SOURCE: Peden, Alison M. “Macrobius and Mediaeval Dream Literature.” Medium Aevum 54, no. 1 (1985): 59-73.

In the following essay, Peden discusses the reception of Macrobius's dream theory and warns against overestimating its influence on later dream literature.

Chaucer's references to Macrobius come as a surprise to one studying the reception of the Commentary on the Dream of Scipio.¹ First, the MS evidence suggests that the xiii and xiv centuries saw a sharp fall in both copies of and comment upon Macrobius, the peak of interest being in the xi and xii centuries. Secondly, it is arguable that Macrobius had never exercised profound influence on the form, structure and content of mediaeval dream and vision literature. It is necessary to examine carefully how far authorities were revered rather than used, if literary originality is to be evaluated accurately.

The sources of mediaeval dream and vision literature may be divided into two...