AIR (Avianus)

Air, Avianus, IV / V in. n. e., Roman fabulist. In the prose preface to the rhythmic clauses A. collection of 42 fables devoted his contemporary Theodosius, who, perhaps, should be identified with well-known writer Macrobius. A., allegedly used the Latin translation of the Greek fables of the Babri. His fables wrote elegiac distihom (not pentameter, common for this literary genre). A., last Roman fabulist, has strong influence on subsequent centuries. Since IX to XVI centuries. A. was the only known ancient fabulist. In the Middle Ages it read in monastic schools, as well as his fables were deprived of boorishness fables Phaedra. A. imitated his eagerly retold in prose, commented, added to his collection of new works. Under the influence of A. were all basnotvorchestvo this period.