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7
Macrobius
7.1 INTRODUCTION With Macrobius, the author of two works of the greatest in-
terest to mediaevalists: the Saturnalia and the Commentarius
in Somnium Scipionis, we finally come to a Neoplatonist in the
fullest sense of the word. 1 Although the presence of dox- ____________________
| 1 | Since Macrobius was one of the most widely read pagan authors during
the Middle Ages, the task of describing his influence throughout this period is
of a magnitude to deter scholars. However, among the significant (although
partial) surveys already undertaken, the following should be consulted. M. Manitius
: Geschichte der lateinischen Literatur des Mittelalters I-III ( München
, 1911- 1931) mentions Macrobius many times in connection with
specific mediaeval writers; P. Duhem: Le système du monde. Histoire des
doctrines cosmologiques de Platon à Copernic III ( Paris, 1915), pp. 62-71
describes the impact of the cosmological doctrines; M. Schedler: Die
Philosophie des Macrobius und ihr Einfluss auf die Wissenschaft des
christlichen Mittelalters (Beiträge zur Geschichte der Philosophie und
Theologie des Mittelalters 13/1) ( Münster, 1916) studies the influence of the
metaphysical theories; W. H.Stahl: Macrobius, Commentary on the Dream of
Scipio. Translated with an Introduction and Notes ( New York / London,
1952), pp. 39-55 summarizes the earlier scholarship together with occasional
further observations; P. Courcelle: "'La postérité chrétienne du Songe de Sci-
pion'," Revue des études latines 36 ( 1958), pp. 205-234 traces Macrobius' in-
fluence in late antiquity; é. Jeauneau: "'Macrobe source du platonisme char-
train'," Studi Medievali 1 ( 1960), pp. 3-24 provides further information regar-
ding the influence upon the later Middle Ages; and H. Silvestre: "'Note sur la
survie de Macrobe au moyen âge'," Classica et Mediaevalia 24 ( 1963), pp.
170-180 examines the writer's influence during the earlier and central Middle
Ages. From among the results of these researches, it is only possible here to
note those concerning (i) definite uses of Macrobius (evidenced by actual cita-
tual citation of the author's name or texts verbatim), (ii) references to his
strictly philosophical theories (as opposed to the more frequent appeal to his
astronomical and cosmographical teachings), and (iii) uses of either the
Saturnalia or the Commentarius (in contrast to the grammatical treatise De
Differentiis). a) In late antiquity. Macrobius is quoted in connection with
arithmetic by Boethius. b) In the Carolingian period. He is used by the com-
mentators on Martianus Capella -- Eriugena, for the philosophical interpreta-
tion of mythology, for the exegetical notion of σκπóς, for arithmetic, and
for the theory of the human soul; Martin of Laon, for the philosophical inter-
pretation of mythology; and Remigius of Auxerre, for the doctrine of the
hypostases, for arithmetic, and for the theory of the human soul -- and by
the Ciceronian excerptor Hadoard, for the teaching regarding types of
mythical narrative (see B. Bischoff: 'Hadoardus and the Manuscripts of
Classical Authors from Corbie', Didascaliae. Studies in Honor of A.
Albareda, edited by S. Prete ( New York, 1961), pp. 15-57). c) During the
tenth and eleventh centuries. He is employed by Pseudo-Bede: De Mundi
Constitutione, for the doctrine of the hypostases and for the theory of the
human soul (see E. Garin: Studi sul platonismo medievale ( Firenze, 1958),
pp. 36-43); by Bovo of Corvey, for the doctrine of the hypostases, for
chemistry, for arithmetic, and for the theory of the human soul (see P. Courcelle
:La Consolation de Philosophie dans la tradition littéraire.
