De duodecim abusivis saeculi
De duodecim abusivis saeculi ("About the twelve grievances of the world") is an anonymously transmitted Latin work of the 7th century on morality , ethics and legally correct behavior within society.
History of origin
Irish missionaries transmitted knowledge of the work to continental Europe in the 8th century. In the Middle Ages , the widely read work was attributed to Saints Patrick of Ireland , Augustine of Hippo and Cyprian of Carthage . In fact, as Siegmund Hellmann was the first to discover in 1909, it was written in the 7th century in southern Ireland by an unknown author who is also known as pseudo-Cyprian in scientific discourse. Foundations were among other sources, the seventh chapter of the Benedictine Rule ( "Rule of Benedict") and the commentary of Jerome on Matthew . Principles of original Irish law can also be found, particularly in the section on the justice of the king ( fír flathemon ).
The twelve grievances
Without further introduction, the author immediately cites the twelve grievances as headings with brief explanations and then deals with them individually. The influence of the Benedictine Rule can also be seen in this structure, because, as there, each section begins with a definition of the topic to be treated. Based on more moral theological considerations (the wise man without good works, the old man without religion, ...), worldly things are also addressed (the unjust king, the lawless people, ...). The corresponding virtue is then held against the grievance.
| Abusive | Grievance |
|---|---|
| sapiens sine operibus | the wise man without good works |
| senex sine religione | the old man with no religion |
| adolescens sine oboedientia | the young man without obedience |
| dives sine elemosyna | the rich man without charity |
| femina sine pudicitia | the woman without modesty |
| dominus sine virtute | the nobleman without virtue |
| Christianius contentiosus | the contentious Christian |
| pauper superbus | the proud poor man |
| rex iniquus | the unjust king |
| episcopus neglegens | the neglected bishop |
| plebs sine disciplina | the community without order |
| populus sine lege | the people without law |
reception
The work, particularly popular in England in the 10th century, continued into the Renaissance and influenced, for example, the unfinished prince mirror (“Institutiones principales”) by Michael Marullus .
See also
literature
- Bernhard Maier : Lexicon of Celtic Religion and Culture (= Kröner's pocket edition . Volume 466). Kröner, Stuttgart 1994, ISBN 3-520-46601-5 .
- Siegmund Hellmann (Ed.): Ps.-Cyprianus. De xii abusiuis saeculi. Texts and studies on the history of early Christian literature 34, Leipzig, 1909. Volume 4 of the third series (Bd. 34): Texts and studies 34 1910.
- Max Manitius : History of Latin Literature in the Middle Ages. Verlag CH Beck, 1974 [1] .
- Hans Hubert Anton : Pseudo-Cyprian: "De duodecim abusivis saeculi" and its influence on the continent, especially on the Carolingian prince mirror. In: The Irish and Europe in the Early Middle Ages. Vol. 2, Edition Heinz Löwe, Stuttgart, 1982.