medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
You might find Adalbero of Laon's Poem to King Robert of some use, written
c. 1025. It's above all a criticism of the Cluniacs, including Odilo of
Cluny going off to Rome, armed, sword held between his teeth. One of the
great passages comes when a bishop sends a monk off on a mission. He comes
back all dressed up, wearing a hat of Libyan fur, and proclaims:
"Miles nun! monachus diuerso more manebo!
Non ego sum monachus, iussu sed milito regis.
Nam dominus meus est rex Oydelo Cluniacensis!"
Adalberon de Laon. *Poeme au Roi Robert*. Ed. Claude Carozzi. Paris:
Societe d'edition "Les belles lettres," 1979.
The "Carmen Laureshamense" is a passionate appeal by a group of monks after
their monastery was invaded by the monks of Hirsau in the early 12th
century; it's addressed to Emperor Henry V, and complains of how the
Hirsauer are teaching novelties, simulating spirituality, spurning the
leaders of the churches, and are in brief:
"Hii quoque semiuiri, turpes, molles, uice plumbi
Dissimiles auro fornacis in igne probato. . ."
Glockner, Karl, ed. *Codex Laureshamensis*, vol. 1. Darmstadt: Verlag des
historischen Vereins fur Hessen, 1929.
There's also a passionate denunciation of the monks of Hirsau in *Liber de
unitate ecclesiae conservanda* (MGH LL 2: 173-284).
Or the extremely curious "Ecbasis cuiusdam captivi," a beast epic that
includes a fair amount of criticism of monasteries---a monk (a calf in the
poem) escapes in the springtime, only to be attacked by a wolf. It's very
interesting.
Zeydel, Edwin H., ed. & trans. *Ecbasis cuiusdam cptivi. Escape of a
Certain Captive: An Eleventh-century Beast Epic*. Chapel Hill: U. of North
Carolina Press, 1964.
Best,
Phyllis
>medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
>
>Dear learned ones
>
>I am looking for literature/prime sources concerning lay perception of
>monasticism and/or religious fervour in the central middle ages. In short,
>I am
>of the impression, that lay views on monks would have swung between
>feelings of
>contempt on the one side and admiration on the other, and that lay people
>would
>have taken stances on hypocrisy as well as imitation, when discussing
>monks and
>other religious ‘athletes’. However, I have found it (not surprisingly, I
>guess) very difficult to find literature and/or primary sources to this end. I
>have been reading Ludo Milis’ book "Angelic Monks and Earthly Men", however, I
>didn’t find it as revealing as I hoped for. (BTW, any comments on this work
>will be appreciated). Thus, I turn to you: Does any of you know of
>criticism of
>monasticism in the central middle ages, besides the more well-known ‘internal’
>polemics between different groups of religious athletes themselves?
>
>Best wishes
>Torben K. Nielsen, Aalborg University
>
>Torben K. Nielsen, Ph.D.
>Head of Studies
>Department of History
>Aalborg University
>Fibigerstraede 5
>DK-9220 Aalborg OE
>
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