Helperic from Auxerre

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Helperic von Auxerre (also Elpricus , Hilpericus , Chilpericus, etc.) was a Benedictine monk , teacher, scientist and theologian in the 9th century. It is believed that he worked at the monastery school of the Abbey of Saint-Germain d'Auxerre . However, his main script Liber de computo is also associated with the name Helpericus, monachus Sangallensis (= St. Gallen Monastery ). Reference is made to the Liber de Viris illustribus Ordinis sancti Benedicti by Johannes Trithemius .

In the praefatio to his main work, he himself makes a reference to Auxerre. On the one hand, he sends this work to a priest living there for benevolent assessment, on the other hand, he also mentions his longer stay there. But it also refers to the Moutier-Grandval monastery , whose teaching monks were in contact with St. Gallen. This praefatio and the subsequent prologus shed an interesting light on his activity and personality and also on the monastic life of that time. Helperic describes himself as a teacher of the ars calculatoris , i.e. not of arithmetic belonging to the artes liberalesbut a practical art of arithmetic for the adolescent students. At their request, he wrote this book about the calendar and time, in a simple language and only presenting what is necessary. If you want deeper insights, he refers you to the venerabilis vir Domini Beda presbyter , i.e. to Beda Venerabilis .

He also brings up personal matters. He admits his infelix instabilia , through which he violated the stabilitas loci , the locality of the Benedictine order. When he returned to his monastery after a long time, he was severely punished, whether actually with a beating or "only" through insults and ridicule (the verb verbero means both) must remain open.

In addition, only a brief theological discussion (in the De Devinis Officiis Liber des Alcuin ) has survived from Helperic .

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Max Manitius: History of Latin Literature in the Middle Ages. Volume 1, p. 446.
  2. ^ Jacques Paul Migne: Patrologia Latina. 137, 16f.
  3. ↑ Peter Ochsenbein (Ed.): The St. Gallen Monastery in the Middle Ages. Pp. 19, 99.
  4. ↑ Max Manitius: History of Latin Literature in the Middle Ages. Volume 1, p. 447.
  5. ^ Karl Ernst Georges : Latin-German concise dictionary.
personal data
SURNAME Auxerre, Helperic by
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Benedictine monk, teacher, scientist and theologian
DATE OF BIRTH 9th century or 10th century
DATE OF DEATH 10th century or 11th century