Bernardo de Balbuena, who was born auspiciously

Authors

Abstract

This paper aims to clarify the date of birth of the Spanish Golden Age poet, Bernardo de Balbuena, based on the interpretation of a passage from his epic poem El Bernardo in which a remarkable element of his natal astral chart is presented: his birth under the great conjunction of 1563. After compiling all the available documentary information from the period, it presents a panorama on the evolution of the doctrine of the great conjunctions and evaluates the poet’s strategy of self-dignification through signaling of his birth under this astrological phenomenon and his double relationship, both astral and onomastic, with his poetic hero.

Keywords:

Bernardo de Balbuena, birth date, astrology, great conjunction, self-representation, self-reflexivity