ORIENZIO. - Poet of Gaul (Aquitania) of the first half of the 5th century, probably identical with St ORSEN, bishop of Auch. After the poem *De providentia*, he wrote a work in two books, which, according to Sigebert of Gembloux (*De vir. ill.*, 34: PL 160, 555), bore the title *Commonitorium*.
The same political and economic conditions that had inspired the author of the poem *De providentia* also inspired O. In the face of the grim present, he opposes the evangelical ideal of love of God and neighbour. Among the ancients, Virgil, Ovid, Catullus, Horace, Lucretius; among the Christians, Prudentius and the *Carmen de providentia* (in *Commonitorium*, II, 167-72 the *Carm. de prov.*, vv. 35-38 is taken up) were his models. In his description of hell, he reveals knowledge of the *Apocalypse of Paul* (v. C. Weyman, *Beiträge zur Geschichte der christlich-lateinischen Poesie*, Munich 1926, p. 139). The codex used for the first edition of the *Commonitorium* is lost. Modern editions are based on a codex Ashburnhamensis, which still contains other poems attributed to O. of doubtful authenticity. O. was not very well known. Gennadius does not know him; Venantius Fortunatus (*Vita Martini*, I, 140 [ed. Leo, MGH, Auct. antiquiores, IV, 1, p. 295]) mentions him once.