CIPRIANO GALLO. — Under this name, Peiper published in 1891 a Heptateuch, a paraphrase in hexameters of the first seven books of the Old Testament: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges. The work was previously known to us only in some parts, attributed by editors to St. Cyprian of Carthage and to Juvencus. The name of the author appears confirmed by the best manuscripts. The date, considering that Cyprian imitates Claudian and is imitated by Claudius Marius Victor, ranges between 400 and 450. The provenance of the codices and linguistic peculiarities suggest Gaul.
The titles in the catalogues and fragments show that the poem also paraphrased various other historical books of the Old Testament. Brewer argued that the author of the Heptateuch, an Italian from the north rather than a Gaul, is identical with the priest Cyprian to whom St. Jerome sent, around 415–18, Epistle 140, and is also the author of the poems Ad Senatorem, De Sodoma, De Iona, and particularly the
Cirena Cypriani.
Such identifications are not considered certain.
The poet versifies only the narrative parts of the Bible, following a pre-Hieronymian Latin version and adhering closely to the text. Inspiration is rarely felt. The canticles are paraphrased in lyric metre (hendecasyllabic falcian). He willingly imitates pagan and Christian poets and prose writers, first among them Virgil. He makes ample use of alliteration and allows himself many prosodic liberties.