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Commonitorium (Orientius)

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495:, it "does approach nearer the standards set by the poets of that age than the majority of the Late Latin poetry." Ultimately, Tobin praises the poem for "its simplicity and its direct classical style." However, she qualifies her praise by pointing out that some of work's best portions are those that have been borrowed from classical authors, which weakens the overall impact of Orientius's work to some degree. A few years later, A. Hudson-Williams wrote that the poem's "language is in general clear and direct, though tinged here and there with turns of a decidedly late flavour." 22: 227:
discussion of the seven sins. She also argues that while there is an address to the reader that is traditionally thought of as the start to the second book, this need not be construed as a proper book opening. Tobin proposes that the divide in the poem was likely made due either to practical reasons (for instance, the entire poem might not have fit on a certain-sized manuscript roll) or because it was at this point that the poet stopped writing, only to take up the poem some time later.
343: 1116: 207:, and a conclusion. In the first section, the poet invites the reader to read the poem before calling upon God to offer guidance. In the second portion, the poet discusses the difference between the body and soul. In the third section, Orientius explains why humans were created. In the fourth section, the poet lays out the ways humans can love God: by "keeping commandments" (namely, the 202:
focuses mostly on morality, teaching one how to attain eternal salvation. The poem can be roughly divided into seven main sections: an introduction, a discussion of the "two-fold life of man", an explanation for why humans exist, a discussion on how to worship God, considerations for the reader, an
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The work today is divided into two books: one comprising the first 618 lines, and the other containing the remaining 418. Tobin, however, argues that "the poem is a unit and there is no suitable place for a divisions into books." She notes that the divide is somewhat arbitrary, as it bifurcates a
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is made up of 1036 verses and has traditionally been divided into two books (although there is reason to believe that the division is arbitrary). The poem is hortatory and didactic in nature, describing the way for the reader to attain salvation, with warnings about the evils of sin.
223:, and the rewards awaiting in Heaven. In the penultimate portion of the poem, Orientius stresses the utmost importance of believing in the Trinity. The work then concludes with both a request that the reader pray for Orientius, as well as a blessing upon the reader. 146:
Given the paucity of information concerning Orientius himself, dating his poem has proven difficult, although there are several clues that have helped scholars construct a timeframe in which the
135:. From what information is available, he was evidently a Gaul who had converted to Christianity after realizing that he had been living a sinful life. He eventually became the bishop of 324:
recalls the Bible both by referencing biblical stories, as well as by directly imitating the wording from the many books therein. It is likely that Orientius used the
109:. The poem has received qualified praise, with Mildred Dolores Tobin—who wrote a commentary on the poem in 1945—arguing that while it was not of the same quality as 139:(what is modern day Auch, France). He devoted the remainder of his life to promoting Christian spirituality to his followers, and it is almost certain that the 105:. This version, however, lacked the second book, which was only discovered in 1791; the first complete edition of the poem was then published in 1700 by 834:
Fielding, Ian (2014). "Physical Ruin and Spiritual Perfection in Fifth-Century Gaul: Orientius and His Contemporaries on the 'Landscape of the Soul'".
215:, by praying for strength, and by avoiding sin. In the fifth section, the poet considers a number of issues, including: sorrow, joy, death, 1050: 181:(d. 439) to negotiate peace between Rome and the Visigoths. Given these reference points, Tobin suggests that the poem was likely written 1168: 464: 1126: 539:, a group which he argues includes: "wanton pleasure, envy, avarice, deceitful pleasure, lying, over-indulgence in food drink". 456: 1148: 1106: 1082: 988: 387: 1027: 836: 282:(whose influence according to Mildred Dolores Tobin "is only slightly less than ... Vergil"), followed by the Augustan 271: 1017: 942: 824: 1003: 1163: 150:
was likely written and published. First, a short section in the poem's second book explicitly references the
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claims that when Orientius was near the end of his life, he was sent sometime in the mid-5th century by the
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was lost sometime in the Middle Ages only to be rediscovered near the turn of the seventeenth century at
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translation of the Bible as his source, although some lines suggest that the poet may have also used the
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character", the Latinist Johannes Schwind notes that it is also interjected with "occasional elements of
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also contained two prayers and four short poems, all of which have been attributed to Orientius.
