CLEMENS Prudentius (Prudentius Clemens)

Prudentius Clemens, Aurelius; Prudentius Clemens, born. 348 g. n. e., Latin Christian poet. Born in Spain, most likely in Tsezaroguste (sovr. Zaragoza), or in Tarakone (sovr. Taragona). After studying rhetoric and the right to start the service, and judicial career. He was a lawyer, twice - the governor of one of the (Spanish?) Provinces and, finally, a high official at the court of Theodosius I. After the death of the Emperor 47-year-old P.K. withdrew from public life and devoted himself to the poetic works of religious themes. In 401-403 years. n. e. was in Rome, where he visited the tombs of the martyrs. - Creativity P.K. accounts for 392-405 years. n. e. and remained entirely. It represents a great variety of forms and contents. Collection of his works published himself P.K. in 405 g. He prefaced his introduction, autobiography, in which he set forth, and his poetic program. The best retain the original sequence, set by P.K. The book of hymns for each day (Cathemerinon liber) comprises 12 lyric hymns, prayers with inserts on the themes of biblical stories. Six hymns designed for the six times of day, from dawn till night, six - for other cases.

Apotheosis (Liber Apotheosis) and the source of sin (Hamartigenia) represent epico-didactic poem written in hexameters, in which P.K. explains the tenets of the Christian religion. In the introduction to the apotheosis, he breaks heresy concerning the dogma of the Trinity, and opposes to them the true teachings of the Church. The main purpose of the poem was proof of the divine nature of Christ. In the source of sin P.K. deals with the origin of sin, and in joining in iambic trimeter refutes the dualism of Marcion. Product observed poetic talent, and a description of Hell and Paradise are unsurpassed in picturesque beauty in Christian literature. The struggle for the soul (Psychomachia) is the first in Latin literature allegorical didactic epic. This idea is ripe for P.K. under the influence of Tertullian. At the heart of the poem is the contrast between two world views: the pagan and Christian, and thought-through - the victory of Christianity over paganism. A short introduction describes in iambic trimeter struggle with the pagan kings of Abraham for the Liberation of Lot, . And she tells a poem in hexameter of the struggle for the soul, . which 7 personalized Christian virtues to face the opposing their vices,
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The victory marked the virtues of building a beautiful temple. The work is replete with colorful descriptions of battles and those who take part in them. There are a lot of rhetoric, so the whole poem somewhat boring. The struggle for the soul became a source of rich allegorical epics of the Middle Ages. She read everywhere. Several manuscripts richly illustrated, making ancient motifs passed in medieval books. The cycle of didactic poems closes satirical polemical work against Simmaha (Contra Symmachum). It P.K. once again recalls the destruction of the altar and a statue of Victoria on the Senate building and related development controversy between Ambrosio and Simmahom, who uttered the famous speech in defense of the altar, and a pagan cult. Of the crown (Peri stephanon) comprises 14 lyric hymns in honor of the martyrs, mostly Spanish and Roman. The crowns were awarded the victorious warriors and athletes, as martyrs for P.K. - Is the soldiers of Christ. Hymns were influenced by characteristic of the era of the cult of the martyrs. They breathe fervor, and extremely realistic scenes of martyrdom. The action sometimes over-dramatized. In the long monologues of martyrs again visible PK-conductor, which is not always to the benefit of the product.

A brief epilogue, The coming completes the integrity of the related collection. In the complete edition of his works P.K. not included works: Notes (Tituli historiarum), . also known as insufficiently clear title Dittochaeum (Two meals) - 49 (?) gekzametricheskih quatrains, . explanatory scenes from the Old and New Testaments, . which are an important literary source of Christian iconography,
. This product is not in the oldest manuscripts in the collection of works P.K. He came much later, but his authorship is now no longer questioned. P.K knew the Latin poets from Lucretius to Klavdian. In gekzametricheskih writings he imitated Lucretius, and Virgil, in the lyric - Horace, Catullus, Ovid, in the polemical - repelled by the satire of Horace and Juvenal, Lucan took as a model to describe the violent scenes of martyrdom. A greater number throughout the Middle Ages popular P.K. must perfect form of his works and their deep Christian content. He belonged to the most widely read authors in the school, he commented, he had followers, and the number of manuscripts up to 320. He was the first great Christian poet, and at the same time - the last great lyric poet of antiquity.