Title: Wisdom, authority, and grammar in the seventh century
First published: 1995
Description: The works of the enigmatic seventh-century author Virgilius Maro Grammaticus ('Virgil the Grammarian') are amongst the most puzzling medieval texts to survive. Ostensibly a pair of grammars, they swarm with hymns, riddles, imaginary writers, invented words and attacks on authority.

Conventionally interpreted either as a benighted barbarian's unfortunate attempt to write a 'proper' grammar, or as a parody of the pedantic excesses of the ancient grammatical tradition, these texts are desperately in need of a reading which takes into account their many idiosyncrasies. Why should a grammarian preach the existence of twelve different kinds of Latin? Why should he attack the very notion of authority, thereby destabilising his own position?

The search for an answer leads via patristic exegesis and medieval wisdom literature to the tantalisingly ill-documented reaches of heterodox initiatory traditions.
Subjects: Authority, Criticism, interpretation, Ethics, Ethics, Medieval, Grammar, Historical, Historical Grammar, History, Latin language, Medieval and modern, Learning and scholarship, Medieval Ethics, Medieval and modern Latin language, Wisdom literature, Latin language, medieval and modern, grammar, Grammar, Moral and ethical aspects, Historiography, Seventh century
People: Virgilius Maro Grammaticus (7th cent)
Time periods: Medieval, 500-1500
LC classification: PA2819 .L39 1995