Hildebert of Lavardin, a largely unknown medieval poet and bishop, wrote intricate Latin poetry alongside Marbod of Rennes and Baudry of Bourgueil. These three poets flourished in the long twelfth century of renaissance and reformation. Marc Wolterbeek’s presentation of Hildebert and his works sheds light on a significant contribution to medieval Latin poetry.
In addition to translations of the Biblical Epigrams and Short Poems of Hildebert, Wolterbeek provides an extensive introduction. Hildebert’s life, education, and ascension through the ecclesiastical hierarchy are addressed, but his poetry takes center stage. Wolterbeek situates his assertions regarding Hildebert within the literature in the field and highlights the literary and artistic elements of these two collections of Hildebert’s poetry.
The Biblical Epigrams, short poems that articulate biblical stories and their patristic interpretations, are described as dense poems, using a paucity of words to articulate robust biblical interpretation. These texts range in quality and style, and they use complex grammatical constructions and vivid imagery. Sometimes the author values these qualities, and at other times they obscure the purpose of the text: “Many poems also employ repetitio to an extreme degree, generally resulting, coupled with the simplistic syntax, in a deadening effect that is stultifying” (56), and “The worst poems are incomprehensible without detailed knowledge of the Bible and the exegetical tradition, and even then their message is sometimes obscure” (56). Wolterbeek compares the poems to riddles, in the way they both exhibit and obscure the biblical text and its patristic interpretation.
The Short Poems do not limit themselves to the themes of the bible and its commentators. Including both the secular (or even profane) and the sacred, these texts also vary in length, style, and purpose. The author’s introduction surveys the research on Hildebert and his poetry, providing a helpful overview of the subject matter, stylistic characteristics, and problems with dating the collection.
By publishing the Latin text and English translation together, Wolterbeek demonstrates his deep command of medieval Latin. The dense language of the epigrams is unwound and rewoven into concise and clear English, perhaps clearer than the Latin originals. Substantial notes provide context and explanations for the subject matter and direct readers to alternate translations, puns, and foundational secondary materials.
Overall, this volume is an excellent introduction to a unique medieval genre, one whose complexity requires a knowledgeable guide. Wolterbeek’s introduction, translation, and extensive notes enable someone unfamiliar with such Latin poetry to navigate the text with relative ease. In the process, he highlights the skill of this long forgotten gifted poet.
