Arnulf of Orléans: Glosulae in Ovidii Fastos

Arnulf of Orléans, a twelfth-century master at the cathedral school of Orléans, wrote these Glosulae on Ovid’s Fasti. They begin with an accessus, the standard introduction that asks the title of the work, the cause of its writing, its subject matter, the author’s intention, its usefulness to the reader, and to which part of philosophy it belongs. The title, Arnulf explains, indicates the subject, since Ovid treats the fasti and nefasti days; nefastus comes from nefas, since on such days business could not lawfully be done because of misfortunes that had befallen the Romans. The glosses run to some 47,000 words in three parts.

Arnulf was one of the leading commentators on Latin poetry in the twelfth century, and his glosses on Ovid, Lucan and others were widely used in the schools. His commentary on the Fasti explains Roman customs, myths and calendar lore line by line, and is an important witness to the medieval study of Ovid and of Roman religion. It shows how a classical poem was taught as a source of learning in the schools of France.