White, Beatrice, ed., The Eclogues of Alexander Barclay (Early English Text Society Original Series 175,1928 [Rpt. 1998]). ISBN: 197221750 Find this book in a library
The Eclogues
218
- Baptista, Mantuanus
- Barclay, Alexander
- Pius II
1500 - 1550
- English - Middle English
- Latin
- Original language included
- England
- Scotland
- Literature - Verse
- Translation
- Classics / Humanism
- Clergy - Monks, Nuns, Friars
- Literature - Comedy / Satire
- Towns / Cities
The 65-page introduction provides a biography of Barclay, discussing the evidence for his Scottish origin, his role as a clergyman and monk, his works (he is best known for Ship of Fools), and his contemporary reception. As he grew older, he wrote less, and devoted his life more to his religious vocation. The introduction discusses the ecolgues themselves: their themes, date of composition, literary merit, and influence.
MK
Eclogues are a humanist form of literature, derived from Classical pastoral poetry, which are often satiric. Barclay, the author of these eclogues, was a Carmelite monk. The first three eclogues are adaptations of the Miseriæ curialium of Ænius Sylvius (Pope Pius II) and the last two paraphrases of Mantuan’s fifth and sixth eclogues. They satirize court culture, the luxury and vice of city culture, and wealthy men’s lack of charity towards poor authors. This edition is in Middle English. Where Barclay’s work is a translation of other authors, their Latin is given at the bottom of the page. Notes at the end provide textual variants and explain allusions to contemporary people, places, and events.