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The Caedmon Fiction in the Heliand Preface

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 December 2020

Theodore M. Andersson
Theodore M. Andersson*
Affiliation:
Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
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Extract

The Heliand “Preface” comprises a “Praefatio” in prose and thirty-four hexameter “Versus.” According to the “Praefatio” a Saxon poet was commissioned by Louis the Pious to execute a metrical paraphrase of the Bible. To this account the “Versus” add the fiction, borrowed from Bede's Caedmon story, that the poet was inspired in a dream to carry out the undertaking. The “Praefatio et Versus” appear for the first time in a printed book from 1562 and were once thought to be a humanist counterfeit, but they are now generally considered to be medieval in origin. The prose “Praefatio” seems to justify our confidence, but the first fifteen lines in the “Versus” make this composition suspect; they belong to the tradition of the country idyll, a genre unknown in the ninth century, but well documented in the sixteenth. The sentiments and wording are particularly close to Angelo Poliziano's popular poem “Rusticus” (1483). It therefore seems likely that the “Versus” were added to the “Praefatio” by an antiquarian familiar with Bede sometime in the middle of the sixteenth century.

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Type
Research Article
Information
PMLA , Volume 89 , Issue 2 , March 1974, pp. 278 - 284
Copyright
Copyright © Modern Language Association of America, 1974

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References

Note 1 in page 283 The more important studies on the “Praefatio et Versus” are: A. Wagner, “Die Heliandvorreden,” Zeitschrift für Deutsches Alterlum und Deutsche Literalur, 13 (1881), 173–81 ; Anton E. Schönbach, “Ùber die poetische Vorrede zum Heliand,” Drei Proomien unserem Freunde Wilhelm Gurlitt überreicht zum 7. Mdrz 1904 (Graz, 1904), pp. 6–17; M. H. Jellinek, “Die Praefatio zum Heliand und die Versus de Poeta,” Zeitschrift für Deutsches Alterlum und Deutsche Literatur, 56 (1919), 109–25; Willy Krogmann, “Die Praefatio in Librium Antiquum Lingua Saxonica Con-scriptum,” Niederdeutsches Jahrbuch, 69/70 (1943/47), 141–63; Josef Quint, “Textkritisches zur Verspraefatio des Heliand,” Beitrage zur Geschichte der Deutschen Sprache und Literatur, 85 (1963), 46–56. See also Francis P. Magoun, Jr., “The Praefatio and Versus Associated with Some Old-Saxon Biblical Poems,” Mediaeval Studies in Honor of Jeremiah Denis Matthias Ford (Cambridge, Mass. : Harvard Univ. Press, 1948), pp. 107–36; Heliand und Genesis, heraus-gegeben von Otto Behaghel, 8te Auflage, bearbeitet von Walther Mitzka, ATB no. 4 (Tubingen: Niemeyer, 1965), pp. xxix-xxx; R.-M. S. Heffner, “Concerning the Heliand Versus 5–8 ” Monatshefte, 56 (1964), 103–06; Irmengard Rauch, “The Heliand Versus 5–7 Again,” Folia Linguistica, 2 (1968), 39–47.

Note 2 in page 283 “Zum Heliand,” Zeitschrift für Deutsche Philologie, 4 (1873), 49–69.

Note 3 in page 283 Gerhard Meissburger, Grundlagen zum Verstandnis der deutschen Monchsdichtung im 11. und 12. Jahrhundert (München: Wilhelm Fink Verlag, 1970), pp. 53–57, 81–86.

Note 4 in page 283 I believe the verses should be edited (in agreement with Quint) as follows: “Fortunam studiumque viri laetosque labores, / Carmine privatam delectat promere vitam, / Qui dudum impresso terram vertebat aratro / Intentus modico et victum quaerebat in agro, / Contentus casula fuerat, cui culmea tectaa / Postesque acclives; sonipes sua liminab nunquam / Obtrivit, tantum armentis sua cura studebat. /

O felix nimium, proprio qui vivere censu / Praevaluit, fomitemque ardentem extinguere dirae / Invidiae, pacem-que animi gestare quietam. / Gloria non ilium, non alta palatia regum, / Divitiae mundi, non dira cupido movebat; / Invidiosus erat nulli, nec invidus ulli.c / Securus latam scindebat vomere terram, / Spemque suam in modico totam statuebat agello.“ a Flacius: testa b Flacius: lumina c Flacius: illi.

Note 5 in page 283 See Richard E. Sullivan, Aix-la-Chapelle in the Age of Charlemagne (Norman: Univ. of Oklahoma Press, 1963), pp. 62–63.

