Additional information
by Mayke de Jong (Editor), Mayke de Jong (Translator), Justin Lake (Editor)
This book presents a new and accessible translation of a well-known yet enigmatic text: the 'Epitaph for Arsenius' by the monk and scholar Paschasius Radbertus (Radbert) of Corbie. This monastic dialogue, with the author in the role of narrator, plunges the reader directly into the turmoil of ninth-century religion and politics. 'Arsenius' was the nickname of Wala, a member of the Carolingian family who in the 830s became involved in the rebellions against Louis the Pious. Exiled from the court, Wala/Arsenius died in Italy in 836. Casting both Wala and himself in the role of the prophet Jeremiah, Radbert chose the medium of the epitaph (funeral oration) to deliver a polemical attack, not just on Wala's enemies, but also on his own.
Front Jacket
This book presents a new translation of the Epitaphium Arsenii by Paschasius Radbertus (Radbert), a monk of Corbie. A daring defence of Charlemagne's cousin Wala, onetime abbot of Corbie, the Epitaphium is about ideals of religious and political leadership, articulated by an author who was an actor in his own narrative. To newcomers and seasoned scholars alike, Radbert offers a fascinating window onto a rapidly changing Carolingian world. Wala, who was nicknamed 'Arsenius' after a late-antique monastic pioneer, played a leading part in the two rebellions against Louis the Pious in 830-3, before dying in exile in 836. In a now-hostile political climate, Radbert set about repairing Wala's damaged reputation. His manuscript, which takes the forms of a spirited conversation between himself and several fellow monks, tells us much about the values of the Carolingian leadership, while bearing witness to life and learning in a great royal abbey. Radbert's Epitaphium deserves to be better known, and should become a major resource as a teaching text on Carolingian politics. The translators, renowned scholars of Carolingian history and Latin philology, make the challenging Latin original accessible to both students and specialists. They also provide a comprehensive commentary and footnotes dealing with the historical and intellectual context and language, which are important contributions to scholarship in their own right.
Back Jacket
This book presents a new translation of the Epitaphium Arsenii by Paschasius Radbertus (Radbert), a monk of Corbie. A daring defence of Charlemagne's cousin Wala, onetime abbot of Corbie, the Epitaphium is about ideals of religious and political leadership, articulated by an author who was an actor in his own narrative.
To newcomers and seasoned scholars alike, Radbert offers a fascinating window onto a rapidly changing Carolingian world. Wala, who was nicknamed 'Arsenius' after a late-antique monastic pioneer, played a leading part in the two rebellions against Louis the Pious in 830-3, before dying in exile in 836. In a now-hostile political climate, Radbert set about repairing Wala's damaged reputation. His manuscript, which takes the forms of a spirited conversation between himself and several fellow monks, tells us much about the values of the Carolingian leadership, while bearing witness to life and learning in a great royal abbey. Radbert's Epitaphium deserves to be better known, and should become a major resource as a teaching text on Carolingian politics. The translators, renowned scholars of Carolingian history and Latin philology, make the challenging Latin original accessible to both students and specialists. They also provide a comprehensive commentary and footnotes dealing with the historical and intellectual context and language, which are important contributions to scholarship in their own right.Author Biography
Mayke de Jong is Professor Emerita of Medieval History at Utrecht University
Justin Lake is Associate Professor of Classics at Texas A&M University
