Latin Lyric Poetry and Horace's Influence on Fray Luis de León

Lyric Poetry

Lyric poetry traditionally expresses intense feelings or profound reflections, both manifestations of the self's experience. Fray Luis de León wasn't just a poet but also a prose writer and political thinker. His work reveals a deep understanding of ancient texts, both biblical and classical Latin poetry, especially the works of Horace. He translated several of Horace's works, which significantly influenced his own poetry. A key example in Castilian is the Song of Songs, the commentary on the last of the Proverbs of Solomon.

Horace's Lyrical Poetry

Horace's Odes are his most celebrated lyrical work, consisting of four books, the last added near the end of his life. The themes vary:

• Love Odes: Dedicated to Lydia, Pyrrha, Chloe, and others.
• Philosophical Odes: Exploring Epicurean philosophy.
• Roman Odes: Celebrating the exploits of Drusus and Tiberius.

These themes are expressed through diverse verse and stanza types, demonstrating elaborate composition and skillful handling.

Dante Alighieri and the Divine Comedy

The Divine Comedy is a theological poem of unknown date. Each part is divided into cantos, composed of tercets. The poem's structure is based on the symbolism of the number three, representing the Holy Trinity and symbolizing balance and stability. The three main characters—Dante (man), Beatrice (faith), and Virgil (reason)—further emphasize this symbolism. Each tercet has three lines, and each of the three parts has thirty-three cantos. The Divine Comedy's mathematical structure is far more complex. The poem can be interpreted through four levels of meaning: literal, allegorical, moral, and anagogical. Dante's powerful synthesis is characteristic of great poets.

The first part narrates Dante's descent into Hell with Virgil, the author of the Aeneid. Hell is depicted as a cone with nine circles where the damned are punished according to their sins, culminating in the last circle, "Judecca."

The second part, Purgatory, is a flat-topped mountain with terraced slopes mirroring Hell's structure.

In Paradise, Dante meets Beatrice, close to God in the Empyrean, surrounded by angelic choirs. When Dante looks at God, his memory overflows, and he faints and awakens.

Boccaccio and Narrative Prose

Giovanni Boccaccio, born in Paris in 1313, was the son of a Florentine merchant and a Frenchwoman. He spent his childhood in Certaldo, his youth in Florence and Naples, and at twenty-three, fell in love with Maria d'Aquino, whom he called Fiammetta. In 1340, he returned to Florence, living there until 1362. A Carthusian monk urged him to abandon secular writing, prompting his retreat to Certaldo, where he died in 1375. Boccaccio's work represents the maturation of Italian prose, emphasizing narrative. His works are diverse, including poetry, scholarship, and narration.

His poetic works include Latin Eclogues, Philostratus, Teseida, Loves, and Ninfale Fiesolano. His scholarly work includes De Claris Mulieribus (biographies of famous women) and De Casibus Virorum Illustrium. His prose work, Fiammetta (originally titled Elegy of Madonna Fiammetta), pioneered a new novel genre focused on psychological exploration. A woman narrates her despair at losing her lover in an autobiographical style.