1. A critical edition of the medieval French prose translation and commentary of De Consolatione Philosophiae of Boethius contained in ms 2642 of the National Library of Austria, Vienna
- Author
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Margaret Bolton-Hall
- Subjects
Literature ,Vocabulary ,History ,Glossary ,Prologue ,business.industry ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Epitaph ,Object (philosophy) ,Syntax (logic) ,Hymn ,Metre ,business ,media_common - Abstract
The object of this thesis is to present an edition of the medieval French translation and commentary of Boethius' De Consolatione Philosophiae contained in the ms. 2642, National Library of Austria, Vienna.The work is presented in three parts, in two volumes, part one in Volume one, and parts two and three and a short appendix in Volume two. Part one consists of an Introduction of five chapters. In Chapter one, the ms. Vienna is described, and an outline of our critical apparatus given. In Chapter two, we present an extensive language study, to include both features of general interest and specific features more relevant to the location and dating of the text. As a result of the dialect study, we have been able to propose south-eastern Burgundy as the probable place of origin of the text; with a selection of other language features, we demonstrate that, as concluded by A. Thomas, it was probably composed in the first half of the thirteenth century. Chapter three consists of an examination of the translation, which we have measured against the most recent edition of the Consolado, that of Ludovic Bieler. Since the translation has proved to be extremely literal, it has here been possible to suggest for the translator a number of probable variant readings, and to investigate his technique of dealing with certain Latin expressions. The text of both translation and commentary is of particular interest with regard to the vocabulary, which includes a considerable number of early or rare usages, as well as a number of previously unattested words; these are presented in Chapter four. Finally, in Chapter five, we examine the additions to the translation, which are presented in italics in the edited text. The relationship of the additions to the Latin Boethian tradition is demonstrated, with regard to the Prologue, the Latin Epitaph, and the commentary itself. The function and sources of the additions are discussed, particular consideration being given to the "Mythological Metres," Book III, metre xii, Book IV, metres iii and vii, and to the "Boethian Hymn to the cosmos," Book III, metre ix.The edited text is presented in Volume two, part two. This is followed, in part three, by a comprehensive glossary, a series of critical notes which relate primarily to syntax, omissions, misinterpretations, scribal errors etc. not already dealt with in the Introduction, and a glossary of names. The work concludes with a list of works consulted, followed by a brief appendix in which are presented photographic reproductions of the miniatures and diagrams appearing in the manuscript.
- Published
- 2020
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