338 Lozovsky
De doctrina christiana, in which Augustine had discussed the nature and pur-
poses of Christian learning, Eugippius focused on passages from Book 1 (on the
truths of Scriptures) and omitted Book 4 (on Christian eloquence). Although
he retained Augustine’s statement about the usefulnesss of secular knowledge,
Eugippius omitted Augustine’s subsequent discussion of history, natural sci-
ences, and astronomy.98 While useful for learning about exegesis, Eugippius’
excerpts downplayed the role of secular disciplines, which was noted by
Cassiodorus. In his Institutions Cassiodorus recommended Eugippius’ works as
indispensable and described him as “a man indeed not well educated in secu-
lar letters, but well read in Divine Scripture.”99 Eugippius’ monastic foundation
in the south of Italy, Castellum Lucullanum, became an important centre of
Christian learning and diffusion of texts.100
Following the models of Augustine and Jerome, who were struggling to rec-
oncile the rhetorical flourishes and pagan imagery emphasized by classical
learning with the humble speech (sermo humilis) of Christ’s teachings, 6th-
century intellectuals expressed similar misgivings, sometimes occasioned by
external circumstances. Ennodius’ ecclesiastical office did not prevent him
from praising literary studies, composing elaborate rhetorical periods, and pro-
ducing obscene verses. Yet he, too, pondered the appropriateness of such occu-
pations for a cleric.101 Thus Ennodius described his life-threatening illness and
subsequent recovery that led to a spiritual awakening in a short confessional
work inspired by Augustine. Recalling his earlier life, Ennodius singled out his
superfluous preoccupation with rhetoric and poetry that led him away from
true wisdom. In his sickness, as it turned out, secular learning was of no use; no
remedies prescribed by Hippocrates and Galen could help and he was healed
only through prayer before the relics of St Victor.102 That work was probably
written in 510–11, but because of the uncertain chronology of Ennodius’ life it is
hard to tell how the experience he described influenced his subsequent years.103
Arator, who joined the clergy after a successful career in the Ostrogothic
administration, expressed similar thoughts in his letter to Parthenius when
he recalled his youthful love for secular poetry and myths, the pursuits that
98 Riché, Education and Culture, p. 130.
99 Cassiodorus, Institutiones 1.23.1, trans. p. 154: “virum quidem non usque adeo saecularibus
litteris eruditum, sed scripturarum divinarum lectione plenissimum.”
100 Riché, Education and Culture, p. 160; Barnish, “Work of Cassiodorus”; Gorman, “Eugippius
and the Origins of the MS Traditition”, especially pp. 11–12.
101 For a detailed analysis of Ennodius’ views see Marconi, “Istruzione laica”.
102 Ennodius, Opusc. 438, pp. 301–2; Everett, Literacy, pp. 42–3; Kennell, Ennodius, pp. 23–30.
103 For chronology see Kennell, Ennodius, pp. 4–42.