Ausonius – författare

Ausonius of Bordeaux, poet, professor, and statesman, whose long life almost spanned the fourth century AD, lived at a time of great cultural and political change, and was for many years, as an imperial courtier, closely involved in the administration of the Roman Empire. A prolific and original writer, Ausonius covers an astonishing stylistic range in his many and varied poems, from an elaborate description of the river Moselle to after-dinner diversions, from scurrilous epigrams to the stately verses in which he proclaims his Christian beliefs or his eminence as consul. This revised text of Ausonius' complete works, with over a hundred new emendations, is followed by a detailed commentary. Four introductory chapters consider the nature of Ausonius' poetry, his life and career, his influence, and the manuscripts of his works.

A master of the jeweled style.Ausonius (Decimus Magnus), ca. AD 310–ca. 395, a doctor’s son, was born at Burdigala (Bordeaux). After a good education in grammar and rhetoric and a short period during which he was an advocate, he took to teaching rhetoric in a school that he began in the University of Bordeaux in 334. Among his students was Paulinus, who was afterwards Bishop of Nola; and he seems to have become some sort of Christian himself. Thirty years later Ausonius was called by Emperor Valentinian to be tutor to Gratian, who subsequently as emperor conferred on him honors including a consulship in 379. In 383, after Gratian’s murder, Ausonius retired to Bordeaux.Ausonius’ surviving works, some with deep feeling, some composed it seems for fun, some didactic, include much poetry: poems about himself and family, notably “The Daily Round”; epitaphs on heroes in the Trojan War, memorials on Roman emperors, and epigrams on various subjects; poems about famous cities and about friends and colleagues. “The Moselle,” a description of that river, is among the most admired of his poems. There is also an address of thanks to Gratian for the consulship.The Loeb Classical Library edition of Ausonius is in two volumes; the second includes Eucharisticus (“Thanksgiving”) by Paulinus Pellaeus.

A master of the jeweled style.Ausonius (Decimus Magnus), ca. AD 310–ca. 395, a doctor’s son, was born at Burdigala (Bordeaux). After a good education in grammar and rhetoric and a short period during which he was an advocate, he took to teaching rhetoric in a school that he began in the University of Bordeaux in 334. Among his students was Paulinus, who was afterwards Bishop of Nola; and he seems to have become some sort of Christian himself. Thirty years later Ausonius was called by Emperor Valentinian to be tutor to Gratian, who subsequently as emperor conferred on him honors including a consulship in 379. In 383, after Gratian’s murder, Ausonius retired to Bordeaux.Ausonius’ surviving works, some with deep feeling, some composed it seems for fun, some didactic, include much poetry: poems about himself and family, notably “The Daily Round”; epitaphs on heroes in the Trojan War, memorials on Roman emperors, and epigrams on various subjects; poems about famous cities and about friends and colleagues. “The Moselle,” a description of that river, is among the most admired of his poems. There is also an address of thanks to Gratian for the consulship.The Loeb Classical Library edition of Ausonius is in two volumes; the second includes Eucharisticus (“Thanksgiving”) by Paulinus Pellaeus.

Das Moselgedicht des in Burdigala (Bordeaux) an der Garumna (Garonne) geborenen Ausonius (ca. 310–394), eines der berühmtesten Werke der Spätantike, ist ein geniales (über 1600 Jahre nicht erkanntes) Spiel mit der Zahl Sieben, die den Buchstaben des Wortes Mosella (und Garumna) entspricht. Es beschreibt die Annäherung an den Fluss von der Nahe aus über die Hunsrückhöhenstraße nach Neumagen, weiter die Flusslandschaft, den Fischreichtum, den Weinbau, die Moselaner, die Moselvillen und anderes. – Bissula ist der Name eines jungen germanischen Mädchens, dem der sechzigjährige Trierer Prinzenerzieher und -berater offensichtlich nicht nur Unterricht in der lateinischen Sprache, sondern auch im Fach Erotik gegeben hat. – Der kunstvoll gestaltete Briefwechsel mit Paulinus Nolanus bildet eines der ergreifendsten Zeugnisse der Auseinandersetzung des frühen Christentums mit heidnischen Traditionen und wird hier erstmals in deutscher Übersetzung und Kommentierung einem weiteren Publikum zugänglich gemacht.