Abstract

BAUZA, Hugo Francisco. Latin Authors in the Library of Jorge Luis Borges. Nova tellus [online]. 2012, vol.30, n.1, pp.199-214. ISSN 0185-3058.

Literature on Borges generally reveals the link between the author and avant-garde movements, his approach to English spoken literature and, among other relevant influences, Kafka’s heritage. Nevertheless, his connection with the classics -referring to Greek and Latin tradition- also offers enthusing research opportunities. The classical influence, far from being an obstacle, imposes itself as a dýnamis, which energizes an important part of his works. Our study focuses on showing his approach to some Latin authors and to analyse the way he often reworks them. This paper is based, on the one hand, on an attentive and circumspect lectio of his work and, on the other, on the examination of J. L. Borges’ personal library. By consulting the notes and comments that Borges set down in his own handwriting in his volumes, we may observe which Latin authors he frequented more assiduously. These notes, far from being superfluous, contribute to the interpretation of a number of his texts. The Latin authors he refers to more frequently are: Virgil, Lucretius, Pliny, Ovid, Propertius and St. Augustine.

Keywords : Borges; poetry; classical; tradition.