Difference between revisions of "A Germanic Epic in Latin for Christians?"
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# Germanic Features | # Germanic Features | ||
#* Language | #* Language | ||
− | + | #*# Words: e.g., ''wantus'' (Latinization of a Germanic Word for Glove) in 1426 | |
− | + | #*# Names | |
− | + | #*#* Hagen, Old High German [=OHG] ''*hagan-dorn'' ("hawthorn"), and Latin ''paliurus'' ("hawthorn") in 1351; "thorny Hagen" in 1421 | |
− | + | #*#* Walter as ''Faunus'', a Forest Spirit, in 763: OHG ''walt-herr'' ("forest lord") | |
− | + | #* Tradition | |
− | + | #*# Myth: "Wayland's work" in 965; perhaps Walter's bird-like qualities in 803-804 | |
− | + | #*# Oral Tradition and Variation: "Kimo, whom some say is Scaramund" in 688 | |
− | + | #*# Knowledge of Germanic Past | |
− | + | #*#* Ethnography: Nibelung Franks ("Franci nebulones") in 555 | |
− | + | #*#* Antiquarianism: Weapon in 919, Cup in 308-309 | |
− | + | #*# Knowledge of Germanic Social Structures, Practices, and Values | |
− | + | #*#* Drinking (Discussed in Tacitus, ''Germania'' 22-23 [A.D. 98]) | |
− | + | #*#* Bands of Retainers/Followers (Called ''comitatus'' in Tacitus) | |
− | + | #*#* Gold Rings in 403-407, 613-614, and Elsewhere | |
− | + | #*#* Pride in Glory and Greed for Wealth | |
− | + | # Classical Features | |
− | + | #* Lines and Phrases: Only Twelve Entire Lines from Vergil, but Many Phrases | |
− | + | #* Similes, e.g., Numidian Bear in 1337-1345 (''Aeneid'' 10.707) and Oak in 827-828 (''Aeneid'' 6.180) | |
− | + | #* The Gods: Bacchus, Mars, Phoebus, Fortuna, Orcus | |
− | + | #* Customs: Walter Wreathed in Laurel in 210 | |
− | + | #* Trojan Origins: Hagen in 28, Werinhard in 737 | |
− | + | # Christian Features | |
− | + | #* Numerology: Forty in 428-429 (Jesus in Wilderness) and the Twelve Followers of Gunther | |
− | + | #* Personification in 779 | |
− | + | #* Brothers in 1 | |
− | + | #* Sign of Cross and Sacrament of Wine in 224-230 | |
− | + | #* Celibacy in 426-427 and 545-547 | |
− | + | #* Prayers for Support of God in 552-553 and 1161-1167 | |
− | + | #* Repenting of Pride and Trusting in Providence in 702-704 | |
− | + | #* The Timorous Hildegund: a Monastic Invention? | |
− | + | # Syncretism | |
− | + | #* Three | |
− | + | #*# Christian Trinity in Gerald's Prologue | |
− | + | #*# Classical division of Geographical Areas into Three Parts | |
− | + | #*#* Europe, Africa, Asia | |
− | + | #*#* Caesar: "Gaul is a whole divided into three parts..." | |
− | + | #*# Germanic Reality: The Three Divisions of Charlemagne's Empire | |
− | + | #*# The Three Warriors and the Sacrament of Wine | |
− | + | #* Arguments against Marriage | |
− | + | #*# Germanic [found in Tacitus, ''Germania'' 31] | |
− | + | #*# Christian [we will see them in Heloise] | |
− | + | #* The Escape from Attila's Palace | |
− | + | #*# Germanic in 322-323: Fate of Palace in Old Norse Lay about Attila (''Atlakviða'') | |
− | + | #*# Classical in 358 and elsewhere: Fate of Troy in Vergil's ''Aeneid'' | |
− | + | #*# Christian Disapproval of Excess in 290: "extravagance reigned" | |
− | + | #* The Ending | |
− | + | #*# Germanic: Battlefield Boasting in Epics | |
− | + | #*# Christian: Possible Christian Meaning | |
− | + | #*#* Exodus 21.22-25 "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" | |
− | + | #*#* Mark 9.42-48 (the foot mentioned in 1402) "if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off" | |
− | + | #*#* Matthew 5.30 "if your right hand causes your downfall, cut it off and fling it away" | |
− | + | # Conflict between Germanic and Christian Values | |
− | + | #* Riches | |
− | + | #*# Importance of Riches to the Germanic comitatus | |
− | + | #*#* Walter's Acquisition of Wealth: a Wrong Against his Lord? | |
− | + | #*#* Walter's Attachment to His Wealth in 561-563 and 1215-1218 | |
− | + | #*# Hagen's and Gunther's Reactions to Walter's Return | |
− | + | #*# Hagen's Homily against Greed in 857-877--and the Poet's Comment in 1404 | |
− | + | #* Friendship and Feud in 700-701 | |
− | + | #* Duty to One's Lord vs. Friendship | |
− | + | #*# The Obligatory Loyalty of a Retainer (Tacitus, ''Germania'' 14) | |
− | + | #*# Hagen's Decision in 1366 to Enter Battle | |
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Latest revision as of 14:10, 18 August 2009
- The Poem of Walter (Waltharius)
- Its Place in Early Germanic Heroic Poetry: Beowulf and Other Poems
- Its Form: The Verse of Classical Epic (1456 Dactylic Hexameters)
- Uncertainty about Its Date
- Manuscript Evidence (Earliest Fragment ca. 975)
- Early Ninth Century (Charlemagne and the Carolingians)
- Late Ninth Century
- Mid Tenth Century (Ottonian Period, Composed ca. 925-930)
- Uncertainty about Its Authorship
- Gerald (author of 22-verse preface), Associated with Erchambold (Bishop of Strasbourg, 965-991?)
