i v e l y a b s o r b e d ,
the new u n it y o f C h r i s t i a n
a s c r i b e d to the C h r i s t i a n s i d e ,
is assumed to have o n ly a " l i t e r a r y " o r
s e r io u s
in to
t h is
and s o c i a l l y - c e n t r a l ,
a fu n c t io n w h ic h h ad rem ained
c o n st a n t from b e fo r e Homer to l a t e a n t i q u i t y ,
c o n s c io u s ly assumed by the C h r is t i a n p o e t s .
and w h ic h was
As Ha ve loc k has shown so
v i v i d l y i n h i s P r e f a c e to P l a t o , the H o n e r ic poems were "t h e s o le v e h ic l e o f
14
the group p a i d e i a "
w h ic h p r o v id e d , in e a s i l y m em orizable and d eep ly
p le asu rab le
form ,
an e n c y c lo p e d i c knowledge a nd a m a g n if ic e n t a rray o f m oral
exem pla
through
the co ncrete
v i s u a l i z a t i o n o f a c t in g p e r s o n s .^
o f Homer w ere c o n s id e r e d at once the most b e a u t i f u l
The poems
form o f language and the
most e s s e n t i a l mode o f e t h i c a l and even t e c h n i c a l i n s t r u c t i o n :
H e lle n istic p erio d ,
la ng ua ge - a rts
the new sc h o o ls o f r h e t o r ic
to p r o se a nd o r a t o ry )
in the
(w hich a p p l ie d the e p ic
and p h ilo s o p h y
(w hich p r o v id e d a more
o b j e c t i v e method o f a c q u ir in g knowledge and wisdom)
d i d n o t s u p p la n t the
fun d am en tal e d u c a t i v e r o le o f the e p ic as tau gh t by the gram m atical s c h o o l .
The e p ic
a ls o
rem ain ed the h i g h e s t i d e a l fo r l i t e r a r y
p o p u la r s c ie n c e
h eritage
(A ratus ' Phainomena)
16
a s p i r a t i o n , e n s h r in in g
as w e l l as m y th ica l and h i s t o r i c a l
(A p o llo n i u s o f R ho d es, C a llim a c h u s ,
R h ia n o s , e t a l . ) .
Romans, V e r g i l ’ s A e n e id fo un d a p la c e p r e p a r e d f o r i t
s c h o o ls by L i v i u s A n d ro n ic u s and E n n iu s , ^
and i n
Among the
in the gram m atical
the fo urth century i t was
s till
s u p p l y i n g the same "g ro u p p a i d e i a " fo r the le a d e r s o f Roman s o c ie t y as
18
h ad Homer f o r the G r e e k s ,
b u t w it h a new and d i s t i n c t i v e l y Roman " v a t i c "
d im e n s io n , w it h i t s
a ssum p tio n o f
in
u n iv e r s a l moral sym bolism and i t s
task in h i s t o r y , shown by the p o et to have l a i n
19
the very s e e d o f Romanitas from the b e g i n n i n g .
V e r g i l 's
d e s ir e
success,
at once l i t e r a r y
and p e d a g o g i c a l , d i d n ot reduce
f o r f u r t h e r e x c u r s io n s in t o m yth, h i s t o r y ,
p r a c t i t i o n e r s who fo llo w e d h is
and p o l i t i c a l
—
s to ry o f the h e r o ic
a p ro v id e n tial
c l im a t e ,
b o th l i t e r a r y
l e a d .^
Through the g r a d u a l l y ch an gin g moral
the s o c ia l l y - c e n t r a l p u r p o s e ,
and p e d a g o g ic a l —
rem ain ed c o n s t a n t ,
and the h ig h a s p i r a t i o n
to mold minds and h e a r ts by e p ic p o e tr y
and the g ram m atical s c h o o ls s t i l l p r o v id e d the v e h ic l e
fo r a l if e - l o n g e d u c a t i o n , b a s e d on the m em o rizatio n o f the p o e t s .
C h r i s t i a n makers o f b i b l i c a l e p i c
a new o p p o r t u n it y
the
and s c ie n c e by l a t e r
to f u l f i l l
found in
The
t h e i r F a it h and t h e ir S c r ip t u r e s
t h is a n c ie n t n e e d .
W ith o u t t h is long t r a d i t i o n
o f pagan e p i c E r b a u l i c h k e i t , the E r b a u l i c h k e i t o f the b i b l i c a l e p ic c o uld
n o t have e x i s t e d and c o uld n o t have gone on to p la y a dom inant r o le in media e v a l .e d u c a t io n :
"a e s th e tic a lly
p e d a g o g ic a l
21
the "e x p re s s io n - w o r ld " o f a n t iq u i t y was fa r from b e in g
a u t o n o m o u s ," e s p e c i a l l y w it h r e g a r d to the e p ic and i t s b a s i c
fu n c tio n .
R o b e r t s , on the o th e r h a n d ,
in te n d s
to re d r e s s the b a l a n c e ,
and a lth o u g h
n ot d i s a g r e e i n g w it h H e rzo g in u n d e rs ta n d in g the b i b l i c a l e p ic as "a n
e x p r e s s io n o f
"s e t i t in
the d e v o t io n a l needs o f the C h r i s t i a n c o m m unity," w is h e s
a c o n t in u i n g l i t e r a r y
cal p e r i o d ,"
to
t r a d i t i o n w hic h can be t r a c e d to the c l a s s i ­
i n s t e a d o f em p h a sizin g w it h H e rzo g the " d i f f e r e n t i a t i n g character-
i s t i c s o f t h e b i b l i c a l e p i c as a g e n r e ."
22
b i b l i c a l e p i c was c r e a t e d by the a p p l ic a t i o n
A cc o r d in g to R o b e r ts ,
then,
the
to the s c r ip t u r a l t e x t o f the
t ec h n iq u e o f p a r a p h r a s e o r e l e g a n t re- w o rding, w h ic h p r e s e r v e s
the meaning
of
the t e x t used fo r a b a s e ,
an e x e r c i s e t a u g h t i n
the sch o o ls o f r h e t o r ic
s in c e
the H e l l e n i s t i c e r a a nd j u s t i f i e d in theory and p r a c t ic e by I s o c r a t e s ,
23
C ic e r o , and Q u i n t i l i a n .
Roberts shows i n d e t a i l the ev id e n c e m the
b i b l i c a l p o e ts o f the o m is s i o n ,
the o b e d ie n c e
t ra n sp o sit io n ,
to r h e t o r ic a l p r e c e p ts
w id e s p r e a d use o f
f ig u r e s o f sp eec h and th o u g h t ,
a p p l i c a t i o n o f these common c r i t e r i a
approaches
taken by the p o ets
A ltho ug h
th is method is
f i r s t problem in v o lv e s
and is
a nd the
e n a b le d by the
to s e t in o r d e r the w id e v a r ie t y o f
24
task.
to t h e i r
certa in ly
on a theory w hich is h i s t o r i c a l l y
t im es .
and a m p l i f i c a t i o n o f m a t e r i a l ,
in the o r d e r in g o f d i s c o u r s e ,
fru itfu l
and i l l u m i n a t i n g ,
it
is b as ed
in a c c u r a t e in two im portant r e s p e c t s .
The
the n a t u r e o f the co m po sitio n o f e p i c p o e tr y in a n c ie n t
The r h e t o r ic a l s c h o o l
tra d itio n ,
though i t p r o v id e d n e c e s s a r y s u p p o r t ,
co u ld not i n i t s e l f have b een the p rim ary so urce o f e p ic p o e t r y , pag an o r
25
C h r is tia n .
The r h e t o r ic a l e x e r c i s e o f p a ra p h ra se was e x c l u s i v e l y u s e d , as
Roberts show s,
(very r a r e ly )
fo r the re - c a st in g o f p r o se in to p r o s e ,
verse in to
v e r s e .^
S c r ip t u r e o r ha giog rap hy )
o f the e p ic p o e t i c
h isto ry ,
are
When i n
v e r s e in t o p r o s e ,
la t e a n t iq u i t y p r o s e
"r e - c a s t " in t o v e r s e ,
i t is
or
(o f
a new f l o w e r in g
t r a d i t i o n w hic h h a d b een a d a p t in g p rose t e x t s
and p h ilo s o p h y )
te x t s
(o f s c i e n c e ,
to i t s own purposes s in c e the H e l l e n i s t i c e r a .
F urtherm o re,
the t r a d i t i o n o f the e p ic w h ic h s u p p l ie d t h is b a s i c m otive was
t r a n s m it t e d ,
as m entioned a b o v e , by the gram m atical s c h o o l s ,
a s p i r a t i o n to c rea te e p i c ,
as w e l l as the
fundam ental b a s i s
and thus
for it s
the
c r e a t io n
(t h e thorough l e a r n i n g o f m o d e l s ) , w o uld have been t ra n s m itted to the wouldbe maker o f e p ic
at a much e a r l i e r phase o f h is
came to the r h e t o r i c i a n ,
ed u ca tion .
By the time he
the i n t e n d in g p o et w o u ld only b e l e a r n i n g the names
and the sy ste m a tic a p p l i c a t i o n in p r o se and o r a t o r y o f f i g u r e s and e l e g a n t
modes o f e x p r e s s io n
le a r n e d lo ng b e fo r e by exam ple from the stu dy o f V e r g il
a nd the o th e r p o ets i n
F in ally ,
the gram m atical s c h o o l .
and most im p o r t a n t ,
the p r a c t i c a l t r a i n i n g o f the e p i c p o et
was a d eep ly p e r s o n a l and t r a d i t i o n a l p r o c e s s , bou nd up w it h
the use o f
the
h ex am e ter ,
and i t was n o t the r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f e i t h e r the gram m atical o r
27
r h e t o r ic a l s c h o o l s .
T h is a g a in shows a c o n t in u i t y re a c h in g b ac k b eyond
Homer.
The p r a c t i c a l
ly by A .B .
t r a i n i n g o f the o r a l e p i c p o e t ,
s k et c h ed so c onvincing-
Lo rd w it h r e fe r e n c e to the modern South S l a v i c t r a d i t i o n ,
in v o l v e d a lo n g s p i r i t u a l p r o c e s s o f r e - in t e g r a t in g the p h r a s e s ,
scenes,
sto ries,
and id e a s o f re v e re d p r e d e c e s s o r s
t h is was n o t e s s e n t i a l l y
o f W .F .
Jac kso n K n i g h t ,
c o ntinuo us
thread,
d e lic a te ly
in t e g r a t i o n o f w o rd s , p h r a s e s ,
and i n f i n i t e l y
lin e s ,
in to new c r e a t i o n s ,
changed by the adv ent o f l i t e r a c y .
"t h e
28
and
In the words
and l i n e s i s
com plex, r u n n in g from Homer
a
through Greek and L a t i n p o ets
and onwards
a new h is t o r y
c o u rse,
then a l l through V e r g i l 's
to the su c c e sso r s who l e a r n t from h im .
some Greek poem,
h is work,
to V e r g i l ,
and by com binations and a l t e r a t i o n s
i n V e r g i l 's
m in d ,
own w o rk ,
A p h rase may s t a r t in
l i v e on u n t il i t s t a r t s
and a seq uence o f d e v e lo p in g a ppearances in
g a t h e r in g power and depth o f m eaning on i t s w a y.
Som etim es, o f
the h i s t o r y o f V e r g i l 's e x p r e s s io n s m ight be s a i d to s t a r t in V e r g i l ’ s
own m ind,
so u n d s ,
fo r he may be
thoughts,
the f i r s t
to a s s o c i a t e
together,
and words never p u t t o g e t h e r b e f o r e .
in to a new com plex,
B ut o f t e n ,
and
p ro b a bly most o f t e n ,
sometimes o l d ,
the h is t o r y a nd a n c e s t r y goes back to e a r l i e r p o e t r y ,
„29
and sometimes alm ost o r q u it e contem porary.
The d e t a i l e d d em o n s tratio n t h a t t h is
the b i b l i c a l p o e t s ,
re c e n t p o e tr y o f t h e i r fe l l o w C h r i s t i a n s ,
d ic tio n ,
im a g e r y ,
R o b e rts'
many v a l u a b l e
to C l a s s i c a l
c o n t r i b u t i o n s .^
fo r the
a n tiq u ity is
p r a c t ic e s were n a t u r a l l y
o rig in ally
s p ran g)
“ c o n t in u in g l i t e r a r y
tra d itio n it s e l f
used by p o ets
c h a r a c t e r iz e s
and not p r im a r il y
even though these
(from whose a n c ie n t methods r h e t o r ic
i n t e r p r e t a t io n b r i n g s
the motive to im prove s t y l i s t i c a l l y
is
"o v e r la id in
us
I n l i n e w it h h is em phasis on
the common purp o se o f a l l
as
the b i b l i c a l p o ets
the s c r i p t u r a l t e x t ,
though t h is m otive
v a r y in g degree s w ith a more c h a r a c t e r i s t i c a l l y C h r is t i a n
p urpose o f s p i r i t u a l , i n s t r u c t i o n , moral e d i f i c a t i o n ,
To p u t i t
i t shows
th at goes back
as a t r a d i t i o n a l means fo r the achievem ent o f t h e i r e n d .
back to the q u e s t i o n o f c u l t u r a l s y n t h e s i s .