408: 370:. The finder of the poem, a Jesuit named Heribert Rosweyd, turned it over to his colleague, the 1131: 151: 934: 267:
largely eschews this style and its associated devices, instead opting to focus on poetics.
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Schwind, Johannes (2006). "Orientius". In Canicik, Hubert; Schneider, Helmuth (eds.).
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tribes, suggesting that the poem was written sometime after this event. Second, the
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to publish the first complete edition of the poem in 1700. In 1774, the Italian
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also contains references, allusions, and borrowings from the Republican poets
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in 1945, argued that while Orientius's work was not of the same quality as
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Orientii Commonitorium: A Commentary with an Introduction and Translation
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Orientii Commonitorium: A Commentary with an Introduction and Translation
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Orientii Commonitorium: A Commentary with an Introduction and Translation
930: 419: 170: 312:. In terms of Christian poetic influence, Orientius frequently emulates 812: 442: 317: 816: 512: 434: 423: 294: 158: 72: 522:
literally means "notes consigned to writing to aid the memory". The
1119: This article incorporates text from a publication now in the 375: 371: 298: 260: 178: 166: 896:
Hudson-Williams, A. (1949). "Notes on Orientius' Commonitorium".
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Not much is known about Orientius; he is mentioned in passing by
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Ian Markham translates the word more succinctly as "a reminder".
395:—and thus Delrio's version—preserved only the first book of the 306: 286: 275: 256: 441:
published a second complete edition of the poem. In 1888, the
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The individual who Orientius most frequently imitates is the
243:, is a hortatory and didactic poem. While it is mostly of a " 91:
was rediscovered near the turn of the seventeenth century at
68: 399:. Almost a century later in 1791, a second manuscript (the 320:(fl. late 4th century AD). And being a Christian work, the 279: 220: 136: 391:
of it in 1600; this edition was marred by the fact that
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Tobin, Mildred Dolores (1945). "Text and Translation".
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Tobin, Mildred Dolores (1945). "Text and Translation".
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Mildred Dolores Tobin, who wrote a commentary on the