Antϩcϩdents et postérité de Boèce ( Paris, 1967), pp. 292-295); by the
anonymous adapter of the Commentarius in the manuscript Bruxellensis
10066-77, for the analysis of the virtues (see H. Silvestre: "'Une adaptation du
commentaire de Macrobe sur le Songe de Scipion dans un manuscrit de Brux-
elles'," Archives d'histoire doctrinale et littéraire du moyen âge 29 ( 1962),
pp. 93-101); and by Manegold of Lautenbach, for the doctrine of the
hypostases, for the theory of the human soul, and for the analysis of the vir-
tues (see T. Gregory: Platonismo medievale. Studi e ricerche ( Roma, 1958),
pp. 17-30). d) During the twelfth century. He is cited by William of Conches,
for every aspect of his teaching in the first full scale commentary on his work
(see é. Jeauneau: "'Gloses de Guillaume de Conches sur Macrobe. Note sur les
manuscrits'," Archives d'histoire doctrinale et littéraire du moyen cage 27
( 1960), pp. 17-23; "'La lecture des auteurs classiques à l'école de Chartres
durant la première moitié du XIIe siècle. Un témoin privilégié: Les Glosae
super Macrobium de Guillaume de Conches'," Classical Influences on Euro-
pean Culture A.D. 500- 1500, edited by R. R. Bolgar ( Cambridge, 1971), pp.
95-102; P. Dronke: Fabula. Explorations into the Uses of Myth in Medieval
Platonism (Mittellateinische Studien und Texte 9) ( Leiden / Köln, 1974), pp.
13-78); by Bernard Silvestris, for the teaching regarding types of mythical
narrative and for the theory of the human soul; by Abailard for the teaching regarding types of mythical narrative, for the doctrine of the hypostases, for
the theory of the human soul, and for the analysis of the virtues; by Hugh of
St. Victor, for arithmetic and for the theory of the human soul; by John of
Salisbury, for the interpretation of dreams; by Alan of Lille, for the doctrine
of the hypostases, for arithmetic, and for the theory of the human soul; by
Vincent of Beauvais, for the theory of the human soul; and by many other
writers of the same period. According to criterion (i) above, we must exclude
from the list the tacit use of Macrobius in Ambrose and Jerome suggested by
P. Courcelle: "'Nouveaux aspects du platonisme chez saint Ambroise'," Revue
des études latines 34 ( 1956), pp. 220-239 (results which have in any case
been seriously questioned by M. Fuhrmann: "'Macrobius und Ambrosius',"
Philologus 107 ( 1963), pp. 301-308), and the possible dependence of Servius
Danielis upon him maintained by E. Tuerk: "'Les Saturnales de Macrobe,
source de Servius Danielis'," Revue des études latines 41 ( 1963), pp. 327-349.
Without the application of criterion (ii), it would be necessary to discuss
writers such as Bede, Dungal, Helperic of Auxerre, Regino of Prüm, Abbo of
Fleury, Byrhtferth, Gerbert, and Adalbold of Utrecht; without the application
of criterion (iii), it would be necessary to discuss grammarians like Sedulius
Scottus. Of course, the importance of a writer during the Middle Ages can be
gauged not only by citations in other authors but by the manuscript tradition
of the writer's own works. On this latter aspect of Macrobius the following
may be consulted: A. La Penna: "'Studi sulla tradizione dei Saturnali di
Macrobio'," Annali della Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa, Serie 2, 22
( 1953), pp. 225-252; J. Willis: "'De Macrobii codice Montepessulano',"
Rheinisches Museum 97 ( 1954), p. 287 and 'De codicibus aliquot manuscrip-
tis Macrobii Saturnalia continentibus', ibid. 100 ( 1957), pp. 152-164. Two
points regarding this manuscript tradition are worthy of note here: a) The
editorial work of the Carolingian scholar Lupus of Ferrières is happily
preserved in one manuscript of the Commentarius (see A. La Penna: "'Le
Parisinus latinus 6370 et le texte des Commentarii de Macrobe'," Revue de
philologie et d'histoire 24 ( 1950), pp. 177-187); b) John of Salisbury's cita-
tions of the Saturnalia show that he possessed an edition of the work more
complete than that now extant (see C. C. Webb: "'On Some Fragments of the
Saturnalia'," Classical Review 11 ( 1897), p. 441). | -493- | | |
Questia, a part of Gale, Cengage Learning. www.questia.com
Publication Information: Book Title: Middle Platonism and Neoplatonism: The Latin Tradition. Volume: 2. Contributors: Ralph McInerny - editor, Stephen Gersh - author. Publisher: University of Notre Dame Press. Place of Publication: Notre Dame, IN. Publication Year: 1986. Page Number: 493.
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