Texts

Altus Prosator

Hiberno-Latin
Hiberno-Latin texts

Latin hymn

Author

Ascribed to: Colum CilleColum Cille
(fl. 6th century)
Columba
founder and abbot of Iona, Kells (Cenandas) and Derry (Daire).
See more

Manuscripts

Continental manuscripts :⁽³⁾^{n. 3} The following list of manuscripts as well as the list of editions below are based primarily on Jane Stevenson, ‘Altus Prosator’, Celtica 23 (1999).

Milan, Biblioteca Ambrosiana, MS M 32 sup [s. ix^1/3]
ff. 83–85
Montpellier, École de Médecine, MS 218
ff. 79–81
Orléans, Bibliothèque municipale, MS 169 (146)
ff. 300–308
Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, MS Clm 18665 [s. x-xi]
f. 229
Irish manuscripts :
Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, MS 23 P 16 (1230) = Leabhar Breac (‘Speckled Book’) [s. xvⁱⁿ]
pp. 237a–238a
Heavily glossed. Text with Irish prose introduction. Altus Prosator proper begins on p. 237b
Dublin, Trinity College, MS 1441 (E 4. 2) = Irish Liber hymnorum [s. xi^ex–xiiⁱⁿ]
ff. 11–13 context: Irish Liber hymnorum
Heavily glossed. Lacks stanzas 14-21.
Dublin, University College, MS Franciscan A 2 = Irish Liber hymnorum [s. xi^ex/xiiⁱⁿ]
pp. 2–8 context: Irish Liber hymnorum
Text with preface and some glosses. The hymn proper begins on p. 3.
English manuscript:
London, British Library, MS Cotton Galba A xiv
ff. 7–19
MS from Winchester.

Language

Hiberno-Latin

Date

“written in Ireland or Britain, in his [Columba’s] time or not long afterward” (Carey).⁽¹⁾^{n. 1} John Carey, King of Mysteries: early Irish religious writings (2000): 29. “Its affiliations in style and language together with its sources and what may be traced of its early history, are entirely compatible with its having originated in Ireland in the seventh century” (Stevenson).⁽²⁾^{n. 2} Jane Stevenson, ‘Altus Prosator’, Celtica 23 (1999): 364.

Provenance

Origin: Ireland

Ireland

See more Iona

Í (Choluim Chille) ... Iona

See more Jane Stevenson argues that the poem may be attributed to “a writer based in Iona” and that Iona’s connections with Northumbrian as well as Southumbrian centres is a likely conduit for the transmission of the text in Anglo-Saxon milieux (cf. Adomnán’s De locis sanctis, which Bede learnt of through King Aldfrith).

Textual relationships

Thirteen stanzas were incorporated by Hrabanus Maurus in his poem De fide catholica.

(Possible) sources: EtymologiaeEtymologiaeLearned encyclopedic work by Isidore, archbishop of Seville (d. 636), towards the end of his life.Affatim glossaryAffatim glossaryView incoming data

Related: Hisperica faminaHisperica famina

Latin poem. Cases have been made for Irish authorship, but more recent commentators have also pointed out the Breton provenance of the surviving manuscripts.

EtymologiaeEtymologiaeLearned encyclopedic work by Isidore, archbishop of Seville (d. 636), towards the end of his life.

Classification

Hiberno-Latin textsHiberno-Latin texts
...

Sources

Notes

^1.

John Carey, King of Mysteries: early Irish religious writings (2000): 29.

^2.

Jane Stevenson, ‘Altus Prosator’, Celtica 23 (1999): 364.

^3.

The following list of manuscripts as well as the list of editions below are based primarily on Jane Stevenson, ‘Altus Prosator’, Celtica 23 (1999).

Primary sources Text editions and/or modern translations – in whole or in part – along with publications containing additions and corrections, if known. Diplomatic editions, facsimiles and digital image reproductions of the manuscripts are not always listed here but may be found in entries for the relevant manuscripts. For historical purposes, early editions, transcriptions and translations are not excluded, even if their reliability does not meet modern standards.

Critical editions

[ed.] Blume, Clemens, “Pars altera: Hymnodia Hiberno-Celtica saeculi V.IX.”, in: Clemens Blume [ed.], Die Hymnen des Thesaurus Hymnologicus H. A. Daniels und andere Hymnen-Ausgaben. I. Die Hymnen des 5.-11. Jahrhunderts und die Irisch-Keltische Hymnodie aus den ältesten Quellen, 51, Leipzig: O. R. Reisland, 1908. 257–364.