Roberts
tra d itio n "
the r h e t o r ic a l s c h o o l s ,
The s ec o n d m a jo r d i f f i c u l t y w it h R o b e r t s '
r h e t o ric ,
is one o f
By the same to k e n , h o w ev er ,
the e p ic p o e t i c
t a u g h t in
the
and t h a t they thereby fo un ded the
and C h r i s t i a n tone o f m e d ia e v a l L a t in e p i c ,
that the r e a l b a s i s
a set o f p rac tic es
same t r a d i t i o n was c a r r i e d on by
who made t h e ir own n o t o n ly pagan p o etr y b ut a l s o
t h is way i s
or b i b l i c a l e x e g e s i s .”
31
to em p ha size the " C l a s s i c a l ” a t the expense o f the
" C h r i s t i a n , " by su p e r im p o s in g a "s e c o n d a r y " C h r i s t i a n p urp o se onto an u n d er­
l y in g r h e t o r i c a l m o t iv e .
text,
h o w ev er, was
The r e l a t i o n s h i p o f a l l
ra d ic a lly
develo p ed o r d o c t r i n a l .
a ct iv it y is
to t h e i r p ro se
d eterm ined by the p e c u l i a r n a t u r e o f t h a t t e x t
as the h o ly book o f Jews and C h r i s t i a n s :
fu n d am en ta lly e x e g e t i c a l ,
these p o ets
t h e i r p o e t i c t e c h n iq u e s are a l l
from the "mere p a r a p h r a s t i c " to the most p o e t i c a l l y
T h is means t h a t the w hole range o f t h e i r p o e t ic
to b e u n d e rsto o d n o t merely i n terms o f the Greco-Roman t r a d i t i o n
b u t as a g en u in e m a n i f e s t a t i o n o f a com pletely d i s t i n c t J u d a eo - C h r is tian
e d u c a t io n a l
t r a d i t i o n a t l e a s t as o l d as Homer:
the a c t u a l i z a t i o n
fo r a
contemporary a u d ie n c e o f the s a c r e d h is t o r y o f G o d 's d e a l i n g s w it h m ankind,
f i r s t w it h
the Jews b u t a f t e r C h r is t w it h a l l h u m an ity.
In o r d e r to g ra sp t h is we n e e d to w id en o u r n o t io n o f e x e g e s i s ,
we tend to a s s o c i a t e w it h
the d i f f i c u l t p ro se works o f O r i g e n ,
o r A u g u stin e on the one h a n d , o r w it h
i c a l sermon on the o t h e r .
Am brose,
the more p o p u la r l i t u r g i c a l o r c a t e c h e t ­
Both o f th ese types o f w r i t i n g s ,
from the Greco-Roman p o e t i c g en re s is
o f a n c ie n t J u d a ic m id r a sh ,
w h ic h
Jero m e,
n ot d o u b t e d ,
whose d i f f e r e n c e
are C h r is t i a n c o n t in u a t i o n s
o r method o f s tu d y in g and e x p l a i n i n g S c r ip t u r e
and i t s m eaning fo r the p e o p le o f I s r a e l , a c c o r d in g to the c h an g in g needs o f
32
contemporary e x p e r ie n c e .
Such in t e r p r e t a t i o n in v o lv e d the "u s e o f S c r ip t u r e
to e x p l a in S c r i p t u r e ,"
o r d e r to a c t u a l i z e
the e x p l i c a t i o n o f sm all d e t a i l s o r la r g e themes in
the s c r i p t u r a l
acco unt i n terms o f contem porary e x p e r ie n c e ,
and the a ssum ption o f a s y n t h e t i c view o f the whole h is t o r y o f s a l v a t i o n . ^
Ih e v a rio u s
forms o f l i t e r a t u r e
t h a t r e s u l t e d from t h is a c t i v i t y form n ot
34
o nly much o f the O l d T es tam en t,
b u t a ls o the Aram aic targumim (p r e - C h r is tia n
p a r a p h r a s e - t r a n s la t io n s o f the B i b l e )
ex e g es is ,
and the two main k in d s o f R a b b in ic
35
The p e r s o n o f Je s u s C h r is t
m idrash h a gg ad ah and m id rash h a la k h a h .
h im s e lf p a r t i c i p a t e s
i n t h is
tra d itio n ,
and p r o v id e s
it s k e y , w h il e
in g the C h r i s t i a n i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f both T e s t a m e n t s .36
such t e a c h in g
The v a r io u s
took was d ete rm in e d by the c o n s i s t e n t purpose —
a "r e lig io n o f
the b o o k " —
the knowledge o f God a nd h i s
to b r i n g to the f a i t h f u l
forms
bound up w it h
in v a r io u s
manner o f d e a l i n g w it h h u m an ity,
in it ia t ­
circ um sta nc es
as r e v e a l e d in
the words and a c t io n s o f the p a s t a nd as e v e n t u a lly e n s h r in e d i n the canon­
i c a l S c r ip t u r e s . ^
The l a t e a n t iq u e b i b l i c a l e p i c ,
then,
is
not p r im a r il y m o tiv a te d by the
d e s ir e o f a r h e t o r ic ia n - p o e t to "im p r o v e " the s t y l e o f a t e x t :
o f the p o ets
fo r the S c r i p t u r e s ,
s t u d ie s on the b i b l i c a l
p erm it t h is p u r e ly
as w e l l as
text i t s e l f ,
the contem porary
the rev eren c e
f l o w e r in g o f
as J u d i t h McClure h as show n,
"Greco-Roman'* d e f i n i t i o n o f t h e ir e n t e r p r i s e .
s u g g e s t t h a t w hat they were d o i n g ,
the same time som ething
in
w o uld n ot
38
I w o uld
t h e i r c a p a c ity as e p i c p o e t s , was a t
fu n d am en ta lly
"J u d a e o - C h r is t ia n " :
m aking the
S c r ip t u r e and i t s m eaning "come a l i v e "
f o r the a n c ie n t m ind t h a t h a d so lo ng
b een a ttu n ed to the d eep ly p l e a s u r a b l e
t e a c h in g method o f the e p i c .
d o in g t h is
In
they are g o in g b ey o n d t r a n s l a t i o n to a c t u a l i z e the m eaning o f
S c r ip t u r e to a m ental and e m o tio n a l w o r ld o f le a d in g im portance w it h in
a n c ie n t s o c i e t y ,
an e d u c a t i o n a l c o n t ex t that co uld n eve r be rea c h ed to the
same degree by e i t h e r the l i t u r g i c a l sermon o r the p rose e x e g e t i c a l
T h is meant a d d r e s s in g an a u d ie n c e w h ic h ,
tre a tis e .
b e in g both C h r i s t i a n and e d u c a t e d ,
may have been w e l l a c q u a in t e d w it h b oth o f these o th e r fo r m s .
The t r a d i t i o n
o f Greco-Roman epos thus made p o s s i b l e a new o r t h i r d k i n d o f C h r is t i a n
e x e g e s is w hich gave s p e c i a l em phasis
to the h i s t o r i c a l n a r r a t i v e ,
w h il e
the
J u d a e o - C h r is tia n
t r a d i t i o n o f s c r i p t u r a l i n t e r p r e t a t io n made p o s s i b l e a new
k in d o f C l a s s i c a l e p i c w hic h b ro u ght p e r s o n a l d evo tio n and t h e o l o g ic a l
ing
to the
fore.
In a j u s t c r i t i c a l
two c u l t u r a l t r a d it i o n s
can f i n a l l y be s u b o r d in a t e d to the o t h e r .
prose e x e g e t i c a l methods o r so urc es
teach­
theory o f t h is p o etry n e it h e r o f the
are u s e d ,
Whenever
they are a d a p ted to the epic-
p o e t i c p u r p o s e , w it h i t s em phasis on the c o n c rete v i s u a l i z a t i o n o f a c t i o n s ,
it s
use o f
t r a d i t i o n a l d i c t i o n and r h e t o r i c ,
and i t s
k ey ed m oral a tm osphere; w hen ev er p o e t i c t e c h n iq u e s
ancestral,
fin d
they do so by a d v an c in g the e x e g e t i c a l i n t e n t i o n to a c t u a l i z e
h is t o r y
as r e v e a le d i n
the S c r ip t u r e s
rhythm ically-
fulle r rea liza tio n ,
the sa cre d
fo r a human a u d ie n c e w it h p a r t i c u l a r
needs .
U n d e r sto o d in
these
term s,
i n t e l l i g i b l e not o n ly i n a l l
o th e r k in d s o f l i t e r a t u r e .
though i t
d iffe rs
literatu re,
the lo n g
in
though i t
it s
m e d ia e v a l
I t b elo n g s
d iffe r s
Du B a r t a s ,
la n g u a g e , l e a r n i n g ,
39
a n t iq u e s e t t i n g .
One o f
felt
phrases,
i t b e lo n g s
in b e in g e p ic p o e t r y ;
M il t o n ,
and p o e t i c
l i n e s , o r id e a s
illu s tr a tin g
but d iffe r s
t r a d i t i o n by the l im i t s o f i t s
w ere a ls o w id e l y
from
la t e
t h is m i l i e u was the r e v e r ­
and a ltho ug h o t h e r L a t i n p o ets
p ag an and C h r i s t i a n )
i t in a u g u r a te s
and the L a t i n o r v e r n a c u la r
and K lo p s to c k —
the most im p o rta n t c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f
fo r V e r g i l ,
to C h r is t i a n , e x e g e t i c a l
fin a lly ,
i n c l u d i n g O l d E n g l is h p o e t r y ,
"M o n a s t ic ” and "S c h o l a s t i c " L a t i n e p i c ,
V id a,
in r e l a t i o n to
to the C l a s s i c a l e p ic t r a d i t i o n ,
exeg etical nature;
th ese in
p orary,
a n t iq u e b i b l i c a l e p ic becomes
t r a d i t i o n o f W estern C h r i s t i a n e p i c —
works o f D a n te ,
en c e
the la t e
i t s p e r s o n a l v a r ie t y b ut a ls o
used,
(both o l d and contem­
the p l a c e s where V e r g i l i a n
can be r e c o g n iz e d are p a r t i c u l a r l y w e ll- s u it e d fo r
the c u l t u r a l s y n t h e s is o f the la t e a n t iq u e b i b l i c a l e p i c .
w h a t fo llo w s we w i l l o b s e r v e ,
In
i n three p a s s a g e s o f i n c r e a s in g l y w id e r s c o p e ,
how the p e r s o n a l and t r a d i t i o n a l p o e t i c e x p e r ie n c e g a in e d from r e v e r e n t study
o f the A e n e id works ha nd i n ha nd w it h the J u d a e o - C h r is tia n method o f a c t u a l ­
i z i n g and i n t e r p r e t i n g S c r ip t u r e
40
to become em bo died in a new or e p ic e x e g e s is
o f the b i b l i c a l n a r r a t i v e .
Sometime in the f i r s t h a l f o f
ally ,
the f i f t h
c e n tu r y ,
a G a l l i c p o et t r a d i t i o n ­
b u t n o t w it h c e r t a i n t y , named "C y p r ia n u s " undertook to make an e p ic
41
O nly the f i r s t seven books
h ex am e ter i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f the O l d T es t a m e n t,
s u r v iv e i n t a c t
t ic a lly
(hence the name H e p t a t e u c h o s ) , b u t the p o e t 's
lin e - b y - lin e method makes f o r a s u b s t a n t i a l w ork.
t r i e d to a b b r e v i a t e some o f
elsew here,
the r e s u l t i s
the s e l e c t i v e
t h oro u gh , p r a c ­
Although he has
the more in t r a c t a b l e m a t e r ia l from L e v it ic u s
and
r a t h e r slow- m oving, e s p e c i a l l y in com parison w ith
approach to the O l d Testam ent taken by S e d u l iu s o r A v i t u s .
How ever, one p a r t i c u l a r a dv an ta ge o f
"C y p r i a n u s ' "
method is
the o p p o r t u n it y
he p r o v id e s o f s e e i n g a v a s t la n d sca p e w it h c o n s id e r a b l e d e t a i l :
human,
and d iv i n e b e a u t ie s
of
the sto ry o f the P a t r i a r c h s
I s r a e l a r e a llo w e d to come a l i v e
in
many s u b t l e ,
and the p e o p le o f
the V e r g ilia n - e p i c atm osphere t h at w o uld
42
be o m it te d in a more summary treatm en t.
One very b e a u t i f u l exam ple o f
o f Moses in d ia lo g u e w it h
t h is can be seen i n the p o e t 's
the Lo rd a t the b u rn in g b u s h .
