Marolla Commentary Letters 5/1

Out now, in Edinburgh Studies in Later Latin Literature, Giulia Marolla’s commentary on Sidonius Letters Book 5, Part 1. It covers the first half of this book from a philological, literary and historical perspective:

— providing the first commentary on Book 5 of Sidonius’ Letters
— including a newly edited Latin text and a new English translation
— contributing to an overall understanding of Sidonius’ literary output as a whole
— offering a comprehensive and innovative study of key historical data, especially prosopography and dating of the letters.

Enjoy a 30% discount with the promo code NEW30. Here is to the publisher’s catalogue

Kelly on Sidonius in England

Gavin Kelly wrote a blogpost on the manuscript transmission of Sidonius in England, following up on a tweet concerning the Durham Bible of William of St Calais (1096 CE) and the list of manuscripts it contains, which mentions a copy of Sidonius’ ‘panegyrics’ among others (see also on this website). William’s Sidonius manuscript is a typically English representative of manuscripts containing Sidonius’ poems without the letters.

On 5 February ‘Ennius’ (@Red_Loeb) shared an image from a Durham manuscript, Cathedral Library A.II.4, the bible of William of St Calais, bishop of Durham, from AD 1096. This bible is said to originate in Normandy, like its owner. On f. 1v there is a list of the books that the bishop gifted to the library. In a retweet, my friend and colleague Justin Stover (‘Transmission of the Latin Classics’ = @OxGTLC), pointed out that it contained references to the works of Justin and Sidonius. Sure enough, two thirds of the way down you can see a paragraphus sign (¶) followed by Sidonius Sollius Panigericus. …
Read on here

Marolla Identifies Simplicius

Just out in first view: Giulia Marolla, ‘Who Was Sidonius’ Correspondent Simplicius? An Identification Problem in the Letters’, Classical Quarterly FirstView 30.03.2023.

Abstract
This article presents, as a case study, the various inconsistencies which occur in the prosopographical entries concerning Simplicius, one of Sidonius’ most frequent addressees. Through the exegesis of passages of letters addressed to him (Epist. 3.11, 4.4, 4.7, 4.12, 5.4) and of passages believed to concern him (Carm. 24.89; Epist. 2.9 and 5.7), it argues for a revision of the common identification of Simplicius as brother of Apollinaris and Thaumastus, and for a re-evaluation of the sources which supposedly lead to this conclusion. Some cautionary remarks on the unchecked use of prosopography as a tool are followed by a hypothesis concerning the identity of this addressee of Sidonius.

Leflaëc and Urlacher-Becht on Creative Appropriation

Recently published: Alice Leflaëc and Céline Urlacher-Becht, ‘Le détournement du texte biblique dans les épîtres de l’Antiquité tardive (IVe-VIe s.): modalités et limites du jeu’, in: Étienne Wolff (ed.), Les jeux sur les mots, les lettres et les sons dans les textes latins, Bordeaux: Ausonius, 2023, 323-50.

Discusses Paulinus of Nola, Sidonius Apollinaris, Ruricius of Limoges and Ennodius of Pavia.

Catalogue here (open access).

Fascione, Mondin on Horatian Metres

Sara Fascione contributes ‘Secundum regulas Flacci. Orazio e il ritorno alla metrica nell’epistolario di Sidonio Apollinare’ to Concetta Longobardi (ed.), Horatiana. La ricezione di Orazio dall’antichità al mondo moderno: le forme liriche, Pisa: ETS, 2022, 91-103.

In the same edited volume, Luca Mondin in ‘I metri oraziani nel quadro della polimetria tardoantica’ (pp. 11-62) has also much to say about Sidonius.

In the publisher’s catalogue