The Correspondence of Ausonius and Paulinus of Nola

1. Chronology of the letters (N.B. The chronology of the later letters is highly contentious. I give one possible construction.)

XXIII-XXVI Ausonius: Mid 380's, before Paulinus' conversion.

XXVIII Ausonius: 391

XXIX Ausonius: 393 (Ausonius also wrote two other letters, now lost, probably in 390 and 392)

XXXI Paulinus: Later 393--response to above

XXVII Ausonius: 394

XXX Paulinus: 394, in response to XXVII

2. Summary of Contents of first four poems.

XXIII Ausonius has received some poetry of Paulinus and praises it; he sends his greetings.

XXIV Ausonius sends Paulinus New Year greetings.

XXV Ausonius thanks Paulinus for a gift; praises the poem sent in the last letter; sends greetings (in verse).

XXVI Ausonius asks that Paulinus assist the grain factor Philo in transporting grain to his estate.

3. Structure of Poem 28

1-12 Speculation concerning reasons for Paulinus' silence

13-27 Codes and secret messages

28-35 Ausonius' claims--returns to themes of first section

4. Structure of Poem 29

1-31 Complaint: Paulinus' silence is unnatural

32-44 Request for some response, however short

45-61 Lament that Paulinus is so far away in wastes of Spain

62-72 Complaint against a "bad influence;" comparison with Bellerophon

73-74 Concluding appeal

5. Poem 31 (Paulinus)

This poem is written in three metres: 1-18 elegiacs, 19-102 iambics, 103-331 hexameters.

1-18 elegiacs: introduction and greetings

19-102 iambics

19-46 denunciation of devotion to Muses and literature

47-80 praise of God

81-102 unjustness of Ausonius' complaints

103-331 hexameters

101-128 Your prayer is misdirected--it should be to God, not the Muses

128-53 If I am at fault, God is at fault--rather be grateful for my conversion

154-88 I am no Bellerophon

189-259 Spain is no wasteland

260-77 Therefore be a true father--do not credit malicious sneers

278-329 The truth is I have experienced a conversion--all my hopes are in Christian salvation

330-31 I must please God before you

6. Poem 27

A. 1-50 True friends: the yoke of friendship

1-15 Past concord

16-30 The yoke is being shaken off: present division

31-50 We had seemed firmer in our friendship than the proverbial pairs of friends

B. 51-109 Separation

51-66 Nemesis

67-86 But your exile is in the West and far away

87-109 Your exile deprives me of joy in my surroundings

C. 110-132 A Prayer for the Future

110-18 God will answer my prayer

119-32 When will I hear news of your return?

7. Poem 30 (Paulinus)

1-48 hexameters

1-29 I have been true in friendship

30-48 The yoke of love remains and will remain, though we are not in other respects equal

49-68 iambics: lyric on eternal affection of Paulinus for Ausonius