Vincent of Beauvais and Alexander the Great (Mediaevalia Groningana, 7) [Paperback]

W. J. Aerts (Author), E. R. Smits (Author), J. B. Voorbij (Editor)

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Text: English, German

Product Details

• Paperback: 195 pages
• Publisher: John Benjamins Pub Co (December 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9069800098
• ISBN-13: 978-9069800097
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,566,282 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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4.0 out of 5 stars Vincent of Beauvais and Alexander the Great, January 30, 2009

By 

Mithridates VI of Pontus (United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Vincent of Beauvais and Alexander the Great (Mediaevalia Groningana, 7) (Paperback)

'Vincent of Beauvais and Alexander the Great' is a collection of essays on the famous medieval historian's primary work, the Speculum Maius, and its translations into medieval vernaculars with a focus on the tale of Alexander the Great. By concentrating on the textual traditions and minute variations of a single legend, the answers to the broader questions regarding the editions of the massive Speculum Maius, come to light. The Speculum Maius, completed in 1244, contains the Speculum Historiale (a universal history), the Speculum Naturale (an expose on the creation of the world including the Fall), the Speculum Doctrinale (a treatise on the sciences), an the Speculum Morale (a treatise on vices, virtues, etc now not considered the work of Vincent of Beauvais). Vincent, a Dominican, was greatly influenced by the Cistercian 'Chronicon' of Helinand of Froidmont who incorporated "searchable aspects" (indexes etc.). Vincent's work was also written to be a preaching aid and was one of the most popular universal histories of the time.

All the essays are in English besides one. Here are the essay contents: 'Vincent of Beauvais: a note on the background of the Speculum' (E.R. Smits) - the author briefly explores Vincent's Cistercian influences and the greater trends of historiography which his work fits into. 'The Speculum Historiale: some aspects of its genesis and manuscript tradition (J.B. Voorbij) - this essay analyzes elements of the Speculum Historiale which Vincent rewrote when he received patronage from Louis IX of France and describes some of the differences between the work's various editions. 'The history of Alexander the Great in Jacob can Maerlant's Spiegel Historiael' (J.B. Voorbij) - the author examines the versification and translation and rewrite of the Speculum Historiale by the Dutch poet Jacob van Maerlant (before 1235-ca. 1290). 'The life of Alexander the Great in Jean de Vignay's Miroir Historial: the problem of texual equivalence' (M. Gosman) describes the same story of Alexander in Jean de Vignay's Miroir Historiale (translated sometime between 1320-1250). 'Zue volkssprachlicen Rezeption des Speculum Historiale Deutschland. Die Alexander-Geschichte in den Excerpta Chronicarum' (R.W.K Schnell) gauges the influences of the Speculum Historiale in Germany. 'The story of Alexander the Great in Middle English translations of Higden's Polychronicon', perhaps the mostt interesting article, examines the English historian, Ranulf Higden, and his use of Vincent of Beauvais in the more popular Polychronicon. The last article is 'Proverbial passages taken from Vincent of Beauvais' Speculum Doctrinale translated into medieval Greek: the methods of translation used by the anonymous Greek author' (W.J. Aerts).

All the essays are very technical and laborious and thus only for medieval historians with background in Vincent of Beauvais and his monumental Speculum Maius. But, for medieval historian interested in 13th century historiography this is a very useful book.