Beatitudes in Juvencus’ Epic "Evangeliorum libri quattuor" – Philologically Analyzed and Poetically Translated

• Authors: Viktor Wintner

Abstracts

EN

Gaius Vettius Aquilinus Iuvencus is the author of the first biblical epic which is known as Evangeliorum libri quattuor. It retells the Gospel story in classical hexameter in order to adapt its form to the literary aesthetics of the 4th century pagan society. Through the analysis of his poetic version of the beatitudes, this study aims to uncover and appraise the basic principles of his periphrastic technique, whether they apply to the form or content of the Matthean original. It shows that the author constantly tries to vary its syntax with the intention to disturb its monotonous regularity. He also promotes the value of heavenly rewards promised to Christians, providing them with sympathetic epithets and embellishes the original with stylistic figures such as alliteration or contrast. As for the content, the most significant change is the occasional insertion of author’s comments, the purpose of which is to provide the Matthean text with additional theological information that he might find missing. The study concludes with our free translation of this passage into iambic heptameter or fourteener.

Keywords

EN

Biblical epic; Juvencus; beatitudes; versification; translation

• Publisher: Katolicki Uniwersytet Lubelski Jana Pawła II
• Journal: Vox Patrum
• Year: 2023
• Volume: 85
• Pages: 23-40

Dates

published

2023

Contributors

author

Viktor Wintner

• Masaryk University, Brno

• https://orcid.org/0000000166776571

References

• Biblia Sacra iuxta Vulgatam versionem, ed. R. Gryson – R. Weber, Stuttgart 2007; The Bible. Authorized King James Version with Apocrypha, ed. R. Carrol – S. Prickett, Oxford – New York 1997; The Bible with Apocrypha: New Revised Standard Version, anglicized edition, Oxford 2001; Itala. Das Neue Testament in Altlateinischer Überlieferung. I. Matthäus-Evangelium, ed. A. Jülicher, Berlin 1976.
• Q. Vetii Iuvenci Libri Evangeliorum IIII, ed. C. Marold, Lipsiae 1886; Gai Vetti Aquilini Iuvenci Evangeliorum libri quattuor, ed. I. Huemer, Vindobonae 1891; L. Canali – P. Santorelli, Aquilino Giovenco: Il poema dei Vangeli, Milano 2011; F. Galli, Giovenco: I libri dei Vangeli, Roma 2012; S. McGill, Juvencus’ Four Books of the Gospels: Evangeliorum libri quattuor, London – New York 2016.
• Hieronymus, Commentarius in Evangelium Matthaei Libri Quattuor, PL 26, 15-208.
• Hilarius Pictaviensis, Commentarius in Evangelium Matthaei, ed. J. Doignon, SCh 254; 258, Paris 1978-1979.
• Origenes, Commentaria in Evangelium secundum Matthaeum, ed. E. Klostermann – E. Benz, GCS 38, 40, Leipzig 1933, 1935, tr. R. Heine, The Commentary of Origen on the Gospel of St. Matthew, Volume I, Oxford 2018.
• Bradtke M., Lateinische Stilmittel, Stuttgart 2016.
• Colombi E., Paene ad verbum: Gli Evageliorum libri di Giovenco tra parafrasi e commento, “Cassiodorus” 3 (1997) p. 9-36.
• Green R., Latin Epics of the New Testament: Juvencus, Sedulius, Arator, Oxford 2006.
• Herzog R., Die Bibelepik der lateinischen Spätantike: Geschichte einer erbaulichen Gattung, München 1975.
• Kievits H., Ad Iuvenci Evangeliorum librum primum commentarius exegeticus, Groningen 1940.
• Limbeck M. – Müller P. – Porsch F., Stuttgarter kleiner Kommentar zu den Evangelien, Stuttgart 2009.
• Majtán Ľ., Ježišova zVRCHovaná reč: Evanjelium podľa Matúša, 5. – 7. kapitola, Doľany 2021.
• Mrázek J., Kázání na hoře, Jihlava 2017.
• Müller M., Tod und Auferstehung Jesu Christi bei Iuvencus (IV 570-812): Untersuchungen zu Dichtkunst, Theologie und Zweck der Evangeliorum libri quattuor, Stuttgart 2016.
• Orban A., Juvencus als Bibelexeget und als Zeuge der “Afrikanischen” Vetus-Latina-Tradition: Untersuchungen der Bergpredigt (Mt. 5,1 – 48) in der Vetus Latina und in der Versification des Juvencus (I 452-572), “Vigilae Christianae” 49 (1995) p. 334-352.
• Roberts M., Biblical Epic and Rhetorical Paraphrase in the Late Antiquity, Liverpool 1985.
• Rollins, S., The Parables in Juvencus’ Evangeliorum libri IV, Liverpool 1984.
• Souter A., A Glossary of Later Latin to 600 A.D, Oxford 1996.
• Thor A., Studies on Juvencus’ Language and Style, Uppsala 2013.
• Thraede K., Juvencus: Der Übergang zur Bergpredigt des Matthäusevangeliums, in: Alvarium: Festschrift für Christian Gnilka, ed. W. Blümer – R. Henke – M. Mulke, JbAC Ergänzungsband 33, Münster 2002, p. 377-384.
• Wacht M., Concordantia in Iuvenci Evangeliorum libros, Hildesheim – Zürich – New York 1990.
• Wetmore M., Index verborum vergilianus, New Haven 1961.

Identifiers

DOI

10.31743/vp.14529

Biblioteka Nauki

43546305