De abbatibus
Encyclopedia
De abbatibus is a Latin
poem in eight hundred and nineteen hexameter
s by the ninth-century Anglo-Saxon
monk Æthelwulf (Ædiluulf), a name meaning "noble wolf", which the author sometimes Latinises as Lupus Clarus. It recounts the history of his monastery (possibly at Bywell
, or, less probably, Crayke
, twelve miles north of York) from its foundation through its six first abbots and ending with Æthelwulf's two visions. It is addressed to the Bishop of Lindisfarne, Ecgberht
, and dates to between 803 and 821.
The poem exists in three manuscripts:
The poem was first edited by Wilhelm Wattenbach
and Ernst Dümmler
for the Monumenta Germaniae Historica
(1881), but it was based on a bad text from Jean Mabillon
. Thomas Arnold produced a superior edition in 1882, but from only two of the manuscripts. Ludwig Traube
produced a respected edition of his own, but based on the poor version of Dümmler. The definitive critical edition, based on all three manuscripts, a reinterpreted manuscript history, and critical analysis of Traube's version, was produced in 1967 by Alistair Campbell
and included an English
translation.
De abbatibus is, like all Anglo-Latin poetry, constructed out of borrowings and imitations, yet it is not completely unoriginal, and though history has at times been subordinated to a literary trope, it is not without eloquence. Prominent among the works on which Æthelwulf relied are those of Virgil
, though Dümmler also found references to Ovid
and Cyprianus Gallus
. The chief Anglo-Latin poets from which Æthelwulf gleaned are Aldhelm, Bede
, and Alcuin
, whose Versus de Sanctis Euboricensis Ecclesiae may have inspired him to write the De abbatibus. The eighth-century Miracula Nyniae episcopi
was also an influence.
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
poem in eight hundred and nineteen hexameter
Hexameter
Hexameter is a metrical line of verse consisting of six feet. It was the standard epic metre in classical Greek and Latin literature, such as in the Iliad and Aeneid. Its use in other genres of composition include Horace's satires, and Ovid's Metamorphoses. According to Greek mythology, hexameter...
s by the ninth-century Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon may refer to:* Anglo-Saxons, a group that invaded Britain** Old English, their language** Anglo-Saxon England, their history, one of various ships* White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, an ethnicity* Anglo-Saxon economy, modern macroeconomic term...
monk Æthelwulf (Ædiluulf), a name meaning "noble wolf", which the author sometimes Latinises as Lupus Clarus. It recounts the history of his monastery (possibly at Bywell
Bywell
Bywell is a village in Northumberland, in England. It is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne opposite Stocksfield, between Hexham and Newcastle.-Governance:Bywell is in the parliamentary constituency of Hexham.- Landmarks :...
, or, less probably, Crayke
Crayke
Crayke is a village and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England, about two miles east of Easingwold.The parish was formerly a detached part of County Durham , due to its connection with St Cuthbert and the Bishop of Durham, who had a castle at Crayke.The seventh-century...
, twelve miles north of York) from its foundation through its six first abbots and ending with Æthelwulf's two visions. It is addressed to the Bishop of Lindisfarne, Ecgberht
Egbert of Lindisfarne
Egbert of Lindisfarne was Bishop of Lindisfarne from his consecration on 11 June 802 until his death in 821. He is often confused with Saint Egbert who served as a monk at Lindisfarne, though the latter never became a bishop there....
, and dates to between 803 and 821.
The poem exists in three manuscripts:
- L: British MuseumBritish MuseumThe British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
, Cotton Tiberius D iv, vol. 2, ff. 158v-166r; originally in Winchester Cathedral I, f. 108v. This manuscript also contains a copy of BedeBedeBede , also referred to as Saint Bede or the Venerable Bede , was a monk at the Northumbrian monastery of Saint Peter at Monkwearmouth, today part of Sunderland, England, and of its companion monastery, Saint Paul's, in modern Jarrow , both in the Kingdom of Northumbria...
's Historia Ecclesiastica gentis AnglorumHistoria ecclesiastica gentis AnglorumThe Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum is a work in Latin by Bede on the history of the Christian Churches in England, and of England generally; its main focus is on the conflict between Roman and Celtic Christianity.It is considered to be one of the most important original references on...
, assigned by Plummer to the Winchester group. - O: Bodleian LibraryBodleian LibraryThe Bodleian Library , the main research library of the University of Oxford, is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and in Britain is second in size only to the British Library...
