1 3><<5=B1@F D8B7 8=B@>4C3B8>=% B5EB 1=4 B@1=A;1B8>=% >= A5;53B54 ?>5<A >6 B75>4C;6 >6 >@;51=A #A8@<>=4 888'*&-$ 3NVOWXTUNKV 9TNS 2QGPKRGS 1 BNKWOW AYHROXXKJ LTV XNK 4KMVKK TL ?N4 GX XNK CSOZKVWOX] TL AX' 1SJVK[W *..* 6YQQ RKXGJGXG LTV XNOW OXKR OW GZGOQGHQK OS @KWKGVIN0AX1SJVK[W/6YQQBK\X GX/ NXXU/((VKWKGVIN&VKUTWOXTV]'WX&GSJVK[W'GI'YP( ?QKGWK YWK XNOW OJKSXOLOKV XT IOXK TV QOSP XT XNOW OXKR/ NXXU/((NJQ'NGSJQK'SKX(*))+,(+--* BNOW OXKR OW UVTXKIXKJ H] TVOMOSGQ ITU]VOMNX 'A Commentary with Introduction, Text and Translation, on Selected Poems of Theodulf of Orl6ans (Sirmond 111.1-6)' Thesis submitted for the Degree of Ph. D. by Christopher John Blakeman. 30th September 1990. 1%iv Declarations I Christopher John Blakeman, hereby certify that this thesis, which is approximately 70,000 words in length, has been written by me, that it is the by that it has A record of work carried out me and not been in for higher dearee. submitted any previous application a 0 30th September 1990 A40 I was admitted as a research student under Ordinance No. 12 in October 1984 as a candidate for the degree of Ph. D. in October 1984-: the higher study for which this is a record was carried out in the University of St. Andrews between 1984 and 1990. 30th September 1990 I hereby certify that the candidate has fulfilled the conditions of the Resolutions and Regulations appropriate for the degree of Ph. D. in the University of St. Andrews and that the candidate is qualified to submit this thesis in application for that degree. It date. -- -o supervisor.. Copyright A In submitting this thesis to the University of St. Andrews I understand that I am giving permission for it to be made available for use in accordance with the regulations of the University Library for the time being in force, subject to any copyright vested in the work not being affected thereby. I also understand that the title and abstract will be published, and that a copy of the work may be made and supplied to any bona fide library or research worker. p A777 1990 30th September Ak A Al ABSTRACT The first introductory chapter addresses the facts of Theodulf's life and career and the primary and secondary source material that supports these facts and attempts to establish a firm outline of his life and career. The second chapter looks at Theodulf's possition and work in the court, and his relations with the court, in particular his relations with Alcuin. The chapter also discusses the importance of panegyric and patronage for Theodulf. The third and last introductory chapter is a detailed analysis of the poetry of Theodulf as a whole. This chapter looks at the subject, language and prosody of the poems and the influence on them from other poets. The six poems then follow. Each is first prefaced by a short introduction, then the text is given with a translation on the following page, The text and translation for each poem is then followed by a line by line commentary, noting literary and historical points of interest. CONTENTS Preface ................................................ Introduction: Chapter 1 .............................................. 2 Chapter 2 .............................................. 33 Chapter 3 .............................................. 55 Notes the text on ...................................... 80 Abbreviations .......................................... 81 Poems: Texts, translations and Commentaries: C. I (Sirmond III. 1; DUmmler 25) 84 c. ...................... - C-II (Sirmond 111.2; DUmmler 26) 174 c. ..................... C. III (Sirmond 111.3; DUmmler 27) 186 c. .................... C. IV (Sirmond 111.4; DUmmler 43) 237 c. ..................... 111.5; DUmmler 31) 249 C. V (Sirmond c. ...................... VI (Sirmond 111.6; DUmmler 32) 257 C. c. ..................... 270 Bibliography ........................................... Preface In many ways Theodulf has been overshadowed by Alcuin. Alcuin's corpus is greater but the pragmatism of his character and of his work is, If eel, surpas-sed. by the wit and imagination of Theodulf. He can without hesitation be described as the most vibrant poet 0f his circle, wr iti ng wi th perception, wit, eloquence and anger. Theodulf is in comparison a lesser figure in the court, but this distance enhances his interest as an observer of the court. These six poems have been chosen partly because they are a convenient grouping, the first six in the third book of Jacob Sirmond'---D edition. They also offer an instructive cross- section of Theodulf's life and poetry by their varietý of addressees and genres. In this selection are Theodulf's most grandiloquent and also his most recondite poems (I and III). A unifying aspect of this selection is the court, with references in all to the royal