Internet Archive: <link>

271–283

[ed.] Bernard, J. H., and Robert Atkinson [ed. and tr.], The Irish Liber hymnorum, 2 vols, Henry Bradshaw Society, 13, 14, London: Henry Bradshaw Society, 1898.

comments: Volume 1: Text and introduction

Volume 2: Translation and notes

Manuscripts used, with sigla:

T = Dublin, Trinity College, MS 1441 = Liber hymnorum (see pp. x-xiii)
- F = Dublin, University College, MS Franciscan A 2 (see pp. xiii-xvi)
- 19th-century copy for Reeves (William) (not used by the editors)

A = Milan, Biblioteca Ambrosiana, MS C 5 inf = Antiphonary of Bangor
B = Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, MS 23 P 16 = Leabhar Breac
C = Cambridge, University Library, MS Ll.1.10 = Book of Cerne
D = London, British Library, MS Harley 7653
E = Montpellier, École de Médecine, MS 218
G = St. Gallen, Stiftsbibliothek, MS 2
H = St. Gallen, Stiftsbibliothek, MS 577
I = Orléans, Bibliothèque municipale, MS 169 (146)
J = London, British Library, MS Royal 2 A xx
K = cxcv / St. Paul im Lavanttal, Stiftsbibliothek, MS 86a/1 (one folio in Karlsruhe)
L = Cork, University College, Book of Lismore
M = Milan, Biblioteca Ambrosiana, MS M 32 4
N = London, British Library, MS Harley 2965 = Book of Nunnaminster
O = Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Rawlinson B 514 (copy of O'Donnell's Beatha Choluim Chille)
P = Basel, University Library, MS A vii 3 (a Greek psalter)
Q = Dublin, University College, MS Franciscan A 8(?) (another copy of O'Donnell's Life)
R = ccxxi / St. Paul im Lavanttal, Stiftsbibliothek, MS 86a/1
S = Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, MS D ii 3 = Stowe Missal
V = Vatican City, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, MS Pal. lat. 482
W = Dublin, Trinity College, MS B i 5 = Antiphonary of Kilmoone
X = Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Laud Misc. 615
Y = Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Rawlinson B 505
Z = Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Rawlinson B 485
Δ = Cologne MS (formerly at Darmstadt)
Θ = Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Rawlinson B 512
Π = Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, MS Clm 18665
Σ = Cambridge, St John's College, MS C 9 = Southampton Psalter
Ψ = London, British Library, MS Harley 585

Internet Archive – vol. 1: <link>, <link>, <link> Internet Archive – vol. 2: <link>, <link>

Vol. 1, 62–65 (preface), 66–83 (hymn) Edition based primarily on the Irish manuscripts. direct link direct link

Editions from single manuscripts

[ed.] Riefferschied, A. [ed.], “Die Ambrosianische Bibliothek in Mailand”, Sitzungsberichte der kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften, phil-hist. Klasse 67 (1871): 467–568.

544–546 Text from Biblioteca Ambrosiana, MS M 32 sup.

[ed.] Boucherie, A., “Mélanges latins et bas latins”, Revue des langues Romanes, 3rd series, 7 (1875): 5–41.

12–26 ‘Hymne abécédaire contre les antitrinitaires’, text from Montpellier, École de Médecine, MS 218.

[ed.] Cuissard, C., “La prose de Saint Columba”, Revue Celtique 5 (1882–1883): 205–212, 396, 507.

Internet Archive: <link>, <link>, <link>

Text from the Orléans MS.

[ed.] Gilbert, John T. [ed.], Facsimiles of national manuscripts of Ireland, 5 vols, Dublin: Public Record Office of Ireland, 1874–1884.

Four parts in five volumes; photozincographed “by command of Her Majesty Queen Victoria by Major-General Sir Henry James” (d. 1877), who was director-general of the Ordnance Survey; vols 2–4 have imprint “selected and edited [by Gilbert] under the direction of the Right Hon. Edward Sullivan, Master of the Rolls in Ireland”.

Vol. 4.2 (1884), 131–133 (Appendix XXI). Text from Franciscan A 2.

[ed.] Ó Longáin, Joseph, J. J. Gilbert [eds], Eugene OʼCurry, and Brian OʼLooney [co-authors], Leabhar Breac, the Speckled Book, otherwise styled Leabhar Mór Dúna Doighre, the Great Book of Dun Doighre, 2 vols, Dublin: Royal Irish Academy, 1872–1876. Lithographic facsimile edition of a transcript made by Joseph Ó Longáin.

HathiTrust: <link> Internet Archive: <link>

237–238 Text in facsimile from Leabhar Breac.

