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Notes on Virgil's Influence from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance

Virgil in the Middle Ages and Renaissance

  • Virgil's Role in Medieval Literature

    • Portrayed as a literary character; his life filled with fantastic adventures.
    • Significant appearances include:
    • Companion to Dante in the Inferno
    • A magician aiding citizens of Naples
    • Advisor on governance to princes
    • Sorcerer engaging with the devil

  • Impact on Literary Genres

    • Virgil's influence spans poetry, novels, and diverse literary genres through the Renaissance.

  • Challenges for Humanists

    • The task was to separate history from the legends surrounding Virgil.
    • Different approaches were taken between the 14th and 15th centuries:
    • Solutions provided by various figures include:
    • Anonymous compiler of the Donatus auctus
    • Petrarch
    • Sicco Polenton
    • Pomponio Leto

  • Continuity of Virgil's Influence

    • Virgil's works remained influential across eras, illustrating the evolution of societal tastes and cultures.
    • Focus on the tradition of the Vitae Vergilianae—the biographies of Virgil—shows varied interpretations.

The Tradition of the Lives of Virgil

  • Origins and Scholastic Usage

    • Initially linked to Virgil's works since Late Antiquity; Lives were often placed at the front of his literary works as introductions.
    • The earliest surviving Life is the Vita Svetoniana-Donatiana from the 4th century, adapted from Suetonius.

  • Key Biographical Texts

    • Various Lives arise, including references in St. Jerome’s Chronicon. Common Lives in circulation continued through the Middle Ages:
    • Vita Hieronymiana
    • Vita Serviana
    • Other lesser-known Lives included Vita Foca and Vita Probi.

Development Across Time

  • Middle Ages and Scholastic Engagement

    • Works and biographies served as pretexts for reading Virgil's literature, reinforcing his status as a scholastic author.
    • Notable examples of integration into teaching and exegesis, with Lives accompanying major works.

  • Transformation in the Renaissance

    • In literary renaissance, anecdotes and myths alter Virgil’s character from a wise sage to a magical figure.
    • Anecdotes often depict Virgil adopting various personas (e.g., sage vs. wizard).

The Humanist Re-evaluation of Virgil

  • Petrarch’s Influence

    • Critical view towards the biographical legends; sought to discern credible history from mythical elements.
    • Emphasized historical context over sensational anecdotes.

  • Key Figures and Their Solutions

    • Identified four main approaches to Virgil's biography:
    1. Donatus Auctus: Expanded version of VSD that filtered out magical anecdotes, emphasizing Virgil as a scholar/advisor.
    2. Petrarch: Hyper-critical of earlier versions, focusing on reliability based on sources he deemed credible.
    3. Sicco Polenton: Used historical accuracy to verify biographical notes; favored verifiable anecdotes.
    4. Pomponius Laetus: Based his work on earlier manuscripts, considered it an ancient and thus trustworthy account, although it had issues.

Continued Influence of Virgil’s Legend

  • Cultural Significance
    • The ongoing reevaluation of Virgil’s legends influenced cultural narratives throughout medieval and Renaissance Europe.
    • Humanist efforts illustrate the broader context of literary and historical scholarship during this period.