medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Your question about Job 39.5 took me immediately to Gregory the
Great's commentary on Job. See Moralia, 30.15 which interprets this
verse (and the onager) as applying to individuals who live apart from
noisy crowds, etc. The verse shows up again at Moralia 30.21, but the
context is Christological and the point is figurative language.
However, the whole stretch after 30.15 may have a bearing on
Goscelin's text (I say "may"!). There may also be other sources for
such a symbolic interpretation of the onager, but it would be a good
guess that Gregory would be a prime source for later writers.
best
Grover Zinn
Grover A. Zinn
William H. Danforth Professor of Religion (emeritus)
former Associate Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
Oberlin College
Oberlin, OH 44074
440-775-8866 (department)
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On Jan 2, 2008, at 12:08 PM, Jackie Duff wrote:
> medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and
> culture Hello,
> I am new to this list although I have dipped in to it now and again
> to follow some very interesting and lively discussions. I thought
> it about time to make some kind of contribution.
>
> I am currently working on hermits, anchorites and recluses (roughly
> 1050 - 1250 but not exclusively) looking at different aspects of
> their lives, the terminology and symbolism used by contemporary
> writers/hagiographers and relationships between hermits and the
> broader church and society, among other things. My teaching
> interests include heresies of the middle ages and the crusades.
>
> I have recently been reading Monika Otter's translation of Goscelin
> of Bertin's Liber Confortatorius and my curiosity has been raised by
> the following:
> Goscelin, writing to his close friend the recluse Eve, and offering
> encouragement that the Lord has already looked upon her favourably,
> then quotes Job 39:5 "Who has sent out the onager free?"
> Goscelin then says, "An onager is a wild donkey, which signifies the
> anchorite. The Lord sets the onager free when he releases the soul
> from outward worries, calling it to the freedom of contemplating
> him, and saying to those he has freed: 'Free your mind and see that
> I am God'".
>
> I can understand the context in which he uses this quotation but I
> am wondering about the origin of the connection between a donkey (or
> onager) and an anchorite. Has anyone come across this elsewhere or
> suggest any explanation for a donkey signifying an anchorite?
>
> Best wishes,
> Jackie Duff
>
>
>
>
> She said what? About who? Shameful celebrity quotes on Search Star!
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