Biblical Epics in Late Antiquity and Anglo-Saxon England: "Divina in Laude Voluntas"

400 Pages·2017·2.147 MB·English

by  Patrick McBrine

BIBLICAL EPICS IN LATE ANTIQUITY
AND ANGLO-SAXON ENGLAND:
DIVINA IN LAUDE VOLUNTAS
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Biblical Epics
in Late Antiquity and
Anglo-Saxon England
Divina in Laude Voluntas
PATRICK MCBRINE
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO PRESS
Toronto Buffalo London
© University of Toronto Press 2017
Toronto Buffalo London
www.utppublishing.com
Printed in the U.S.A.
ISBN 978-0-8020-9853-5
Printed on acid-free, 100% post-consumer recycled paper with vegetable-based inks.
Toronto Anglo-Saxon Studies
Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
McBrine, Patrick, 1974–, author
Biblical epics in late antiquity and Anglo-Saxon England : divina in laude voluntas /
Patrick McBrine.
(Toronto Anglo-Saxon series)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-8020-9853-5 (cloth)
1. Epic poetry, Latin – History and criticism. 2. Christian poetry, Latin – History and
criticism. 3. Christianity and literature – England – History – To 1500. 4. Bible – Criticism,
interpretation, etc. – History – Middle Ages, 600–1500. 5. Bible – In literature. I. Title.
II. Series: Toronto Anglo-Saxon series
PA6053.M33 2017 873.009 C2017-900056-X
This book has been published with the help of a grant from the Federation for the
Humanities and Social Sciences, through the Awards to Scholarly Publications Program,
using funds provided by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
University of Toronto Press acknowledges the financial assistance to its publishing
program of the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council, an agency
of the Government of Ontario.
Funded by the Financé par le
Government gouvernement
of Canada du Canada
For my wife, Caroline,
and for Kieran, Ellie, and William
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Contents
Preface ix
Abbreviations xi
1 Introduction 3
2 Juvencus’ Euangeliorum Libri Quattuor (c. 330 CE) 22
3 Cyprianus’ Heptateuch (c. 400–425 CE) 57
4 Sedulius’ Carmen Paschale (c. 425–450 CE) 93
5 Avitus’ Historia Spiritalis (c. 500 CE) 124
6 Arator’s Historia Apostolica (c. 544 CE) 173
7 Reading Biblical Epics in Anglo-Saxon England: Aldhelm,
Bede, Alcuin 210
8 Old English Biblical Verse: Genesis A, Genesis B, Exodus 270
9 Conclusion 347
Appendix 1: Outline of the Carmen Paschale 353
Appendix 2: Miracles in Book One of the Carmen Paschale 356
Bibliography 357
Index 379
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