The Enigmata Eusebii (riddles of Eusebius) are a collection of sixty Latin, hexametrical riddles composed in early medieval England, probably in the eighth century.
End of the riddles of Symphosius and beginning of the riddles of Eusebius in London, British Library, Royal MA 12 c xxiii folio 113v, showing Eusebius's riddles on an angel and a demon
An example of Eusebius's work is enigma 42, on the dragon:[1]: 252
Latin original
English translation
Horridus horriferas speluncae cumbo latebras,
Concitus aethereis uolitans miscebor et auris,
Cristatusque uolans pulcher turbabitur aether.
Corpore uipereas monstra uel cetera turmas
Reptile sum superans gestantia pondus inorme.
Inmanisque ferus preparuo pascitur ore,
Atque per angustas assumunt uiscera uenas
Aethereum flatum; nec dentibus austera uirtus
Est mihi, sed mea uim uiolentem cauda tenebit.
A horrid beast, I lie in the ghastly gloom of a cavern,
aroused, I fly fluttering into the lofty air
and fly with my crest displayed, the fair air whirling.
My crawling body is stronger than that of all snakes
or any monsters dragging their excessive weights.
Though uncouth and savage, I feed through a tiny mouth,
my chest through narrow pipes is filled with breath,
and not to my teeth do I owe my sinister power,
nay, the seat of my impetuous strength is in my tail.
Authorshipedit
The manuscripts of the riddles name the author as Eusebius. This person has traditionally been identified as Hwætberht, the Abbot of Monkwearmouth-Jarrow Priory, based on Bede's identification of Hwætberht with the cognomen of 'Eusebius' in his Commentary on I Samuel.[2][3] However, the identification with Hwætberht has been questioned by several scholars, including Emily V Thornbury, who has suggested that a Kentish author might be likely.[4]
Originsedit
The Enigmata Eusebii seem to have been composed to expand on the forty riddles of Tatwine, a collection composed by the eighth-century Mercian priest and archbishop Tatwine, perhaps specifically to bring their number up to one hundred: the riddles of Tatwine and Eusebius both survive in the same two manuscripts, and in both the riddles of Eusebius are alongside Tatwine's. These are the early 11th-century London, British Library, Royal 12.Cxxiii (fols. 121v-7r) and the mid-11th-century Cambridge, University Library, Gg.5.35 (fols. 374v-77v). Both of these collections were almost certainly inspired by the slightly earlier riddles of Aldhelm, another collection of one hundred Latin riddles.[5][6] Many of Eusebius's riddles (and his predecessors') are based on the encyclopaedic writing of Isidore of Seville.[citation needed]
Contentsedit
Riddles 1-4 of Eusebius's riddles are on the chain of being, from God to Man, 5-11 mostly on cosmological phenomena, 12-29 a miscellaneous collection mostly of objects, 30-36 mostly on writing, and 37-60 on animals.[7] The following is a complete list.[1]
Number
Latin title
English translation
1
de Deo
God
2
de angelo
angel
3
de demone
fallen angel
4
de homine
man
5
de caelo
heaven
6
de terra
earth
7
de littera
letters
8
de uento et igne
wind and fire
9
de alpha
alpha
10
de sole
sun
11
de luna
moon
12
de boue
bullock
13
de uacca
cow
14
de x littera
the letter x
15
de igne et aqua
fire and water
16
de p<h>lasca
flask
17
de cruce
cross
18
de iniquitate et iustitia
iniquity and justice
19
de v littera
the letter u
20
de domo
house
21
de terra et mare
land and sea
22
de sermone
speech
23
de <a>equore
sea
24
de morte et uita
death and life
25
de animo
heart
26
de die bissextile
bissextile day
27
de humilitate et superbia
humility and pride
28
de candela
candle
29
de <a>etate et saltu
cycle and moon's leap
30
de atramentorio
ink-horn
31
de cera
wax
32
de membrano
parchment-sheets
33
de scetha
book-wallet
34
de flumine
river
35
de penna
quill
36
de gladio
sword
37
de uitulo
calf
38
de pullo
chicken
39
de i littera
the letter i
40
de pisce
fish
41
de chelidro serpente
water-serpent
42
de dracone
dragon
43
de tigri bestia
tiger
44
de pant[h]era
panther
45
de cameleone
camelopard (chameleon)
46
de leopardo
leopard
47
de scitali serpente
piebald serpent
48
de die et nocte
day and night
49
de anfibina serpente
two-headed serpent
50
de saura lacerto
lizard
51
de scorpione
scorpion
52
de cymera
chimera
53
de y<ppo>potamo pisce
hippopotamus
54
de oc<h>enao pisce
ship-retaining fish
55
de turpedo pisce
torpedo fish
56
de ciconia aui
stork
57
de strutione
ostrich
58
de noctua
owlet
59
de psi<t>taco
parrot
60
de bubone
horned owl.