S c r ip t u r e w h ic h he use d c an n ot be determ ined e x a c t l y ,
d iv e r g e d much from t h is p a s s a g e
(Exodus 4 :1 0 - 1 4 )
treatm en t
The L a t i n
text o f
b u t i t may n ot have
taken from the C odex
Lu g d u n e n sis : ^ ^
(1 0 )
D i x i t autem Moyses ad Dominum:
Precor,
Dom ine:
non sum dig-
nus ante h e s t e rn a m v e l n u d u s te r tiam d iem , neque e x quo c o e p is t i
lo q u i
cum fam ula t u o :
ego.
(1 1 )
e t q u is
g r a c i l i enim voce e t t a r d io r e l i n g u a sum
D i x i t autem Dominus ad M oysen:
f e c i t mutum e t surdum ,
Dominus Deus?
(1 2 )
Dom ine:
E t ir a t u s
fa c t u s
videntem e t caecum?
E t nunc v a d e , e t ego aperiam os
monebo te quae debe as l o q u i .
Precor,
(13)
((1 0 )
a liu m , quem m i t t a s .
" I beg y o u , L o r d :
bega n to sp eak w it h me, your s e r v a n t :
am very slo w o f s p e e c h .”
gave man h i s m outh,
(13)
(11)
But the L o rd s a i d
i t not I ,
the Lord?
(1 2 )
So now go f o r t h ,
" I beg you,
"B e h o l d ,
I know him very w e l l ,
is
(14)
Lord:
and I s h a l l
there n ot A aron the L e v i t e ,
t h a t he w i l l sp eak f o r yo u
toward the e n d o f the d i a l o g u e ,
changes to a s e r p e n t and the w it h e r e d and h e a le d hand
A t t h is p o in t
4 :1 ).
your
.
. ")
(Exodus 4 :1 - 9 ) ; he
h is
13;
.
the s t a f f t h at
and has
3 :1 1 ,
.
a f t e r th e L o r d h a s a lr ead y
has a lr e a d y i n s t r u c t e d Moses abo ut h i s m is s i o n ,
(Exodus
p r o v id e
And the L o r d , made
g iv e n Moses ample in s tru m en ts o f power and p e r s u a s io n w it h
it
"Who
seein g or
and I w i l l s u g g e s t to y ou w h a t yo u are to s a y . ”
angry at M o s e s, s a i d :
l a c k o f c o n fid e n c e
am n ot
to M o se s:
and Who has made him mute o r d e a f ,
And Moses s a i d to the L o r d :
T h is p a s s a g e oc c urs
I
n o r e v e r s in c e yo u
I have a d e l i c a t e v o ic e and
a n o t h e r man to g o , whom you might s e n d . ”
brother?
Nonne
. . . .
Now Moses s a i d to the L o r d :
Is
(14)
Quem optim e n o v i , q u i a loquens
w o r th y , n e i t h e r y e s te r d a y nor the day b e f o r e ,
b lin d ?
tuum, e t sub-
e s t i r a c u n d i a Dominus ad M oysen, e t d i x i t :
t ib i
open yo ur m outh,
nonne ego
E t d i x i t Mayses ad Dominum:
p r o v id e q u i p o s s i t ir e
ec c e A ron f r a t e r tuus L e v i t i s ?
lo q u e t u r ip s e
Q u is d e d i t os h o m in i,
r e p e a te d ly s u f f e r e d
is becom ing c le a r t h a t M o s e s ’ h u m ilit y is becom ing la ck o f
in the d ia l o g u e
f a i t h in G o d 's
power to p r o v i d e ,
th is
and thus
the Lo rd is s a i d to have become " a n g r y . ”
a nger is soon tu r n ed to m ercy,
spokesm an,
Yet
in the g ra n tin g to Moses o f an elo q u e n t
h is b r o t h e r A a r o n .
I n Greek and L a t i n P a t r i s t i c e x e g e s is
v a r ie t y o f d ir e c t i o n s ,
i n t e r e s t to the p assa g e a t h a n d .
F irst ,
he who made m an’ s mouth and thus i s
s i g h t e f f e c t i v e o r o th e r w is e is
prophet o f
the Lord
t h is p as s a g e is in t e r p r e t e d in a
b u t two main themes sta n d o u t , w h ic h w i l l be o f
related- to the s to ry o f B a laa m ,
(Numbers 22-24)
d i s c i p l e s n o t to concern
the statem ent by the L o r d t h a t i t i s
a b le to make m en’ s powers o f speech o r
the u n w i l l i n g
as w e l l as to C h r i s t ’ s command to h is
them selves a bo u t what to say when p e r s e c u t e d , s in c e
45
(Luke 2 1 : 1 4 - 1 5 ) .
A seco nd a s p e c t o f
he h im s e l f w i l l g iv e them elo q uen c e
the p as sa g e w hich i n t e r e s t s
as an u n f i t t i n g
commentators i s
a t t r ib u t e o f God,
A ltho ug h i t i s
is
im p o s s ib le to d eterm ine
f a m i l i a r w it h these i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s ,
g e s is ,
w hich we w i l l soon c o n s i d e r ,
the m ention o f G o d 's a n g e r , w h ic h ,
46
e x p l a in e d away o r q u a l i f i e d .
it is
to what e x t e n t "C y p r ia n u s " was
at l e a s t c l e a r t h a t h i s own e x e ­
does n ot c o n t r a d ic t them ,
and y et was
f a c i l i t a t e d by the a d a p t a t io n o f a well-known V e r g i l i a n p h r a s e w h ic h occurs
a t the very b e g in n in g o f the A e n e i d :
M usa, m ihi causas memora, quo numine l a e s o ,
Quidve dolens
r e g in a deum tot vo lv ere
In s ig n e m p i e t a t e vir u m ,
In p u lerit,
(M use,
casus
t o t a d ir e la b o r e s
T an taen e anim is c a e l e s t i b u s ir a e ?
re c o u n t f o r me the r e a s o n s , what d i v i n i t y was i n j u r e d ,
O r w hat g r i e v i n g d i d the Queen o f the Gods compel
A man renowed f o r p i e t y
So many la b o r s ?
Is
to undergo so many m is f o r t u n e s ,
the a nger o f h ea v e n ly s p i r i t s
so g re at?)
A e n e id 1 .8 - 1 1
I n the p h r as e in s ig n e m p i e t a t e ("re n o w n e d f o r p i e t y " ) i s c o nv ey ed, as
47
through a t r a d i t i o n a l e p i t h e t ,
an e s s e n t i a l fe a t u r e o f Aeneas
character,
w hic h s u p p lie s in i t s
c o n t e x t a key to the whole meaning o f the A e n e i d .
A eneas,
and in d e e d Rome h e r s e l f ,
must s u f f e r much from the i r r a t i o n a l
o f e v il
in c a r r y in g o u t the d i v i n e l y a p p o in t e d t a s k .
p h rase s ta n d s o ut a t the h e a d o f i t s
The b r i g h t n e s s o f the
l i n e i n sh a rp c h ia r o s c u r o w it h
d iv i n e a ng er and e n d le s s s u f f e r i n g s w hic h surro u nd i t .
fo rc es
the
L o o k in g now a t
"C y p r i a n u s * " a d a p t a t io n o f the p h r a s e , we can see how he b r i n g s o u t the
c lim a x o f
the d ia l o g u e b etw e en Moses and the L o r d :
n i l d eniqu e dignum
E s se s i b i ,
quod mens hominum s u b n ix a s e q u a t u r .
A r g u i t u r n u llu m ,
Domino n i s i
S e n s ib u s e f f a r i ,
n ec lo ng a s i l e n t i a mutos
Rumpere,
d an te, p o litis
ni Dominus l a x a r e t v i n c u l a l i n g u a e ;
Tempora q u i
reserat s u r d is ,
q u i lum ina c a e c i s ,
Videntumque aciem q u i p u r a luce s e r e n a t .
" V a d e ,"
a it,
N o b ilis
e lo q u io sen suq ue ad verba r o t u n d o ."
" e t p le n a
c o n fis u s
fa re
lo q u e l l a
S e d dum sa ep e Deum p o s c i t alium que p r e c a t u r
S u b s t i t u i su b diq u e s i b i ,
commovit in iram
I n s ig n e m p i e t a t e Deum, q u i c o n c itu s i n f i t :
"Germanus e s t ecce tuus lim a ta facundus
O r a g erens n otusque m ih i ,
L e v i t a c rea tu s
( [Moses s a i d
that]
.
.
.
he had n o t h in g w orthy
T h a t the m ind o f men sh o u ld sup p o rt and f o llo w h im .
He is
r ep ro ved t h a t n o t h in g is spoken w it h p o l is h e d
In t e llig e n ce
un less
the Lo rd g ran t i t ,
B rea k t h e i r lo n g s i l e n c e s
u n le s s
n or do mute ones
the Lo rd r e l e a s e
the b i n d i n g
o f t h e i r tongues?
He Who opens
And,
the temples o f the d e a f ,
fo r those who s e e ,
"Go f o r t h , " He s a i d ,
c larifies
g iv e s l i g h t to the b l i n d ,
t h e i r s i g h t w it h p ure l i g h t .
"a n d sp eak c o n fi d e n t l y w it h
a full
speech.
N oble in elo q uen c e and w it h sen se w ell- ro un ded to w o r d s . ”
B u t w h ile he o ft e n p le a d s w it h God and begs Him to send
A nother,
as a s u b s t i t u t e
fo r him ,
The God renowned f o r p i e t y ,
"B e h o l d ,
he s t i r r e d in t o anger
who thus i n c i t e d s a i d :
there is y o ur b r o t h e r , who is
e lo q u e n t and has a w ellp o l i s h e d mouth,
Well-known to me, b orn a L e v i te
.
.
.
." )
H e p t a t e u c h o s , Exodus 204- 15
By ch an g in g virum to deum "C y p r ia n u s " seems a t f i r s t s i g h t to have
m erely a da p ted a V e r g i l i a n lo c u t io n
s c rip tu ra l
fo r the p urp o se o f s o f t e n i n g the
a t t r i b u t i o n o f a n g e r to God.
"ex eg etic al"
strategy,
an i n t e l l i g i b l e
much more is
s tr u c t u r e
A lth o u g h t h a t i n i t s e l f i s an
in v o lv e d as w e l l .
fo r the whole i n c i d e n t ,
The p h r as e p r o v id e s
and i t does so through
the g enu in e r e a l i z a t i o n on the p a r t o f the p o et o f the m eaning and e f f e c t o f
the V e r g i l i a n p a ss a g e and through h i s
a b ility
to apply
t h is
re a liza tio n
to
the s c r i p t u r a l
scene.
goo d ness o f A e n e a s ,
J u n o 's
by
anger,
The p o e t f e l t an a nalo gy between the l o n g - s u ffe r in g
a s s a u l t e d and t r i e d by
and the lo n g - s u ffe r in g g oodness o f G od,
the stu b b o rn la ck o f
p agan
cosmos is
n a t u re i t s e l f ,
the e v i l ,
f a i t h o f M oses.
now more a c c u r a t e ly
ir r a t i o n a l chaos o f
a s s a u l t e d and t r i e d
The e v i l and i r r a t i o n a l i t y o f the
a s c r i b e d to the e v i l
as e x e m p l if ie d here by M ose s.
tendency in human
Seen in t h is w a y,
the p h r a s e ,
coming as i t does a t the clim a x o f the d ia l o g u e and s t a n d in g a t the h e a d o f
the l i n e , p r o v id e s
the L o r d 's
an e x p la n a t io n n o t o n ly o f the L o r d 's
mercy in
fin a lly
g r a n t in g
a nger b u t a ls o o f
to Moses a spokesm an.
T h at the L o r d is
c h a r a c t e r i z e d p r e c i s e l y h ere as p io u s through an e p ic e p it h e t rem inds us o f
h is n a t u r e ,
making c l e a r the i n s u l t im p lie d by M o se s’ lack o f f a i t h ,
as p r e p a r in g us fo r h is
a t io n i s
w it h
m e r c ifu l a c t o f g ra n t i n g M Dses'
p lea.
as w e ll
An i n t e r p r e t ­
thereby p r o v id e d by the a d a p t a t io n o f V e r g il w h ic h accords p e r f e c t l y
the P a t r i s t i c
e x e g e s is on the p a s s a g e ,
in the course o f b r i n g in g a l i v e
the a n c i e n t Hebrew s to r y i n e p i c term s.
The s ec o n d p a s s a g e to be c o n s id e r e d i s taken from the Carmen P a s c h a l e
48
S e d u liu s .
T h is p o e t , a b o u t whom o n ly a l i t t l e more is known than
o f C aelius
abo ut "C y p r i a n u s , " was an I t a l i a n p r e s b y t e r com posing in the seco nd q u a r t e r
49
century.
