The Prose Works

222 Pages·1979·12.739 MB·English

by  Aldhelm, Aldhelmus, Michael Lapidge, Michael Herren (transl.)

ALDHELM
THE PROSE WORKS

ALDHELM
THE PROSE WORKS
T R A N S L A T E D BY M IC H A E L L A P ID G E
AND M IC H A E L H E R R E N
D. S. BREWER ROWMAN & LITTLEFIELD
© Michael Lapidge and Michael Herren 1979
Published by D. S. Brewer Ltd., PO Box 24, Ipswich IPi iJJ
and 240 Hills Road, Cambridge
and Rowman & Littlefield, 81 Adams Drive,
Totowa, New Jersey 07512, U.S.A.
First published 1979
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
Aldhelm, Saint
Aldhelm the prose works
i. English texts
I. Title II. Lapidge, Michael
III. Herren, Michael
878\o2o8 PA8246
ISBN o 85991-041-5
Photoset by Benham & Company Limited, Sheepen Place,
Colchester, Essex CO3 3LH and printed in Great Britain by
Redwood Burn Limited, Trowbridge & Esher
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface vi
General Introduction i
Aldhelm’s Life 5
The Writings of Aldhelm 11
Translators’ Notes 20
Bibliography 22
Introduction to the E pistola ad A circium 31
The Epistola ad A circium 34
Introduction to the prose De V irginitate 5 1
The prose De V irginitate 59
Introduction to the L etters of A ldhelm i 36
The L etters of A ldhelm i 52
Appendix I: Changes to Eh wald’s Text 171
Appendix II: Two ‘Aldhelmian’ Charters 173
Appendix III: Check-list of Sources of
Aldhelm’s Exemplary Virgins 176
Notes to the Text 179
Index ofN ames 205
PREFACE
The present translation was conceived and planned jointly, but each
translator has been responsible for various aspects of its execution.
Michael Lapidge translated the De Virginitate and wrote the Introduc­
tion to that work; Michael Herren translated the Letters and the selec­
tions from the Epistola ad Acircium, and wrote the Introductions to those
works. The General Introduction and the section on The Writings of
Aldhelm were written by Michael Lapidge. The section on Aldhelm’s
Life and the Translators’ Notes were written in collaboration.
The Bibliography and Index of Names were compiled by Michael
Lapidge. We have benefited from the advice and criticism of
several colleagues, and wish to acknowledge their help. Michael
Winterbottom helped to clarify a number of textual obscurities. David
Dumville answered many questions about Aldhelm’s historical
background. Simon Keynes advised us concerning the authenticity of
the two ‘Aldhelmian’ charters printed in Appendix II. Peter Godman
and Vivien Law helped to eliminate many errors from the translation
of the De Virginitate. Jill Mann read meticulously—membratim et par-
ticulatim, as Aldhelm would say—through the translation of the De
Virginitate, catching more errors than it is flattering to recall and
clarifying the English at every turn. But Aldhelm is not an easy author
to translate, and errors will no doubt remain. If future readers of
Aldhelm are able to understand something more of his work than
previous readers, unguided by a translation, have done, then these
errors will have been committed in a worthwhile cause.
M.L.
M.H.
Cambridge and Toronto, January, ig j8
vi