Aethicus Ister (Aethicus Donares, Aethicus of Istria or Aethicus Ister) was the protagonist of the 7th/8th-century Cosmographia, purportedly written by a man of church Hieronymus (Jerome, but not the Church Father Jerome), who purportedly censors an even older work for producing the book as its censored version.[1] It is a forgery from the Middle Ages.[1]
Start of the Cosmographia in the late 8th- or 9th-century manuscript from southwestern Germany
It describes the travels of Aethicus around the world, and includes descriptions of foreign peoples in usually less than favourable terms. It displays a flat Earth cosmology, maybe for making sport of it.[2] There are also numerous passages which deal directly with the legends of Alexander the Great.[3] Heinz Löwe (1913–1991) found a striking correspondence between the letters of Aethicus[clarify] and the Old Turkic script.[4] He considers Aethicus to be of late Avar ethnicity from the Carpathian basin.[5] Aethicus is believed by Franz Brunhölzl to have been a Scythian that lived in the region of present day Dobrogea, Romania.[6]
In terms of sources, the Bible and Isidore of Seville (d. 636) form the lion's share of Pseudo-Jerome's allusions. It was once argued that Jerome's work had provided source material for Isidore, but this was disproven by Dalche (1984). These sources, and the others, are presented in a very paraphrased form and are rarely made reference to directly. The work is also filled with many fictional sources, which makes Jerome similar to Virgilius Maro Grammaticus, an Irish pseudo-grammarian of the 7th century. Whether there is any relationship between the two has been considered by Herren (1994), but the evidence is not conclusive in proving a certain, direct connexion between the authors.
The title Aethici Cosmographia was first incorrectly given a work published in 1575 by Josias Simmler and later by Grovonis in 1696. The text has some identical geographic observations but the framing is completely different, in this case more of names in lists. It has been supposed that the writer is Julius Honores (even later called Pseudo-Aethicus) mentioned by Cassiodorus in Institutiones divinarum et saecularium litterarum (25) as Julius Honorius Crator.
Criticismsedit
The Latin of the work is sometimes vulgar and facile, other times cryptic and opaque, owing in part to Jerome's extremely difficult vocabulary of Graecisms and Latin/Greek compounds. (See Herren, 2001). Anagram games, and etymological 'jokes' (e.g. using the verb 'monstrare' followed by the noun 'monstrum', then the verb 'demonstrare') and other ludic elements are found throughout. The Latin spelling of the work seems to suggest also that the author was a MerovingianFrank (Prinz, 1993), but the idea of "Merovingian" spellings has recently been attacked as an unreliable measure of origin. Furthermore, only one manuscript of the work appears to have been written in Tours, while the majority can be traced to centres in what is now Germany (Prinz, 1993).
Jerome may have been associated with the Frankish translator of Pseudo-Methodius (Petrus Monachus). There are several passages which seem to be borrowed one way or another, suggesting perhaps a parallel relationship rather than one of dependence. Nevertheless, Jerome's knowledge of Greek (a rare feat in Western Europe at the time) may indicate an association with the Canterbury school of Archbishop Theodore in the late 7th century. See a recent article by Michael Herren (in Nova de Veteribus) on a possible Anglo-Saxon connection for Jerome. What seems clear is that Jerome was not limited to a single locale throughout his working lifetime.
Bibliographyedit
Editionsedit
The Cosmography of Aethicus Ister: Text, Translation, and Commentary, ed. Michael W. Herren, Publications of the Journal of Medieval Latin 8 (Turnhout: Brepols, 2011).
Die Kosmographie des Aethicus, ed. O. Prinz, MGH (Munich: 1993).
Aethici Istrici Cosmographia ab Hieronymo ex Graeco Latinum breviarium redacta, ed. H. Wuttke (Leipzig: 1854).
Éthicus et les ouvrages cosmographiques intitulés de ce nom, ed. A. d'Averzac (Paris: 1852).
(Partial) Aethici Istri Cosmographi Origo Francorum, ed. B. Krusch, in MGH SS rer. Merv. VII (Hanover: 1919).
Studiesedit
J.G. Dalché, "Du nouveau sur Aethicus Ister? A propos d'une théorie récente", Journal des savants, 3-4 (1984), pp. 175–186.
