Helius Eobanus Hessus

Helius Eobanus Hessus ( born January 6, 1488 Halgehausen; † October 4, 1540 in Marburg ) was a Protestant humanist and is considered one of the greatest neo-Latin poets of his time.

Life

His original name was probably Eoban cooking. Later he changed the family name to Hessus and lay down - in allusion to his birth on a Sunday and the poet God - the additional name Helius. In the register book at the University of Erfurt, he always wore, however, under the name Eobanus coci Francobergius, since he attended a Latin school in Frankenberg on the Eder, attended by the chronicler Wigand Gerstenberg and the physician and botanist Euricius Cordus learned. He received his education beyond the monastery Haina and in Gemünden at the Wohra.

From 1504 he studied at the University of Erfurt Latin. 1507 he received the Rector at the Severischule. Two years later he left this post and went to giant castle. Here he worked as a civil servant and occasional poet office of Bishop Job of Dobeneck. In 1513 he began in Frankfurt on the Oder a law degree and went shortly afterwards to Leipzig, where he turned back to the humanistic studies. In August 1514 he returned to Erfurt back, looked in Erfurt humanists circle among other things, the dark men with letters and took over at the University Professor of Latin. From 1526 he taught as a teacher of rhetoric and poetics at Aegidianum in Nuremberg. In 1536 he was finally professor in Marburg. He wrote besides occasional poems and poetic letters Christian heroines.

Martin Luther called him "the most famous poet of the time, the pious and pure singer ".

Price

After Hessus the Eobanus - Hessus award is named. It is published by the city of Erfurt.

Works

• Sylvae. Selection of idylls, epigrams and occasional poems
• Heroiden letters of Holy Mary to Cunegonde ( wife of Henry II )