Note 6 in page 283 The text is translated from Angeli Politiani, Sylvae: Nutricia; Rusticus; Manto; Ambra (Salmanticae: excudebat Andreas ä Portonarijs, 1554), pp. 36–37, 46: “Felix ille animi, divisque similümus ipsis, / Quern non mendaci resplendens gloria fuco / Sollicität, non fastosi mala gaudia luxus, / Sed tacitos sinit ire dies, & paupere cultu / Exigit innocuae tranquilla silentia vitae, / Urbe procul, voti exiguus, sortemque benignus / Ipse suam fovet, ac modico contentus acervo, / Non spes corde avidas, non curam pascit inanem, / Securus quo sceptra cadant, cui dira minentur / Astra, & sanguinei iubar exitiale cometae. / Non ilium fragilis favor, indocilisque potenti / Plebs servare fidem, evectum popularibus auris / Casuro imponit solio, nec ducit hiantem / Hue illuc vanos ostentans purpura fasces. / Non mentem pavet ipse suam, nec conscius omneis / Exhorret strepitus, nec edaci pectora culpa / Carpitur occulte, non opportunus iniqui / Iudicio vulgi, aut celsa conspectus in arce / Degeneri patet invidiae, non ipse vicissim / Obliquo livore macet, foetusque veneno / Aestuat, atque aliéna oculis bona limat acutis. / Rure agit in vacuo, spatüsque indulget aperti / Aetheris, aut operi insudans, aut ille supinos / Evadens cursu in monteis. Hinc scilicet omnes / Gratae epulae, nudis Acheloum in pocula palmis / Advocat, excussaeque cibos dant brachia sylvae, / Et fessa in duro renovantur membra cubili. / Maior quippe venit comitata labore voluptas, / Nec satias dominam, aut fastidia lenta sequuntur.” “O dulces pastoris opes, o quanta beatum / Quam tenet hunc tranquilla quies? Ut pectore toto, / Laetitiam, totaque fovet bona gaudia mente? / Nempe odü, fraudumque expers, exemptus inani / Ambi-tione, vacansque metu, spe liber, & insons / Nativo cultu, & gaza praedives agresti, / Ipse sibi vivit nullo sub teste, suoque / Pendet ab arbitrio, suus ipse est censor, & alto / Calcat opes animo, ac regum deridet honores.”

Note 7 in page 284 The text is translated from Jani Pannonü . . ., Ad Guarinum Veronensem Panegyricus. Eiusdem Elegicirum Liber. Et Epigrammatum Sylvula. Item Lazari Bonamici Carmina Nonnulla (Venetüs: apud Gualterum Scottum, 1553), pp. 164–68: “Quid datur a Divis melius mortalibus aegris / Quam bona quae pariunt passim laetissima rura? / Hic hominum primi vitam incoluere beatam, / Cum placidam nondum turbarent praelia pacem, / Nec caderent miserae crudeli caede phalanges.” “Quid simile attulerint urbes? Latet urbibus altis / Curarum genus indomitum, durique labores / Hunc levis ambitio exagitat, noctesque diesque / Omniaque evertit jucundae commoda vitae, / Esse potest quid enim damnosius ambitione / Aut quod discrutiet magis, aut mage sit fugiendum? / Ilium divitüs videas inhiare repertis, / Sub pedibusque Deum substernere religiones / Pluribus ut terram foecundam vertat aratris / Et colat auratas aedes, stratisque recumbat / Quae Tyrio tinxit conchylis purpura fuco.”

Note 8 in page 284 The text is translated from Paolo Belmissero, Opera Poetica (Paris: S. de Colines, 1534), fol. 8V : “Et si veraloqui volumus, qui lata requirunt / Regna, domos amplas, qui latifundia, nummum / Construere ingentes cumulos, & amoena vireta, / Sollicitam ducunt per singula crimina vitam. / Rusticus est simplex, parvo & contentus, & omnis / Ignarus luxus, vitae & sectator inertis. / Non altam timi-dus ducit per caerula pinum, / Non litui clamore fero, non cantibus ullis / Terrificis quatitur, nulli est obnoxius aulae / Immodicas ut quaerat opes: sed rure beato / Perfruitur, nullis commutans otia regnis.”

Note 9 in page 284 The text is translated from Elegiae v. Joachimi Camerarü, & Carmen Io. Lu. Brassicani . . . (Argentorati: ex officina Cratonis Mylü, 1541), fols. A7r -A7v : “Vivere pecuniae tumulos quis credat avaros, / Nec potius cum re se sepelisse sua ? / Mer-cator fréta longa secat periurus, & audet / Ultrici vitam credere stultus aquae. / Quid vos ? Quis famam bello cen-sumque secutis, / Est Lachesis magnus rumpere fila labor ? / Felix quern sua rura tenent, cui praebet inemptas / Patris opus vel avi fagina mensa dapes. / Cui tranquilla quies contentaque vivere parco, / Exiguae servat libera tecta casae. / Et nunc ille bovis grave collo nectit aratrum, / Jactaque nunc domitae semina mandat humo.”

