Martianus Capella, or, Marcian (fl. 5th century). Opus de Nuptiis Philologiae et Mercurii, or, Concerning the Marriage of Philology and Mercury. [Venice, Henricus de Sancto Urso, 1499].
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Martianus Capella is a little-known figure in popular American culture, to say the least, and little is known of him. He is typically reported to have lived from 410-439?, between the Sack of Rome (410) and the Sack of Carthage (439), but those figures are by no means exact. According to Conte, the Carthaginian Capella made his way in life as a lawyer, turning to writing in his later years. Capella was a pagan, and was active in Roman Africa between 410-439. What Conte means by 'active' is somewhat unclear, but given Capella's supposed professions, one can perhaps derive that 'active' is equivalent to politically active or publicly known. Stahl, Johnson, and Burge, however, regard Capella's status and/or professional life as 'questionable,' but contend that he was not of the elite.
Of the history of De Nuptiis Philologie er Mercurii, however, there is quite a lot to say. (The book is even mentioned in Chaucer's 'House of Fame' and 'The Merchant's Tale' ) Stahl, Johnson and Burge regard the work as the "…most popular textbook for [the] Middle Ages…the key work in the history of education, rhetoric, and science during this period…". While there is no question that the book's greatest popularity occurred during the Carolingian Age , its influence was by no means limited to that period. In their section describing the book's influence, SJB write, "During the first two centuries of its existence The Marriage of Philology and Mercury was used as a textbook in North Africa, Italy, Gaul, and Spain.," adding, "Martianus was a favorite of 9th-century Irish scholars who emigrated to Charlemagne's Empire." It was, in fact, due to these scholars that De Nuptii achieved the immense popularity during the Christian Middle Ages that it enjoyed. " 'The Marriage' became one fo the leading textbooks in the schools of this period, owing largely to the interest drawn to it by the renowned Irish scholars who emigrated to the Frankish lands in the 9th century -John Scot Eriugena, Martin of Laon, and Remigius of Auxerre." Conte describes De Nuptiis Mercurii et Philologiae as "a 'summa' of ancient culture and science, laboriously reclaimed by a late pagan neo-Platonist…" Conte's Latin Literature… recounts the time from Homarius to Odoacer (410-476), a time of changing empires, as one in which writers sought to mediate between past and present. 'The Latin Encyclopedists' as they are known, "…combined the prevailing intellectual traditions of Neoplatonism and Christianity with the handbook traditions of popular culture-joining the two strands that had developed separately during the previous two centuries." In accordance with Conte, The Seven Liberal Arts in the Middle Ages ascribes the Latin encyclopedists motivation, in part, to "…a conscious effort to preserve the intellectual heritage." The scope of Capella's encyclopedia, broader than that of grammatical works of the time, and dedicated to the future (Capella's son, Marianus) indeed finds itself within such categorization. Given the text's popularity, it appears that mediation was achieved.