H i s method o f c r e a t in g a C h r is t i a n e p ic e x e g e s is
o f the f i f t h
r esu lted
in
a five- book poem, o f w h ic h the
t h e o l o g ic a l p o s i t i o n s
as g iv e n
death,
is
in
and a s e l e c t i v e
the O l d T es tam en t,
cultural s y n t h e s is .
as e x p r e s s e d
I n acc o rd an c e w it h i t s
P e n e t r a t e d w it h C h r is t i a n
H e p t a t e u c h o s n o t o n ly i n
i t is
it s
a
I t d iffers
from the
em phasis on the New Testam ent b ut a ls o by
method o f d ra w in g e x p l i c i t t h e o l o g ic a l and moral les s o n s
i n c i d e n t he n a r r a t e s .
N e verth eless,
from each
t h is more e x p l i c i t l y d o c t r in a l p u r ­
everyw here f a c i l i t a t e d by the t r a d i t i o n a l p o e t i c m ethod, w h ic h makes
more l a v i s h
thought,
t h is e p ic
devo ted to a s t r i c t l y J u d a eo - C h r is tian theme
{ C h r is t as the f u l f i l l m e n t o f the J e w is h P a s c h )
p o se i s
title ,
t h e o l o g ic a l id e a s
through the medium o f the C l a s s i c a l e p ic t r a d i t i o n ,
Greco-Roman poem (Carme/i)
S e d u liu s '
fo rth g e n e r a l
s u p e r n a t u r a l a c t io n s
fo llo w e d by fo u r books t r e a t in g the l i f e ,
a n d R e su r r e c t io n o f C h r i s t .
a t ru e
f i r s t book s e t s
re v ie w o f G o d 's
use than
"C y p r i a n u s " o f s i m i l e ,
and a p o s t r o p h e ,
word p l a y ,
fig u r e s o f s p eech and
r e s u l t i n g in a new v a r ie t y o f the same k in d o f
c u lt u ra l sy n t h e s is .
We can o bse rve the p o et a t work in h i s
K in g H e r o d 's
as f o l l o w s : ^
"s l a u g h t e r o f the I n n o c e n t s ."
i n t e r p r e t a t io n o f the s to r y o f
The p as s a g e in the V u lg a t e is
(1 6 )
Tunc Herodes v id e n s quoniam i l l u s u s
est v ald e,
/
e t in omnibus f i n i b u s
e ius,
quod e x q u i s i e r a t a M a g is .
/
e t u lu la t u s
(17)
Tunc adim pletum e s t quod d ictum
m ultus:
/
n o l u i t c o n s o l a r i,
q u i a non s u n t .
((1 6 )
seein g
Then H e ro d ,
became very a n g e r e d ,
w ere in B eth leh em ,
from the M a g i.
to k i l l
a c c o r d in g to the date
Then was
/
suos,
all
et
the boys who
who were
t h a t he h ad o b t a i n e d
f u l f i l l e d w hat h a d been s a i d
(18)
W a i l i n g and much la m e n t a t io n :
c h ild re n ,
filio s
i t s n e ig h b o u r in g r e g io n s ,
the p r o p h e t Jerem iah when he s a y s :
Rama /
Vox i n Rama a u d it a e s t ,
that he had b een d e c e iv e d by the M a g i,
and i n a l l
(17)
(1 8 )
R a c hel p lo r a n s
a nd s e n t p eo p le
two y ea rs o l d o r l e s s ,
ir a t u s
q u i e r a n t in B e t h le h e m ,
a bim atu e t i n f r a secundum tem pu s,
e s t p e r Ierem iam prophetam d ic e n te m :
p lo ra tus,
e s s e t a M a g is ,
e t m ittens o c c i d i t omnes p u e r o s ,
/
through
MA vo ic e was h e a r d i n
Rachel w eep in g fo r h e r
and she r e f u s e d to be c o n s o le d ,
bec au se they w ere
n o t " .)
(M atthew 2 :16- 18)
In
t h e ir p rose ex eg eses o f t h is p a s s a g e ,
em p h a sizin g the s a n c t i t y o f
C h r i s t ) , a nd t h e ir
Jerome and H i l a r y agree in
the m urdered b a b ie s
(the
f i r s t m artyrs
fo r
comments focus on the m eaning o f the p as s a g e from J e r e m ia h :
they e x p l a i n t h a t the reaso n fo r R a c h e l 's
refu sal
to be c o n s o led was
t h a t she
h a d no need fo r c o n s o l a t i o n , know ing t h at h e r c h il d r e n were now s p e c i a l l y
52
b lessed in heaven.
As we s h a l l s e e , S e d u liu s is s i m i l a r l y c oncerned to
bring out
e x e g e s is
t h e i r s a n c t i t y in d y in g
a llo w s him to go more d eep ly in to
in the G o s p e l.
d eaths
fo r C h r i s t ,
The p o e t a r r iv e s
as a l t e r i
C h r i s t a ls o
C h risti
but h is
e p ic p o e t i c method o f
the e x p e r ie n c e i t s e l f as n a r r a t e d
a t a t h e o l o g ic a l in t e r p r e t a t i o n o f t h e i r
("o t h e r C h r i s t s " ) , w it h whose s u f f e r i n g and d eath
s h a r e d , b u t he a r r iv e s
a t t h is o n ly
a f t e r t a k in g the r e a d e r /
l i s t e n e r through an adequate em o tio na l p r e p a r a t i o n .
H is
tre a t m e n t,
f e r o c it y o f H ero d —
(1 1 0 ) —
s ta rtin g at 1 1 .1 0 7 ,
lik e n e d by s im i l e
and the p atho s o f
em p h a sizes two t h i n g s :
to a r a g in g l i o n ,
the b a b ie s and t h e i r mothers —
in n o c e n t flo c k o f sheep a t t a c k e d by the l i o n
the lambs
(i .e .,
e p i c s im i l e s
sets
J e su s )
had s l i p p e d h i s
the tone fo r
to an
(1 1 1 ).
T h is most a n c ie n t o f
ten f u r t h e r l i n e s w h ic h develo p h o r r o r at
the n eed to draw o u t a l i t t l e
lo rdly p erpetrato r o f e v il
l ik e n e d
(112- 17) , e n r ag ed t h at one o f
g ra sp
Herodte rage and g r i e f fo r the b e r e a v e d mothers
p oet feels
the inhuman
c e u le o f r e n d e n s ,
(1 1 7 - 2 6 ) .
lo n g e r t h is
A t th is p o in t
the
c o n t r a s t betw een the
and the in n o c e n t vic tim s o f h is
rage,
f o c u s in g
now on the
f r u s t r a t i o n o f Herod as he looks
b loo d y s p e c t a c l e b e lo w , w h e r e ,
f ir s t C h ristian
from h i s p a l a c e w a l l s on the
unknown to him a nd d e s p i t e h is
v ic to r y o f martyrdom is
t a k in g p l a c e .
t h is co m plex c o n t r a s t the p o e t has reco urse
s e t i n h i s memory,
from h e r p a l a c e
a d d res ses h e r in words t h a t make c l e a r h e r f r u s t r a t i o n :
tib i
turn, Dido, c e r n e n t i t a l i a sen sus?
Quosve d abas g e m it u s ,
cum l i t o r a f e r v e r e l a t e
P r o s p i c e r e s arce e x summa,
totumque v id e r e s
M i s c e r i a n te o c u lo s
clam oribus aequor?
tan tis
Im probe Amor!
q u i d non m o rta lia p e c to r a c o g is !
(W h a t , 0 D i d o ,
were yo ur f e e l i n g s
W hat g ro an s d id y o u g iv e
H igh
from V e r g il d eep ly
the A e n e id where D id o s e e s
tower the d i s t a n t p r e p a r a t io n s o f the T r o ja n s on the b e a c h ,
and where V e r g i l
Q u is
the
I n o rde r to r e a l i z e
to a p a s s a g e
the sc en e in the fo u rth book o f
in te n tio n s ,
then,
on s e e i n g t h is ?
f o r t h , when y o u saw from your
tow er the shore b usy f a r and w id e w it h a c t i v i t y ,
And b e f o r e y o u r eyes
B a n e f u l Lo ve !
the whole sea a s t i r w it h sh o uts?
How many m ortal h e a r t s yo u s n a r e ! )
(A e n e id I V . 408- 12)
I t s h o u l d b e n o t ic e d here how the a n c ie n t p o e t * s
h e r abandonm ent i s
tempered by h is
b l i n d e d D i d o ’ s ey es
to the p r o v i d e n t i a l
must go o n d e s p i t e h e r .
the s c e n e ,
and i t s
Q u is
t ib i
M is c e r i
task o f the Romans, a tas k w h ich
em o tio nal com plex,
turn, l a n i o ,
P ro sp ic eres
frem itu s,
to H e ro d in t h is w a y : ^
c e r n e n t i t a l i a s en sus?
cum v u ln e r a fe r v e r e l a t e
arce ex summa vastumque v id e r e s
ante o c u lo s
t a n t i s p la n g o r ib u s
(What, 0 B u t c h e r , were yo ur f e e l i n g s
W h a t s n a r l s d i d you g iv e f o r t h ,
High
w h ic h has
Four c e n tu r ie s l a t e r the C h r i s t i a n S e d u l iu s a p p l i e d
m oral /
Q u o sve d abas
sympathy fo r Dido in
censure o f immoderate p a s s i o n ,
aequor?
t h e n , on s e e i n g t h is ?
when y o u saw from your
tower the wounds sp r e a d f a r and w id e ,
And b e f o r e yo ur eyes a v a st p l a i n a s t i r w it h g ro a n in g ? )
(Carmen P a s c h a l e 1 1 .1 2 7 - 3 0 )
A learned a llu s io n
in t e n t io n .
f ig u r e
It
is
to Dido —
in the manner o f T . S .
the e x p e r ie n c e o f f r u s t r a t i o n ,
E lio t —
was n ot h is
the scene o f a m is e r ab le
l o o k in g down a t a group o f p eo p le swept up in a d e s t i n y beyond the
reach o f h i s
grasp,
s e t f o r the c lim a x ,
th at the p o e t w is h e s
to c o nv ey .
The s ta g e is
at last
a t once p o e t i c and e x e g e t i c a l :
E xtin c tisq u e
tamen quam vis i n f a n t i b u s
absens,
P r a e s e n s C h r is tu s e r a t , q u i s a n c t a p e r i c u l a semper
Su sc ip it,
e t poenas a l i e n o in corpore s e n t i t .
(Though a l l
those i n f a n t s were k i l l e d ,
And y e t was t h e r e ,
He was not there —
the C h r i s t , Who alw ays takes
Upon H im s e lf holy d a n g e r s ,
and fe e l s
the p a in s en du red in the
body o f a n o t h e r .)
(131- 33)
Instead o f
a d d r e s s in g Amor, S e d u l iu s b r i n g s
o u r h o rro r a t the d eath o f the In n o c e n t s ,
the f r u s t r a t i o n o f H e r o d ,
in t o a u n i t y , s e t o f f w it h
a l and em o tio na l sh a rp n ess by the a n t i t h e s i s o f ab s en s
1 31)
and p r a e s e n s
(a t the b e g i n n in g o f l i n e
p rogram ,
C h r is t i s n o t k i l l e d ,
in fants,
C h r i s t 's w i l l
1 3 2 ).
and
r a tio n ­
(a t the en d o f l in e
D e s p ite H e r o d 's
cruel
and d e s p i t e o u r sorrow a t the d eath o f
the
is d o n e , C h r i s t is p r e s e n t at t h e ir s u f f e r i n g ,
and
they are r e c e i v e d in glory as
the
f i r s t martyrs o f the C h u r c h .
rage and d e e p e s t sorrow are s u d d e n ly , m y s t e r i o u s ly ,
Im potent
transm uted to p eac e --
and an e m o t io n a lly complex movement taken from V e r g il has become the b a s is
f o r a v i v i d e x e g e s is o f S c r i p t u r e .
Our t h ir d and f i n a l ex am p le, o f s t i l l g r e a t e r l e n g t h , w i l l
fully
the same k i n d o f s y n t h e s i s ,
phrases,
im a ge s,
as e p ic n a r r a t i v e
show more
t ec h n iq u es and V e r g i l i a n
and id e a s are a p p l i e d to the sto r y o f Noah and the F lo od
to communicate both O l d and New Testam ent them es.
C la u d iu s M ariu s V i c t o r i u s ,
a rh eto r o f M a r s e i l l e s ,
as
"C y p r ia n u s "
approach
ish e d)
to h i s
composed h is A l e t h i a o r "T r u t h " about the same time
54
G a llu s and C a e li u s S e d u liu s composed t h e i r poem s.
H is
task d i f f e r s
from both o f the o t h e r s ,
r e s u l t i n g i n an
(u n f in ­
in t e r p r e t a t i o n o f the O l d Testam ent w h ic h in three books covers only
G e n e sis 1- 19.
