Alan of Lille (also Alain de Lille or Alanus ab Insulis) (d. 1203) wrote many works of practical and speculative theology, as well as the De planctu naturae, written in a combination of prose and verse, and the verse epic Anticlaudianus, which were enormously popular in the Middle Ages. In De Planctu, a personification of Nature comes down to the world in order to bewail the prevalence of homosexuality. The Anticlaudianus recounts the creation of a perfect man, the celestial journey to receive his soul from God, and his victorious encounter with the vices. Both works provide ample opportunity for encyclopaedic digression and the display of a Latin style rich in grammatical metaphors and word-play.
[John Marenbon]
