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The ‘Variegated Obit’ as an Historiographic Motif in Old English Poetry and Anglo-Latin Historical Literature

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 July 2016

Thomas D. Hill
Thomas D. Hill*
Affiliation:
Cornell University
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Extract

The object of this paper is to identify a particular stylistic feature in the Old English Genesis A, to point out its affinities in Anglo-Latin historical literature (particularly in the historical writings of Byrhtferth of Ramsey), and to discuss the implications of those affinities. In conclusion I propose to discuss the literary history of this motif and some occurrences in other Old English poems — notably in Beowulf. I will thus move from fairly mechanical problems of source-study and stylistic affinity to some important ideological and literary issues, but unfortunately the more important issues are also more difficult to resolve.

Type
Articles
Information
Traditio , Volume 44 , 1988 , pp. 101 - 124
Copyright
Copyright © 1988 Fordham University Press 

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References

1 The texts with which I am particularly concerned, the early sections of the Historia regum traditionally associated with the name of Symeon of Durham, are edited by Arnold, T. in Symeonis monachi opera omnia (Rolls Series 75; London 1882–85) II 3–68, cited hereafter as Arnold. The identification of these texts as the work of Byrhtferth of Ramsey has been, in effect, a collaborative endeavor. See Blair, Peter Hunter, ‘Some Observations on the “Historia regum” attributed to Symeon of Durham,’ in Celt and Saxon: Studies in the Early British Border , edd. Jackson, Kenneth et al. (Cambridge 1963) 63–118; Lapidge, Michael, ‘Byrhtferth of Ramsey and the Early Sections of the Historia regum attributed to Symeon of Durham,’ Anglo-Saxon England 10 (1987) 97–122; Hart, Cyrill, ‘Byrhtferth's Northumbrian Chronicle,’ English Historical Review (1982) 558–82. See also Lapidge, Michael, ‘Byrhtferth and the Vita S. Ecgumi,’ Mediaeval Studies 41 (1979) 331–53, and Hart, Cyril, ‘The Early Section of the Worcester Chronicle,’ Journal of Medieval History 4 (1983) 251–315.Google Scholar

2 Professor Charles, D. Wright of the Univ. of Illinois is currently preparing a paper on Genesis A as a historical poem. He has been kind enough to show me a preliminary draft of this paper.Google Scholar

3 The term ‘formula’ is much debated by scholars interested in the tradition of oral poetry, which the Anglo-Saxons may be presumed to have known. I use the term according to its conventional meaning in the dictionaries, ‘a set form of words,’ e.g., ‘Dear Sir,’ ‘Yours truly,’ etc. Google Scholar

4 ‘… oopæt he [Malalehel] foro gewat’ (1068); ‘[Enos] swealt’ (1153); 'sidooan Lamech gewat‘ (1236); 'pa he [Noe] forod gewat’ (1602). All quotations of Old English poetry are from the Anglo-Saxon Poetic Records by line numbers. For the convenience of readers I translate the more extended passages of Old English.Google Scholar

5 ‘Afterward Mathusal [i.e., Mathusahel], son after son, shared the treasure of princes with his kinsmen, his brothers, until old in days gone by, he had to make a parting from this life, leave life behind.’ Google Scholar

6 ‘Writings tell us that here for eight hundred years [Adam] increased his kin upon the earth with sons and daughters. Adam had 930 years in all on earth when he had to give up this world by the parting of the soul.’ Google Scholar

7 ‘Seth was blessed; after this he begot sons and daughters for eight hundred and seven years on earth. In all he had nine hundred and twelve [years], when the time came to pass that he had to make a parting in peace.’ Google Scholar

8 ‘After eight hundred and forty years Enos’ son [i.e., Cainan] increased the count of noble ones with souls. In all he had nine hundred and ten winters when he gave up the world; then the number of his days was filled under the expanse of the heavens.' Google Scholar

9 ‘After this Malalehel lived for a long time and enjoyed happiness, the joys of men and earthly treasures. He had eight hundred and ninety-five years when he went forth. He left [his] heirs the land and the host of people.’ Google Scholar

10 ‘In all [Iared] had nine hundred and sixty-five years by night-count, the dear one, wise in winters, when he departed this world and Geared (Iared) then left the land and the host of people to the wise one, to the dear prince.’ Google Scholar

11 ‘This prince [Enoch] sought the host of the Lord joyously in the flesh. Not at all did he perish in death as men do here, both young and old when God takes from them possession and provision of the goods of the earth and their life together; but he departed alive to go from this transitory life to the King of angels in those garments which his spirit took on before his mother bore him among men.’ Google Scholar