, Bodley 163, ff. 209v-226v. - C: Cambridge University Library, Ff. 1.27, pp. 203-15.
The poem was first edited by Wilhelm Wattenbach
Wilhelm Wattenbach
Wilhelm Wattenbach , was a German historian.He was born at Ranzau in Holstein. He studied philology at the universities of Bonn, Göttingen and Berlin, and in 1843 he began to work upon the Monumenta Germaniae Historica...
and Ernst Dümmler
Ernst Dümmler
Ernst Ludwig Dümmler was a German historian.The son of Ferdinand Dümmler , a Berlin bookseller, Ernst Ludwig was born in Berlin...
for the Monumenta Germaniae Historica
Monumenta Germaniae Historica
The Monumenta Germaniae Historica is a comprehensive series of carefully edited and published sources for the study of German history from the end of the Roman Empire to 1500.The society sponsoring the series was established by the Prussian reformer Heinrich Friedrich Karl Freiherr vom...
(1881), but it was based on a bad text from Jean Mabillon
Jean Mabillon
Jean Mabillon was a French Benedictine monk and scholar, considered the founder of palaeography and diplomatics.-Early career:...
. Thomas Arnold produced a superior edition in 1882, but from only two of the manuscripts. Ludwig Traube
Ludwig Traube (palaeographer)
Ludwig Traube was a paleographer and held the first chair of Medieval Latin in Germany . He was a son of the physician Ludwig Traube ....
produced a respected edition of his own, but based on the poor version of Dümmler. The definitive critical edition, based on all three manuscripts, a reinterpreted manuscript history, and critical analysis of Traube's version, was produced in 1967 by Alistair Campbell
Alistair Campbell (poet)
Alistair Te Ariki Campbell, ONZM was a New Zealand poet, playwright, and novelist. His father was a New Zealand Scot and his mother a Cook Island Maori from Penrhyn Island.-Biography:...
and included an English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
translation.
De abbatibus is, like all Anglo-Latin poetry, constructed out of borrowings and imitations, yet it is not completely unoriginal, and though history has at times been subordinated to a literary trope, it is not without eloquence. Prominent among the works on which Æthelwulf relied are those of Virgil
Virgil
Publius Vergilius Maro, usually called Virgil or Vergil in English , was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He is known for three major works of Latin literature, the Eclogues , the Georgics, and the epic Aeneid...
, though Dümmler also found references to Ovid
Ovid
Publius Ovidius Naso , known as Ovid in the English-speaking world, was a Roman poet who is best known as the author of the three major collections of erotic poetry: Heroides, Amores, and Ars Amatoria...
and Cyprianus Gallus
Cyprianus Gallus
Cyprianus Gallus was a fifth-century poet who wrote a Late Latin epic versification of the historical books of the Vetus Latina, though only the Heptateuch has survived to the present day...
. The chief Anglo-Latin poets from which Æthelwulf gleaned are Aldhelm, Bede
Bede
Bede , also referred to as Saint Bede or the Venerable Bede , was a monk at the Northumbrian monastery of Saint Peter at Monkwearmouth, today part of Sunderland, England, and of its companion monastery, Saint Paul's, in modern Jarrow , both in the Kingdom of Northumbria...
, and Alcuin
Alcuin
Alcuin of York or Ealhwine, nicknamed Albinus or Flaccus was an English scholar, ecclesiastic, poet and teacher from York, Northumbria. He was born around 735 and became the student of Archbishop Ecgbert at York...
, whose Versus de Sanctis Euboricensis Ecclesiae may have inspired him to write the De abbatibus. The eighth-century Miracula Nyniae episcopi
Miracula Nyniae Episcopi
The Miracula Nynie Episcopi is an anonymously written 8th-century hagiographic work describing miracles attributed to Saint Ninian. It is considered a non-historical work, and copies are not widely extant....
was also an influence.
Literature
- Campbell, AlistairAlistair Campbell (academic)Alistair Campbell was a British academic who was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon, University of Oxford, and Fellow of Pembroke College, Oxford, from October 1963 until his death...
, ed. and tr. (1967). Æthelwulf: De Abbatibus. Oxford: Clarendon Press. - Snook, Ben, 'Aethilwulf: gidda gemyndig?', Anglo-Saxon 1 (2007), 181-200.