129:, and a brief description of his life appears in the 113:, it is a better work than other contemporary poems. 535:Orientius focuses much of this discussion on the 1140: 448:published an edition of the work, which in 1911 1042: 471:is preserved in only this manuscript, as the 1051:Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum Latinorum 31:Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum Latinorum 783: 781: 779: 418:s second book, thereby enabling the French 1124: 727: 725: 693: 691: 689: 647: 645: 643: 618: 616: 614: 612: 610: 465:Bertram Ashburnham, 4th Earl of Ashburnham 452:referred to as "the best modern edition". 742: 740: 712: 710: 708: 706: 676: 674: 672: 974:– via BrillOnline Reference Works. 776: 764: 597: 595: 593: 591: 467:(hence its common name), and today, the 341: 316:(fl. early 5th century AD) and possibly 20: 877:. In Herbermann, Charles George (ed.). 722: 686: 640: 607: 576: 1141: 737: 703: 669: 301:, as well as the Imperial epigrammist 116: 71:poem composed by the Christian bishop 657: 588: 457:Guglielmo Libri Carucci dalla Sommaja 101:of the poem was published in 1600 by 62: 50: 1135:. New York: Robert Appleton Company. 1107:Catholic University of America Press 1083:Catholic University of America Press 989:Catholic University of America Press 895: 787: 493:the poems of the Golden Age writers 111:the poems of the Golden Age writers 13: 1125:Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). " 997: 837:Journal of Early Christian Studies 809:History & Literature of Christ 337: 263:was particularly popular, but the 14: 1185: 1169:History of Christianity in France 803: 558: 203:exhortation on the importance of 143:was the result of this devotion. 1114: 927:Understanding Christian Doctrine 979:Tobin, Mildred Dolores (1945). 796: 752: 529: 278:. Next comes the Imperial poet 259:." When Orientius was writing, 872: 628: 622: 564: 552: 505: 25:The first page of Orientius's 1: 972:10.1163/1574-9347_bnp_e907920 833: 770: 634: 546: 366:in a manuscript known as the 182: 173:(d. 451) to Roman commanders 152: 1059:Austrian Academy of Sciences 1028:Resources in other libraries 951: 924: 697: 570: 498: 482: 7: 1149:5th-century Christian texts 188: 10: 1190: 978: 873:Fortescue, Adrian (1911). 758: 746: 731: 716: 680: 663: 651: 601: 582: 381:, who dubbed the work the 193: 75:around AD 430. Written in 52:[kɔmmɔnɪˈtoːrɪ.ũː] 1023:Resources in your library 1009:Commonitorium (Orientius) 910:10.1017/S0009838800028111 880:The Catholic Encyclopedia 518:, the general Latin term 64:[kommoniˈtori.um] 1043:Ellis, Robinson (1888). 230: 213:resurrection of the dead 16:Work by bishop Orientius 898:The Classical Quarterly 891:– via New Advent. 889:Robert Appleton Company 475:was long ago lost. The 409:Marmoutier Abbey, Tours 211:), by believing in the 155:AD 406 invasion of Gaul 850:10.1353/earl.2014.0042 788:Hudson-Williams (1949) 355: 239:, which is written in 34: 1132:Catholic Encyclopedia 935:John Wiley & Sons 925:Markham, Ian (2017). 461:Codex Ashburnhamensis 401:Codex Ashburnhamensis 345: 24: 1164:Gallo-Roman religion 1091:English translations 805:De Labriolle, Pierre 559:De Labriolle (1920) 477:Codex Aquicinctensis 473:Codex Aquicinctensis 407:) was discovered at 403:, also known as the 393:Codex Aquicinctensis 368:Codex Aquicinctensis 350:was rediscovered at 123:Venantius Fortunatus 58:Ecclesiastical Latin 960:Leiden, Netherlands 516:Pierre de Labriolle 411:that contained the 117:Authorship and date 1109:. pp. 52–107. 1085:. pp. 52–107. 385:and published the 356: 221:eternal punishment 35: 1154:5th-century poems 1004:Library resources 955:Brill's New Pauly 885:New York City, NY 561:, p. 425, note 1. 