W h i le he resem bles S e d u liu s
a t io n o f e x p l i c i t d o c t r in e and in h i s
resem bles
"C y p r i a n u s "
in h i s
in b e in g l a v is h
in h i s
in c o r p o r ­
a p p l ic a t i o n o f p o e t i c a r t i f i c e ,
c h o ic e o f s u b j e c t and h i s s l o w ,
he
m e d it a t iv e
q u a lity . ^
The sto ry o f No ah,
H o v in g h 's
too lo n g to quote i n f u l l h e r e , b e g i n s a t 1 1 . 3 8 2
e d i t i o n and runs fo r 2 8 5
l in e s
to I I I . 9 8 ;
p ose we can focus o n ly on the s t o r y o f th e F lo od p roper
p r o v id e s a k in d o f clim a x to the s ec o nd book
to o bse rve how V e r g il and the e p i c
in
fo r the p r e s e n t p u r ­
(G e n e s is
( 1 1 .4 1 7 - 5 5 9 ) .
7 - 8 ) , w h ic h
We w i l l be a b le
t r a d it i o n are drawn upon at v a r y in g depths
to communicate the m eaning and the e x p e r ie n c e o f the s t o r y in a manner
im p o s sib le
fo r a p r o se e x e g e t e .
S e v e r a l im p o rta n t a s p e c t s o f
the p o e t 's
b e e n a c c u r a t e ly d e s c r i b e d by Roberts
tec h n iq u e in
t h is p a s s a g e have
my purpose i s o n ly
to em p hasize the
p e r f e c t s y n t h e s is o f ep o s and s c r i p t u r a l a c t u a l i z a t i o n and in t e r p r e t a t i o n
w hich i t e x e m p l i f i e s .
V e r g il
in the s t o r y .
X II
A t one l e v e l , p a r t i c u l a r form ulae o r p h r a s e s
(a n d o th e r p o e ts )
from
are a d a p t ed to make v i v i d some o f the key moments
I n the c lim a c t ic d u el betw een Aeneas and Turnus i n A e n e id
the world- wide sco pe o f the c o n t e s t is
conveyed through the eyes o f
K in g L a t i n u s :
s tu p e t ip s e L a t in u s
In g e n tis,
I n t e r se
g e n it o s
c o iis s e
d i v e r s i s p a r t ib u s o r b i s
viro s e t c ern ere fe r r o
. . . .
(L a t in u s h i m s e l f w onders
A t th e two hu ge men, b o m
And now g o in g in t o
in d i f f e r e n t p a r t s o f the w o r ld ,
combat,
to co nten d w it h the sword .
.
.
.)
(A e n e id X I I . 707-9)
J u s t so the u n i v e r s a l e f f e c t o f the F lo od and the u n i f y i n g s a f e t y o f the Ark
fo r a l l
the anim als o f
the e a r th are conveyed by the C h r is t i a n p o e t :
Nec mora f i t :
q u i c q u i d convexo c ard in e c a e l i
N a s c it u r ignotum d i v e r s i s p a r t i b u s o r b i s
.
.
.
Una r u i t t r e p i d a n s e t a perta e im m ergitur arcae
(And no d e l a y :
. . . .
w h a tev er under the c u r v ed canopy o f h eaven
Has b e e n b o r n unknown in d i f f e r e n t p a r t s o f the world
Rushes a t o n c e ,
in
fea r,
and i s
.
.
.
taken in t o the open A rk
.
.
(A l e t h i a
I n ano ther o f V e r g i l 's
young a l l y P a l l a s ,
b attle
1 1 .4 4 5 - 4 6 ;
scenes, Aeneas,
storm s v e n g e f u l l y in to
A egaeon q u a l i s ,
centum q u i b r a c c h ia d ic u n t
Sic
.
.
.
toto A e n e a s d e s a e v it in a equ o re v ic t o r
Ut sem el i n t e p u i t mucro
. . . .
.)
l e a r n i n g o f the d eath o f h i s
the fr a y " l i k e
G ia n t A e g a e o n ":
C en ten asq u e manus
.
450)
the hundred- handed
(L ik e A eg a eo n , w it h h is
And h u nd red hands
.
.
f a b l e d h u n d r e d arms
.
So Aene as r a g e d throughout
the p l a i n i n
Once he f i r s t warmed h i s b la d e
.
.
.
vic to r y
.)
(A e n e id X . 5 6 5 - 6 6 ;
J u s t so
the r a in s b e g i n
to f a l l
and p ic k
up s p e e d ,
569- 70)
r a g in g w it h a u n iv e r s a l
v engeance on the w o r ld :
Nox r u i t e t s u b it a e
E ffu s o q u e cadens
caelum o bd ux ere tenebrae
te rra s
P r a e c e p s , more b r e v i s ,
Sic
fu rit et
toto p a r i ter d e s a e v it in orbe
Tamquam in p a r t e s o l e t
(N i g h t f a l l s ,
. . . .
and sud den d ark n ess clo ak s
And a c l o u d , s t r i k i n g
Falls ste ep ly ,
the h e a v e n s ,
the land s w it h poured- out a i r
as in a b r i e f sto rm ,
Storms and r a g e s
As
f e r i t a ere nimbus
serv atu ru sq u e tenorem
and k e e p in g i t s
i t u s u a lly does o n ly in a p a r t
.
.
.
.)
(A l e t h i a
When a t l a s t the r a in s are s t o p p e d ,
first
fo rce c o n t in u o u s ,
throughout the whole w orld
1 1 .4 5 6 - 6 0 )
and the F lo o d b e g in s
the raven and n e x t the dove are sen t
fo rth by N o a h ,
to s u b s i d e ,
the dove i n h is
seco nd f l i g h t b r i n g i n g the o l i v e bra n ch o f p e a c e :
columba
.
.
.q u a e rursum m issa r ep o r tâ t
P a d fe r a e f r u g i s parvum libam en o l i v a e .
(t h e dove
A lit tle
.
.
. s e n t a g a i n , b rin g s back
sample o f the f r u i t o f the p eac e - b ea r in g o l iv e )
(A l e t h i a
Th is
is
T r o ja n s'
an image taken from A e n e a s '
I I . 501-2)
f i r s t m eeting w it h P a l l a s ,
up- river embassy to E v a n d e r :
P allas
.
.
. p r o c u l e tumulo
"Q u i genus?
.
.
unde domo?
.
(in q u it ]
pacemne hue f e r t i s an arma?
Turn p a t e r Aeneas p u p p i s i c
f a t u r ab a l t a
P a c if e r a e q u e manu ramum p r a e t e n d i t o l iv a e
"T r o iu g e n a s
ac t e l a v id e s
in im ic a L a t i n i s
.
.
.
d u r in g the
(P a l l a s
[Thus spoke]
from the mound fa r away:
"What is yo ur ra c e ?
Where is y o ur home?
Do you b r i n g p eac e h ere
o r war?*'
Then F a t h e r A eneas thus spoke from the h ig h s t e m ,
And h e ld f o r t h i n h i s h a nd the b ra n ch o f p eac e - b ea r in g o l i v e ,
"T ro ja n- b o rn o n e s ,
and arms opposed to the L a t in s do y o u b e h o ld
. . . . " )
(A eneid V I I I . 115-17)
And a t l a s t ,
in
from A e o l u s '
cave i n
the same words and imagery w ith w h ic h the w inds b u r s t
the f i r s t book o f
ac v e n t i,
v e l u t agmine f a c t o ,
Qua data p o r t a , ru u n t
. . . .
(and the w i n d s ,
in a b a t t l e
Rush f o r t h a t
fo rth
the A e n e id ,
as i f
lin e ,
the o p e n i n g o f the g ate
.
.
.
.)
(A en e id 1 .8 2 - 8 3 )
so,
at l a s t ,
do the a n im als s p r in g
fo r th from the A r k :
Q u a e , p ostquam d a t a p o r t a , r u u n t :
pars a e r a p e n n i s ,
Pars s a l t u s s i l v a s q u e p e t u n t , pars mersa c av er n is
In fo d itu r p a t u lis
Exu ltât s ic c is
(And
p ar s l i b e r a
campis
e t p r a t o v e m a t aperto
terrae,
. . . .
(the a nim als] , a f t e r the gate was o p e n e d , rush fo rth ':
some
seek the a i r w it h w in g s ,
Others s e e k the v a l l e y s
and the woods,
some d i g and
Bury them selves i n the b r o a d caverns o f the e a r t h ,
S till
o th e rs
r e jo ic e ,
fr e e on the b ro a d f i e l d s ,
and f l o u r i s h on
the open p l a i n
(A l e t h i a
.
.
.
.)
1 1 .5 2 4 - 2 7 )
We sh o u ld not assume t h at the s p e c i f i c p a s s a g e s
from the A e n e id w o uld
have to have been r e c a l l e d by the l a t e a n t iq u e r e a d e r in o r d e r fo r him to
a p p r e c ia te the p o e t r y :
f e e l i n g in
w h et h er r e c o g n iz e d o r n o t ,
the a n im als coming i n
the o liv e- bra nc h o f p e a c e ,
s u b t le d e t a i l s
s id e r in g
the r ic h n e s s o f e p i c
from a l l o v e r the w o r l d ,
and the b urs ting - fo rth i n
the fu r io u s
to the e p i c r e a l i z a t i o n o f the s c r i p t u r a l n a r r a t i v e .
t h is l e v e l o f h i s
c o m po sitio n o n l y ,
r a in s,
freedom o n ly c o n t r ib u t e
Con­
the p o e t approxim ates P r o b a ,
whose C h r i s t i a n e p ic is
a t w o rk ,
as
a t io n o f S c r i p t u r e .
V ic to riu s'
th at a t a n o t h er l e v e l ,
p o e t ic - r h e t o r ic a l
the s t o r y .
F irst,
dove,
t h e ir
and y e t even h ere the s y n t h e s is
method,
h o w ev er,
also
takes him f a r t h e r ,
so
a b le
d raw in g on a c t u a l p h r as es o f a
to b r i n g o u t the a c t u a l e x p e r ie n c e o f the c h ar a c te r s
There are two o u t s t a n d in g exam ples o f t h is
when the A r k - t r a v e lle r s r e c e iv e
joy is
is
the a c t u a l i z ­
by making more i n d i v i d u a l use o f t r a d i t i o n a l e p ic
d e v ic e s w it h o u t n e c e s s a r i l y
p r e d e c e s s o r , he i s
in
"p u re V e r g il
the e p ic e x p e r ie n c e e x t e n d s , a n d i s e x te n d e d b y ,
in o u r p a s s a g e .
the good news b ro u g h t by the
e x p re ss e d w it h a th ree- fo ld s im i l e u s in g a na ph o ra :
Tantus a d in d i c iu m magni cum la u d e p a r e n t is
Clausorum f l e t u s ,
quo se quoque l a e t a r é v é l a n t ,
E x o r i t u r , q u a n t u s , muris cum v i c t o r acerbus
Insu ltâ t,
subitum o b s e s s is s i
A u x iliu m , q uantus,
A d d ic to s
fo r t e
feratur
cum iu d i c e m iss a modesto
rursum v it a e s e n t e n t ia r e d d i t ,
Q u an tu s, in
ambiguum funus cum v i t a r e c u r r i t
I n t e r lugentum la crim as e t g a u d i a ,
f le t u s
(So g re a t was the w eep in g a t the s i g n ,
. . . .
w ith p r a i s e
f o r the g re a t
father,
A ro se
from the p eo ple e n c lo s e d ,
as everyw here g la d n e s s was r e v e a l e d ,
As g r e a t as when a c ru e l v i c t o r mounts
And sudden a id is b ro u g h t by chance
the w a l l s ,
to the b e s i e g e d ,
As g r e a t as when the sen te nc e o f a moderate jud ge
Grants l i f e
a g a in to the a c c u se d ;
As g r e a t a w eep in g as when l i f e
comes back to a d o u b t fu l death
And amid the tears o f the g r i e v i n g ones is
(A l e t h i a
j o y .)
1 1 .5 0 3 - 1 0 )
The unbounded joy o f the d is c o u r a g e d c a p t iv e s o f the Ark i s made c l e a r in
terms o f contem porary e x p e r ie n c e ,
the e a r l y
s im i l a r
in Roman law co urts and in
fift h - c e n t u r y Germ anic movements in G a u l .
use o f r ic h ep ic - p o e tic r h e t o r ic o c c u rs a l i t t l e
a nim als have d i s p e r s e d , when the p s y c h o lo g i c a l
N o a h 's
im p r e s sio n o f a whole new w o r l d :
fo c us is
la te r,
a f t e r the
c o n c e n tr a te d on
f i r s t h i s own p e r c e p t i o n s ,
n e x t the d e s c r ip t io n o f the w o rld he s e e s ,
in te r p r e t a tio :
the chaos o f
A sec o nd exam ple o f a
are conveyed w it h
and
th ree- fo ld
A t dominus , mundi s o r t i tus régna s e c u n d i ,
Cuncta Noe gaudens o c u l i s
ac mente cap aci
A c c i p i t atque animam n e q u it e x s a t u r a r e replendo
58
E t cup ido ra ptim p e r lu s t r a n s omnia v i s u
Ut nova m ir a t u r .
