ENNODY Magnus Felix (Ennodius, Magnus Felix)

Ennody, Magnus Felix; Ennodius, Magnus Felix, ca. 473-521 years. n. e., Latin Christian writer and poet. Born in Gaul, upbringing and education in southern Italy, where, probably, in 493 g. became a deacon. In 496-513 years. was an assistant to the bishop of Milan, where he began his literary career. Later, he was bishop of Pavia and double (515 and 517 gg.) Head of the papal embassy in Constantinople. - From the vast, but devoid of significant literary merit of the prose and poetic creativity E. have value as a source of historical biography The Life of Epiphanius (Vita Epiphanii), the biography of his predecessor in the episcopal throne, and Panegyric of Theodoric (Panegyricus dictus Theodorico), in which E. in chronological order, with a significant portion of flattery described the acts of King. On the life of E. we know from his autobiography in the form of prayer Thanksgiving for his life (Eucharisticon de vita sua), also called Confession, as the product of Augustine.

Preserved essay E. under the title The Life of the monk Anthony. Invocation of the doctrine, it contains advice relating to education, and the catalog of known role models, pointing out (in verse and prose) on the role of rhetoric as the foundation of all sciences. At 28, part of the fictitious, part of the really spoken speeches, written for different people, and 297 letters (separated later at 9 books) directed to different recipients (even women) form prevails over substance. In two volumes remained approximately 170 poetic works to the case in different sizes of poetry (hymns, prothalamium, epilii, panegyrics, epigrams), where E. showed good command of the form, but little poetic talent. Educated in the classical tradition, E., in spite of their Christian leanings remained ancient writer, abundantly used in poetry and prose, rhetoric, and his thoughts expressed Mannerist style. E. admired in IX and X centuries.