Commentarii in Somnium Scipionis

The Universe with the earth in the centre according to Macrobius (Diagram in folio 25 recto).

Commentary on Cicero's Dream of Scipio (in Latin Commentarii in Somnium Scipionis) is a philosophical treatise of Macrobius based on the famous dream narrated in On the republic of Cicero (Chapter VI, 9-29), in which Scipion the African the Old appears to his adoptive grandson, Scipion Emiliano, and reveals him his future destination and the one of his country, explains the rewards that await to the virtuous man in another life, describes the universe and the place of the Earth and the man inside the universe. Macrobius, his author, does not offer an exhaustive comment of the text ciceroniano, but it exposes a series of theories on the dreams from neoplatónic background, on the mystic properties of the numbers, on the nature of the soul, on astronomy and on Music. Macrobius quotes a lot of authorities, but is little likely that have read them all or at least the majority. Plotino and Porfirio are his main sources and quotes frequently to Virgil with ornamental purpose. Nevertheless, the work incorporates ideas of the neoplatonism, that are not conserved in a direct form in any another place. The style is quite uneven, since Macrobius copies or translates his sources without unifying the style.

See also

Bibliography

  • Macrobio (2006). Comentario al Sueño de Escipión de Cicerón. Madrid: Gredos. ISBN 978-84-249-2851-3.
  • — (2005). Comentarios al Sueño de Escipión (Jordi Raventós ed.). Madrid: Siruela. ISBN 978-84-7844-926-2.
  • Cicerón (1984). Sobre la República. Madrid: Gredos. ISBN 978-84-249-0964-2.
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