Stephen Pelle May

stephen.pelle@gmail.com

Early Medieval Latin Models for Old English Composite Homilies

A. THE ISIDORIAN AND PSEUDO-ISIDORIAN UBI SUNT MOTIFS

1. Isidore, Synonyma, II. (PL , C)

Breuis est huius mundi felicitas, modica est huius saeculi gloria, caduca et fragilis temporalis
potentia. Dic ubi sunt reges? ubi principes? ubi imperatores? ubi locupletes rerum? ubi
potentes saeculi? ubi diuites mundi? Quasi umbra transierunt, uelut somnium euanuerunt.

(Brief is the happiness of this world; scant is the glory of this age; fleeting and fragile is temporal power. Say
where are the kings, where the princes, where the leaders, where those abounding in goods, where the
powerful ones of this age, where the rich men of the world? They have passed away like a shadow; they have
vanished like a dream.)

2. pseudo-Isidore, Sermo (var.; see Langeslag [forthcoming])

Ubi sunt reges, ubi sunt principes, ubi sunt imperatores, ubi sunt diuites, ubi est aurum et
argentum et ornamenta eorum? Ipsi sicut umbra transierunt et omnia euanuerunt. Aurum et
argentum et ornamenta eorum remanserunt in hoc mundo, et illi sine fine cruciantur in
inferno, ubi uermes eorum non moriuntur et ignis eorum non extinguitur. Quia scriptum
est: Uae illis hominibus qui cum diabolo habebunt mansionem, qui de tam breue uita tam
longam mortem, de tam breue consolatione tam longam captiuitatem, de tam breue laetitia
tam longam tristitiam, de tam breue luce tam longas tenebras, de tam breue temporis
potentia tam longa sine fine tormenta, de tam parua iocunditate tam longas et tam
amarissimas lacrimas.

(Where are the kings, where are the princes, where are the generals, where are the rich, where are their gold
and silver and ornaments? They have passed away like a shadow, and all have vanished. Their gold and silver
and ornaments have remained in this world, and they are tortured without end in hell, where their worms do
not die and their fire is not quenched. For it is —ritten, Woe unto those men —ho —ill ha–e their d—elling
—ith the de–il, —ho [go] from so brief a life to so long a death, from such brief consolation to such long
captivity, from such brief happiness to such long sadness, from such brief light to such long darkness, from
such brief temporal power to such long, unending torments, from so little joy to such long and bitter tears.)

3. St. Gall, Stiftsbibliothek MS (s. viii/ix), composite homily on pp. –

Interrogemus dies antiqus (= antiquos) et disnumeremus retro sęcula, quę fuerunt et non
sunt. Ubi sunt reges et imperatores? Ubi sunt obtimades et senatores? Ecce quasi umbra
transierunt. Fragiliores diuites fuerunt. Multi sunt homines studiosi qui calicis (= calices)
studeunt (= student) seruare et uestimenta quę fuerunt suo auio patri aut suo terauio. Hoc

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quod illi derelinquerunt isti student seruare, et illos non potuerunt seruare. Quę fuerunt
etiam non sunt. Quid prodest homini si mille annus (= annos) uixerit et odie moriturus esset?

(Let us investigate the days of old and count back the ages that were and are no more. Where are the kings and
emperors, where are the noblemen and senators? See, they have passed away like a shadow. These rich men
were very fragile. There are many ambitious men who seek to preserve the cups and clothes that belonged to
their grandfather or great-grandfather. That which these ones left behind, they seek to preserve, but they
cannot preserve them. Those things which were now exist no longer. How does it benefit a man if he has lived
a thousand years, if he is to die today?)

4. Vercelli X (Scragg [ ] / – = Napier XLIX [ / – ]) + Irvine VII ( – )

Ne him no þe bet ne bið, þeah he her on life Oððe hwæt, þeah he libbe her on life a þusend
lifige þusend wintra, gif he æfter his deaþe bið wintræ? Al hit bið him unnyt gyf he æfter his
læded on helle… deaþe bið into hælle ilædd…

B. A PASSAGE ABOUT THE UNPREDICTABILITY OF DEATH IN SOME OE COMPOSITE HOMILIES

1. The Old English texts

NAPIER XXX ( / – ):
Geþence gehwa him sylf, hu sceort and hu earmlic þis læne lif ys. Ne
yldon we na fram dæge to dæge, þæt we to gode ne gecyrron, forðam we us nyton
witod lif æt æfen ne we nyton, þonne we to ure reste gað, hwæþer we moton eft dæges
gebidan.