537:seven deadly sins 305:and the Imperial 209:Great Commandment 137:Augusta Ausciorum 1181: 1159:Christian poetry 1136: 1118: 1117: 1110: 1103:Washington, D.C. 1086: 1079:Washington, D.C. 1069: 1067: 1065: 1053:. Vol. 16. 992: 985:Washington, D.C. 975: 948: 921: 892: 869: 830: 791: 785: 774: 768: 762: 756: 750: 744: 735: 729: 720: 714: 701: 695: 684: 678: 667: 661: 655: 649: 638: 632: 626: 623:Fortescue (1911) 620: 605: 599: 586: 580: 574: 568: 562: 556: 540: 533: 527: 524:Episcopal priest 509: 450:Adrian Fortescue 417: 405:Codex Turonensis 314:Coelius Sedulius 241:elegiac couplets 184: 154: 77:elegiac couplets 66: 61: 54: 49: 1189: 1188: 1184: 1183: 1182: 1180: 1179: 1178: 1139: 1138: 1115: 1063: 1061: 1055:Vienna, Austria 1034: 1033: 1032: 1012: 1011: 1007: 1000: 998:Further reading 995: 945: 904:(3/4): 130–37. 827: 799: 794: 786: 777: 771:Fielding (2014) 769: 765: 757: 753: 745: 738: 730: 723: 715: 704: 696: 687: 679: 670: 662: 658: 650: 641: 635:Fielding (2014) 633: 629: 621: 608: 600: 589: 581: 577: 569: 565: 557: 553: 549: 544: 543: 534: 530: 510: 506: 501: 485: 463:and sold it to 439:Andrea Gallandi 415: 388:editio princeps 340: 338:Textual history 233: 196: 191: 163:Vita S. Martini 127:Vita S. Martini 119: 98:editio princeps 56: 46:Classical Latin 44: 33:Vol. 16 (1888). 17: 12: 11: 5: 1187: 1177: 1176: 1174:Poems in Latin 1171: 1166: 1161: 1156: 1151: 1112: 1111: 1093: 1092: 1088: 1087: 1070: 1046:Poetae Minores 1039: 1038: 1031: 1030: 1025: 1020: 1014: 1013: 1002: 1001: 999: 996: 994: 993: 976: 949: 943: 922: 893: 870: 844:(4): 569–585. 831: 825: 800: 798: 795: 793: 792: 775: 763: 751: 736: 721: 702: 698:Schwind (2006) 685: 668: 656: 639: 627: 606: 587: 575: 571:Markham (2017) 563: 550: 548: 545: 542: 541: 528: 503: 502: 500: 497: 484: 481: 446:Robinson Ellis 427:Edmond Martène 422:historian and 339: 336: 232: 229: 205:trinitarianism 195: 192: 190: 187: 175:Flavius Aetius 132:Acta Sanctorum 118: 115: 107:Edmond Martène 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1186: 1175: 1172: 1170: 1167: 1165: 1162: 1160: 1157: 1155: 1152: 1150: 1147: 1146: 1144: 1137: 1134: 1133: 1128: 1122: 1121:public domain 1108: 1104: 1100: 1095: 1094: 1090: 1089: 1084: 1080: 1076: 1071: 1060: 1056: 1052: 1048: 1047: 1041: 1040: 1036: 1035: 1029: 1026: 1024: 1021: 1019: 1016: 1015: 1010: 1005: 990: 986: 982: 977: 973: 969: 965: 961: 957: 956: 950: 946: 944:9781118964750 940: 936: 932: 928: 923: 919: 915: 911: 907: 903: 899: 894: 890: 886: 882: 881: 876: 871: 867: 863: 859: 855: 851: 847: 843: 839: 838: 832: 828: 826:9780710310675 822: 818: 814: 810: 806: 802: 801: 789: 784: 782: 780: 772: 767: 760: 755: 748: 743: 741: 733: 728: 726: 718: 713: 711: 709: 707: 699: 694: 692: 690: 682: 677: 675: 673: 665: 660: 653: 648: 646: 644: 636: 631: 624: 619: 617: 615: 613: 611: 603: 598: 596: 594: 592: 584: 579: 572: 567: 560: 555: 551: 538: 532: 525: 521: 520:commonitorium 517: 514: 511:According to 508: 504: 496: 494: 490: 489:Commonitorium 480: 478: 474: 470: 469:Commonitorium 466: 462: 458: 453: 451: 447: 444: 440: 436: 432: 428: 425: 421: 414: 413:Commonitorium 410: 406: 402: 398: 397:Commonitorium 394: 390: 389: 384: 383:Commonitorium 380: 379:Martin Delrio 377: 373: 369: 365: 361: 360:Commonitorium 353: 349: 348:Commonitorium 344: 335: 333: 332: 327: 323: 322:Commonitorium 319: 