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The of Baptista Mantuanus The Eclogues of Baptista Mantuanus. Edited, with Introduction and notes, by W. P. Mustard, Ph.D., Collegiate Professor of Latin in the Johns Hopkins University. Small 410. 1 vol. Pp.156. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins Press. 1911.

S. G. Owen

The Classical Review / Volume 27 / Issue 07 / November 1913, pp 241 - 242 DOI: 10.1017/S0009840X00005928, Published online: 27 October 2009

Link to this article: http://journals.cambridge.org/abstract_S0009840X00005928

How to cite this article: S. G. Owen (1913). The Classical Review, 27, pp 241-242 doi:10.1017/S0009840X00005928

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THE ECLOGUES OF BAPTISTA MANTUANUS. The Eclogues of Baptista Mantuanus. Prudentius Sedulius and Juvencus (the Edited, with Introduction and notes, schoolboys of those times were indeed by W. P. MUSTARD, Ph.D., Collegi- giants !); they were read at the Gram- ate Professor of Latin in the Johns mar School of St. Bee's in Cumberland Hopkins University. Small 410. in 1583, asd at the King's School, 1 vol. Pp.156. Baltimore: The Johns Durham, in 1593, and elsewhere: into Hopkins Press. 1911. this interesting subject Dr. Mustard goes at length. Indeed Mantuan tended DR. MUSTARD'S scholarly edition of the to displace , to the detriment of eclogues of ' good old Mantuan,' or, to culture, in the view of J. C. Scaliger, give him his correct description, Bap- who complained that some teachers tista Mantuanus, will be welcomed preferred his eclogues to those of especially by students of English litera- Virgil. So the poet Drayton tells us ture, but will be of interest also to the that when as a boy he desired to many lovers of the classics who turn for become a poet, his obliging tutor agreeable relaxation to the graceful and eloquent Latin poetry (for real poetry it Began often is) of the Italian humanists Sanna- And first read to me honest Mantuan, zarius Vida Flaminius and the like, Then Virgil's Eclogues. and among them of Mantuan, whose Shakespeare's schoolmaster, Holo- eclogues are now rendered accessible. fernes, quotes the first line of the First The edition consists of an elaborate , which, with the four succeed- introduction text and notes. The ing lines, gives a fair idea of Mantuan's notes, besides explaining allusions, deal manner: with Mantuan's sources, which are traced with a scrupulous minuteness Fauste, precor, gelida quando pecus omne sub umbra worthy of an edition of a genuine Ruminat, antiquos paulum recitemus amores, ancient classic. What emerges from Ne, si forte sopor nos occupet, ulla ferarum the study of these notes is that Mantuan Quae modo per segetes tacite insidiantur adultas was well read in the chief Roman poets; Saeviat in pecudes ; melior vigilantia somno. that his chief source was Virgil, but that he was also largely influenced by There is much pretty description of Horace Tibullus and Ovid. natural scenery in the eclogues, and much that is ingenious and striking. Baptista (1448-1516) was a Carmelite Not the least remarkable is the charac- monk, of ugly personal appearance, terisation of the female sex, which according to our editor, who held the occupies nearly 40 lines in the Fourth office of Vicar-General of the Carmelite Eclogue, of which it is worth while to Congregation of , and spent his quote a few as a specimen : life chiefly at Mantua and . He was a man of great intellectual activity, Femineum servile genus, crudele, superbum, the author of prose orations and philo- Lege, modo, ratione caret. Confinia recti Neglegit, extremis gaudet, facit omnia voto sophical treatises, and of numerous Praecipiti, vel lenta iacet vel concita currit . . . Latin poems, of which his eclogues are Vult, non vult, secumque sibi contraria pugnat the most important. These eclogues Mobilis, inconstans, vaga, garrula, vana, bilin- became popular as soon as they were guis, published, on account of their lucid Imperiosa, minax, indignabunda, cruenta, style and genuine poetic feeling. They Improba, avara, rapax, querula, in vida, credula, were widely read, not only in Italy, but mendax. iff France Germany and ; There is an armoury of adjectives and (such was the fashion of the day) here which would content the keenest were actually used as a school-book for opponent of Female Suffrage. the study of Latin. Thus they were Mantuan has been long ago practi- prescribed by Colet to be read at cally forgotten, and Virgil's supremacy St Paul's School along with Lactantius is assured. But the Carmelite did a 242 THE CLASSICAL REVIEW service to modern literature: for the it had not been for this we might never popularity of his eclogues gave vogue to have had Spenser's Shepherd's Calendar bucolic poetry, and led to the composi- and Milton's Lycidas. tion of in the vernacular. If S. G. OWEN.