family or the court. Thanks are due in particular to my supervisor, Roger Green, for his support and advice during my studies, I would also like to record my thanks for the material supplied by the many libraries and for the help given by the staff of the University Library. -I- CHAPTER 1 Theodulf's Life and Career Theodulf's date of birth The precise date of Theodulf's birth is unknown and there are no references by Theodulf to his age at any point. DUmmler's evidence for a birth date of c. 760 is based only on a letter of Alcuin dated 801 1. The significant phrase cui est aetas florida is used by Catullus of a youth 2, and Alcuin himself, using a similar phrase in an earlier letter 3, intends only a comparison between his own slowness and the others' more youthful vigour. Such an ambiguous phrase at best shows only that Theodulf is younger than Alcuin and does not support this date. The difference in the ages is made more difficult to assess by the context of the letter (see n. 3). Alcuin's ill-health at this time is described immediate ly before the phrase so that his description of Theodulf's 1youthful vigour' is perhaps a reference to their relative states of health and not to their ages. It is certainly not a precise indication of Theodulf's age. DahlhauS-Berg interprets the passage as a reference to a high-point in Theodulf's 4 career The argument below for the date of Theodulf's earliest poem in Charles' court (c. 23) suggests an entry date of 788-789. The tone of the poem is humble and perhaps indicative of youth. If one assumes that Theodulf was twenty years old at the time of his entry, an approximate birthdate of 768-769 is possible. - Theodulf's place of birth There is more evidence for Theodulf's place of birth than for his date of birth. Theodulf was probably born in Spain and may later have moved to Septimania. The name Theodulf is certainly Visigothic 5. The most important passage occurs in Theodulf's poem Parenesis ad Iudices written after his Journey to south-west Gaul ass missus dominicus in 798 6, and is at the centre of Adolf Ebert' s brief exposition of the evidence 7. At Narbonne Theodulf is met by a group of people (c. 28.137-140 (p. 497) ): Mox sedes, Narbona, tuas urbemque decoram tangimus, occurrit quo mihi laeta cohors, reliquiae Getici populi, simul Hespera turba me consanguineo fit duce laeta sibi. That this Hespera turba is composed of Spaniards is' not immediately apparent. Hesperia from which the adjective is derived is more frequently used of Italy by classical authors B. Ebert gives one example of the use of Hesperia for Spain by Theodulf himself. 9. There are however precedents for this usage which Ebert makes no mention of. Most influential on Theodulf is Isidore with whom Theodulf was well acquainted. He explains the name of the Hesperii, a Spanish tribe, with the statement that Hispania/ Hesperia are synonymous 10. Elsewhere Isidore describes Spain Hesperia I'. Alcuin as vera. ., shows that he is following Isidore when he includes both names in reference to Isidore in a letter, naming him as sidus doctor Hispaniae Hesperige, 12. Horace and Martial al-so use - He---: 13. -peria or the related adjective Ebert completes his argument 114 for Theodulf's Spanish origins with a reference to Theodulf's poem on books he has read, where in the list of authors Theodulf refers to Prudentius: Diversoque potens prudenter promere plura metro, 0 Prudenti, noster et ipse parens 15 Ebert says that parens does not refer to influence of Prudentius because of the actual lack of variety in the metres used by Theodulf, but means that they have a common patria (Prudentius was born c. 348 in Catalonia, possibly at Saragos--3a). But parens is linked with the description of Prudentius' poetic output in the previous line, and while Frudentius is indeed Spanish there does not appear to be a similar use of parens elsewhere to describe the relationship between compatriots. So parens is more likely to refer to Prudentius as 'father' in the sense of a person influential upon the content of Theodulf's poetry. The relationship between Theodulf and the Gothic people he meets at Narbonne is described by Ebert (pp. 96-97) as that of compatriots, each having origins amongst the Goths of Spain 16. This consanguinitas, says Ebert, shows that Theodulf could not have been born in Septimania, but Liutpold Wallach claims that the evidence for Theodulf's origin in Septimania cannot 17 line be questioned .A after this same passage does however indicate that Theodulf has previous experience of the area and in particular Carcasonne and the area between Carcasonne and - Narbonne: Inde te, Carcasona, Redasque ". If revisentes - indeed this area is his birth-place he does, not make any mention of it.