Latin literature then became identical with the record of Christian writers and the purely Roman element, or one might say the purely literary element, was bound to suffer in conse quence. The apologetics and polemics of the early patristic literature disappeared with the spread of religion and Christian literature tended to go in new directions, chiefly toward mysticism and away from dogma, which was no longer of prime importance because of its universal acceptance. This tendency was mani fested, for instance, in the abandonment of the purely textual criticism of the Holy Scriptures for interpretative criticism and also in hagiog raphy, that fertile field of holy romance so in• portant throughout the Middle Ages.' More over, the influence of the Christian hymns caused accentual rhythm .and rhyme ;to' be firmly established in literary Latin upon the same footing as classic metre.
Although all literary life gradually became extinguished with the transfer of the seat of the empire to Byzantium and the supremacy of the barbarians in all the Western provinces, some remnants remained, especially in Africa and Gaul, and in Italy too during the reign' of Theodoric, which was a time of peace. 'Poetry was cultivated •by the African school under the dominion of the Vandals likewise. Among the African poets were Dracontius, Luxorius and Corippus, and of the non-African poets men tion should be made• of Atcimus Ecdicius Avitus, Magnus Felix Ennodius, Maximianus and Venantius Fortunatus, the latter being famous as a hymn-writer.
This period of barbarity also saw a few truly great examples of 'prose-writers. First of all, Anicius Manlius Torquatus Severinus Boethius (480-524), the celebrated Roman'sen ator who was impriSoned by Theodoric and condemned to death. While in prison he com posed his most famous work, consolations philosophise; a mixture of prose and verse alter the manner of Martianus Capella in which the author imagines that Philosophy appeared to him in prison and consoled him for his sufferings. Boethius composed many other works on philosophy and mathematics as well as on Christian doctrine.
Next to Boethius in-importance is Magnus Aurelius Cassiodorus Senator (c. 480-575), the secretary of Theodoric, outliving him as' well as the fall of the Goths and the coming of the Lombards. The last years of his life were passed in the retirement of a cloister founded by himself, and it was he who introduced the rule of copying manuscripts which has pre served for us the treasures of the ancient classics. His activity as a writer embraces two
periods, that of his political life and that of his cloistered life. To the first period belong panegyric orations itr praise of the Gothic kings; • of the of which we have only the epitome made by the Gothjordanis, and a collection in 12 books of everything written in connection with his office. To the second period belong divinarum et saecularium litterartrin) and several other works.
The chief historian of the period is Gregory of Tours (538•593), author among other works of miraculous legends of the saints, but more especially of 10 books of Francorum,) which won for him the appellation, of the Franks.' Only Improperly does one number among the historians the Briton Gildas, called the Wise.
Among the theological writers should be mentioned Benedict of Nursia (c. 480-543), the founder of Monte Cassino, who wrote a 'Regula> which was extremely important in later monastic development. But ahead of all stands Pope Gregory I, surnamed the Great (c. 540-604), from whom, besides biblical com mentaries, homilies and a book on the duties of the sacred ministry, we have many (800) let ters, important for the history of the time, and eight or nine hymns. Excluding these and Eugippus (511), the author of the incomparable biography of Saint Severinus, the theological writers of the period belong• to the provinces of North Africa (Verecundus and others) and Spain (Leander of Seville and Martin of Bracara).
Grammar and erudition also in this period found some valiant cultivators. Besides Fa bius Planciades Fulgentius, there was at the time of the Emperor Anastasius (491-518), the grammarian, Priscian of Caesarea, who wrote at Constantinople, but in Latin, 18 books 'Insti tutionum grammaticarum,' in which he has handed down to us the most complete work on the Latin language, especially important for the many remnants of ancient literature which are there preserved. From a pupil of Priscian, Eutyches, we have an 'Ars de Verb& in two books. Although living in the East, these were the last grammarians of any value; in the West studies were entirely decadent, as may be seen, for example, from the grammatical writings of Virgilius Maro, a Gaul of the 6th or 7th cen tury, full of ridiculous questions and whimsical speculation.