E t mage s o l
Laeta p o li
F e tib u s
Noto f u l g e n t i o r o r t u
ru tilu s,
r i d e t maiore sereno
f a c i e s e t d e s p e r a t a v ir e s c u n t
a rv a n o v is
. . . .
(But the m aster N o a h , now g ra n ted a realm o f a sec o nd w o r l d ,
R e j o i c i n g takes in e v e r y t h in g w it h h is
eyes and cap a cio us m in d,
And he can n o t f i l l h i s s o u l s u f f i c i e n t l y ,
Going o v e r a l l w it h a s w i f t and d e s ir o u s g a z e ,
He wonders
At it s
at it s
newness.
More b r i g h t l y
u s u a l r i s i n g gleams
the s u n ,
S m iles w i t h g r e a t e r s e r e n i t y ,
Grow g re en w it h new f r u i t s
.
and the d e s p a ir e d - o f f i e l d s
.
.
.)
U a e t h ia
t h at the p o e t i s
1 1 .5 2 8 - 3 5 )
Here a g a in i t
is
c h ara c te rs
the s c r i p t u r a l s to ry in o r d e r to engage the e x p e r ie n c e o f the
in
c lea r
than
the g la d fa ce o f heaven
d e v e lo p in g the e x p e r ie n c e o f the
a u d ie n c e in an a c t u a l h i s t o r i c a l e v e n t , now a llo w e d to l i v e
B u t t h is v i v i d p s y c h o l o g i c a l p o r t r a i t i s a l s o
e x eg esis,
and a t t h i s p o i n t
s id e r e d a t a t h i r d l e v e l .
the p o e t 's
in e p ic
the b a s i s
term s.
for a C h r is tia n
e x e g e t i c a l e p ic m ethod m ust b e con­
I n the f o r e g o in g a n a l y s i s we have s een how the
V e r g i l i a n re m in isc e n c e s and use o f ep ic - p o e tic r h e t o r ic have b ro u g h t in to
p la y
the e x p e r ie n c e s o f
trials,
re s c u e
new c r e a t io n ;
h in t s
ju d gm en t,
harsh r e t r i b u t i o n , peace g ra n te d a f t e r
from im m inent d e a t h ,
lib e ra tio n ,
and r e c e i v in g
the g i f t o f a
in the c o n c lu d in g l i n e s o f the s to r y V ic t o r i u s b r in g s a l l
t o g et h er i n t o an e x p l i c i t and c lim a c t ic fo rm u la tio n o f
these
the s ta n d a r d
C h r i s t i a n e x e g e s is o f the F lo o d as the s ig n o f Ba ptism and the L a s t Judg m en t,
a nd o f the Ark as
59
food and d r i n k .
the C h u rc h ,
as a r i s i n g n a t u r a l l y
he is
jo u rne y by the E u c h a r i s t i e
t y p o lo g ic a l i n t e r p r e t a t io n i s
conveyed
from the e p i c p r e s e n t a t i o n o f the in n e r and o u t e r
e x p e r ie n c e s o f the a c t o r s i n
h im ,
n o u r is h e d in i t s
And y e t ev en t h is
Noah can n ot e a s i l y
the s t o r y .
W h ile
t a k in g in the new w o r ld around
fo r g e t the h o r r o r they have j u s t p a s s e d th r o u g h ,
e n v is a g e d by the p o e t as l e a d in g h is
r e f l e c t i o n on the meaning o f
fa m ily in a k in d o f communal
t h e ir re c e n t o r d e a l :
and
Sed adhuc v e r s a t u r imago
Ante o c ulo s
tan tae semper memoranda r u i n a e ,
I n t e r aquas q u id p e r t u l e r i n t ,
E t non p e r t u l e r i n t ,
Pontus e t i n l i s a s
Cuinque s u i s
q u id munere sacro
frem eret cum v e r b ere saevo
contem neret a rea p r o c e l l a s ;
r e p u t a t , quam l a t e
s a n c t a p a r e n t is
Se circum summi fundens l a r g i t i o
E t d ocet a t t o n it o s
Unde cib us
t a n t is
Q u is p o t u s ;
toto s u f f e c e r i t anno,
namque hoc c o n s t a t ,
Suppeterent,
c la u s o s ,
Su stin u isse t e o ,
n isi
Ille ,
n ec ar i
r e c t o r Olympi
nec iam u l l a extrem a t im en tis
quo c o n d id it o m n ia, n u t u .
I l l e animas lo ng a e p e r it u r a s
A ffe c tu luc is
s i c e t e r a v it a e
dum f l u c t u â t a r e a ,
I n t e r aquas p o t u i s s e s i t i ,
D e p o sito s p e n it u s
constet,
verumque a d d is c e r e prom ptos,
c a r c e r e n o c t is
s p o li a n s v i r t u t e
r e p le v it;
ut tam segnem p o ss e n t p e r f e r r e q u ie te m ,
I n f u d i t p i g r i p la c id u m to r p o r is
Il l e potens,
cui,
si p la c u it,
amorem,
v i r t u t e sev era
P r a e g e lid o ra p t im sub g u r g it e cogère
Immersos a rdere malos
flammisque
fas e s t
futuris
In v e c to s a lg e r e b o n o s , q u i tempore p a r v o ,
Ut nunc e d o c u it po pu los s i c p o sse n e c a r i ,
Ip s e d o c e b it a q u is po pu los s i c p o ss e r e n a s c i .
(B u t s t i l l
there lin g e r s
B e fo re h is eyes an image always
to be remembered o f so g r e a t a r u i n ,
What they s u f f e r e d amid the w a v e s ,
They d i d n ’ t s u f f e r ,
And the Ark sp urn ed the g usts
W ith h i s
and w h a t, by a h o ly g i f t ,
when the s e a ra g ed w ith a sa va ge scourge
t h at d ashed a g a in s t i t ;
fa m ily he t h in k s o v e r how w id e ly the h o ly g e n e r o s ity
O f t h e ir H ig h P a re n t p o u r e d i t s e l f around them,
And he teac hes
them as
they marvel and show them selves e a g e r to
le a r n the t r u t h ,
Whence came the
food t h at had s u f f i c e d fo r so many c r ea tu r es
fo r
a whole y e a r ,
And what d r i n k ;
fo r th is
is
agreed,
t h a t even were the r e s t o f
l i f e 's
S u p p l ie d ,
the ones e n c l o s e d , w h il e
n ec e ssitie s
the Ark w a f t e d , w o u ld have been
k ille d
Am id the waves by t h i r s t ,
Had n o t ,
if
the Governor o f heaven
as they s t a y e d d e e p ly e n c lo s e d and n ot f e a r in g fo r t h e i r
fa tes,
S u s t a in e d them w it h
He was
t h at n o d , by w h ic h he c r e a t e d a l l .
the one Who, when t h e ir s o u ls w ere going to p e r is h i n
the
p r is o n o f a long n i g h t ,
F ille d
them w it h s t r e n g t h ,
He was
the one W ho ,
and removed t h e i r lo n g in g f o r d ay ;
in o r d e r that they c o u ld endure a w a it so l o n g ,
P o ured upon them a p l a c i d love o f slo w i d l e n e s s ;
He was
the m ighty O n e , W ho, s h o u ld i t p l e a s e h im , w it h s te r n power
C ou ld j u s t l y
compel the e v i l o n e s ,
sw iftly
immersed beneath the
c o ld flo o d,
To b u rn —
and,
in
those fu t u r e
flam es a llo w the good o n e s ,
to be
c a r r i e d cool a bo ve .
He W ho,
as he has now tau ght how p e o p le can be s l a i n ,
W i l l H i m s e l f teach how,
by w a t e r ,
the p e o p le s can be r e b o r n .)
(A l e t h i a
I n th ese
im agine
fin a l
l i n e s o f the second book o f
the in n e r w o rkin gs o f
typology —
the a c t u a l h i s t o r i c a l n a r r a t i v e .
N o a h 's
the A l e t h i a we are a llo w e d to
w it h o u t d is t u r b i n g the r e a l i t y o f
" v a t i c " d e d u c tio n s from the e x p e r ie n c e
o f b e in g s a v e d from a u n iv e r s a l judgm ent and h i s
ph ysical
1 1 .5 3 5 - 5 8 )
d eep th a n k fu ln e s s
fo r t h e ir
and p s y c h o l o g i c a l su st e n a n c e w h ile a f l o a t p r o v id e s the lin ea m en ts
o f the s t a n d a r d e x e g e s is w it h o u t fa r- flu n g d ig r e s s io n s
O r ig e n o r A u g u s t i n e .
fa rin g p e o p le ,
I n N o a h 's
upon whose doing s depends
he a pp ro xim ates A ene as h i m s e l f .
id e a in m in d,
as i s
Ind eed ,
the fu t u r e o f a l l s ub seq uen t h u m an ity ,
V i c t o r i u s h im s e l f h a d j u s t such an
c l e a r from the f i r s t l i n e s o f
T a l i a mente g e r e n s ,
(B e a r i n g such
in the manner o f
c a p a c ity as l e a d e r and moral g u id e o f a w ay ­
the t h i r d b oo k:
v enturaqu e s a e c u l a cern ens
. . . .
t h in g s in h i s m in d , and d i s c e r n i n g fu t u r e ages
.
.
.
J u s t so had A ene as dim ly d is c e r n e d the fu t u r e g l o r i e s o f Pome in the u n d er­
w o r ld
(A e n e id V I . 756- 892)
6 0 8 - 7 3 1 ).
and i n
The V e r g i l i a n i d e a ,
the s h i e l d g iv e n him by Venus
a t once m o r a l, p o l i t i c a l ,
the h e r o ic b r id g e - b u il d in g betw een p a s t and f u t u r e ,
e p ic made the b a s i s
n ess o f Noah.
(A e n e id V I I I .
and r e l i g i o u s ,
of
i s i n t h is C h r is t i a n
f o r u n d e rsta n d in g in s i m i l a r terms
the h e r o ic r ig h t e o u s ­
.)
Three exam ples o f the l a t e
a n t iq u e L a t i n b i b l i c a l e p ic have been
p r e s e n t e d in o r d e r to show how a c u l t u r a l s y n t h e s is o f J u d a e o - C h r is tia n
sc rip tu ra l
p h rasing"
fruitio n
te a c h in g and Greco-Roman epos was acco m p lish ed by "m ere p a r a ­
as w e l l as by more d e v e lo p e d m etho ds.
In thus b r i n g i n g i n t o m utual
two d i s t i n c t t h ou san d y ear- o ld c u l t u r a l t r a d i t i o n s
k in d o f e p ic a nd a new k i n d o f e x e g e s i s ,
l a y i n g the f i r s t
a l l s u b s e q u e n t C h r is t i a n e p ic and p r o v id in g a b a s is
and l i t e r a r y
ed ucation .
a p r o v id e n tia l
by u n it in g
b u ilt
task as
L ik e Aeneas and N o a h,
the in t e r p r e t a t i o n o f
in the
the B i b l e w it h
the p o e t i c
fo u n d a t io n s
a cc o m p lis h ed
"d e l u g e " o f G erm ania:
the w o rld o f the e p i c ,
and e d u c a t io n a l b r id g e t h a t le a d s
the w o rld o f Homer and V e r g il on one s i d e ,
for
fo r m e d ia ev a l gram m atical
the b i b l i c a l p o e ts
the W estern Em pire f e l l
the f i r s t s tag e o f
they made a new
they
from
to the w o rld o f Dante and M ilto n
on the o t h e r .
C entre
fo r M edieva l S t u d i e s ,
Toronto
NOTES
^ S p e c i a l thanks are due to P r o fe s s o r John H .
o f Toronto C en tre fo r M e d ie v a l S t u d i e s ,
w id e
C orb ett o f the U n iv e r s it y
whose p e r s o n a l en co uragem ent and
l e a r n i n g have h e lp e d make t h is p a p e r a r e a l i t y .
The s t a n d a r d c r i t i c a l
e d i t i o n s o f the l a t e a n t iq u e b i b l i c a l p o ets are as f o l l o w s :
J uve nc u s
V e t t iu s A q u il in u s
" C y p r ia n u s "
J u v e n c u s ):
G a llus:
CSEL 2 3 . 1
(1 8 9 1 )
P r o b a ):
CSEL 16
S e d u liu s
(C a e l i u s S e d u l i u s ) :
(1 8 8 8 )
(B l o s s iu s A e m iliu s
ed.
M c k in la y .
M an itiu s,
F .J .E .
Huemer;
569- 609, ed .
K . S c h en k l
(see a ls o n .
CSEL 10
CCSL 1 2 8
D r a c o n t iu s ):
D a n ie l J .
J.
Proba
(1 8 8 5 )
ed.
(1 9 0 5 )
MGH AA 6 . 2
(F a l t o n i a B e t i t i a
1- 146, e d .
