Fabius Planciades Fulgentius
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
|
Related e |
|
Featured: |
Fabius Planciades Fulgentius (fl. late 5th – early 6th century) was a late-antique period writer. Four extant works are commonly attributed to him, as well as a possible fifth which some scholars include in compilations with much reservation. His mythographic work was greatly admired and highly influential throughout much of the medieval period, but is viewed with little favour today.
Mythologies
Generally known as his chief work, the Mythologies is a series of legends told in three books, all three of which are introduced by their own prologue. There are a total of 50 chapters, each briefly explaining a classical myth and imposing on it an allegorical interpretation. These interpretations include etymologies of the names of certain characters, as well as conclusions as to the purpose of the story in terms of morality. In his opening prologue, Fulgentius claims that the purpose in writing the Mythologies was to strip the classic Greek stories of all their fictitious and meaningless details in order to reveal the obscured truths they contain. He also suggests a Christian motive, though it would be inaccurate to define the Mythologies or any of Fulgentius' allegorical works as 'Christian allegories'.
Fulgentius’ etymologies (while typical of his age) have been recently criticized as being wildly extravagant, arbitrary, and often simply incorrect. While few have had anything positive to say about such etymological methods within the last two hundred years, the tradition dates back to the work of Plato and was common practice for such philosophic traditions as the Stoics and Neoplatonists. His use of such arbitrary etymologies to substantiate his allegorical claims is typical of his relentless tendency to stretch interpretations and search for truths that are not readily evident.
Several manuscripts of Mythologies are addressed to an unidentified Catus, Presbyter of Carthage.
