The mythological figure of the Sybil has inspired many literary works since the Classical Antiquity (5th century BC) up until now. One of these works is incipit Mundus Origo mea est, a short poem in Latin dating back to Late Antiquity discovered by B. Bischoff and edited by him in 1951 . It is a hexametric text with 136 verses describing a prophecy of apocalyptic and eschatological nature. After introducing herself to her readership, the Sibylla Maga, who is credited with this oracle, recalls the main phases of the Creation announcing the advent of Christ and dispensing ethical advice while waiting for the Universal Judgement. This paper takes into account the greater handwritten evidence attesting the poem and aims at analysing the ecdotics of the Sibylline text in order to present a critical edition with a translation and commentary while describing the historical dynamics of its dissemination. The poem is part and parcel of the type of literature inspired by the Sybil’s literary image that, starting from Heraclitus, is regularly recaptured by the Greek, Roman (Sibylline Books), Judeo-Hellenistic and Christina literatures. Starting from the comparative analysis of the main collection of Oracula Sibyllina, produced in the 6th century A.C. by an anonymous Byzantine author, a new anthropological, literary and multifocal interpretation of the Sibylline production tout court is presented. This production is characterised by re-writing: a text is assembled from a pre-text that crystallises itself into a core Sibylline inter-text (imagologically understood) which, as well as being typically attributed to the Sybil, preserves its political, apocalyptical, eschatological and salvific nature as well as a rhetoric structure in line with the production of riddles and oracles. All this work has highlighted a distinctive literary peculiarity enabling a systematic and multidisciplinary reading of many texts that are on the main isolated or adespota. Some examples that are worth mentioning are: a) Versus Sibylle Theodole Magne (10th century - unpublished), a real pamphlet where the great Sybil, pressed by the Archangel Michael, prophesises the advent of Christ while indulging in a long description of the Eden and the most salient episodes of Mary’s childhood; b) the Sibylline oracles included in the various editions (1481-1517) of Filippo Barbieri’s Opuscola, written in the 15th century and showing the poetic pars of the iconic caption that were useful to designate the humanistic Sibylline iconographic prototypes in vogue until the 19th century; c) Mundus Origo. Renamed Prophetia ex Dictis Sibyllae Magae after comparing it with the handwritten texts, this short poem becomes part of a larger, more distinguishing and culturally versatile collection and acknowledges the complex thematic and stylistically rhetoric structure of the time it spawned from. As a matter of fact, Prophetia, for which the philological analysis has enabled to identify 11 transmission codes dated between the 9th and 10th century AD, is a true summa of classical readings in vogue in the 5th century AD. These readings are also recalled by their phonic and stylistic aspects, as shown by the para-phonic trend of the end partes of the verses and are often re-interpreted in an engaged theological functionality totally devoted to spreading the salient messages of the Christian religious novella. Furthermore, by drawing inspiration from the comparative methodology of French origin, a comparison between the Sibylline text and the better known text by Voluspà, belonging to the Norse Edda collection, is made. The similarities in terms of structure and content as well as the ways the Sybil is represented within the oracle have helped to identify a significant analogy with the role played by Odin’s volva. Both divine female ministers are seen as instruments to dispense wisdom, and their messages share the same dramatic and dialogic structure when outlining the various topics. They also share the same neo-platonic matrix that can be recognised in the way terrestrial spaces are conceived and celestial spaces are organised. In the Latin text, however, Sybilla is considered a true Maga: although this noun must presumably have come from a philological mistake of mechanical aetiology, it shows a new Sibylline type, an intermediary in relation to the classic and Christian prophetesses and the Sybil as fairy and witch of medieval novels, thus enriching the idea of Christian magic in the Late Antiquity. According to what is confirmed by the illustrative description of Gervase of Tilbury in Otia imperalia (legitur autem Sibilla que in Italia vaticinata est Chimera dicta propter sua vaticinia, que mutabilitate sua varias profecie producebat figuras (chapter CXXI), which takes on board the phantasmatic transfert of this sui generis mythological woman, Sybil Maga is one of the expressions of the imaginary, literary and anthropological monstrum. Yet, the transient perception of the Sybil in Prophetia ex Dictis Sibyllae Magae is still in keeping with the more traditional Christian way of formulating oracles, as is clear by the thematic core of the