(I9 6 0 ),
MGH AA 14
(Alcim us E c d i c i u s A v i t u s ) ;
and see now A v i t u s ,
I- III,
(1 8 9 1 ), ed.
R. P e i p e r ;
(C l a u d iu s M arius V i c t o r i u s ) :
A v it u s
CSEL 24
1- 208, ed .
P .F .
J.
57 b e l o w ) ;
Huem er;
H o v in g h ;
23- 1 1 3 , e d .
(1 8 8 3 )
(G a iu s
201 - 7 4 ,
V ic t o r i u s
D r a c o n t iu s
F . V o llm e r ;
ed.
R. P e i p e r
The F a ll o f M an: De S p i r i t a l i s H i s t o r i a e G e s t i s L i b r i
Nodes
(To ro nto 1 9 8 5 ) ;
A ra t o r :
CSEL 72
(1 9 5 1 ),
ed.
A .P .
For b r i e f g e n e r a l d is c u s s io n s a nd b a s i c b ib l i o g r a p h y see Max
G e s c h ic h t e d e r C h r is t li c h - L a t e in in s c h e n P o e s ie
R a by , A H i s t o r y o f C h r is t i a n
(S tu ttg art 1 8 9 1 ) ;
L a t in Po etry from the B e g in n i n g s
to the
C lose o f
the M idd le A g e s
F o ntaine,
η.
6 and n .
7 belo w
p h rastic "
fa ith fu l
.
ed.
(p .
to s t a n d
1 98 )
is
fr e e
.
.
(p .
1 9 1)
is
(p .
C y p r ia n u s ,
1 8 2 ),
"was as
free as V e r g il
(p .
8 5 ):
g le ic h
"D ie
g ross:
d e r von C y p r ia n u s
in RAC 5
fa ilu r e "
in h i s
i n w r i t i n g the A e n e id "
(p .
t h a t "d e r s u b t i l e n K ù n s t l ô s i g k e i t e n t s p r ic h t der
(p .
3 3 ) , and compares the two groups in
spanne von wort-frommer Treue zu g r o s s t e r Unabhan(i .e .,
O T and NT
d e r Weg von Juvencus b i s A r a t o r i s t eben so w e i t w ie
zu A v i t u s / ’
(S t u t t g a r t 1 9 6 5 )
K laus T h r a e d e ,
983- 1042,
in h is
in flu e n t ia l a r tic le
2
of
(c o ls .
Thus
it
is p o s s i b l e
Frey,
in
Duquesne S t u d i e s ,
in t o
to take two d i f f e r e n t view s tow ard the developm ent
d ep e n d in g on o n e ’ s d i s c i p l i n a r y
in te rests.
W h ile
"T h e R h e to r ic o f L a t in C h r i s t i a n E p ic P o e t r y ,"
A n n u a le M e d ie v a le 2
opment as a p r o g r e s s
s io n s
the
"e le g ia c - h y m n ic , n and "d r a m a t ic - l y r ic ” treatm ents o f
1 0 2 2 - 3 1 ).
the b i b l i c a l p o e t s ,
Leo n ar d H .
"E p o s "
c o n t r a s t s in a s i m i l a r f a s h io n the
"g r a m m a t i c a l - h is t o r ic a l " p a r a p h r a s e s o f Juvencu s and "C y p r ia n u s " w it h
" r h e t o r i c a l - d i d a c t i c ,"
the r e s t
1 8 9 ).
34-35 says i n r e g a r d to
g i g k e i t von d e r b i b l i s c h e n V o rlag e i s t in b e id e n R e ih en
themes]
t e x t fo r the
s a i d o r done and
" a more i n t e r e s t i n g
(München 1 9 7 5 )
is
"v o n e i n e r a r t i s t i s c h e r Gesam tsko n ceptio n kann k e i n e Rede s e i n "
and in r e g a r d to Juve nc u s
terms
t h is
who "shows a deep c o nc ern f o r l i t e r a t u r e "
in B ib e ld ic h tu n g
"J u v e n c u s
a r a t h e r choppy l in e
t h a t "t h e r e i s no p l a c e in
M angel e i n s i c h t i g e r K o m p o sit io n "
these
See
As f o r "C y p r ia n u s " G a llu s
no c o o r d in a t io n b etw een what i s
e f f e c t , " w herea s P r o b a 's poem i s
D iete r Kartschoke
2 14 says
that the r e s u l t is
from such l i m i t a t i o n s . "
. th ere
and A v it u s ,
P ra e fa tio
Jacq ues
1 9 8 1 ).
the fo l l o w in g remarks o f rec en t
(L e id e n und K oln 1 971)
a f o llo w e r o f h i s source
. S e d u l iu s
a lite r a r y
and 5 ;
(P a r is
theory o f the d i s t i n c t i o n b etw een "mere p a r a ­
can be i l l u s t r a t e d in
K a r l La ng o sch
the same a u t h o r says
p o et
3,
C h a r le s W itk e in Numen L it t e r a r u m , M i t t e l l a t e i n i s c h e n S t u d ie n
und T e x te 5 ,
.
c rit ic a l
and o t h e r w is e
a uth orities:
.
c h s. 1,
fo r the works o f H erzo g and R o b erts.
The dom inance i n
so
(2n d e d . , O x fo r d 1 9 5 3 )
N a is s a n c e de l a P o e s ie dans I 1O c c id e n t C h r é tie n
(1 9 6 1 )
15 - 30,
c h a r a c t e r iz e s
from the c lo se im i t a t i o n o f V e r g il
fo r m a l i z e d r h e t o r i c a l p o s t u r i n g "
(p .
it s
d evel­
to ’’m a n ifo ld e x c u r ­
17) , J u d i t h McClure in
"The
B i b l i c a l E p i c and i t s A u d ie n c e in La te A n t i q u i t y , " Pa p e r s o f the L iv e r p o o l
L a t in S e m in a r I I I ,
M onographs,
7
1981,
ARCA C l a s s i c a l a n d M ediev a l T e x t s ,
(L iv e r p o o l 1 9 8 1 )
d e fin e s
in c r e a s in g presence o f e x e g e tic a l
at p p .
219- 20.
and
the developm ent in terms o f an
concerns
^ E t u d e s s u r l e l a t i n d e s C h r é t ie n s ,
m é d i é v a l ,"
Papers,
(p p .
v o l.
307,
2
3 1 5 ).
(Roma 1 9 6 1 )
I I . 3 "L e l a t i n
European L i t e r a t u r e and
(P r i n c e t o n 1 973)
In
the L a t in M id d le A g e s ,
a d d it io n
to the works by W itke and F o ntaine
d is c u s s o th e r k in d s o f L a t i n C h r i s t i a n p o e t r y ,
(a t n .
1) , which a ls o
rhythm ic p o e t r y ,
III
(Roma 1 9 7 8 ;
and the s t u d i e s
d is c u s s e s
see A ngelo d i B e r a r d i n o ,
T rask
(a t n .
"L a P o esia C r is t ia n a " in P atro lo gia
Q a s t e n 's P a t r o l o g i a )
d ev o ted to P r u d e n tiu s by R e in h a r d H e r z o g ,
Zetem ata 42
" P r u d e n t i u s " in Euro p ean W r it e r s :
(München 1 9 6 6 ) ;
Theme and D o c t r in a l
241- 321,
Die A lle g o risc h e
by M a c k lin S m ith ,
(P r in c e t o n 1 9 7 6 ) ;
and by H . J .
W estra,
the M id d le A g e s a nd the R e n a i s s a n c e , e d .
Jac k so n and George Stad e
s tu d y o f A v it u s see D a n ie l J .
1 ) , w h ich a ls o
and the book by K artsch o k e
v e r sio n o f J .
P r u d e n t i u s ' P s y c h o m a c h ia : A R eexam inatio n
Its
W i l l a r d R.
Germanic b i b l i c a l e p i c and l a t e r L a t i n
augmented I t a l i a n
D ic h t k u n s t des P r u d e n t i u s ,
W illia m T .H .
tr.
462.
(New York 1 9 83)
1- 22.
For a r ec en t
N o d e s , A v it u s o f V i e n n e 's S p i r i t u a l H i s t o r y :
Im p lica tio n s,
(u n p u b l.
U n iv .
o f Toronto d i s s .
1 9 8 1 ).
^ D i e B i b e l e p i k d e r l a t e i n i s c h e n S p a t a n t ik e :F o r m g e s c h i c h t e e i n e r erbaulich en
G a ttun g
(1 9 7 9 )
724- 27.
(München 1 9 7 6 ) .
7 B ib lic a l
C la s s ic a l
See the rev iew by J .
F o n t ain e
i n Latomus
38
E p ic a nd R h e t o r ic a l P a rap hra se i n L a te A n t i q u i t y , ARCA
and M edieva l T e x t s ,
Pa pe rs and Monographs 16
(L iv e r p o o l 1 9 8 5 ) .
g
Herzo g
(a t n .
6)
the developm ent o f t h is
pp.
lx xiii;
the author p r o v id e s a c o n v e n ie n t s k etc h o f
sc ho o l a nd i t s
re le v a n c e to the b i b l i c a l p o e ts on
Ixx iii- lxx v i.
9
Ib id .
lx xv .
10
Ib id .
42- 43;
11
Ib id .
1;
12 I b i d .
^
C f.
156- 57.
x lix .
F o n t a i n e 's
nomes V e r h â l t n i s "]
en e f f e t
158.
comments
(a t n .
6)
725:
"C e t t e
form ule
me p a r a i t dangereusem ent c o n t r a d ic t o i r e
.
[ i .e .,
.
"hetero-
. elle
suppose
une antin o m ie a b s t r a i t e e t i r r é a l i s t e e n tr e c r é a t io n l i t t é r a i r e
(c o n s id é r é e comme r e l e v a n t d 'u n domaine é s t h e t iq u e purem ent form el)
e t oeuvre
de c a r a c tè r e r e l i g i e u x . "
14
^
E r i c H a v e lo c k ,
Ib id .
80- 84;
A n tiq u ity , t r.
Preface
180.
George Lamb
to P la t o
See a lso H . I .
(O x fo r d 1 9 6 3 )
125.
M arro u, A H is t o r y o f E d u c a t io n in
(M adison 19 8 2 )
13.
16 I b i d .
161- 62.
17 I b i d .
277- 78.
18
See M.
P r é sen c e d e
Lo u is H o l t z ,
V i r g i l e , A ctes
Caesarodunum X I I I b i s ,
22;
esp.
19
Numéro s p é c i a l ,
See A . J .
Gossage,
(London 196 9 )
21
R. C h ev a llie r
Newman, A ugu stu s a nd the New P o e t r y ,
(Bruxelles- Berchem 1 9 6 7 )
^
ed.
1 1 , e t 12 décembre 1 9 7 6 ,
(P a r is
1978)
209-
211- 12.
See J . K .
D u dley
" L a s u r v ie de V e r g il e dans le h a u t moyen a g e , ”
du C o llo q u e des 9 ,
C o l l e c t io n Latomus 88
1 04 - 11 ;
231- 32 .
"V e r g il
and the F la v ia n E p i c , "
67- 93 .
in V e r g i l , e d .
D .R .
„
See Gunther G l a u c h e , S c h u l l e k t u r e im M i t t e l a l t e r : E n t s te h u n g une
W andlungen d e s Le k t ü r e k a n o n s b i s 1 2 0 0 n a c h d e r Q u e lle n d a r g e s t e l l t ,
M unchener B e it r â g e z u r M e d i & v i s t i k und Renaissance- F o rsch u n g 5
a nd A .G .
Century
30,
Rigg and G .R .
(The
esp.
^
120- 22,
(a t n .
5- 36.
24
107- 22 6 .
^
7)
(a t n .
7)
37- 60.
r h e t o r ic a l p a r a p h r a s e s ]
and n otes
7 2 - 7 5 ),
these
(a t n .
6)
60- 68 .
A ltho ug h Roberts says
t h at "many o f them
are p o e t i c v e r s io n s o f p rose o r i g i n a l s "
are p r e c i s e l y the b i b l i c a l e p ic s
the e x c e p t io n o f three pag an h a g i o g r a p h i e e p ic s w h ich do n ot s u r v i v e .
a n t iq u e pag an and C h r i s t i a n h a g i o g r a p h i e e p ic s
(5 8 ,
and the C h r is t i a n
h a g i o g r a p h i e e p ic s o f P a u li n u s o f P e r i g u e u x and V en an tiu s F o r tu n a tu s ,
la te
113-
61- 62 .
As shown in p a r t by H e rz o g
Roberts
[ i .e .,
(1 9 7 5 )
130.
23 I b i d .
Ib id .
