Pervigilium Veneris

About “Pervigilium Veneris”

The Pervigilium Veneris is a late-antique Latin poem of unknown date and authorship, preserved in four heavily corrupted manuscripts, including the Codex Salmasianus, within a 6th-century collection of later Latin poetry. It has attracted considerable scholarly attention since its 16th-century edition, particularly due to its enigmatic final stanza in which the poet laments his 'lost muse'. This critical edition presents the Latin text, translation, and commentary, offering new perspectives and analysis that advance understanding of the poem’s historical and literary contexts.