12 ‘Matusahel begot many sons and daughters before his dying day. The old warrior had nine hundred and seventy winters when he had to depart from men.’ Google Scholar

13 ‘Then a band of young warriors were nourished by Japheth, a promising hearth-troop of close kinsmen, sons and daughters. He was valiant himself; he continually held the kingdom, the joys of the native land, glory among his kinsmen, until the breast-treasure, the spirit eager to leave, had to depart to the glory of God.’ Google Scholar

14 ‘… afterward Cham departed from the body when disease harmed him. The prince gave judgments to his people until the number of his days was fulfilled. Then the warrior gave up earthly possessions, [and] the father of Nebroth [Nimrod] sought another life.’ Google Scholar

15 ‘Many sons and daughters were born to Sem, noble children in the kingdom of this world before that old and wise man chose death in the course of years, the prince of the host.’ Google Scholar

16 ‘ In those dwellings the father of Abraham gave up his life, the man who kept covenants; he had two hundred and five winters by appointed reckoning when he departed, old in years, to see the judgment of the Lord.’ Google Scholar

17 Libri quatuor in principium Genesis … 2.5.23–24 (CCL 118A.97; PL 91.81).Google Scholar

18 The Cainite Mathusahel and Ham, the bad son of Noe, both receive variegated obits; otherwise the Genesis A poet restricts the variegated obits to the Sethite line.Google Scholar

19 See, for example, Doane, A. N., Genesis A: A New Edition (Madison 1978) 80–81; Klaeber, Fr., Beowulf and the Fight at Finnsburg (3rd ed.; Boston 1953) cx.Google Scholar

20 Klaeber, cx.Google Scholar

21 Das altenglische Martyrologium, ed. Kotzor, Günter, Abh. Akad. Munich n.f. 88.1–2 (1981) II 5 el passim. Google Scholar

22 Blair, Hunter, ‘Observations,’ 95–96.Google Scholar

23 Arnold, 31.Google Scholar

24 The obits are quoted from Arnold by date and by page for ease of reference.Google Scholar

25 Lapidge, , ‘Byrhtferth’ 100–101 et passim. Google Scholar

26 These quotations are conveniently gathered in Jones, Putnam Fennell, A Concordance to the Historia ecclesiastica of Bede (Cambridge 1929) under the headword migrare. I have followed Jones in giving references by book and chapter and then page and line reference. All citations are to the edition of Plummer, Charles, Venerabilis Baedae opera historica (Oxford 1896).Google Scholar

27 Citations are from Jones under the headword gaudia. Google Scholar

28 Note for example the phrase migravit ad Dominum, which recurs six times in the list I have given.Google Scholar

29 Robinson, Fred C., ‘Two Aspects of Variation in Old English Poetry,’ in Calder, Daniel C., ed., Old English Poetry: Essays in Style (Berkeley 1979) 138. See also the interesting paper of Russom, Geoffrey R., ‘Artful Avoidance of the Useful Phrase in Beowulf, The Battle of Maldon, and Fates of the Apostles,’ Studies in Philology 75 (1978) 371–90.Google Scholar

30 ‘He [Andreas] did not hesitate before the might of any of the kings of the people on earth; but he chose the eternal, long-lasting life, light that does not pass….’ Google Scholar

31 ‘He [John] in Ephesus taught the people continually. From there he sought the way of life on a journey, the joys of heaven, a bright house of wealth.’ Google Scholar

32 ‘Philip was among the Asseas (?). From thence he sought at once eternal life by the torment of the Cross.’ Google Scholar

33 ‘The assault of sword destroyed Thomas, by a heathen's hand. There the holy one fell, wounded before the hosts. From there his soul sought the light of glory as a reward of victory.’ Google Scholar

34 ‘The noble ones [Simon and Thaddeus] had to endure grief by hostile weapon, [had to] seek the reward of victory and the true joy, happiness after death, when life was parted from the body. They wholly despised these passing treasures and idle wealth.’ Google Scholar

35 ‘In this year Edgar, king of the English, finished with earth's joys; he chose another light for himself and abandoned this weak [light], this transitory life.’ Google Scholar

36 ‘In this year Edward the king, the lord of the English, sent his true soul to Christ, the holy spirit in God's protection.’ Google Scholar