DER HORAZ-UNTERRICHT. Der Horaz- Unterricht. Ein Beitrag zur Yet much must be thrown out to Didaktik und Methodik des Lateinis- the wolves. On the question of inclu- chen in der Gymnasialprima. Von Dr. sion or rejection of particular poems PHIL. WILHELM SCHONACK. I vol. Dr. Schonack's well-weighed words 8vo. Pp. 144. Berlin: Weidmannsche should receive careful attention. He Buchhandlung, 1912. M. 3. appears to expect to get through in the two years about two-thirds of the Odes, THIS is a professional treatise, and deals perhaps some Epodes, some Satires with questions of practice; but it may (certainly I. 6 and 9 and II. 6), and some be read with much interest in illustra- Epistles. These last are well suited tion of the Special Report on "The to ' Oberprima,' but there will be scanty Teaching of the Classics in Secondary time for them, in view of the pressure Schools in Germany," presented to the of the Leaving Examination, and the Board of Education in 1910 by Messrs. necessary revision of the Odes. The F. Fletcher, J. W. Headlam, and J. L. 1 Odes should be read in Horace's order. Paton. See especially Mr. Fletcher's Any rearrangement, by metre or by Comparison of English and German date, or the like, leads to monotony. Schools on pp. 106 ff., and Mr. Paton's Great stress is laid on the matter, as in summary of Horace's claim to his all German school work, especially on position in schools, pp. 153-4. that of historical or political Odes. The Prussian Regulations (and the Thus II. 1 (Motum ex Metello) should situation is probably the same in the all be learned by heart. On the other other States) require that a selection hand, the ' Romer Oden' are best post- from Horace should be read in the poned till a late time in ' Oberprima.' higher schools, and some of his Odes The zeal of teachers must not carry learnt by heart. By consent, he is the their teaching over the heads of their poet of the ' Prima,' i.e. of boys in their scholars, i.e. of the average scholar. last two years. But only five hours a Points proper to the ' academic' read- week are available for Latin books in ing of Horace must not be anticipated. school, and these are shared with a Emendations may be left alone. To prose author. Greek has a like claim, point this rule, Lachmann's ' medi- and the requirements of other subjects cumque' at the end of Odes I. 32 may are inflexible. The teaching, on transla- be a privileged exception. Kiessling tion and matter, must be very thorough, prints it in his text; few other editors, but adapted to the powers of the average if any, have done so ; right or wrong, it scholar, who, ' as in life,' sets the pace. will be found really instructive, the more How is the maximum of educational so as Lachmann himself offers no value to be obtained from Horace ? reasons. Dr. Schonack collects and reviews the opinions of many colleagues; we have There is much of interest as to pro- a Select Committee of ' Horaz-padago- cedure: the preparation, the scholar's gen ' with a Chairman who knows his reading and translation, the teacher's mind. translation, and so on. It does not seem to be expected that the scholar The class works compactly, the will himself handle any edition of the scholars are well grounded and of a scope, say, of Kiessling's. The teacher strenuous age, and need not be spared. will not attempt to deal with all the 1 Wyman and Sons, 109, Fetter Lane, E.C. points raised in such a work. Post free, is. We have sidelights on the personality

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