‎G. Hardarson;‎
‎Litterature et spiritualite en Scandinavie medievale. La traduction norroise du 'De arrha animae' de Hugues de Saint-Victor.Etude historique et edition critique,‎

‎Turnhout, Brepols, 1995 Paperback, 284 p., + 6 ill., 160 x 245 mm. ISBN 9782503503158.‎

Reference : 34376

‎Although Victorine influence in Scandinavia has already received a certain amount of scholarly attention, this is the first study consecrated to the Old Norse-Icelandic translation of De arrha animae, a spiritual work of Hugh of Saint-Victor. This translation is preserved in three Icelandic manuscripts from the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. The first part of the book examines the translation and its context, particularly in connection with the transmission of Victorine thought and spirituality. Retracing Scandinavian ecclesiastical history, Victorine influence is seen to have been of particular importance in the Norwegian ecclesiastical milieu of the twelfth century and also to some extent in the milieu of the Norwegian royal court in the thirteenth century. An examination of the manuscript tradition allows the manuscript of the translation to be connected with other manuscripts containing texts written for the Norwegian court during the thirteenth century. Even if the translation respects the main divisions of the original Latin text, it is interspersed with interpolations and glosses that modify to some extent the content of the original. An examination of the vocabulary of the translation reveals unexpected juridical connotations and, in addition, brings out affinities with other Old Norse texts, original texts as well as translations, such as Agrip, Barlaams ok Josaphats saga and the Konungs skuggsja or Speculum regale. In order to deepen the reader's appreciation of the literary and social background of the translation, the life and works of the Icelandic magistrate Haukr Erlendsson are examined against the background of the cultural history of thirteenth century Norway. Haukr Erlendsson made himself a career at the Norwegian court in the beginning of the fourteenth century, and it is to him that we owe the principal manuscript of the translation. The second part consists of a critical edition of the Old Norse text accompanied by a Latin text prepared by the Hugo-von-Sankt-Viktor-Institut at Frankfurt. The epilogue of the Old Norse translation is included in an appendix. This epilogue contains passages which are apparently borrowed from the Didascalion of Hugh of Saint-Victor. The appendix also includes a letter addressed by the Victorine archbishop Thorir to a number of Icelandic chieftains in 1211, among them the celebrated poet and historian Snorri Sturluson, author of the Edda and of Heimskringla. Si l'influence victorine en Scandinavie a deja recu l'attention des chercheurs, voici la premiere etude consacree a la traduction norroise (ancien-norvegienne / ancien-islandaise) d'un opuscule spirituel de Hugues de Saint-Victor, le De arrha animae, conservee dans trois manuscrits islandais du 14e et 15e siecles. Dans la premiere partie du livre, l'auteur se consacre a l'etude de la traduction et de son contexte du point de vue de la transmission de la pensee et de la spiritualite victorine. Retracant d'abord les grandes lignes de l'histoire ecclesiastique scandinave, il determine les manifestations de l'influence victorine dans le milieu ecclesiastique du 12e siecle et dans le milieu royal du 13e siecle. L'examen de la tradition manuscrite permet de rapprocher les manuscrits de la traduction a d'autres manuscrits contenant des textes ecrits pour la cour norvegienne au 13e siecle. Si la traduction, bien que souvent condensee, respecte les grandes divisions du texte latin, elle se trouve entrecoupee d'interpolations et de gloses, modifiant dans certains aspects le contenu de l'original. L'examen du vocabulaire de la traduction revele des connotations juridiques inattendues et montre en outre des affinites avec d'autres textes norrois, traduits et originaux, comme l'Agrip, la Barlaams ok Josaphats saga, et le Konungs skuggsja ou Speculum regale. Sur le fond du mouvement culturel dans la monarchie norvegienne du 13e siecle, qui englobe egalement la vie et l'oeuvre du magistrat islandais Haukur Erlendsson qui fit carriere a la cour norvegienne au debut du 14e siecle et auquel on doit le manuscrit principal de la traduction, l'etude du contexte litteraire et social de la traduction est developpee et approfondie. Dans la seconde partie on trouve l'edition critique de la traduction norroise, accompagnee d'un texte latin semi-critique prepare par le 'Hugo-von-Sankt-Viktor-Institut' a Francfort. En appendice sont publies l'epilogue de la traduction norroise, comportant des passages empruntes au Didascalicon de Hugues de Saint-Victor et une lettre que l'archeveque victorin Thore adressa a quelques chefs islandais en 1211 parmi lesquels figure le celebre poete et historien Snorri Sturluson, auteur de l'Edda et de la Heimskringla. Languages: French.‎