The literature of Greece and Rome did not entirely
disappear in western Europe after the Germanic invasions. The monastery and
cathedral schools of the Middle Ages had nourished devoted students of ancient
books. The Benedictine monks labored zealously in copying the works of pagan as
well as Christian authors. The rise of universities made it possible for the
student to pursue a fairly extended course in Latin literature at more than one
institution of learning. Greek literature, however, was little known in the
West. The poems of Homer were read only in a brief Latin summary, and even
Aristotle's writings were studied in Latin translations.
DANTE ALIGHIERI 1265-1321 A.D.
Reverence for the classics finds constant expression in
the writings of the Italian poet Dante. He was a native of Florence, but passed
much of his life in exile. Dante's most famous work, the Divine Comedy,
describes an imaginary visit to the other world. Vergil guides him through the
realms of Hell and Purgatory until he meets his lady Beatrice, the
personification of love and purity, who conducts him through Paradise. The Divine
Comedy gives in artistic verse an epitome of all that medieval men knew and
hoped and felt: it is a mirror of the Middle Ages. At the same time it drew
much of its inspiration from Graeco-Roman sources. Athens, for Dante, is the
"hearth from which all knowledge glows"; Homer is the "loftiest
of poets", and Aristotle is the "master of those who know." This
feeling for classical antiquity entitles Dante to rank as a prophet of the
Renaissance.