text: the announcement of the advent of Christ. In the wake of the Christian reception of the Virgilian themes and, more specifically, the messianic value attributed to Ecloga IV (Carmen Cumaeum), the Maga of the Late Antiquity prophesises the advent of the Son of God on earth as well. By means of a meticulous rhetoric construction, he is often compared to the classic figure of Saturn who descended to Lazio to revive the world thus testing a system of prolific dialogue of pagan and Christian sources when moving onto the Late Antiquity. The name of Saviour, always mentioned through paraphrases, is revealed only through the acrostic play of verses 77-83 which the name CRISTUS appears thus testifying to the familiarity of the anonymous author with the more usual sibylline writings and the thematic and stylistic trends of the time. An analogic interpretation of Prophetia as opposed to the Commodian production has been possible thanks to: a) this acrostic approach alongside the technically irregular metrics still aiming at a eurythmic rendition consistent with classic norms; and b) lexicon and expressions that are dialogically and seamlessly spaced out. Even though the text cannot be clearly attributed to anyone in particular, the features of a theologically and historically engaged poetic literature come clearly to the fore. Although there is no political focus, the paideutic commitment to distinguish between Christian behaviour inspired by the fides Dei (v. 4) and behaviour bound to be punished with Tartarus (v.129), as well as wise reorganisation of pagan and Christian sources (the Old Testament being the first source) elevate its style and make for its long shelf life. During Late Antiquity this text was not marginalised. However, until at least the 15th century only a reduced version of it was available. This excerpt (six/nine verses) relating to the advent of Christ on earth was soon associated to the production of pseudo-Virgilian solemn poems and the Appendix. It was subsequently transferred to the Scholastic collection known as Carmina Duodecim Sapientum. This is a collection of 12 series with 12 metric solemn poems, each of which will be associated with Prophetia ex Dictis Sibyllae Magae until the late humanistic period. Thanks to this literary association, the poem was transcribed in the famous code by Boccaccio Plut. 33.31, currently kept at the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana.

Prophetia ex Dictis Sibyllae Magae

SANTILLI, Elena
2019

Abstract

The mythological figure of the Sybil has inspired many literary works since the Classical Antiquity (5th century BC) up until now. One of these works is incipit Mundus Origo mea est, a short poem in Latin dating back to Late Antiquity discovered by B. Bischoff and edited by him in 1951 . It is a hexametric text with 136 verses describing a prophecy of apocalyptic and eschatological nature. After introducing herself to her readership, the Sibylla Maga, who is credited with this oracle, recalls the main phases of the Creation announcing the advent of Christ and dispensing ethical advice while waiting for the Universal Judgement. This paper takes into account the greater handwritten evidence attesting the poem and aims at analysing the ecdotics of the Sibylline text in order to present a critical edition with a translation and commentary while describing the historical dynamics of its dissemination. The poem is part and parcel of the type of literature inspired by the Sybil’s literary image that, starting from Heraclitus, is regularly recaptured by the Greek, Roman (Sibylline Books), Judeo-Hellenistic and Christina literatures. Starting from the comparative analysis of the main collection of Oracula Sibyllina, produced in the 6th century A.C. by an anonymous Byzantine author, a new anthropological, literary and multifocal interpretation of the Sibylline production tout court is presented. This production is characterised by re-writing: a text is assembled from a pre-text that crystallises itself into a core Sibylline inter-text (imagologically understood) which, as well as being typically attributed to the Sybil, preserves its political, apocalyptical, eschatological and salvific nature as well as a rhetoric structure in line with the production of riddles and oracles. All this work has highlighted a distinctive literary peculiarity enabling a systematic and multidisciplinary reading of many texts that are on the main isolated or adespota. Some examples that are worth mentioning are: a) Versus Sibylle Theodole Magne (10th century - unpublished), a real pamphlet where the great Sybil, pressed by the Archangel Michael, prophesises the advent of Christ while indulging in a long description of the Eden and the most salient episodes of Mary’s childhood; b) the Sibylline oracles included in the various editions (1481-1517) of Filippo Barbieri’s Opuscola, written in the 15th century and showing the poetic pars of the iconic caption that were useful to designate the humanistic Sibylline iconographic prototypes in vogue until the 19th century; c) Mundus Origo. Renamed Prophetia ex Dictis Sibyllae Magae after comparing it