History, Power, and the Providential Order in the Neo-Latin Drama „Theodoricus” by Nicolaus Vernulaeus

Abstrakt

This paper aims at presenting the way in which Nicolaus Vernulaeus 1583–1649 combines in his Neo-Latin drama Theodoricus. Rex Italiae Theodoric, the King of Italy history and current public affairs with the philosophico-theological view of the Divine governance over the world. The title character is juxtaposed with other chief men in the late Roman state: Boethius, Symmachus, and John. The author of the article considers the role of history in this play and the way in which the idea of Providence is engaged in the description of one episode taken from antiquity. In Vernulaeus’ text ancient history becomes an implicit costume which serves as ethical enhancement of its viewer or reader, by means such as making allusions to the current political situation.