Referencesedit
^ ab'Aenigmata Evsebii', ed. by Fr. Glorie, trans. by Erika von Erhardt-Seebold, in Tatuini omnia opera, Variae collectiones aenigmatum merovingicae aetatis, Anonymus de dubiis nominibus, Corpus christianorum: series latina, 133-133a, 2 vols (Turnholt: Brepols, 1968), I 209-71.
^Williams, Mary Jane McDonald (1974). The Riddles of Tatwine and Eusebius. University of Michigan: Unpublished PhD Thesis. pp. 44–57.
^Salvador-Bello. Isidorean Perceptions of Order. p. 234.
^Thornbury, Emily V. (2014). Becoming a Poet in Anglo-Saxon England. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 57–8.
^Salvador-Bello, Mercedes (2014). Isidorean Perceptions of Order: The Exeter Book Riddles and Medieval Latin Enigmata. Morgantown: West Virginia University Press. p. 221. ISBN9781935978527.
^Williams, Mary Jane McDonald (1974). The Riddles of Tatwine and Eusebius. University of Michigan: Unpublished PhD Thesis. pp. 44–57..
^Mercedes Salvador-Bello, 'Patterns of Compilation in Anglo-Latin Enigmata and the Evidence of A Source-Collection in Riddles 1-40 of the Exeter Book, Viator, 43 (2012), 339–374 (p. 373-74). 10.1484/J.VIATOR.1.102554.
December 15, 2023
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The Enigmata Eusebii riddles of Eusebius are a collection of sixty Latin hexametrical riddles composed in early medieval England probably in the eighth century End of the riddles of Symphosius and beginning of the riddles of Eusebius in London British Library Royal MA 12 c xxiii folio 113v showing Eusebius s riddles on an angel and a demon Contents 1 Example 2 Authorship 3 Origins 4 Contents 5 ReferencesExample editAn example of Eusebius s work is enigma 42 on the dragon 1 252 Latin original English translationHorridus horriferas speluncae cumbo latebras Concitus aethereis uolitans miscebor et auris Cristatusque uolans pulcher turbabitur aether Corpore uipereas monstra uel cetera turmas Reptile sum superans gestantia pondus inorme Inmanisque ferus preparuo pascitur ore Atque per angustas assumunt uiscera uenas Aethereum flatum nec dentibus austera uirtus Est mihi sed mea uim uiolentem cauda tenebit A horrid beast I lie in the ghastly gloom of a cavern aroused I fly fluttering into the lofty airand fly with my crest displayed the fair air whirling My crawling body is stronger than that of all snakesor any monsters dragging their excessive weights Though uncouth and savage I feed through a tiny mouth my chest through narrow pipes is filled with breath and not to my teeth do I owe my sinister power nay the seat of my impetuous strength is in my tail Authorship editThe manuscripts of the riddles name the author as Eusebius This person has traditionally been identified as Hwaetberht the Abbot of Monkwearmouth Jarrow Priory based on Bede s identification of Hwaetberht with the cognomen of Eusebius in his Commentary on I Samuel 2 3 However the identification with Hwaetberht has been questioned by several scholars including Emily V Thornbury who has suggested that a Kentish author might be likely 4 Origins editThe Enigmata Eusebii seem to have been composed to expand on the forty riddles of Tatwine a collection composed by the eighth century Mercian priest and archbishop Tatwine perhaps specifically to bring their number up to one hundred the riddles of Tatwine and Eusebius both survive in the same two manuscripts and in both the riddles of Eusebius are alongside Tatwine s These are the early 