Magnus Felix Ennodius
Magnus Felix Ennodius (* 473 or 474 probably in Arles, † July 17 521 in Pavia), also Ennodius of Pavia was Bishop of Pavia and wrote a variety of Christian writings in Latin.
Life
Ennodius came from a noble family. After the early death of his parents he moved to his aunt in Pavia. There he was trained probably in the secular - traditional fields ( the Artes). Is not quite clear whether he was only engaged to his wife, a daughter of his aunt or she also married; anyway he first led a worldly life. He entered no later than the year 494 to Christianity and decided to lead a spiritual life.
In his autobiography ( the Eucharisticum de vita sua ), the style is based on the Confessions of Augustine, he writes that he has redeemed with this work a promise to the Holy Viktor. The help of St. Victor, so Ennodius, he owed the recovery from a serious illness and this experience have led him to a life of repentance. However, he fell ill until the year 511, and his conversion took place much earlier.
He accompanied Bishop Epiphanius of Pavia in the year 494 on a diplomatic mission to Lyon at King Gundobad; this trip was made on behalf of the Ostrogoth Theodoric the Great.
In the dispute over papal elections of November 22, 498, were elected to the Symmachus and Laurentius Pope to Ennodius committed in favor of Symmachus. On the so-called Synod Palmaris of 23 October 501, which Theodoric had convened in Rome, the Synod had decided that they should not judge a pope, because this is God reserved. This opinion Ennodius joined in his Libellus per synodo.
Since the year 513 was Ennodius bishop of Pavia and in this capacity he was sent in the years 515 and 517 by Pope Hormisdas to Constantinople Opel to move Emperor Anastasius I to a resolution of the Akakianischen schism. However, his efforts were unsuccessful.
Writings
Prior to his time as bishop Ennodius wrote about 500 works. Historically significant as a source of history are a eulogy of Theodoric ( the panegyric Teodorico regi dictus ) and a biography of Epiphanius of Pavia, his predecessor as bishop of Pavia ( the Vita Epiphanii episcopi Ticinensis ).
In addition, 297 letters have survived, which he wrote on the model of Symmachus. Ennodius also wrote 28 speeches on various occasions like school parties, the dedication of a basilica or the anniversary of the taking office of Bishop Laurentius of Milan. In the tradition of ancient scholarship are his 151 songs and epigrams, which some literary importance is attached to: " The versification seems improvised and tied to suitable opportunities ".
Probably commissioned by Leontius, the abbot of the monastery of Lérins, Ennodius wrote in the year 506, a Life of Antony of Lérins ( the Vita Antonii monachi Lerinensis ).
Text output
- Walter Bulst: Hymni Latini antiquissimi LXXV, Psalmi III, Heidelberg 1956, pp. 77-88.
- Michael Fertig: Magnus Felix Ennodius and his time, Passau 1855-1860 ( translation ).
- JP Migne (ed.): Anno Domini 521: Magni Felicis Ennodii ( episcopi Ticinensis ) epistolarum libri 9; Opuscula miscella 10; Carmina liber 1, 2; Appendix: Dictio Ennodii in natali Laurentii, Mediolanensis episcopi ( = Patrologiae cursus completus Series Latina T. 63. . ), Paris 1882.
- Friedrich Vogel (ed.): Auctores antiquissimi 7: Magni Felicis Ennodi Opera. Berlin 1885 ( Monumenta Historica Germaniae, digitized )
- Christian Rohr: The Theodoric - panegyric of Ennodius (MGH Studies and Texts 12). Hannover 1995.
- Stéphane Gioanni: Lettres, Tome 1: Livres I et II, Paris, Les Belles Lettres, 2006, after the dissertation of 2004, " Lumière de Rome ", " Lumière de l' Église " and Lettres, Tome 2: Livres III et IV, Paris, Les Belles Lettres, 2010.