Professor Paul Gwynne discusses "Francesco Benci's 'Quinque Martyres'"

The American University of Rome

It may never have occurred to you to take any interest in Latin epic poetry but do not skip this episode thinking it will not interest you - this is a tale of brutality and redemption and is explained in fascinating detail by Professor Gwynne.

And there's some discussion of daffodils...

In 1583 five Jesuit brothers set out with the intention of founding a new church and mission in India. Their dream was almost immediately, and brutally, terminated by local opposition. When their massacre was announced in Rome it was treated as martyrdom. Francesco Benci, professor of rhetoric at the Collegium Romanum, immediately set about celebrating their deaths in a new type of epic, distinct from, yet dependent upon, the classical tradition: Quinque martyres e Societate Iesu in India.

Paul's new book is the first critical edition and translation of this important text. The commentary highlights both the classical sources and the historical and religious context of the mission. The introduction outlines Benci’s career and stresses his role as the founder of this vibrant new genre.