Note 10 in page 284 The text is translated from Henrici Husani jurisconsulte Horarum Succisiuarum Site lmaginum Mosaicarum Libri Duo. Elegiarum Libri Totidem (Rostochü: ex officina Iacobi Lvcü, 1577), fols. 65r -65v : “O animi felix, o parte beatus ab omni, / O immortali proximus ille Deo, / Quern docuit mundi valedicere moribus huius / In verum pietas obsequiosa Deum, / Et sibi concessae contentum limite sortis / Exercere suo munia justa loco ; / Quern neque sollicität mendaci gloria fuco, / Fluxarumve fames sacra fatigat opum. / Dira nec in varias trahit altercatio rixas, / Qua schola, qua templum, qua strepit omne forum. / Nec mala degeneri corrumpit inertia luxu, / Unica corporibus pestis & ingenüs. / Qui nec obaeratus curis torquetur acerbis, / Nec jubet esse sua nomina certa fide, / Qui potius, dubias rabularum pabula lites / Quam moveat, mavult cedere iure suo, / Nec locat infami stériles in foenore nummos, / Et super insontem munera nulla capit, / Pascere qui multos vel equos famulosve necesse / Non habet, aut amplas aedificare domos, / Stare nec infida sublimis gaudet in aula, / Magnorumque potens ad latus ire ducum, / Sed justa requie sese saturare, suaeque / Intra fortunae septa latere potest. / Educat & teneros chara cum coniuge natos, / Ut discant homini commoda, grata Deo. / Et cum trans-ierint exactae tempora vitae, / Concludit tacitos ac sine labe dies. / O conclude meos hoc tandem fine labores, / Enecat oppressum me quibus aula, Deus.”

Note 11 in page 284 Kurt Hannemann, “Die Lösung des Ratsels der Heliandpraefatio,” Forschungen und Fortschritte, 15 (1939), 327–29.

Note 12 in page 284 The text is translated from Georgü Fabricü Chemni-censis, Odarum Libri Très (Basileae: ex officina Johannis Oporini, 1552), pp. 78–80: “Quid arva sunt Calabriae feracis, / Quid Hybla, quidve Hymettus ? / Quid est Eoa concha, quid Sabaei / Odora virga thuris? / Quid aureas agens Iberus undas ? / Quid est Phrahatis aula ? / Ut a Deo ista flagitem rogando, / Et impleam astra votis ? / Agrum metas, cui Deus metendum / Dedit, legasque mella. / Ad Herculis lucrum petens columnas, / Solo marique curras, / Ut ambules decorus ostro et auro, / Manu ut potente scep-trum / Geras, bibasque gemmeis Lyaeum, / Age inquietus aevum. / Sit innocens mini, latensque vita, / Doli inscia et timoris, / Beata copüs suis, honeste / Et absque fraude partis / Ac ut laboribus queam, datisque / Negocüs praeesse.”

Note 13 in page 284 Ecclesiasticae Historiae Gentis Anglorum Libri Quinque DUigenti Studio ä Mendis, Quibus Hactenus Scatebant Vindicati. Beda Anglosaxone authore (Antverpiae: excude-bat J. Gravius typographus, 1550). The Caedmon story (iv, 24) appears on pp. 192–94 of this edition.

Note 14 in page 284 See Georg Baesecke, Das Hildebrandtied: Eine ge-schichlliche Einleitung für Laien, etc. (Halle: Niemeyer, 1945), p. 43.

Note 15 in page 284 Georg Fabricius' own treatise De Re Poetica Libri vu (Lipsiae: in officina Vcegeliana, 158-?), p. 56, is specific on this point: “Ineptum nescio quid habent ü versus, qui in inciso et extremo aequali sono siniuntur. Quales multi sine affectatione etiam antiquis exciderunt. ut Ovidio:

Nec nisi finita per plurima vulnera vita.

Si Troiae fatis aliquid restare putatis.

Quot caelum Stellas, tot habet tua Roma puellas.

Ipse ego librorum video delicta meorum.“

See also Karl Borinski, Die Poetik der Renaissance und die Anfdnge der litterarischen Kritik in Deutschland (1886; rpt. Hildesheim: Gg. Olms, 1967). p. 20, n. 1 and Georg Ellinger, Geschichte der neulateinischen Literatur Deutsch-lands im sechzehnten Jahrhundert i: Italien und der deulsche Humanismus in der neulateinischen Lyrik (1929; rpt. Berlin: de Gruyter, 1969), pp. 332, 359–62.