[ed.] Todd, James Henthorn, Leabhar imuinn: the Book of Hymns of the ancient Irish Church, 2 vols, Dublin: Irish Archaeological and Celtic Society, 1855–1869.

Internet Archive – fasc. 1 and 2: <link> Internet Archive – fasc. 1: <link> Internet Archive – fasc. 2: <link>

Vol. 2, 201–251 Text from TCD 1441.

[ed.] Muir, Bernard James [ed.], A pre-Conquest English prayer-book (BL MSS Cotton Galba A.xiv and Nero A.ii (ff. 3-13)), Henry Bradshaw Society, 103, Woodbridge: Boydell Press, 1988.

32–39 Text from Cotton Galba A xiv.

Translations

[tr.] Carey, John, King of Mysteries: early Irish religious writings, 2nd ed., Dublin: Four Courts Press, 2000.

29–50, 275

[tr.] Clancy, Thomas Owen (ed.), The triumph tree: Scotland's earliest poetry AD 550–1350, Canongate Classics, 86, Edinburgh: Canongate, 1999.

Translations, with notes. Latin texts translated by Gilbert Márkus, Welsh texts by Joseph P. Clancy, Gaelic and Old English texts by Thomas Owen Clancy, Norse texts by Paul Bibire and Judith Jesch.

95–99

[tr.] Clancy, Thomas Owen, and Gilbert Márkus, Iona: the earliest poetry of a Celtic monastery, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1995.

[tr.] Bernard, J. H., and Robert Atkinson [ed. and tr.], The Irish Liber hymnorum, 2 vols, Henry Bradshaw Society, 13, 14, London: Henry Bradshaw Society, 1898.

comments: Volume 1: Text and introduction

Volume 2: Translation and notes

Manuscripts used, with sigla:

T = Dublin, Trinity College, MS 1441 = Liber hymnorum (see pp. x-xiii)
- F = Dublin, University College, MS Franciscan A 2 (see pp. xiii-xvi)
- 19th-century copy for Reeves (William) (not used by the editors)

A = Milan, Biblioteca Ambrosiana, MS C 5 inf = Antiphonary of Bangor
B = Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, MS 23 P 16 = Leabhar Breac
C = Cambridge, University Library, MS Ll.1.10 = Book of Cerne
D = London, British Library, MS Harley 7653
E = Montpellier, École de Médecine, MS 218
G = St. Gallen, Stiftsbibliothek, MS 2
H = St. Gallen, Stiftsbibliothek, MS 577
I = Orléans, Bibliothèque municipale, MS 169 (146)
J = London, British Library, MS Royal 2 A xx
K = cxcv / St. Paul im Lavanttal, Stiftsbibliothek, MS 86a/1 (one folio in Karlsruhe)
L = Cork, University College, Book of Lismore
M = Milan, Biblioteca Ambrosiana, MS M 32 4
N = London, British Library, MS Harley 2965 = Book of Nunnaminster
O = Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Rawlinson B 514 (copy of O'Donnell's Beatha Choluim Chille)
P = Basel, University Library, MS A vii 3 (a Greek psalter)
Q = Dublin, University College, MS Franciscan A 8(?) (another copy of O'Donnell's Life)
R = ccxxi / St. Paul im Lavanttal, Stiftsbibliothek, MS 86a/1
S = Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, MS D ii 3 = Stowe Missal
V = Vatican City, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, MS Pal. lat. 482
W = Dublin, Trinity College, MS B i 5 = Antiphonary of Kilmoone
X = Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Laud Misc. 615
Y = Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Rawlinson B 505
Z = Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Rawlinson B 485
Δ = Cologne MS (formerly at Darmstadt)
Θ = Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Rawlinson B 512
Π = Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, MS Clm 18665
Σ = Cambridge, St John's College, MS C 9 = Southampton Psalter
Ψ = London, British Library, MS Harley 585

Internet Archive – vol. 1: <link>, <link>, <link> Internet Archive – vol. 2: <link>, <link>

Vol. 2, 23–26, 140–153 Translation of Irish preface and glosses only, with notes direct link direct link

Secondary sources (select)

Stevenson, Jane, “Altus Prosator”, Celtica 23 (1999): 326–368.

Celtica – PDF: <link>

Wesseling, Margaret, “Structure and image in the Altus Prosator: Columba's symmetrical universe”, Proceedings of the Harvard Celtic Colloquium 8 (1988): 46–57.

Stevenson, Jane, “Altus Prosator: a seventh-century Hiberno-Latin poem”, PhD dissertation, University of Cambridge, 1985.

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page name: Altus Prosator

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Contributors

Dennis Groenewegen

Page created

January 2012, last updated: March 2023