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Starożytny łaciński centon: próba przybliżenia na przykładzie „Centonu weselnego” Auzoniusza

100%

Krynicka T.

Vox Patrum

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2012

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vol. 57

359-378

EN

The term „cento” comes from the Latin cento, which means „a cloak made of patches,” „patchwork,” as the Greek does. Poems of Homer and Vergil were favorite sources for the ancient cento poets, who rearranged their fragments into totally different stories. The oldest preserved Latin cento is the tragedy „Medea” composed by Hosidius Geta from the fragments of Vergilian poetry circa 200 AD. We know, however, about other centos having been written before that date. Altogether, sixteen Virgilian and one Ovidian cento have been preserved. Thirteen of them, including the earliest and the latest of all extant Latin centos, are contained in the Codex called Salmasianus. Since the terminus ante quem for this manuscript is 534 AD, we assume that all preserved centos have been written between 200 AD, the broadly acknowledge date for Medea, and 534 AD. Ancient Virgilian centos mainly deal with well-known classical myths (8 of 13). Four of them have Christian themes, two treat trivial matters of everyday life, two are wedding-poems. The involvement of Decimus Ausonius Magnus (ca 310-394), a renowned teacher, rhetorician and poet, with the cento is not limited to being the author of a Virgilian cento, which he composed as a response to a similar poem by the Emperor Valentinian I (321-375). Ausonius is the only ancient author we know to have described cento in more detail and to have laid down the rules of the genre. In the introductory letter to the Cento nuptialis, addressed to his friend Axius Paulus, Ausonius maintains that verses of an original text, taken over to the cento, may be divided at any of the caesurae which occur in hexameter. No section longer than one line and a half should be taken over. The quotation may not be changed, although its meaning may change according to the new context. Ausonius compares activity of the cento poets to playing the game of stomachion. Doing so he emphasizes unity within cento and its playfulness as the particularly important traits of the genre. Ancient authors usually followed the technical rules put forth by Ausonius, although not all of them would have agreed with him about the similarity between writing a cento and playing a game. While some twentieth century scholars had treated cento with undeserved contempt, the research of the last decades has given it its honour back. Centos still require our attention, especially that, through their analysis, we may try to obtain a more faithful portrait of the well educated ancient reader. This reader knew his Virgil by heart, worshipped Virgil as the divinely inspired prince of Latin poetry, and preferred Virgil’s words to his own when he ventured to describe his world.

2

Maturam frugem flore manente ferens: pochwała starości w poezjach Auzoniusza

100%

Krynicka T.

Vox Patrum

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2011

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vol. 56

169-183

EN

Decimus Ausonius Magnus (ca 310-394) was a rhetorician, a teacher, a tutor of young Gratian and a highly-ranked, influential official, as well as one of the most famous poets of the late Roman Empire. In his poems, he frequently described the small world he belonged to, the daily routine of his own, of his relatives, professional colleagues and friends. As the poet reached his old age, he made it a subject of his poetry. Ausonius considers old age to be a blessing, a time which permits a wise, generous person to gather fruit of his good deeds and fulfilled duties, to watch children and grandchildren grow and achieve successes, to share one’s wisdom with younger persons. Ausonius shows his grandfather and his grandmother, his aunts, but first of all his father, Ausonius senior, as the examples of happy old persons, loving and loved, respected and needed by the people who surrounded them. He notices that old persons can be joyful, healthy and beautiful. Writing about old age, he mentions illness only once, while expressing his joy of having recovered and being able to send greetings to the grandson who celebrates his birthday. In spite of his age, Ausonius still loves his wife Sabina, who died many years before, the same way as he loved her when he was a young husband. He is deeply attached to Bissula, the charming German girl captured and given to him by the Emperor Valentinian I probably circa 368. Besides, he really enjoys spending time with his friends and with the Muses. In his epigrams, most of which don’t have personal, but rather literary character, the poet translates, quotes, paraphrases and imitates Greek and Latin epigrams which deal with the theme of old age. Although in Ausonius’ poems exists an obvious resemblance to their models, he grants himself much freedom in his remouldings. Not only he alters circumstantial details, expands or abbreviates the original, bur also uses them as mere starting points of his reflexion. It becomes more important for him to ponder over quickly passing youth or over a lover’s feelings towards a woman who rejected him when she was young, but whom he still admires, than to play a literary game. Ausonius never parodies nor even portrays women trying to attire men in their old age, even though he may mock old men pretending to look younger than they are. Neither he complains about pains and sorrows of old age. In all that, he remains a true Roman and a true gentleman.

3

Auzoniuszowe "Parentalia". Charakter i kompozycja zbiorku

63%

Krynicka T.

Vox Patrum

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2008

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vol. 52

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issue 1

549-561

EN

En la dedicatoria de sus Parentalia el Poeta de Burdeos advierte al lector que no va a encontrar en la obra ni una tematica muy amena ni un titulo atractivo. Sin embargo nos parece que eon esta declaración no hace sino apelar al tópico de modestia. En realidad, escribiendo el unico en la literatura latina conjunto de poe- mas dedicados a los muertos provenientes de la misma familia, Ausonio se esmera mucho para que su obra agrade a los lectores. Varietas es el principio fundamental de la composición de Parentalia. El Poeta utiliza numerosos motivos tradicionales de la antigua poesfa funeral y varios metros. En cuanto al orden en el que sus seres queridos aparecen el la ‘Commemoración”, estableciendolo tiene en cuenta no solo el cardcter del vmculo por consanguinidad o afinidad, sino tambien el papel que un fallecido desempenó en la vida del Poeta y la cronologfa de los óbitos. La obra consta de doce partes, la mayoria de las cuales la constituyen unos poemas agrupados alrededor de una persona o una idea. Aparte de esto Ausonio enlaza poemas y dichos grupos de ellos tanto usando conjunciones y adverbios, como repitiendo o contraponiendo ciertos motivos.

4

Wczesna korespondencja Auzoniusza z Paulinem z Noli

51%

Krynicka T.

Vox Patrum

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2016

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vol. 65

353-371

EN

The article is devoted to the four letters written by Ausonius to Paulinus of Nola before the latter left Aquitania in 389 changing his style of life and provoking the deep crisis of their intimate friendship (Epist. 17-20, ed. R.P.H. Green). Ausonius writes to his pupil, admirer and friend about literary theory and practice, thanks for the gifts and favours, asks for help in an hour of need, sends him new year’s wishes. The exchange of letters provided to the famous befriended poets an opportunity to participate in the jolly literary games and to share mutual respect, admiration and love.

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Starożytny łaciński centon: próba przybliżenia na przykładzie „Centonu weselnego” Auzoniusza

Maturam frugem flore manente ferens: pochwała starości w poezjach Auzoniusza

Auzoniuszowe "Parentalia". Charakter i kompozycja zbiorku

Wczesna korespondencja Auzoniusza z Paulinem z Noli