G. Hays, "'Important if True': Lucan's Orpheus and Aethicus Ister', in Notes and Queries, (2010) [contra the interpretation by R. Pollard "'Lucan' and 'Aethicus Ister'", Notes and Queries, 53 (2006), pp. 7-10].
M. Herren, "Aethicus Ister and Virgil the Grammarian", in Mélanges François Kerlouégan (Paris: 1994), pp. 285–288.
M. Herren, "The ‘Greek Element’ in the Cosmography of Aethicus Ister", Journal of Medieval Latin, 11 (2001), pp. 184–200.
M. Herren, "The ‘Cosmography’ of Aethicus Ister: Speculations about its date, provenance, and audience", in Nova de Veteribus, eds. A. Bihrer and E. Stein (Munich: 2004), pp. 79–102.
K. Hillkowitz, Zur Kosmographie des Aethicus, I (Bonn: 1934); II (Frankfurt: 1973).
H. Löwe, Ein literarischer Widersacher des Bonifatius. Virgil von Salzburg und die Kosmographie des Aethicus Ister (Wiesbaden: 1952).
I. Wood, "Aethicus Ister: An exercise in difference", in Grenze und Differenz im frühen Mittelalter, eds. W. Pohl und H. Reimitz (Vienna: 2000), pp. 197–208.
Referencesedit
^ abElizabeth P. Archibald; William Brockliss; Jonathan Gnoza (26 February 2015). Learning Latin and Greek from Antiquity to the Present. Cambridge University Press. p. 80. ISBN978-1-139-99294-7.
^Marília Futre Pinheiro; S. J. Harrison (2011). Fictional Traces: Receptions of the Ancient Novel. Barkhuis. ISBN978-90-77922-97-2.
^See A. Anderson, Alexander's gate, Gog and Magog, and the enclosed nations (Cambridge MA: 1932)
^Heinz Löwe: Aethicus Ister und das alttürkische Runenalphabet. Deutsches Archiv für Erforschung und Mittelalters. vol. 32 issue 1. 1976 p. 1–22[1] 2022-11-22 at the Wayback Machine
^Franz Brunhölzl: Zur Kosmographie des Aethicus. In: Festschrift für Max Spindler zum 75. Geburtstag, München 1969, S. 75–89; Franz Brunhölzl: Geschichte der lateinischen Literatur des Mittelalters, Bd. 1, München 1975, S. 63f.
April 14, 2024
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Aethicus Ister Aethicus Donares Aethicus of Istria or Aethicus Ister was the protagonist of the 7th 8th century Cosmographia purportedly written by a man of church Hieronymus Jerome but not the Church Father Jerome who purportedly censors an even older work for producing the book as its censored version 1 It is a forgery from the Middle Ages 1 Start of the Cosmographia in the late 8th or 9th century manuscript from southwestern GermanyIt describes the travels of Aethicus around the world and includes descriptions of foreign peoples in usually less than favourable terms It displays a flat Earth cosmology maybe for making sport of it 2 There are also numerous passages which deal directly with the legends of Alexander the Great 3 Heinz Lowe 1913 1991 found a striking correspondence between the letters of Aethicus clarify and the Old Turkic script 4 He considers Aethicus to be of late Avar ethnicity from the Carpathian basin 5 Aethicus is believed by Franz Brunholzl to have been a Scythian that lived in the region of present day Dobrogea Romania 6 Contents 1 Sources 2 Criticisms 3 Bibliography 3 1 Editions 3 2 Studies 4 ReferencesSources editIn terms of sources the Bible and Isidore of Seville d 636 form the lion s share of Pseudo Jerome s allusions It was once argued that Jerome s work had provided source material for Isidore but this was disproven by Dalche 1984 These sources and the others are presented in a very paraphrased form and are rarely made reference to directly The work is also filled with many fictional sources which makes Jerome similar to Virgilius Maro Grammaticus an Irish pseudo grammarian of the 7th century Whether there is any relationship between the two has been considered by Herren 1994 but the evidence is not conclusive in proving a certain direct connexion between the authors The title Aethici Cosmographia was first incorrectly given a work published in 1575 by Josias Simmler and later by Grovonis in 1696 The text has some identical geographic observations but the framing is completely different in this case more of names in lists It has been supposed that the writer is