Caesarius of Heisterbach. Dialogus miraculorum. Dictio V: On demons. Russian translation, preface and commentary

Vladimir Vladimirovich Andersen independent researcher (Corso Valparaiso 32, ap. 5, Chiavari (GE), Italy, 16043)
vlad.andersen@gmail.com

Andersen V. V. Caesarius of Heisterbach. Dialogus miraculorum. Dictio V: On demons. Russian translation, preface and commentary, Religiya. Tserkov’. Obshchestvo. Issledovaniya i publikatsii po teologii i religii [Religion. Church. Society: Research and publications in the field of theology and religious studies], Saint-Petersburg, 2018, vol. 7, pp. 208–231.

doi: 10.24411/2308-0698-2018-00011

Language: Russian

This is the first Russian translation of the 5th distinctio of the Dialogus Miraculorum, perhaps the most interesting part of the famous collection of exempla compiled by Caesarius of Heisterbach in 1220s. The chapter is meant to illustrate how the presence of evil, or more precisely, the demons, can be felt, and is roughly structured in the following groups: visions of demons, the obsessed and the proofs of them being truly obsessed; heretics and their heresies; how the apparitions of demons can hurt people; demons as servants; demons as provokers of iniquity; demons hurting nuns; different apparitions demons can take; demons laughing over impious monks.

Dialogus is, as its title suggests, a dialog: two characters (Caesarius eagerly disavows them as fictional in the preface), a monk and a novice, discuss miraculous events, how one needs to interpret them for the salvation of the soul proper. Together with the works of Jacques de Vitry and Étienne de Bourbon, Dialogus is a work where the exemplum appears at its best (not a literary form to be readily discarded as per E. R. Curtius, who based his view on the exempla on a later, and perhaps very flawed, evidence from Dante). The «new» exemplum of the 12th century, preached to a modernized monastic or a «homines novi» urban audience, had to be realistic (in a medieval sense) and tended to include folk legends or beliefs in the narrative: this means that the literature of exempla contains invaluable evidence on the civilization of the Middle Ages as well as the European folklore. The 5th distinctio of Dialogus is translated for the first time in Russian in full, and the reader hopefully would appreciate Caesarius’ style: after all, it’s the genre of the exemplum that predecesses the Renaissance novella and modern short story.

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Key words: examples, medieval literature, folklore, demons, heresies, Waldenses, Cathars

URL: http://rcs-almanac.ru/andersen-2018-en/

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The Metamorphosis Golye and the conflict of the Church and the school after the condemnation of Alenard’s theaching in Sens (1141)

Vladimir Vladimirovich Andersen, PhD-student, Faculty of Philology Saint-Petersburg State University (Universitetskaya nabereghnaya, dom 11, Saint-Petersburg, Russia, 199034)
vlad.andersen@gmail.com

Andersen V. V. The Metamorphosis Golye  and the conflict of the Church and the school after the condemnation of Alenard’s theaching in Sens (1141), Religiya. Tserkov’. Obshchestvo. Issledovaniya i publikatsii po teologii i religii [Religion. Church. Society: Research and publications in the field of theology and religious studies], Saint-Petersburg, 2013, vol. 2, pp. 263–272.

DOI: 10.24411/2308-0698-2013-00011

Language: Russian

Metamorphosis Golye, a short Latin poem using a fantasy setting to enumerate a list of the school masters teaching in Paris in 1130-1140-s, is traditionally considered to be the first literary mention of the Abelard and Heloise romance. The ‘Palatinus’ searched for by the end of the poem seems to be indeed referring to Abelard (he’s mentioned explicitly earlier in the list of the school masters): Palatinus is referring to ‘Palatium’, modern Le Pallet, the birth place of Abelard; John of Salisbury knows his nickname as Peripateticus Palatinus Abaelardus noster. Researchers like G. Misch interpreted the bride (‘nupta’) seeking for the Palatinus as a reference to Heloise and her Sehnsucht towards Abelard. However, J.F. Benton (1975) convincingly argued that the ‘bride’ seeking for Abelard near the end of the poem cannot be identified with Heloise. Instead, it’s the same ‘nupta’ from the beginning of the poem, which can only mean Dame Philology (a character taken from Martianus Capella). It is argued that the poem should be dated as late 1142: it cannot be reasonably dated at 1165, as J. Ward argues based on his reconstruction of the time master Meinerius was teaching in Paris, instead, its vivid evocation of the details of Abelard’s fate at the Council of Sens (May 1141) suggests an earlier date; since Gilbert de la Porrée was only consecrated at Bishop of Poitiers in July 1142, and a ‘presul Pictaviensis’, most likely Gilbert, appears in the poem as well, late 1142 seems the most likely date, which would make the Metamorphosis the earliest poem ascribed (probably much later) to the fictional Bishop Golias

