Skeat, W.W., ed., Ælfric's Lives of Saints: being a set of sermons on saints' days formerly observed by the English Church (Early English Text Society Original Series 76, 82, 94, 114, 1881-1900 [Rpt. 1999). ISBN: 197220762
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Text name(s): Ælfric's Lives of Saints; The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ; St. Eugenia; St. Basilius; St. Julian and his wife Basilissa; St. Sebastian; St. Maur; St. Agnes; St. Agatha; St. Lucy; Chair of St. Peter; The forty Soldiers; Ash-Wednesday; The Prayer of Moses; St. George; St. Mark; Memory of the Saints; On Auguries; From the Book of Kings; St. Alban; St. Æthelthryth; St. Swithhun; St. Apollinaris; The Seven Sleepers; St. Mary of Egypt; Sts. Abdon and Sennes; Item Alia: The Letter of Christ to Abgarus; The Maccabees; St. Oswald; The Exaltation of the Holy Cross; St. Maurice and his companions; St. Dennis and his companions; St. Eustace and his companions; St. Martin; St. Edmund; St. Eufrasia; Sts. Chrysanthus and Daria; St. Thomas

Number of pages of primary source text: 0

Medieval Author(s): Aelfric

Dates: 975 - 1020

Archival Reference: BL Cotton Julius E VII

Original Language(s): English - Anglo-Saxon / Old English;

Translation: Original language included. English translation.

Translation Comments: facing page

Geopolitical Region(s): England;

County/Region:

Apparatus: Index

Comments:

Ælfric was a prolific Anglo-Saxon writer. Most of his texts are religious, including homilies and Old English translations of scripture. Volume 1 includes: “The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ”, St. Eugenia, St. Basilius, St. Julian and his wife Basilissa, St. Sebastian, St. Maur, St. Agnes, St. Agatha, St. Lucy, Chair of St. Peter, The forty Soldiers, Ash-Wednesday, “The Prayer of Moses”, St. George, St. Mark, “Memory of the Saints”, “On Auguries”, “From the Book of Kings”, St. Alban, St. æthelthryth, St. Swithhun, St. Apollinaris, and the seven sleepers. Volume 2 includes: St. Mary of Egypt, Sts. Abdon and Sennes, “Item Alia: The Letter of Christ to Abgarus”, “The Maccabees”, St. Oswald, “The Exaltation of the Holy Cross”, St. Maurice and his companions, St. Dennis and his companions, St. Eustace and his companions, St. Martin, St. Edmund, St. Eufrasia, Sts. Chrysanthus and Daria, and St. Thomas.

Introduction Summary:

The introductory material for both volumes combined is 59 pages long, with the vast majority of the pages in volume 2 (56 pages). All information in the introduction to Volume 1 has also been included in Volume 2. Volume 2 details information about the manuscripts consulted for the translation, Ælfric’s life and writings, as well as Ælfric’s own sources. The text then goes on to explore Ælfric’s writing, including his use of alliteration, before returning to a discussion of his character. This is followed with a series of tables showing all copies of the homilies, and which chapters on saints lives each manuscript contains.

Cataloger: mk; KML