Studies in fourth and fifth century Latin literature with particular reference to Ausonius

The main theme of this work is a discussion of the literary worth of<br/>the works of a number of authors of the Later Roman Empire. The works<br/>considered are those of Ausonius, Rutilius Namatianus, the anonymous<br/>Querolus and, to a lesser extent, Sidonius Apollinaris. The authors<br/>will be discussed in turn, beginning with Ausonius, the first<br/>chronologically. His work will be examined in the light of his<br/>career and of the prevailing conditions in Gaul during his lifetime.<br/>Particular attention will be paid to the use made of nature in his works,<br/>especially the Mosella. The poem by Rutilius Namatianus known as the<br/>De reditu suo will be examined both from an historical and from a<br/>literary viewpoint. The Querolus will be considered for its effectiveness<br/>as a piece of drama, particular attention being paid to the various kinds<br/>of humour to be found in the piece and the way in which it could have been<br/>staged. A dating of the play to the mid-fifth century will be suggested.<br/>The life and work of Sidonius Apollinaris will be examined in order to<br/>provide a view of the change in the political situation in the fifth<br/>century and therefore in the environment for literary production. It<br/>will be suggested that the writers in Gaul from the fourth century onwards<br/>were subject to influences not only from Roman literature but also from<br/>native traditions, the result of the Celtic Renaissance of the third century.<br/>It will be concluded, however, that despite these indisputable influences<br/>and also their undoubted local patriotism, all the writers were basically<br/>Roman in outlook, still determined to preserve civilisation on a Roman<br/>basis rather than a local one.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

Ph.D.

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Southampton

Year dc:date.issued

1981

Author dc:creator

• Fisher, Geoffrey John

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Rankin, H.D.