- Jacob Grimm (1838) and Ekkehard I of St. Gall (900-973), "Life of Waltharius the Strong-Armed"
- Germanic Features
- Language
- Words: e.g., wantus (Latinization of a Germanic Word for Glove) in 1426
- Names
- Hagen, Old High German [=OHG] *hagan-dorn ("hawthorn"), and Latin paliurus ("hawthorn") in 1351; "thorny Hagen" in 1421
- Walter as Faunus, a Forest Spirit, in 763: OHG walt-herr ("forest lord")
- Tradition
- Myth: "Wayland's work" in 965; perhaps Walter's bird-like qualities in 803-804
- Oral Tradition and Variation: "Kimo, whom some say is Scaramund" in 688
- Knowledge of Germanic Past
- Ethnography: Nibelung Franks ("Franci nebulones") in 555
- Antiquarianism: Weapon in 919, Cup in 308-309
- Knowledge of Germanic Social Structures, Practices, and Values
- Drinking (Discussed in Tacitus, Germania 22-23 [A.D. 98])
- Bands of Retainers/Followers (Called comitatus in Tacitus)
- Gold Rings in 403-407, 613-614, and Elsewhere
- Pride in Glory and Greed for Wealth
- Language
- Classical Features
- Lines and Phrases: Only Twelve Entire Lines from Vergil, but Many Phrases
- Similes, e.g., Numidian Bear in 1337-1345 (Aeneid 10.707) and Oak in 827-828 (Aeneid 6.180)
- The Gods: Bacchus, Mars, Phoebus, Fortuna, Orcus
- Customs: Walter Wreathed in Laurel in 210
- Trojan Origins: Hagen in 28, Werinhard in 737
- Christian Features
- Numerology: Forty in 428-429 (Jesus in Wilderness) and the Twelve Followers of Gunther
- Personification in 779
- Brothers in 1
- Sign of Cross and Sacrament of Wine in 224-230
- Celibacy in 426-427 and 545-547
- Prayers for Support of God in 552-553 and 1161-1167
- Repenting of Pride and Trusting in Providence in 702-704
- The Timorous Hildegund: a Monastic Invention?
- Syncretism
- Three
- Christian Trinity in Gerald's Prologue
- Classical division of Geographical Areas into Three Parts
- Europe, Africa, Asia
- Caesar: "Gaul is a whole divided into three parts..."
- Germanic Reality: The Three Divisions of Charlemagne's Empire
- The Three Warriors and the Sacrament of Wine
- Arguments against Marriage
- Germanic [found in Tacitus, Germania 31]
- Christian [we will see them in Heloise]
- The Escape from Attila's Palace
- Germanic in 322-323: Fate of Palace in Old Norse Lay about Attila (Atlakviða)
- Classical in 358 and elsewhere: Fate of Troy in Vergil's Aeneid
- Christian Disapproval of Excess in 290: "extravagance reigned"
- The Ending
- Germanic: Battlefield Boasting in Epics
- Christian: Possible Christian Meaning
- Exodus 21.22-25 "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth"
- Mark 9.42-48 (the foot mentioned in 1402) "if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off"
- Matthew 5.30 "if your right hand causes your downfall, cut it off and fling it away"
- Three
- Conflict between Germanic and Christian Values
- Riches
- Importance of Riches to the Germanic comitatus
- Walter's Acquisition of Wealth: a Wrong Against his Lord?
- Walter's Attachment to His Wealth in 561-563 and 1215-1218
- Hagen's and Gunther's Reactions to Walter's Return
- Hagen's Homily against Greed in 857-877--and the Poet's Comment in 1404
- Importance of Riches to the Germanic comitatus
- Friendship and Feud in 700-701
- Duty to One's Lord vs. Friendship
- The Obligatory Loyalty of a Retainer (Tacitus, Germania 14)
- Hagen's Decision in 1366 to Enter Battle
- Riches