Macrobius c. 370 AD – c. 430 AD
Ambrosius Theodosius Macrobius was a Latin grammarian, philosopher, and Neoplatonist of the late Roman Empire and one of the principal transmitters of late ancient learning to the medieval West. His Saturnalia, a long literary symposium set during the Roman holiday, gathers antiquarian, philological, and philosophical discussion around the figure of Virgil, while his Commentary on the Dream of Scipio offers a Neoplatonic allegorical reading of the closing passage of Cicero's Republic and a comprehensive introduction to Neoplatonic cosmology and psychology. The Commentary was widely read in the early Middle Ages and shaped the medieval imagination of the planetary spheres and the ascent of the soul.
Key facts
- Nationality
- Roman
- Era
- Ancient
- Movements
- Platonism
Selected quotes
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Attributed to Macrobius:
“The soul descends from heaven through the planetary spheres, gathering qualities at each.”
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Attributed to Macrobius:
“The wise person finds eternity reflected in the stars.”
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Attributed to Macrobius:
“All philosophical schools converge on the truth of the soul's immortality.”
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Attributed to Macrobius:
“Numbers are the gods' first language.”
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Attributed to Macrobius:
“Poetic myth wraps philosophical truth in beautiful clothing.”