Matthew of Vendôme.html



Matthew of Vendôme (Matheus or Matthaeus Vindocinensis) was a French poet of the twelfth century, writing in Latin. He was a pupil of Bernard Silvestris, at Tours, as he himself writes. He is known for his Ars Versificatoria, a theoretical work on (Latin) versification.

According to E. R. Curtius,

... he lays stress upon brevity as characteristic of the modern stylistic ideal, in contrast to the ancients. [...] He is the first theoretician who consciously wants to be "modern".¹

His works have been issued in a scholarly edition in three volumes.

Notes

1. ^ European Literature and the Latin Middle Ages, p.490