In Their Own Words : Practices of Quotation in Early Medieval History-Writing

__In Their Own Words__ examines early medieval history-writing through quotation practices in five works, each in some way the first of its kind. Nithard’s __Historiae de dissensionibus filiorum Ludovici Pii__ is extraordinary for its quotation of vernacular oaths, the first recorded piece of French. The __Gesta Francorum__ is the first eye-witness account of the First Crusade. Geoffrey of Villehardouin’s __La Conquête de Constantinople__, written by a leader and negotiator of the Fourth Crusade, and Robert de Clari’s __La Conquête de Constantinople__, written by a common soldier in the same crusade, are the first extant French prose histories. __Li Fet des Romains__, a translation and compilation of all the classical texts about Julius Caesar (including Caesar’s own __Gallic Wars__) that were known in the thirteenth century, is the first work of ancient historiography and the first biography to appear in French. In Their Own Words examines early medieval history-writing through quotation practices in five works, each in some way the first of its kind. Nithard's Historiae de dissensionibus filiorum Ludovici Pii is extraordinary for its quotation of vernacular oaths, the first recorded piece of French. The Gesta Francorum is the first eye-witness account of the First Crusade. Geoffrey of Villehardouin's La Conquête de Constantinople, written by a leader and negotiator of the Fourth Crusade, and Robert de Clari's La Conquête de Constantinople, written by a common soldier in the same crusade, are the first extant French prose histories. Li Fet des Romains, a translation and compilation of all the classical texts about Julius Caesar (including Caesar's own Gallic Wars) that were known in the thirteenth century, is the first work of ancient historiography and the first biography to appear in French. Jeanette Beer's work bridges the divide between the study of vernacular and Latin writing, providing new evidence that the linguistic cultures were not isolated from each other. Her examination of quotation practices in early medieval histories illuminates the relationship between classical and contemporary influences in the formative period of history-writing in the West. Jeanette Beer is a professor emerita and a senior member of Lady Margaret Hall and St Hilda's College, at Oxford University

In Their Own Words examines early medieval history-writing through quotation practices in five works, each in some way the first of its kind. Nithard’s Historiae de dissensionibus filiorum Ludovici Pii is extraordinary for its quotation of vernacular oaths, the first recorded piece of French. The Gesta Francorum is the first eye-witness account of the First Crusade. Geoffrey of Villehardouin’s La Conquête de Constantinople, written by a leader and negotiator of the Fourth Crusade, and Robert de Clari’s La Conquête de Constantinople, written by a common soldier in the same crusade, are the first extant French prose histories. Li Fet des Romains, a translation and compilation of all the classical texts about Julius Caesar (including Caesar’s own Gallic Wars) that were known in the thirteenth century, is the first work of ancient historiography and the first biography to appear in French.

Jeanette Beer’s work bridges the divide between the study of vernacular and Latin writing, providing new evidence that the linguistic cultures were not isolated from each other. Her examination of quotation practices in early medieval histories illuminates the relationship between classical and contemporary influences in the formative period of history-writing in the West.

Annotation In Their Own Words examines early medieval history-writing through quotation practices in five works, each in some way the first of its kind. Nithard's Historiae de dissensionibus filiorum Ludovici Pii is extraordinary for its quotation of vernacular oaths, the first recorded piece of French. The Gesta Francorum is the first eye-witness account of the First Crusade. Geoffrey of Villehardouin's La Conquête de Constantinople, written by a leader and negotiator of the Fourth Crusade, and Robert de Clari's La Conquête de Constantinople, written by a common soldier in the same crusade, are the first extant French prose histories. Li Fet des Romains, a translation and compilation of all the classical texts about Julius Caesar (including Caesar's own Gallic Wars) that were known in the thirteenth century, is the first work of ancient historiography and the first biography to appear in French. Jeanette Beer's work bridges the divide between the study of vernacular and Latin writing, providing new evidence that the linguistic cultures were not isolated from each other. Her examination of quotation practices in early medieval histories illuminates the relationship between classical and contemporary influences in the formative period of history-writing in the West The First Words Of French : Nithard's Historiae De Dissensionibus Filiorum Ludovici Pii -- Whose Words Are They? Gesta Francorum Et Aliorum Hierosolimitanorum -- Villehardouin Who Never, To The Best Of His Knowledge, Spoke An Untrue Word : La Conquête De Constantinople -- In The Words Of The Poor Knight Robert De Clari : La Conquête De Constantinople -- In The Words Of The Author : Li Fet Des Romans : The Gallic War -- In The Words Of The Author : Li Fet Des Romans : The Civil War. Jeanette Beer. Includes Bibliographical References. The first words of French : Nithard's Historiae de dissensionibus filiorum Ludovici Pii Whose words are they? : Gesta Francorum et aliorum Hierosolimitanorum Villehardouin "Who never, to the best of his knowledge, spoke an untrue word" : La Conquête de Constantinople In the words of the poor knight Robert de Clari : La Conquête de Constantinople In the words of the author : Li Fet des Romains : the Gallic War In the words of the author : Li Fet des Romains : the civil war. Contents 7 Foreword 9 Acknowledgments 15 Chapter One. The First Words of French 17 Chapter Two. Whose Words Are They? 35 Chapter Three. Villehardouin “Who Never, to the Best of His Knowledge, Spoke an Untrue Word” 54 Chapter Four. In the Words of the Poor Knight Robert de Clari 73 Chapter Five. In the Words of the Author 85 Chapter Six. In the Words of the Author 107 Conclusion 120 Afterword 126 Notes 129 Works Cited 153 Name Index 161 Subject Index 167 Jeanette Beer's work bridges the divide between the study of vernacular and Latin writing, providing new evidence that the linguistic cultures were not isolated from each other. Her examination of quotation practices in early medieval histories illuminates the relationship between classical and contemporary influences in the formative period of history-writing in the West."--Pub. desc