Servant of the Renaissance: The Poetry and Prose of Nicolaus Olahus (review)

The book by Cristina Neagu is a comprehensive monograph of Nicolaus Olahus (1493–1568), an eminent humanist of Romanian origin. He was an important personality in North European humanism and politics as well as in the ecclesiastical life of Hungary (Primate since 1553). The monograph is supplemented by an excellent edition of Olahus's Carmina, retaining the author's spelling and punctuation. Furthermore, this book is the first detailed study of Olahus's Carmina and prose works. Rhetoric is the main research tool that is perfectly substantiated by the author and rooted in Olahus's texts. Neagu ascertains his lack of interest in delectare; therefore, tria officia dicendi are not of equal importance, and he admits little preoccupation with aesthetics.

The book is remarkably balanced. The author does not present irrelevant information. All chapters complement one another and are focused on detailed interpretation of Olahus's various works treated as an artistic and ideological unity. Biographical information is not quoted for its own sake but is put to use in literary analysis. This unity seems possible thanks to Olahus's main idea — the concept of life considered as artificium — as well as his attempt to be a rhetorician in all kinds of output. Thus, he elaborated his special approach to language and tried to apply it both in poetry (i.e., Erasmian rhetorical poetics) and later in prose (chapter 1: "Olahus and the Idea of Life as 'Artificium'").

In chapter 2, "The 'Carmina' and the Power of Words," Neagu gives a fresh and modern interpretation of Olahus's poetry written in an earlier stage of his life. This interpretation appears especially important as a methodological suggestion considering the author's attitude to the classical tradition. With a view to the fact that Olahus did not receive a formal classical training it is not possible or necessary to establish classical similarities (similia) in the old philological manner. Instead, Neagu describes some patterns and spirit of Roman works. Neagu stresses that the ancient tradition is mediated by Renaissance texts. Furthermore, she underlines the impact of Neo-Latin poets, especially Erasmus and Janus Pannonius, who are more important for the Carmina than classical authors. For Olahus this dialogue with poetae recentiores means a dialogue of ideas and styles. It also can be distinctly seen in the relationship between Olahus's poems and contemporary answers to them. Some theological concepts present in the Carmina are also observable in his late devotional works (e.g., the concept of justification).

Like many humanists Olahus shifted from poetry to prose (chapter 3:"Discursive Writing and the Carmina"). The huge collection of his letters that seems particularly attractive is described in the next part of Neagu's book. Also in this case she notes that Olahus used to follow Erasmus and was Erasmus's diligent correspondent between 1530 and 1534. Owing to this fact, the language ofOlahus's letters is simple, direct, and informal and the letters are a good example of the practice of genus deliberativum. It should be said that they are also a very important source for understanding a somewhat obscure period of Hungarian history as well as giving a sense of Olahus's role in reforming the Hungarian educational system (esp. in Trnava and the invitation of Jesuits to Hungary, 1561).

The aim of the second part of chapter 3 is to prove the ideological and textual unity of two works, Hungaria and Athila (1536–37), published separately, the first one in 1568 and the second only in 1735. Also in this case Neagu reveals her talent for close reading.

The final part of chapter 3 describes Olahus's devotional works published between 1558 and 1561, i.e., breviary, missal, and treatise Catholica ac Christiana Religionis Praecipue. Neagu is aware of their lack of originality as well as their importance for the reform of the Catholic Church closely connected to the Council...