37 ‘[It is] seventeen days from this time by count of the days that the Lord took Augustinus into the other light, the joyous one [to His] bosom.’ Google Scholar

38 ‘Many-days – about thirteen – from then the valiant thegn, wise in gospel lore, Matthew, sent his spirit to the judgment of the Lord, [to] eternal joy.’ Google Scholar

39 ‘Four nights from then Martin, the glorious one, departed, a man free from sin; he sought the Lord, the guardian of the angels above.’ Google Scholar

40 ‘Seven nights from then, noble Andreas, dear to the lord of victory, gave his spirit into the protection of God up in the heavens – eager [as he was] to depart forth.’ Google Scholar

41 Harris, Joseph, ‘Beowulf in Literary History,’ Pacific Coast Philology 17 (1982) 16–23.Google Scholar

42 ‘Scyld departed at the appointed time, the valient one going [or very eager to go] to the keeping of the Lord.’ Google Scholar

43 ‘Heorot is cleansed, the bright treasure hall. Enjoy while you may the treasures of many and leave to your kinsmen the people and the kingdom when you must [depart] forth to see the judgment of the Lord.’ Google Scholar

44 Beowulf and the Finnsburg Fragment, trans. Clark Hall, John R., rev. Wrenn, C. L. and Tolkien, J. R. R. (London 1950) 80.Google Scholar

45 ‘So he sad in mind grieved for his youth, one after all the others, unhappily he passed through day and night until death's surge touched his heart.’ Google Scholar

46 ‘Then he, at the sorrow which so grievously befell him, gave up human joy and chose God's light; he left to his heirs, as a blessed man does, [his] land and fortifications, when he departed this life.’ Google Scholar

47 Cf. for example The Dream of the Rood line 49, or Guthlac B lines 1300–4.Google Scholar

48 Arnold 53.Google Scholar

49 ‘Thus it is fitting that a man should praise his lord with words, should cherish him in heart, when he must be led forth from the body.’ Google Scholar

50 ‘Little did you consider to what your soul's affairs would come, after it was led from the body.’ Google Scholar

51 Dialogi 4.35. PL 77.577.Google Scholar

52 See for example the Historia ecclesiastica 3.19; 166.1.Google Scholar

53 ‘That was the last word from that old one in the thoughts of his heart, before he chose the pyre, the hot surges of battle. His soul departed from him to seek the glory of the righteous.’ Google Scholar

54 Bliss, A. J., ‘Beowulf, Lines 3074–75,’ J. R. R. Tolkien: Scholar and Storyteller , edd. Salu, Mary and Farrell, Robert T. (Ithaca, N.Y. 1979) 41–63. Bliss translates 2819–21, ‘his spirit departed from the breast, hoping for the esteem of the true-judging’ (50). A detailed review of the arguments which underlie this translation would demand more space than is available. Note, however, that Bliss translates sawol in a purely secular sense as ‘spirit,’ secan as ‘hoping for,’ dom as ‘esteem,’ and soofæstra' as ‘true-judging ones.’ In each case Bliss must depart from the ordinary meaning of the word; this translation of the clause as a whole is thus improbable. For more detailed criticism of Bliss's argument see Mitchell, Bruce, ‘Beowulf, Lines 3074–75: The Damnation of Beowulf?’ Poetica 13 (1982) 15–26.Google Scholar

55 I have based my word count on A Concordance to the Anglo-Saxon Poetic Records, ed. Bessinger, J. B., programmed by Smith, Philip H. (Ithaca, N.Y. 1978). I have, of course, corrected the raw listing of the concordance to take into account morphological ambiguities – e.g., soofæste as definite feminine singular. For occurrences in Old English prose, see Richard L. Venezky and Antonette di Healy, Paolo, A Microfiche Concordance to Old English (Toronto 1980).Google Scholar

56 See particularly Donahue, Charles J., ‘Beowulf, Ireland, and the Natural Good,’ Traditio 7 (1949–51) 263–77.Google Scholar

57 Fr. Klaeber's articles, ‘Die christlichen Elemente im Beowulf,’ Anglia 35 (1911–12) 111–36, 249–70, 453–82; and 36 (1912) 169–99, are the definitive and magisterial study of the Christian language and imagery of Beowulf. See particularly vol. 35 pp. 462–67, ‘Umschreibungen für sterben,’ in connection with the problem of the obits. Although Klaeber does not discuss the tradition of the variegated obit as such, he was very much aware of the Latin background of the language of the Beowulf-poet in this respect, and my own study is heavily indebted to his work.Google Scholar