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JOVINIAN, JOVINYAN, JOVYNYAN, fl. fourth century A.D., was a contemporary of Jerome. Although he was a monk, Jovinian published a treatise against asceticism and virginity in the priesthood and questioned the doctrine of the perpetual virginity of Mary. Pope Siricus condemned this treatise and excommunicated Jovinian in A.D. 390. Pammachius, one of Jerome's friends, sent Jerome a copy of the treatise and asked for a reply. Jerome obliged with the famous Epistola adversus Jovinianum (Letter Against Jovinian), in which he not only denounced Jovinian but also showed by numerous examples that chastity, virginity, and fidelity were prized among virtuous pagans as well as among Christians.

Alys of Bath says that this treatise was bound up with writings of an antifeminist nature, WBP 675. Friar John says that gluttons and lechers are like Jovinian, "fat as a whale and walkynge as a swan," SumT 1929-1930. Jerome describes Jovinian in similar terms, Epistola, I.40 (PL 23: 268). The Middle English title of this Work, Jerome Agayns Jovynyan, appears in LGW G 281. [Crisippus: Helowys: Jerome: Tertulan: Theofraste: Trotula: Valerie]

Jovinian occurs in final rhyming position, WBP 675; Jovinyan, a spelling variant, occurs also in final rhyming position, SumT 1929, and Jovynyan, also a spelling variant, in LGW G 281.


J.P. Brennan, Jr., "Reflections on a Gloss to the Prioress's Tale from Jerome's Adversus Jovinianum." SP 70 (1973): 243-251; R.A. Pratt, "Chaucer's 'Natal Jove' and Seint Jerome . . . agayns Jovinian.'" JEGP 61 (1962): 244-248; D.S. Silvia, Jr., "Glosses to the Canterbury Tales from St. Jerome's Epistola Adversus Jovinianum." SP 62 (1965): 28-39.
From CHAUCER NAME DICTIONARY
Copyright © 1988, 1996 Jacqueline de Weever
Published by Garland Publishing, Inc., New York and London.

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