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Aelius Donatus (English: /doʊˈneɪtəs/; fl. mid-fourth century AD) was a Roman grammarian and teacher of rhetoric.
He once taught Jerome,[1] an early Christian Church father who is most known for his translation of the Bible into Latin, known as the Latin Vulgate. Newer revisions of the Vulgate are still in common use by the Catholic Church.
Works
He was the author of a number of professional works, of which several are extant:
- Ars maior – A commentary on Latin grammar.
- Ars minor – A commentary on parts of Latin Speech.[2]
- Commentvm Terenti, Publii Terentii Comoediae Sex with preface de tragoedia et comoedia (Commentary on Terence, Six Comedies of Terence with the preface About Tragedies and Comedies) – A commentary on the playwright Terence and all six of his plays, probably compiled from other commentaries. The preface is a commentary on the “proper” structures of Tragedies and Comedies by Donatus titled, “About Comedies and Tragedies.” It has never been translated to English as parts are missing from the original manuscript. It has partially been translated to German.
- Explicatio in Ciceronis De inventione (An Explanation of the Cicero‘s De Inventione)
- Vita Vergili (Life of Virgil) is thought to be based on a lost Vita by Suetonius, together with the preface and introduction of his commentary on Virgil’s works. A greatly expanded version of Servius‘ commentary exists, however, which is supplemented with frequent and extensive extracts from what is thought to be Donatus’ commentary on Virgil.