315: 311: 308: 304: 300: 296: 292: 291:Commonitorium 288: 285: 281: 277: 273: 268: 266: 265:Commonitorium 262: 258: 254: 250: 246: 242: 238: 237:Commonitorium 228: 224: 222: 218: 214: 210: 206: 201: 200:Commonitorium 186: 180: 177:(d. 454) and 176: 172: 168: 164: 160: 156: 149: 148:Commonitorium 144: 142: 141:Commonitorium 138: 134: 133: 128: 124: 114: 112: 108: 104: 103:Martin Delrio 100: 99: 94: 90: 89:Commonitorium 85: 82: 81:Commonitorium 78: 74: 70: 65: 59: 53: 47: 42: 41: 40:Commonitorium 32: 28: 27:Commonitorium 23: 19: 1130: 1113: 1098: 1074: 1062:. Retrieved 1045: 1037:Latin copies 1018:Online books 1008: 980: 953: 926: 901: 897: 878: 841: 835: 808: 797:Bibliography 766: 759:Tobin (1945) 754: 747:Tobin (1945) 732:Tobin (1945) 717:Tobin (1945) 681:Tobin (1945) 664:Tobin (1945) 659: 652:Tobin (1945) 630: 602:Tobin (1945) 583:Tobin (1945) 578: 566: 554: 531: 519: 507: 488: 486: 476: 472: 468: 460: 454: 412: 404: 400: 396: 392: 386: 382: 367: 364:Anchin Abbey 359: 357: 352:Anchin Abbey 347: 331:Vetus Latina 329: 321: 290: 269: 264: 236: 234: 225: 199: 197: 162: 147: 145: 140: 130: 126: 120: 96: 93:Anchin Abbey 88: 86: 80: 39: 38: 36: 30: 26: 18: 931:Hoboken, NJ 875:"Orientius" 513:philologist 420:Benedictine 171:Theodoric I 157:by various 1143:Categories 817:Kegan Paul 813:London, UK 654:, pp. 6–7. 585:, pp. 2–3. 547:References 459:stole the 443:classicist 372:theologian 318:Prudentius 284:lyric poet 249:protreptic 167:Visigothic 95:, and the 1127:Orientius 1064:August 9, 918:170489852 866:170193017 858:1067-6341 807:(2006) . 790:, p. 130. 773:, p. 569. 637:, p. 570. 573:, p. 161. 499:Footnotes 483:Reception 455:In 1841, 435:patristic 431:Oratorian 424:liturgist 295:Lucretius 245:parenetic 217:judgement 159:barbarian 73:Orientius 734:, p. 13. 437:scholar 376:Latinist 354:c. 1600. 307:satirist 299:Catullus 272:Augustan 261:rhetoric 253:diatribe 189:Contents 185:AD 430. 179:Litorius 1123::  761:, p. 1. 749:, p. 8. 719:, p. 5. 683:, p. 7. 666:, p. 6. 604:, p. 3. 326:Vulgate 310:Juvenal 303:Martial 194:Summary 125:in his 67:) is a 29:, from 1006:about 941:  916:  864:  856:  823:  289:. The 287:Horace 276:Virgil 257:satire 79:, the 964:Brill 914:S2CID 862:S2CID 416:' 274:poet 231:Style 169:king 69:Latin 1066:2017 939:ISBN 854:ISSN 821:ISBN 433:and 374:and 358:The 346:The 297:and 280:Ovid 255:and 247:and 235:The 198:The 87:The 37:The 1129:". 968:doi 906:doi 846:doi 1145:: 1105:: 1101:. 1081:: 1077:. 1057:: 1049:. 987:: 983:. 966:. 962:: 958:. 937:. 933:: 929:. 912:. 902:43 900:. 887:: 883:. 860:. 852:. 842:22 840:. 819:. 815:: 811:. 778:^ 739:^ 724:^ 705:^ 688:^ 671:^ 642:^ 609:^ 590:^ 334:. 219:, 183:c. 153:c. 55:, 1068:. 991:. 970:: 947:. 920:. 908:: 868:. 848:: 829:. 700:. 625:. 60:: 48:: 43:(

Index


Classical Latin
[kɔmmɔnɪˈtoːrɪ.ũː]
Ecclesiastical Latin
[kommoniˈtori.um]
Latin
Orientius
elegiac couplets
Anchin Abbey
editio princeps
Martin Delrio
Edmond Martène
the poems of the Golden Age writers
Venantius Fortunatus
Acta Sanctorum
Augusta Ausciorum
c. AD 406 invasion of Gaul
barbarian
Visigothic
Theodoric I
Flavius Aetius
Litorius
trinitarianism
Great Commandment
resurrection of the dead
judgement
eternal punishment
elegiac couplets
parenetic
protreptic

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