Matthew of Vendôme
Matthew of Vendôme was a notable 12th-century literary figure born around 1130 in Vendôme, France. He pursued a classical education in Tours under Bernard Silvestris and later continued his studies in Orléans and Paris, where he engaged with a vibrant intellectual community. His close relationships with influential figures, particularly Engelbaud, the archbishop of Tours, shaped his career and creative output. Matthew’s most significant works include *Tobias*, an adaptation of the Book of Tobit, and *Ars versificatoria*, which explores poetic craft and reflects the contemporary interest in poetry. He is recognized for advocating brevity in writing, diverging from the expansive styles of ancient literature, and is often considered the first literary theorist aimed at modern expression. Matthew's writing, primarily in Latin and characterized by elegiac distichs, draws upon Greek and Oriental influences, as well as the comedic styles of Ovid. He likely returned to Vendôme, where he died around 1200, leaving a legacy distinct from a later contemporary of the same name in the 13th century.
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Matthew of Vendôme
Writer
- Born: c. 1130
- Birthplace: Vendôme, France
- Died: c. 1200
Biography
Matthew of Vendôme was born in the French city of Vendôme around 1130. He left his birthplace for Tours, where he received a classical education under the tutelage of Bernard Silvestris, a distinguished teacher of the day. His later writing showed a definite influence of the cathedral schools with which Silvestris was associated.
Matthew continued his studies in Orléans. After completing his studies, he went to Paris, where he spent considerable time with the people of philosophical and literary bents who gravitated to the intellectually stimulating French capital. Before long, however, he returned to Tours, most probably because of his close ties with Engelbaud, the archbishop of Tours.
Matthew was also close to two of Engelbaud’s nephews, Bartholomew, who became archbishop of Tours in 1174, and Bartholomew’s brother, also named Engelbaud, who was dean of St. Martin’s. Matthew’s closeness to the two is evident in his dedication of Tobias, his adaptation of the Book of Tobit, to the brothers. This poem, like all of Matthew’s work, was written in Latin; it is composed of elegiac distichs and regarded as his most important work.
A decade earlier, Matthew produced Ars versificatoria (c. 1175; The Art of Versification, 1980), which reflects a widespread interest among intellectuals of his day in the art of poetry. Much influenced by the Ars poetica of the Roman writer, Horace, Matthew focused considerable attention on the art of poetic description. He was enthralled by the forms of words. He concluded that the stylistic ideal for contemporary writing was brevity, in contrast to the more diffuse writing of the ancients. He is regarded as the first literary theorist who consciously strove to be modern.
Matthew invented new forms of expression and put language to its most practical uses. One of his works is a collection of letters appropriate for various occasions. It must be remembered that in Matthew’s time few people were literate, and that many people who could neither read nor write hired literate people to write letters for them.
Milo is often ascribed to Matthew; it is written in his style and may well be his work. A collection of poems, fables, and comedies, Milo is in the tradition known as “Latin fabliau.” Written in the elegiac distichs for which Matthew is known, it reflects the influence of the Greek and Oriental sources in which he was well schooled and that influenced much of his writing. Matthew also was acquainted with the comedic writing of Ovid and his own writing shows influences of Ovid’s work.
Matthew eventually returned to his native Vendôme and presumably died there around 1200. Another man named Matthew of Vendôme lived in the thirteenth century, but he is not to be confused with the twelfth century Matthew. The later Matthew became abbot of Saint-Denis and a regent of France, and he joined King Louis IX on a Crusade in 1269.