History and Salvation in Medieval Ireland (Studies in Early Medieval Britain and Ireland)

"History and Salvation in Medieval Ireland explores medieval Irish conceptions of salvation history, using Latin and vernacular sources from c. 700 - c. 1200 CE which adapt biblical history for audiences both secular and ecclesiastical. This book examines medieval Irish sources on the cities of Jerusalem and Babylon; reworkings of narratives from the Hebrew Scriptures; literature influenced by the Psalms; and texts indebted to Late Antique historiography. It argues that the conceptual framework of salvation history, and the related theory of the divinely-ordained movement of political power through history, had a formative influence on early Irish culture, society and identity. Primarily through analysis of previously untranslated sources, this study teases out some of the intricate connections between the local and the universal, in order to situate medieval Irish historiography within the context of that of the wider world. Using an overarching biblical chronology, beginning with the lives of the Jewish Patriarchs and ending with the Christian apostolic missions, this study shows how one culture understood the histories of others, and has important implications for issues such as kingship, religion and literary production in medieval Ireland. This book will appeal to scholars and students of medieval Ireland, as well as those interested in religious and cultural history"-- Provided by publisher History and Salvation in Medieval Ireland explores medieval Irish conceptions of salvation history, using Latin and vernacular sources from c. 700–c. 1200 CE which adapt biblical history for audiences both secular and ecclesiastical. apostolic,missions;,Assyrians;,Babylon;,Christianisation;,Egyptian,ancestry;,Hebrew,scriptures;,idol,worship;,idolatrous,peoples;,Irish,culture;,Irish,historiography;,Jewish,history;,King,David;,medieval,Ireland;,Old,Testament,ideology;,political,power;,salvation,history;,the,psalms apostolic missions,Assyrians,Babylon,Christianisation,Egyptian ancestry,Hebrew scriptures,idol worship,idolatrous peoples,Irish culture,Irish historiography,Jewish history,King David,medieval Ireland,Old Testament ideology,political power,salvation history,the psalms Cover 1 Half Title 2 Series Page 3 Title Page 4 Copyright Page 5 Dedication 6 Table of Contents 8 Acknowledgements 9 Note on terminology, biblical quotations and abbreviations 11 Introduction 14 Education 16 Geography and ethnic diversity 18 Language 22 Law 26 History 29 Outline of study 32 Chapter 1: In the Egypt of this our island: Reflections on Jewish history 33 ‘A carnal race ignorant of truth’: early Irish antisemitism 36 The world’s navel 41 The Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob 47 ‘Appoint, O Lord, a lawgiver over them’ 51 Toisech popuil 54 ‘Another Moses’: St Brendan 57 Patrick the Israelite 58 Christ’s idolatrous ancestors 61 ‘The journeys and battles of the Children of Israel’ 64 Chapter 2: Absalom, Absalom!: Rewriting the David story 66 The boyhood deeds of David son of Jesse 68 The sins of the father 74 Entangled 77 Sword of Damocles, hand of God 82 ‘You, David, are the Church’ 87 ‘Swifter than eagles, stronger than lions’ 95 Chapter 3: More than honey to my mouth: The psalms 97 ‘In what is concealed make wisdom known to me’ 98 ‘The Lord’s teaching is his desire’ 104 ‘Wash me, that I be whiter than snow’ 110 ‘Seven times a day I have given praise to you’ 112 ‘Their throat is an open sepulchre’ 121 ‘My lips shall utter a hymn’ 122 ‘The bed wherein I lie’ 128 Chapter 4: The green-grassed land of the Assyrians: Constructing the history of Babylon 131 The city and the city 131 Urban myths 135 ‘A griffin with a blue eye’ 146 ‘The first king of the world’ 150 ‘Babylon, the fair girl’ 153 ‘Unconquered Cyrus’ 157 Conclusion: from Darius to Salmoneus 160 Chapter 5: Twilight of the idols 164 ‘Your blood be upon your own heads’ 167 ‘Consenting unto his death’ 175 Apostle of the Irish 189 Conclusion 197 Bibliography 204 Index 213