The Humblest Sparrow: The Poetry of Venantius Fortunatus Book

Contents

ABBREVIATIONS....................xi
Introduction....................1
CHAPTER ONE Windows of Order: The Epitaph Made New....................5
CHAPTER TWO Strategies of Praising: Metaphors of Eminence....................38
In Praise of Bishops: Rehearsing the Repertoire, Ringing the Changes....................38
In Praise of Bishops: Leontius of Bordeaux (Carm. 1.15) and Felix of Nantes (Carm. 3.8)....................46
In Praise of Kings and Dukes....................53
The Topography of Order: Churches....................61
The Topography of Order: Villas and Landscapes....................71
CHAPTER THREE Strategies of Praising: Bishops and Ceremonies....................103
Carm. 5.3. To the Citizens of Tours Concerning Bishop Gregory....................106
Carm. 2.9. To the Clergy of Paris....................123
Carm, 3.9. To Bishop Felix on Easter....................139
CHAPTER FOUR Situating the Saints, Narrating the Saints, Imagining Martin....................165
Situating the Saints: Churches, Saints, and Relics....................166
Situating the Saints: Between Heaven and Earth....................171
Narrating the Saints: Saturninus (2.7), Maurice and the Saints of Agaune (2.14), Medard (2.16)....................175
Imagining Martin....................187
1. Pictures and Poetry: Epigrams for the Cathedral of Tours (10.6)....................189
2. Meditating on Martin: The Vita Sancti Martini....................199
Literary Antecedents and Genre....................200
Narrative Structures....................204
Figures of Diction and the Poetry of Meditation....................213
Fortunatus and His Christian Predecessors: Paulinus of Périgueux and Sedulius....................222
The Path to Heaven....................231
CHAPTER FIVE To Absent Friends: Verse Correspondence and Personal Poetry....................244
Letters to Clergy....................247
Letters to Secular Figures....................252
Gregory of Tours....................269
Radegund and Agnes....................283
Conclusion....................320
BIBLIOGRAPHY....................331
TEXT EDITIONS USED....................345
INDEX LOCORUM....................347
GENERAL INDEX....................359