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Key words: Abelard, Eloise, the Council of Sens

Permanent link: http://rcs-almanac.ru/andersen-2013-en/

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Abelard, Bernard of Clairvaux and the Council of Sens of 1141

Vladimir Vladimirovich Andersen, PhD-student, Faculty of Philology Saint-Petersburg State University (Universitetskaya nabereghnaya, dom 11, Saint-Petersburg, Russia, 199034).
vlad.andersen@gmail.com

Andersen V. V. Abelard, Bernard of Clairvaux and the Council of Sens of 1141, Religiya. Tserkov’. Obshchestvo. Issledovaniya i publikatsii po teologii i religii [Religion. Church. Society: Research and publications in the field of theology and religious studies], Saint-Petersburg, 2012, vol. 1, pp. 133–150.

DOI: 10.24411/2308-0698-2012-00009

Language: Russian

The reasons for the conflict of Bernard and Abelard have not been found yet. They communicated in a rather moderate way until a certain moment. In 1130s, Abelard turned back to his lectures at the university in Paris. Arnold of Brescia came there soon, he was expelled from Italy after his scandalous appeal to the church for abandonment of its property. That was ultimately untimely for Innocent II obliged to Bernard for being recognized as the legitimate Pope by almost every European monarchs. 19 articles were sent to Bernard as heretical opinions of Abelard’s freethinking students. Abelard wanted a church council to be held so that he could have an opportunity to defend his teachings, but his own conduct at the Council of Sens became unaccountable. He appealed to the Holy See that seemed to him to be the very Divine justice. Thereby Abelard challenged the judges in proceedings brought to trial by himself in Sens. Rome considered the charge to be proven.

The author attempts to present Abelard’s own actions as the chief reason for the conflict escalation, for the philosopher was depressed by his ill-fated experience at the Council of Soissons (1121). As is evident from Abelard’s Historia calamitatum mearum, he became a kind of a martyr in his own eyes. In the conclusion, the author discusses the date of the Council of Sens and demonstrates that the resources give evidence of a later year than it was generally accepted.

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Key words: Peter Abelard, Bernard of Clairvaux, Pope Innocent II, Arnold of Brescia, the Council of Sens, the Council of Soissons, the Cistercian Order

Permanent link: http://rcs-almanac.ru/ru/andersen-v-v-2012-en/

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Abelard between St. Augustine and St. Jerome

Vladimir Vladimirovich Andersen, PhD-student, Faculty of Philology Saint-Petersburg State University (Universitetskaya nabereghnaya, dom 11, Saint-Petersburg, Russia, 199034)

vlad.andersen@gmail.com

Andersen V. V. Abelard between St. Augustine and St. Jerome, Religiya. Tserkov’. Obshchestvo. Issledovaniya i publikatsii po teologii i religii [Religion. Church. Society: Research and publications in the field of theology and religious studies], Saint-Petersburg, 2015, vol. 4, pp. 322–333.

doi: 10.24411/2308-0698-2015-00017

Language: Russian

The “Historia calamitatum”, Peter Abelard’s famous autobiography, is often compared to the most famous example of autobiography in Late Antiquity, St. Augustine’s “Confessiones”. However, Abelard doesn’t cite Augustine’s personal work even once in “Historia” (which is not surprising at all, considering its only moderate popularity at the time), there is no similarity whatsoever in terms of language or structure. Another literary model has to be looked for. Abelard’s affinity for the Letters of St. Jerome is evident in the text of his autobiography, there are also personal connections. Abelard agrees with Jerome in the key points of his scientific method (Hebraica veritas), feels personally for him being persecuted, lauds Jerome’s work of constructing an ascetic ideal. Abelard’s literary persona is equally influenced by Jerome’s writings in Historia calamitatum and his letters to Heloise.
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Key words: Peter Abelard, St. Jerome, St. Augustine, autobiography, Historia calamitatum, Confessiones

URL: http://rcs-almanac.ru/andersen-2015-en/

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