Chelidonius

The humanist circle that Durer frequented included some of the greatest German minds of the time such as Konrad Celtis, poet Laureate and often dubbed the 'arch humanist'; the Augsburg humanist and diplomat Konrad Peutinger, who allowed all interested people access to his extensive library, including Durer; the classicist Konrad Peutinger; the theologian-poet Johann Cochlaus; the astronomer Niklas Kratzer who met Durer at Erasmus's house in the Netherlands; Benedictus Chelidonius, the author of the Latin poetry that served as a text to Durer's Marienleban; and Beatus Rhenanus who was known as Erasmus's 'alter ego'.

Their author was Benedictus Chelidonius, a cleric and minor humanist who was a member of the Nuremberg sodality to which Durer belonged and skilful in the varied forms of classical verse: a skill to which he apparently gave full rein.