with the handwritten texts, this short poem becomes part of a larger, more distinguishing and culturally versatile collection and acknowledges the complex thematic and stylistically rhetoric structure of the time it spawned from. As a matter of fact, Prophetia, for which the philological analysis has enabled to identify 11 transmission codes dated between the 9th and 10th century AD, is a true summa of classical readings in vogue in the 5th century AD. These readings are also recalled by their phonic and stylistic aspects, as shown by the para-phonic trend of the end partes of the verses and are often re-interpreted in an engaged theological functionality totally devoted to spreading the salient messages of the Christian religious novella. Furthermore, by drawing inspiration from the comparative methodology of French origin, a comparison between the Sibylline text and the better known text by Voluspà, belonging to the Norse Edda collection, is made. The similarities in terms of structure and content as well as the ways the Sybil is represented within the oracle have helped to identify a significant analogy with the role played by Odin’s volva. Both divine female ministers are seen as instruments to dispense wisdom, and their messages share the same dramatic and dialogic structure when outlining the various topics. They also share the same neo-platonic matrix that can be recognised in the way terrestrial spaces are conceived and celestial spaces are organised. In the Latin text, however, Sybilla is considered a true Maga: although this noun must presumably have come from a philological mistake of mechanical aetiology, it shows a new Sibylline type, an intermediary in relation to the classic and Christian prophetesses and the Sybil as fairy and witch of medieval novels, thus enriching the idea of Christian magic in the Late Antiquity. According to what is confirmed by the illustrative description of Gervase of Tilbury in Otia imperalia (legitur autem Sibilla que in Italia vaticinata est Chimera dicta propter sua vaticinia, que mutabilitate sua varias profecie producebat figuras (chapter CXXI), which takes on board the phantasmatic transfert of this sui generis mythological woman, Sybil Maga is one of the expressions of the imaginary, literary and anthropological monstrum. Yet, the transient perception of the Sybil in Prophetia ex Dictis Sibyllae Magae is still in keeping with the more traditional Christian way of formulating oracles, as is clear by the thematic core of the text: the announcement of the advent of Christ. In the wake of the Christian reception of the Virgilian themes and, more specifically, the messianic value attributed to Ecloga IV (Carmen Cumaeum), the Maga of the Late Antiquity prophesises the advent of the Son of God on earth as well. By means of a meticulous rhetoric construction, he is often compared to the classic figure of Saturn who descended to Lazio to revive the world thus testing a system of prolific dialogue of pagan and Christian sources when moving onto the Late Antiquity. The name of Saviour, always mentioned through paraphrases, is revealed only through the acrostic play of verses 77-83 which the name CRISTUS appears thus testifying to the familiarity of the anonymous author with the more usual sibylline writings and the thematic and stylistic trends of the time. An analogic interpretation of Prophetia as opposed to the Commodian production has been possible thanks to: a) this acrostic approach alongside the technically irregular metrics still aiming at a eurythmic rendition consistent with classic norms; and b) lexicon and expressions that are dialogically and seamlessly spaced out. Even though the text cannot be clearly attributed to anyone in particular, the features of a theologically and historically engaged poetic literature come clearly to the fore. Although there is no political focus, the paideutic commitment to distinguish between Christian behaviour inspired by the fides Dei (v. 4) and behaviour bound to be punished with Tartarus (v.129), as well as wise reorganisation of pagan and Christian sources (the Old Testament being the first source) elevate its style and make for its long shelf life. During Late Antiquity this text was not marginalised. However, until at least the 15th century only a reduced version of it was available. This excerpt (six/nine verses) relating to the advent of Christ on earth was soon associated to the production of pseudo-Virgilian solemn poems and the Appendix. It was subsequently transferred to the Scholastic collection known as Carmina Duodecim Sapientum. This is a collection of 12 series with 12 metric solemn poems, each of which will be associated with Prophetia ex Dictis Sibyllae Magae until the late humanistic period. Thanks to this literary association, the poem was transcribed in the famous code by Boccaccio Plut. 33.31, currently kept at the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana.
2019
Italiano
MICAELLI, Claudio
BONAFIN, MASSIMO
Università degli Studi di Macerata
326
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14242/194687
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