11th century London British Library Royal 12 Cxxiii fols 121v 7r and the mid 11th century Cambridge University Library Gg 5 35 fols 374v 77v Both of these collections were almost certainly inspired by the slightly earlier riddles of Aldhelm another collection of one hundred Latin riddles 5 6 Many of Eusebius s riddles and his predecessors are based on the encyclopaedic writing of Isidore of Seville citation needed Contents editRiddles 1 4 of Eusebius s riddles are on the chain of being from God to Man 5 11 mostly on cosmological phenomena 12 29 a miscellaneous collection mostly of objects 30 36 mostly on writing and 37 60 on animals 7 The following is a complete list 1 Number Latin title English translation1 de Deo God2 de angelo angel3 de demone fallen angel4 de homine man5 de caelo heaven6 de terra earth7 de littera letters8 de uento et igne wind and fire9 de alpha alpha10 de sole sun11 de luna moon12 de boue bullock13 de uacca cow14 de x littera the letter x15 de igne et aqua fire and water16 de p lt h gt lasca flask17 de cruce cross18 de iniquitate et iustitia iniquity and justice19 de v littera the letter u20 de domo house21 de terra et mare land and sea22 de sermone speech23 de lt a gt equore sea24 de morte et uita death and life25 de animo heart26 de die bissextile bissextile day27 de humilitate et superbia humility and pride28 de candela candle29 de lt a gt etate et saltu cycle and moon s leap30 de atramentorio ink horn31 de cera wax32 de membrano parchment sheets33 de scetha book wallet34 de flumine river35 de penna quill36 de gladio sword37 de uitulo calf38 de pullo chicken39 de i littera the letter i40 de pisce fish41 de chelidro serpente water serpent42 de dracone dragon43 de tigri bestia tiger44 de pant h era panther45 de cameleone camelopard chameleon 46 de leopardo leopard47 de scitali serpente piebald serpent48 de die et nocte day and night49 de anfibina serpente two headed serpent50 de saura lacerto lizard51 de scorpione scorpion52 de cymera chimera53 de y lt ppo gt potamo pisce hippopotamus54 de oc lt h gt enao pisce ship retaining fish55 de turpedo pisce torpedo fish56 de ciconia aui stork57 de strutione ostrich58 de noctua owlet59 de psi lt t gt taco parrot60 de bubone horned owl References edit a b Aenigmata Evsebii ed by Fr Glorie trans by Erika von Erhardt Seebold in Tatuini omnia opera Variae collectiones aenigmatum merovingicae aetatis Anonymus de dubiis nominibus Corpus christianorum series latina 133 133a 2 vols Turnholt Brepols 1968 I 209 71 Williams Mary Jane McDonald 1974 The Riddles of Tatwine and Eusebius University of Michigan Unpublished PhD Thesis pp 44 57 Salvador Bello Isidorean Perceptions of Order p 234 Thornbury Emily V 2014 Becoming a Poet in Anglo Saxon England Cambridge Cambridge University Press pp 57 8 Salvador Bello Mercedes 2014 Isidorean Perceptions of Order The Exeter Book Riddles and Medieval Latin Enigmata Morgantown West Virginia University Press p 221 ISBN 9781935978527 Williams Mary Jane McDonald 1974 The Riddles of Tatwine and Eusebius University of Michigan Unpublished PhD Thesis pp 44 57 Mercedes Salvador Bello Patterns of Compilation in Anglo Latin Enigmata and the Evidence of A Source Collection in Riddles 1 40 of the Exeter Book Viator 43 2012 339 374 p 373 74 10 1484 J VIATOR 1 102554 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Enigmata Eusebii amp oldid 1169951005, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