(Let each person consider for himself how short and wretched this fleeting life is. We should not delay from
day to day from turning to God, because we do not know if our life will last until evening, nor do we know,
when we go to our rest, whether we shall live to see daybreak.)

CF. NAPIER XLVI ( / – ):

Geþence gehwa himsylf, hu sceort and hu earmlic þis læne lif is. Ne
yldan we na fram dæge to dæge, þæt we to gode ne gecyrron, forðam þe we us nytan
witod lif oð æfen, ne we nyton, hwæðer we motan eft dæges gebidan.

CF. BAZIRE-CROSS (CUL II. . ) ( – ): Geþence gehwa him sylf hu sceort and hu earmlic þis
læne lif is. Ac ne þence we na fram dæge to dæge þæt we to Gode ne gecyrran, forðan þe
we us nyton witodlice lif oð æfen; ne we nyton þonne we to ure reste gað hwæðer we
moton eft dæges abidan.

2. Ultimate source = Life of St. Antony of Egypt (trans. Evagrius) (PL , B)

Cum enim excitati a somno, ad vesperam nos pervenire dubitemus, et quieti corpora
concedentes, de lucis non confidamus adventu.

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(For when we are woken from sleep, we should doubt that we will live until evening; and when we give our
bodies over to rest, we should not trust in the arrival of the light.)

3. Evidence of a more proximate source?

ST. GALL, STIFTSBIBLIOTHEK MS : Breuis est ista uita. Si mane leuamus ad uesperum
(S. IX), p.
(= uesperam) peruenire dubitemus. Requiescimus in lecto; de luce (= lucis) non confidamus
aduentum (= aduentu).

(This life is short. If we should arise in the morning, we should doubt that we will live until evening. Resting
in our beds, we should not trust in the arrival of the light.)

C. THE THREE UTTERANCES APOCRYPHON

1. The utterances of the wicked soul and the demons responses

Latin (Willard [19 ]) OE – Hatton 11 (ibidem, reordered)

1. Heu me! Magne sunt tenebre! - 1. Eala, h—æt! Þis syndon mycele þeostru! -
Maiores tibi future sunt… Maran þe syndon to—eardes…
2. Asperum est iter! - Asperius tibi est 2. Eala, h—æt! Þis is grimlic siðfæt þe —e on
futurum… syndon! - Ðe is mycle grimlicre to—ard...
3. Magna angustia! - Maiores tibi sint 3. Eala, h—æt! Þis is mycel nearones! -
future… Mare þe is to—ard...

2. Three Utterances incipit –s. Blickling V incipit

Primum quidem decet nos audire iustitiam,
deinde intelligere. P(ost) intelligentiam
fructum reddere doctrine, quia nichil nobis
prodest audire iustitiam si non fecerimus
ea[m]. (BL Add. [s. xi], Grégoire
/– )
Her segþ hu se æþela lareow wæs sprecende; he
cwæþ, Men þa leofestan, ærest us gedafenaþ
þæt we gehýron þa wórd haligra gewreota, &
syþan æfter þon ful medomne wæstm agifan
& agildan. Hu nyt bið þæm men þeh he
geornlice gehyre þa wórd þæs halgan
godspelles, gif he þa nel on his heortan habban &
healdan…? (Morris / – )

(It surely befits us first to hear righteousness, and then
to understand, and after understanding it, to give back
the fruit of our learning, because it profits us nothing
to hear righteousness if we will not carry it out.)
(It says here how the noble teacher was speaking; he
said, 'Dearest men, it befits us first that we hear the
words of the holy scriptures, and then afterwards that
we give and repay fully proper fruit. How does it
profit a man, though he should eagerly hear the words
of the holy Gospel, if he will not keep and hold them
in his heart …?)

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3. The Three Utterances incipit in early Latin composite homilies

MUNICH, BSB CLM (S. IXin), FOLS. V- V:

Primus [sic] ergo debemus audire uerbum Dei,
post auditum intellegere et reddere fructos [sic] doctrinarum… (fol. v)

MUNICH, BSB CLM (S. VIIIex, FLORILEGIUM FRISINGENSE MS.), FOLS. V R:

PREDICATIO AD POPULUM SATIS NECESSARIUM [sic]: Primum quidem docet (= decet) nos audire
iustitiam, deinde intellegere, et post intellegentiam fructus reddere. (fol. v)

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