Medieval commentaries typically included an accessus, a standardized introduction to an author or book. In the twelfth century these introductions were anthologised, referred to now as Accessus ad auctores. They served as the first handbooks of literary criticism. The earliest and most comprehensive example, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Clm 19475, saec. XII,is presented here for the first time in a faithful critical edition, with a new translation and explanatory notes addressing different aspects of the text. This book's aim is to present an accurate version of the text while respecting the arrangement and integrity of the anthology as a whole, and includes previously unpublished material from the anthology.

About the Author

Stephen M. Wheeler (BA, Yale, MA, PhD, Princeton University) is an associate professor at Pennsylvania State University. He is interested in early and late imperial Latin poetry; the idea of Rome in literary, cultural, and historical contexts; and the literary reception of classical authors in theory and practice.

Reviews

"Accessus ad auctores is a splendid addition to scholarship on the repurposing of classical literature by medieval scholars... Scholars are sure to adopt this volume for classroom use, as students will benefit as much from access to this important text in English translation as they will from Wheeler's formidable erudition. Moreover, Accessus ad auctores boasts a thorough bibliography on the medieval reception of classical authors and an attentive index, both of which add to the value of the book as a tool for further research." Scott G. Bruce, University of Colorado at Boulder, The Medieval Review 17.05.08

"To read Wheeler's text, translation, and commentary of the accessus collection in Munich, Clm 19475 is to plunge oneself into the world of the high medieval classroom, where works largely forgotten today, like the elegies of Maximianus and the Ilias Latina, enjoyed a privileged status, and Ovid could be read seriously as a source of ethical instruction. In addition to serving as a necessary companion to the composite accessus edition of R.B.C. Huygens, Wheeler's volume could also serve as an ideal reader for students transitioning from classical to medieval Latin, since the texts are short, fairly simple, and representatively medieval in their idiom. In sum, Stephen M. Wheeler has produced a scrupulously accurate edition and translation of the accessus anthology assembled in Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Clm 19475, and a useful commentary that facilitates our understanding of the methods and priorities of the medieval classroom." --Justin Lake, Texas A&M University, Bryn Mawr Classical Review 2018.03.43

Book Information
ISBN 9781580441896
Author Stephen M Wheeler
Format Paperback
Page Count 296
Imprint Medieval Institute Publications
Publisher Medieval Institute Publications
Weight(grams) 464g