The Question of the Christian Interpretation of Virgil’s IV Eclogue

Abstract

Publius Virgil Maron, an ancient Roman poet, author of the textbook poem «Aeneid» and two books on Roman village life and agriculture «Bucolica» and «Georgica», is an example of the exceptional recognition of a pagan author in the Christian world. His famous IV eclogue is dedicated to passages from Augustine and Lactantius, Hieronymus of Stridon, and the poet himself is often depicted in the same row with the prophets in Roman basilicas. However, the fourth eclogue itself, two millennia after its writing, is considered by many researchers from the standpoint of non-Christian, denying any influence of the Abrahamic religions on the text of the great poet. This article examines a certain cultural and religious background that influenced the themes and poetics of the fourth eclogue, as well as analyzes some early and late medieval Christian interpretations of this poetic work.