Virgil in Medieval England: Figuring the 'Aeneid' from the Twelfth Century to Chaucer

Description: Traces the evolution of Virgil's authority during the Middle Ages as stimulated by translations of his works and marginalia in his manuscripts.; Examines various types of access to Virgil and suggests that there are three main approaches to Virgilian material: allegorical, pedagogical, and via romance.; Chapter 6 focuses on the interaction among the three approaches within Chaucer's HF and LGW.; Like the medieval treatment of Virgilian materials, Chaucer's treatment of the Matter of Troy also undergoes an evolution, apparent in his treatment of authority in LGW, where he asserts his own authority among the "auctores"--Virgil and Ovid--in order to challenge any author's claim to such an authoritative status.