Aelfric's Life of Saint Basil the Great: Background and Context (Anglo-Saxon Texts) (Anglo-Saxon Texts)

The life and thought of Saint Basil the Great (329-79) were a seminal influence on western theology and monasticism, their echoes reaching as far as Anglo-Saxon England: the hagiographic tradition of this saint began in Greek, but by the end of the tenth century had already been translated three times into Latin and once into Old English. This book presents a new edition and translation of the Old English text, prepared by Ælfric of Eynsham in the tenth century, with an edition of one of the Latin versions of the Vita Basilii. These are complemented by the first ever full-length study of the hagiographies of Basil, setting these textual traditions against their wider intellectual background. It outlines evidence for the cult of Saint Basil in Anglo-Saxon England from the late-seventh century, together with the influence of his theological thought, especially upon Bede's work. It then moves on to explore the Old English translation in detail, setting it in the context of the English Benedictine reform. Full study, with text and facing translation, of an influential tenth-century work.The life and thought of Saint Basil the Great [329-79] were a seminal influence on western theology and monasticism, their echoes reaching as far as Anglo-Saxon England: the hagiographic tradition of this saint began in Greek, butby the end of the tenth century had already been translated three times into Latin and once into Old English. This book presents a new edition and translation of the Old English text, prepared by Ælfric of Eynsham in the tenth century, with an edition of one of the Latin versions of the Vita Basilii. These are complemented by the first ever full-length study of the hagiographies of Basil, setting these textual traditions against their wider intellectual background. It outlines evidence for the cult of Saint Basil in Anglo-Saxon England from the late-seventh century, together with the influence of his theological thought, especially upon Bede's work. It then moves on toexplore the Old English translation in detail, setting it in the context of the English Benedictine reform. The life and thought of Saint Basil the Great [329-79] were a seminal influence on western theology and monasticism, their echoes reaching as far as Anglo-Saxon the hagiographic tradition of this saint began in Greek, but by the end of the tenth century had already been translated three times into Latin and once into Old English. This book presents a new edition and translation of the Old English text, prepared by lfric of Eynsham in the tenth century, with an edition of one of the Latin versions of the Vita Basilii . These are complemented by the first ever full-length study of the hagiographies of Basil, setting these textual traditions against their wider intellectual background. It outlines evidence for the cult of Saint Basil in Anglo-Saxon England from the late-seventh century, together with the influence of his theological thought, especially upon Bede's work. It then moves on to explore the Old English translation in detail, setting it in the context of the English Benedictine reform. Table of Contents Study Text and translation Commentary Bibliography Index CONTENTS ......Page 6 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......Page 7 ABBREVIATIONS ......Page 8 Introduction ......Page 10 1 The Greek and Latin backgrounds......Page 15 2 Basil the Great in Anglo-Saxon England......Page 38 3 Ælfric’s First Homily for the Assumption of Mary......Page 60 4 The Vita Basilii and Ælfric’s Life of Saint Basil......Page 83 5 Rhetoric and style......Page 104 6 Manuscripts, previous editions and editorial policy......Page 136 List of sigla......Page 160 Ælfric’s Life of Saint Basil......Page 161 Commentary......Page 199 APPENDIX I: Amphilochii Episcopi Iconii in vita et miraculis sancti Basilii Archiepiscopi Cappadociae......Page 232 APPENDIX II: Spelling variants......Page 257 BIBLIOGRAPHY ......Page 259 INDEX ......Page 276