Hibernicus exul

Hibernicus exul

"Hibernicus exul" (Latin for "Hibernian exile") is the name given to an anonymous Irish poet of the Carolingian Renaissance who lived and wrote in Francia. The poet has been variously identified with both Dungal and Dicuil.

The anonymous exile's most famous work is a fragmentary Latin eclogue praising Charlemagne for his defeat of Tassilo III of Bavaria in 787. The poem, "Ad Karolum Regem" (To King Charles) in the Monumenta Germaniae Historica and "In Praise of Poetry" in Peter Godman's excerpted English translation, is written as a dialogue between poet and Muse (the parts of which are diffictult for modern editors to perfectly discern), an idea picked up by Walahfrid Strabo. [The "editio princeps" is Ernst Dümmler, "MGH", "Poetae Latini medii aevi", I (Berlin, 1881); Peter Godman (1985), "Latin Poetry of the Carolingian Renaissance" (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press), pp. 24–25, discusses the poem briefly and provides a critical edition and translation of it, pp 174–79. The poem is the earliest Carolingian eclogue.] The poem begins with a description of Charlemagne and Tassilo, "dux inclitus" (distinguished duke). Charlemagne's gifts to the disobedient Tassilo, Tassilo's ceremonious submission and payment of tribute, and the reconciliation of the two Christian princes are the major themes of the opening part of the work. The remainder is filled by the dialogue of the humble poet with nothing of great worth for the king and the Muse who shows him the immortality of poetry. To the historian, the "exuls poem indicates the high value ascribed to generosity and reconciliation amongst Christians and portrays the defeated duke in a fair light. [Stuart Airlie (1999), "Narratives of Triumph and Rituals of Submission: Charlemagne's Mastering of Bavaria", "Transactions of the Royal Historical Society", Sixth Series, 9"' (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0 521 77286 9.), p. 112, demonstrates the Christian moral tone and the evenhanded treatment of Tassilo.] The exaltation of poetry (by a poet) was necessary in a world that concentrated on material and especially martial success. The poet also affirms that secular subjects are equally worthy as sacred ones for versification; one of the earliest Latin Christian defences of courtly/public panegyric.

"Hibernicus exul" also wrote a couple of Latin epigrams illustrating two contrasting pedagogical methods: encouragement and threat. [Godman provides a translation of these two on pp. 178–79.] The first draws on proverbs in the "Disticha Catonis" and goes like this:

Notes


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Exul Hibernicus — • The name given to an Irish stranger on the Continent of Europe in the time of Charles the Great, who wrote poems in Latin, several of which are addressed to the emperor Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Exul Hibernicus      …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Exul Hibernicus — is the Latin name given to an Irish stranger (meaning just that) on the Continent of Europe in the time of Charlemagne, who wrote poems in Latin, several of which are addressed to the emperor. He is sometimes identified with Dungal. The… …   Wikipedia

  • Malachias Hibernicus — (Malachy of Ireland), Archbishop of Tuam, fl. 1279 1300. Malachias was a friar of the Franciscan convent of Limerick and was elected Archbishop of Tuam, not never officially installed. He was first mentioned in a letter of 1279 from Nicol Mac… …   Wikipedia

  • Dicuil — For the saint of the same name, see Deicolus. Dicuil, Irish monk and geographer, born in the second half of the 8th century. Contents 1 Background 2 Astronomical computus 3 De mensura Orbis terrae …   Wikipedia

  • Dungal of Bobbio — Dungal redirects here. For other uses, see Dungal (disambiguation). The Irish monk Dungal lived at Saint Denis, Pavia and Bobbio. He wrote a poem on wisdom and the seven liberal arts and advised Charlemagne on astronomical matters.[1] He died… …   Wikipedia

  • De mirabilibus sacrae scripturae — (in English: On the miraculous things in sacred scripture) is a Latin treatise written around 655 by an anonymous Irish writer and philosopher known as Augustinus Hibernicus or the Irish Augustine. The author s nickname is in reference to the… …   Wikipedia

  • Columbanus — Saint Columbanus St. Columbanus. Window of the crypt of the Bobbio Abbey Born 540 Nobber, Kingdom of Meath Died 23 November 615 …   Wikipedia

  • Marianus Scotus — For other uses, see Máel Brigte (disambiguation). Marianus Scotus (1028–1082 or 1083), was an Irish monk and chronicler (who must be distinguished from his namesake Marianus Scotus, d. 1088, abbot of St Peter s, Regensburg), was an Irishman by… …   Wikipedia

  • Chronicon Scotorum — is a medieval Irish chronicle. According to Nollaig Ó Muraíle, it is a collection of annals belonging to the Clonmacnoise group , covering the period from prehistoric times to 1150 but with some gaps, closely related to the Annals of Tigernach .… …   Wikipedia

  • Donatus of Fiesole — For homonyms, see Donatus (disambiguation). Saint Donatus of Fiesole Madonna with Saints John the Baptist and Donatus of Fiesole (1475 83, Andrea del Verrocchio, Pistoia Cathedral) Bishop …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”