(München 1 9 7 0 )
"A C an terb ury C lassb oo k o f the M id- Eleventh
"C am bridge S o n g s " M a n u s c r i p t ) , Anglo-Saxon E n g la n d 4
Roberts
25
W ielan d,
w ith
These
are s i m i l a r to the
b i b l i c a l e p i c i n b e in g m o tiv a te d p r im a r il y by the d e s ir e to renew the e p ic
t r a d i t i o n around a new i d e a l ,
as op po sed to the d e s ir e
to improve the s t y l e
o f a text.
27
C f.
Roberts
(a t n .
7)
70- 71:
"V e r s e co m po sitio n c e r t a i n l y does not
seem to have been a r e g u la r p a r t o f gram m atical o r r h e t o r ic a l i n s t r u c t i o n ."
28
A lbert B.
L ite ra tu re
W .F .
24
Lord,
The S i n g e r o f T a l e s ,
(C am b r id g e,
M ass.
Jac kso n K n i g h t ,
1 960 )
H a rva rd S t u d ie s
in Com parative
21- 29 .
Roman V e r g il
(Harmondsworth 1 9 6 6 )
113- 14;
cf.
a ls o
311:
" I t was the so u n d,
carried to,
and c a r r i e d i n ,
m etr e,
V e r g i l 's
p o etry o f o th e r s o r h is own,
and rhythm , o f c o u r s e , w h ic h m ainly
mind the o r i g i n a l s o f e a r l i e r p o e t r y ,
o u t o f which he in t e g r a t e d h i s
new w o rk .
W ith ­
o ut the c o n t a i n i n g and e n e r g i z i n g metre and rhythm the i n t e g r a t i o n c o u ld not
go o n . "
30 See Roberts
(a t n .
7)
"C h r is t ia n L a tin Poetry:
t ra d itio n o f , "
31 I b i d .
32
69;
(p .
1 983)
1211- 12)
di A n t i q u i t a C r i s t i a n e , e d .
195 7 )
1978)
43- 62.
34 B lo c h
(a t n .
3 ~* I b i d .
1266- 6 7 ;
the S c r ip t u r e s
w h il e
in
36 C f .
in
31)
Ip
39
(v o l .
II,
(v o l.
I,
(C a s a le
1211- 23,
2467- 72, esp .
in D i c t i o n n a i r e d e l a B i b l e ,
Targum du P e n t a t e u c h ,
2 4 7 1 ).
sup p .
So u rce s C h r é tie n n e s 245
12 6 9 - 7 6 .
the m idrash haggadah was
the l i t u r g i c a l e x p o s i t i o n o f
the sy n a g o g u e, w it h em phasis on the n a r r a t i v e
the e x p o s i t i o n o f the l e g i s l a t i v e
s e c t io n s,
s e c t io n s o f
the s c h o o l.
Hebrews 1 :1 - 2 ;
du m i d r a s h ," B i b l i c a
37 I b i d .
G re g o ire
"M id r a s h "
the m idrash h a lak h a h was
the S c r ip t u r e s
A ngelo d i B e r a r d in o
in
1 263 - 81 .
33 See Roger Le D e a u t ,
( P a r is
see the a r t i c l e s
on "E s e g e s i P a t r i s t i c o " by M. S im o n et ti
and on "O m e lia " by R.
(P a r is
under the r u b r ic
. developm ent o f C h r i s t i a n
248) .
For m idrash see Renée B l o c h ,
V
.
107- 8.
P a tristic o
M D n tfera tto
vo l.
.
For the J u d a ic backgrounds o f C h r is t i a n e x e g e s is
D izio n a rio
esp.
etc.
223- 24 and the "G e n e r a l I n d e x "
C h r is t i a n p o e t i c id io m
50
see Roger Le D e a u t ,
(1 9 6 9 )
395- 413, esp .
"A propos
d 'u n e
d efin itio n
407- 8 .
402.
M cClure
(a t n .
2)
See Max W e h r l i ,
in Max W e h r l i ,
307- 10.
«
B i b e l e p i k a l s E u r o p a is c h e T r a d i t i o n "
"S a c r a P o i e s i s :
Formen M i t t e l a l t e r l i c h e n E r z a h l u n g
(Z u r ic h und F r e ib u r g 1 9 69)
51- 71.
40
Three app ro xim ately
em p hasize
h is to r ic a l
the e s s e n t i a l
development o f
be d e a l t w it h h e r e .
41
70;
contemporary p o ets have been chosen in o r d e r to
c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s w it h o u t r a i s i n g q u e s t io n s abo ut the
the t r a d i t i o n ,
See Roberts
For "C y p r ia n u s " G a llu s
M artin S c h a n z ,
(n .,7 )
(e d i t i o n
C arl H o s i u s ,
a very com plex problem w h ic h cannot
p a s sim and n .
at n .
1)
G u sta v K r u g e r ,
2 above.
s ee M a n it iu s
(a t n .
1)
G e s c h ic h t e d e r Romischen
166-
L i t e r a t u r b i s zum G esetzg ebu n gsw erk d es K a i s e r s J u s t i n i a n ,
L i t e r a t u r des v ie r t e n Ja h r h u n d e r ts
n.
1)
76;
F o ntaine
di B e r a r d in o
42
(a t n .
(a t n .
1)
For c r i t i c a l
2 0- 2 2;
W itk e
b ib lisc h en
(a t n .
text
See
n.
Pentateuchi
44
45
1)
1 90 - 91 ;
K.
(a t n .
7)
1 82 - 86 ;
(a t n .
1 2 5 ).
Sm olak,
C f.
see Frey
"L a t e i n i s c h e
{at n .
2)
(O x fo r d 1 9 6 8 )
Umdichtungen des
(1 9 7 5 )
3 5 0- 6 0 , e s p .
351- 52;
Roberts
(a t
202- 7.
7)
92- 95
fo r a d is c u s s io n o f
The t e x t c it e d i s
" C y p r i a n u s '" B i b l i c a l
taken from Codex L u g d u n e n s i s .
u n d e r s t a n d in g Exodus
O r ig e n H o m ilia e in Num éros,
1 5 8 );
GCS 30
ed.
U lysse Robert
(New York 1 9 69)
(e d . W .A .
T e r t u l l i a n A dv e rs u s M arcionem ,
(p .
181- 216)
C f.
6 5 2 );
89-90 and
(M in n e a p o lis
10
(p .
10
C f.
(p .
(e d .
P.
V II,
2 .4 .4 .
CCSL 23
(p p .
(e d .
J.
131- ;
F r a ip o n t)
7 2 ).
.
.
. p o ly tro p o n
Opera, ed.
R .A .B .
( " a man o f many s h if t s * ')
Mynors
(O x f o r d
is used to d e f in e
1 above.
For what is known about S e d u l i u s '
(a t n .
3 6 8- 7 4;
1)
1)
Raby
304- 8;
(a t n .
The G e n r e ,
303- 12;
(a t n .
Roberts
For c r i t i c a l
see Frey
K oe tsc h a u)
c h a r a c te r throu gho u t the e p i c .
For the e d i t i o n s e e n .
M a n it iu s
1-285)
the f i r s t l i n e o f the O d y ssey o f Hom er, where the e s s e n t i a l
e p i t h e t o f andra
Odysseus'
Baehrens
(e d . Aem. iCroymann,
2 0 0 ).
O r ig e n De p r i n c i p i i s , GCS 22
II.
CCSL 1
C y p ria n o f C arth ag e Ad Fortunatum , CCSL 3 (e d .
V e r g i l w i l l b e q u o te d from V e r g i l i i
1969) .
(a t n .
92- 9 6 .
The M essage o f E x o d u s : A T h e o lo g ic a l Corrmentary
Q u a e s t io n e s Exodi
1920)
53- 6 0 , 99- 1 5 4 ;
"C y p r ia n u s "
32) ; A u g u stin e Q u a e s t io n e s i n Heptateuchu m L i b r i
49
D ie
(a t
170.
4 .3 9 .6
R . W e b e r,
48
Raby
55- 56.
437- 726)
47
6)
V ie rte r T e i l :
212- 14;
Texte und U ntersuchungen zu r G esc h ic h t e
L i t e r a t u r 115
See Moshe G r e e n b e r g ,
X V I I . 3 (p .
46
(a t n .
1,
V ersio L a tin a A n t iq u is s im a e C o d ic e L u g d u n e n s i,
1881)
L e s t e r M eyer,
1983)
130;
Roberts
(e s p .
(P a r is
Roberts
S c h o p f u n g s b e r ic h t e s , "
116- 21;
43
295- 97;
H e rz o g
a n a ly s e s o f p a s s a g e s o f
der a ltc h r is t lic h e n
7)
246- 48 ;
Bd.
J .M . E v a n s , P a r a d is e L o s t and the G e n e s is T r a d it io n
1 3 7 - 41 ;
n.
1)
(München 1 9 1 4 )
2)
1)
1 08 - 10 ;
(a t n .
d e s c r ip t io n s
2 2- 2 4,
date, p lace,
Sc hanz- H o sius- K ruger
26;
7)
F o n t a in e
and bio graph y see
(a t n .
(a t n .
1)
41)
Bd.
248- 52;
2
(München
D i B e r a r d in o
77- 86.
and a n a ly s e s o f s p e c i f i c p a ssa ge s o f S e d u l iu s
Barbara K .
L e w a l s k i , M i l t o n 's B r i e f E p i c :
M ean in g , and A rt o f P a r a d is e R e g a in ed
(Pro vide nc e 1 9 66)
45-47
(note p a r t i c u l a r l y
t h is a u t h o r 's
e p ic d im e n s io n ); W itk e
138,
142,
^
ed.
144- 4 5,
^
C h ev a llie r
(p .
1 4 - 1 5 );
1 .7
from B i b l i a S a c r a iu x t a
18)
Schanz- H osius- K ruger
(p .
IV ,
esp.
(e d .
Hurst
a d a p t a t io n by S e d u l iu s
in S e d u lio Poeta P a r a p h r a s t ic o "
and b ib l i o g r a p h y see M an itiu s
(a t n .
4 9 );
Raby
(a t n .
1)
77;
P .F .
(a t n .
1)
301- 4;
(G ro ning en 1 9 5 5 ) ;
Roberts
(at η .
7)
1)
H o v in g h ,
l a p r i è r e e t l e s v e rse s 1- 170 du l i v r e I
(a t η .
D.
in
189- 91.
t ra d u c tio n e t conm entaire
d i B e r a r d in o
CCSL 77
So u rce s C h r é tie n n e s
1 0 0 ).
1 85- 94,
V ic t o r iu s ' A l e t h i a :
2 4 1 - 43 ;
110- 13,
vulgatam ve r s io n e m ,
S t H i l a r y , S u r M a t t h ie u ,
" L a P r e s e n z a di V e r g i l i o
(a t n .
in tro d u c t io n ,
7)
165- 71.
For backgro u nd d e t a i l s
M ariu s
F o n t a in e
96- 99.
180C l a u d iu s
avec
(a t η .
1)
E d i t i o n at
1.
55
Evans
For c r i t i c a l d i s c u s s i o n and a n a ly se s o f p as s a g e s s ee H o v in gh
(a t n .
Roberts
42)
(a t n .
1 2 1- 2 6; W itke
7)
1 21 - 22 ,
1 5 8- 5 9,
Smolak
(a t n .
186- 93,
207,
See the n ext t e x t and stu dy o f Proba by E l i z a b e t h A .
The Golden B o u g h ,
B e t it ia Proba,
42)
(a t n .
5 4 ),
352- 53;
210- 11,
213- 14.
207.
The Oaken C ro s s :
C la r k and Dian e
the V e r g il ia n Cento o f F a l t o n i a
A m erican Academy o f R e l ig i o n T exts and T r a n s l a t io n S e r i e s
5
1 9 8 1 ).
C f . V e r g i l 's
1 .7 1 2 - 1 4 :
a r d e s c it q u e
59
1 58 - 59 ,
145- 46,
156- 61 ;
^
58
7)
1 30- 31,
1)
Roberts
(C h ico
(a t n .
(a t n .
^
F . H a tc h ,
in
(a t n .
Co/nmentariorum in Matthaeum L i b n
I
Doignon)
G rillo ,
54
η.
Roberts
For another stu dy o f t h is p a r t i c u l a r V e r g i l i a n
s ee A .
88;
J.
206- 1 8;
(S t u t t g a r t 1 9 8 3 } .
S t Jerom e,
(e d .
c o n t e n tio n t h a t typology en h an c es the p o em 's
1)
The t e x t is q uo ted here
and M. A d ria en )
M.
154- 57 ,
R. W e b e r, OSB
52
25 4
(a t n .
d e s c r i p t i o n o f D i d o 's
p r a e c ip u e i n f e l i x ,
tuendo /
See J ac k P .
P h o e n is s a
pesti
f a s c i n a t i o n w it h A s c a n iu s a t A e n e id
devota f u t u r a e ,
/
e x p l e r i mentem n e q u it
. . . .
L e w i s , A S t u d y o f the I n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f Noah a n d the F lo od
J ew ish and C h r is t i a n L it e r a t u r e
(L e id e n 1968)
161- 76.