John Scottus and Greek Mythology: Reprising an Ancient Hermeneutic in the Paris Commentary on Martianus Capella

Abstract

The essay opens with a brief discussion of Martianus Capella’s De nuptiis Philologiae et Mercurii, and sets out some possible reasons for its popularity with medieval scholars. De nuptiis was known in Ireland by the seventh century, and John Scottus Eriugena might have read it there. In any case, he wrote two versions of a commentary on the work, the longer of which (P = Paris, BnF, MS lat. 12960) is considerably more interesting for its exegetical method. The allegoresis of secular texts had been largely neglected since Fulgentius (sixth century), and was only reprised in the diffuse commentary tradition on Martianus that preceded Eriugena’s study of that text. However, in the P commentary John appears to be working towards a sophisticated exegetical system that embodies what the author himself calls “the laws of allegory.” John employs the terms fabulose and physice (“in the mythical sense”and “in the physical sense”), which, as is argued, correspond to Neoplatonic psychological allegoresis and Stoic physical allegoresis respectively. Although the terms appear to be similar to those used by Augustine in the De civitate Dei (drawing on Varro), John uses them differently. The source of his terminology remains problematic, though one might speculate on the use of a Greek work.