Julius Honores even later called Pseudo Aethicus mentioned by Cassiodorus in Institutiones divinarum et saecularium litterarum 25 as Julius Honorius Crator Criticisms editThe Latin of the work is sometimes vulgar and facile other times cryptic and opaque owing in part to Jerome s extremely difficult vocabulary of Graecisms and Latin Greek compounds See Herren 2001 Anagram games and etymological jokes e g using the verb monstrare followed by the noun monstrum then the verb demonstrare and other ludic elements are found throughout The Latin spelling of the work seems to suggest also that the author was a Merovingian Frank Prinz 1993 but the idea of Merovingian spellings has recently been attacked as an unreliable measure of origin Furthermore only one manuscript of the work appears to have been written in Tours while the majority can be traced to centres in what is now Germany Prinz 1993 Jerome may have been associated with the Frankish translator of Pseudo Methodius Petrus Monachus There are several passages which seem to be borrowed one way or another suggesting perhaps a parallel relationship rather than one of dependence Nevertheless Jerome s knowledge of Greek a rare feat in Western Europe at the time may indicate an association with the Canterbury school of Archbishop Theodore in the late 7th century See a recent article by Michael Herren in Nova de Veteribus on a possible Anglo Saxon connection for Jerome What seems clear is that Jerome was not limited to a single locale throughout his working lifetime Bibliography editEditions edit The Cosmography of Aethicus Ister Text Translation and Commentary ed Michael W Herren Publications of the Journal of Medieval Latin 8 Turnhout Brepols 2011 Die Kosmographie des Aethicus ed O Prinz MGH Munich 1993 Aethici Istrici Cosmographia ab Hieronymo ex Graeco Latinum breviarium redacta ed H Wuttke Leipzig 1854 Ethicus et les ouvrages cosmographiques intitules de ce nom ed A d Averzac Paris 1852 Partial Aethici Istri Cosmographi Origo Francorum ed B Krusch in MGH SS rer Merv VII Hanover 1919 Studies edit J G Dalche Du nouveau sur Aethicus Ister A propos d une theorie recente Journal des savants 3 4 1984 pp 175 186 G Hays Important if True Lucan s Orpheus and Aethicus Ister in Notes and Queries 2010 contra the interpretation by R Pollard Lucan and Aethicus Ister Notes and Queries 53 2006 pp 7 10 M Herren Aethicus Ister and Virgil the Grammarian in Melanges Francois Kerlouegan Paris 1994 pp 285 288 M Herren The Greek Element in the Cosmography of Aethicus Ister Journal of Medieval Latin 11 2001 pp 184 200 M Herren The Cosmography of Aethicus Ister Speculations about its date provenance and audience in Nova de Veteribus eds A Bihrer and E Stein Munich 2004 pp 79 102 K Hillkowitz Zur Kosmographie des Aethicus I Bonn 1934 II Frankfurt 1973 H Lowe Ein literarischer Widersacher des Bonifatius Virgil von Salzburg und die Kosmographie des Aethicus Ister Wiesbaden 1952 I Wood Aethicus Ister An exercise in difference in Grenze und Differenz im fruhen Mittelalter eds W Pohl und H Reimitz Vienna 2000 pp 197 208 References edit a b Elizabeth P Archibald William Brockliss Jonathan Gnoza 26 February 2015 Learning Latin and Greek from Antiquity to the Present Cambridge University Press p 80 ISBN 978 1 139 99294 7 Marilia Futre Pinheiro S J Harrison 2011 Fictional Traces Receptions of the Ancient Novel Barkhuis ISBN 978 90 77922 97 2 See A Anderson Alexander s gate Gog and Magog and the enclosed nations Cambridge MA 1932 Heinz Lowe Aethicus Ister und das altturkische Runenalphabet Deutsches Archiv fur Erforschung und Mittelalters vol 32 issue 1 1976 p 1 22 1 Archived 2022 11 22 at the Wayback Machine Lowe 1976 19 20 Franz Brunholzl Zur Kosmographie des Aethicus In Festschrift fur Max Spindler zum 75 Geburtstag Munchen 1969 S 75 89 Franz Brunholzl Geschichte der lateinischen Literatur des Mittelalters Bd 1 Munchen 1975 S 63f Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Aethicus Ister amp oldid 1203541671, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
