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.