Seckauer Margaret legend

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One page of the manuscript (UBG Ms 781, fol. 72v); above a section of the Margaret legend added in three lines, below Psalm 115 in Latin

The Seckauer Margaretenlegende (also Grazer Margaretenlegende), which is handed down in the manuscript Ms. 781 of the University Library Graz on sheets 71v – 110r in the first three lines, is an independent revision of the life and suffering of St. Margaret of Antioch in simple Middle High German. It was subsequently recorded in Seckau in the 14th century.

Saint Margaret of Antioch

Margareta, best known in the east under the name Marina, was a holy virgin and martyr who suffered her martyrdom under Emperor Diocletian in the 4th century. There is no historical evidence for her person, only a legendary tale of suffering of a certain Theotimos is known. This Passio was the basis of many other Latin and vernacular arrangements in prose and verse.

Tradition and usage situation

This legend is called Seckauer Margaret legend, the place of origin and, in the handwriting of Ms. 781, which is stored in the Graz University Library unikal handed down, which is why this text is also known by the name Grazer Margaret legend 'in professional circles. The manuscript Ms. 781 is a Latin psalter on parchment from the 13th century with 175 leaves. The legend, on the other hand, was subsequently recorded in three lines in Middle High German on pages 71v – 110r at the beginning of the 14th century on the upper free margin . On the other pages of the Psalter, legends in vernacular are entered in the same way.

The decision to use the free, decorative space to write down the text, in order to preserve it, shows the importance of this legend. The scope of this vernacular legend suggests that this is not a coincidence. In addition to the legend of Margaret, the manuscript Ms. 781 contains the text Unser vrouwen hinvart by Konrad von Heimesfurt (sheets 1r – 70v) and the Grazer Marienleben (sheets 110v – 172v).

It is possible that the legend was read out at the table in the women's choir convent in order to make it accessible to nuns who were ignorant of reading and writing. The prologue is aimed at women and men; the text may have been presented to a larger audience in church or on a public holiday.

At the time of the creation of this legend, the Margaret cult was in its prime in the region north of the Alps.

content

The legend tells in simple language the life and death of St. Margaret. The prosaic legend, which is preceded by a preface in verse, largely retains the representation of the apocryphal biography. The preface consists of 30 verses and the prose text fills about six book pages. The text contains all the elements of a typical legend of saints: "Prologue, childhood story, resistance to paganism, struggle with the devil, martyrdom, death, ascension, post-mortem miracles and a concluding prayer".

The opinion held in older research that the legend was written by a writer in the Seckau women's choir convent was only refuted by the most recent studies by Thomas Csanády, who in Seckau does not accept his own women's script at the time the legend was created. For this reason, the assumption that the author is made up of two canons is now the more likely one. It is also relatively certain that it is the same hand that made additions to the 1501 manuscript in Graz.

Prologue (fol.71v-fol.74r)

The first-person narrator confesses his guilt, asks for forgiveness and to be filled and inspired by the Holy Spirit in order to be able to boast of God's great deeds. The narrator praises God's name and his work and rule. Following this, he refers to a book that he does not go into any more detail than his source. In addition, St. Margaret is characterized as an extremely strong-willed woman and the audience is addressed directly. The end of the preface is the ego's request to improve and purify men through this text:

Text example: Prologue (fol.71v-fol.74r)
I fisted from my missetate Despite my sins
how much I like to bring you pete I would like to dare to ask you, Lord God,
daz you by the sake of the sweet sunes yours that you are for the sake of your beloved son
forgive the great debt of mine forgive my great debt
and you sent me your comfort gaist and send me your edifying spirit
the all good is full who is filled with immeasurable mercy,
who knows me and teaches me so that he teaches and guides me,
daz there be your praise and your ere that you, Lord, may be given praise and honor.
manichvaltich is herre your gevalt Your power, Lord, is enormous
vil groz is yours. you know my nests and your goodness is enormous. Be you my salvation
since you are swendun veuer sust pist that you are the way out of the flames.
ic waiz waz speak mere I can’t do anything better
I always tell you praise and ere than to give you praise and honor.
you will be amazed You are truly perfect
you walled wonderful pest because you act miraculously
because that's all there is in everything that exists.
wow have become your miracles Your miracles were revealed
to ainem vil hailigen magedein on a holy girl
si margarete was covered which was called Margaret.
got si vil holden here She was completely devoted to God
I am sorry about it what showed up in all of this
when I han other purchases what I learned in a book.
turn your back on man's courage She had the willpower of a man
but you can't maneuver well which, however, displeased many a man.
vie daz allez is the course How exactly it all happened
daz vernemet wol, woman and man, you will find out now, women and men.
nu be happy women good May the well-meaning women rejoice,
in addition to the findings, ain such a starch must that there was such a strong being among them.
be pezzed dapei the man The men should be purified!
god names so we begin In God's name we begin now.

Prose text (fol.74r-fol.110r)

At the beginning of the legend reference is made to various Christian martyrs. In this context it is mentioned that other people could not withstand the temptations of the devil and served different gods:

Text example: prose text (fol. 74r-75v)
After the marter and after the vrstende About the sacrificial death and the resurrection
our here iesu christi for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ
and after his laudable raised and in honor of his glorious ascension
to himel to got father almechtigen, meanwhile names manige martere were tortured innumerable martyrs were martyred in heaven to God the Father in the name of the Almighty
and conquered the world and overcome the earthly,
and then still pehbten the vlesafe but the body was still preserved.
But the tobbait of the tale of manigen people However, through the devil's frenzy, many people
daz si the abot unheard and dumb that they are idols that they do not hear and those that are mute
and plank and worship with the hand of man and blinded and made by the hand of man, worshiped
and the opherten and sacrificed to them
eng frumten in the same still other yemen which never served them or anyone else.

The first-person narrator reveals his name “Theodim” and his intention to spread and confess the martyrdom of St. Margaret. A written basis for this legend is mentioned, but without naming the source. The listeners are asked to be ready to purify and heal the soul by consciously engaging with the text.

The legend follows: Saint Margaret is the daughter of the pagan patriarch Theodosius, who worships pagan gods. After the early death of her mother in Antioch, Margareta is brought up in the Christian faith by wet nurses, which the father does not agree with. At the age of twelve she was chosen by God to be his servant at the time of a Christian persecution in Antioch. Their leader Olibrius falls in love with Margareta and wants to make her his wife. In her prayer, Margaret asks God for strength in faith and for her soul to remain immaculate. In imagery language, she compares her seducer with a raging wolf and a cunning bird catcher and herself with a sheep, a bird and a deer in the net. Olibrius learns that Margareta is a Christian, has her angrily presented and interrogates her. Margareta professes her Christian faith, whereupon his anger grows and he lets her be thrown into dungeon . He encourages her to turn to the pagan gods and become his wife. He threatens her with death if she does not comply with his wishes.

Margareta refuses several times and refuses to deviate from the chosen path of truth and virginity. She is being tortured . However, she remains steadfast and claims that Olibrius could wound her body, but not her soul. She praises God several times in prayer and asks for trust in eternal life, for support in the fight against evil and to be an example to other girls and women to be emulated.

Olibrius asks her to finally give up the Christian faith and has her taken back to the dungeon, where she prays again. Suddenly a huge, terrifying dragon appears and devours them alive. While the dragon swallows them, the girl crosses herself, tearing the dragon in two and remaining unharmed herself. Then she sees the devil. She kneels down and asks God for redemption from her enemies. The devil then asked them for mercy and mercy. She puts her foot on the devil's head and tells him of her decision to be a bride of Christ. After these words a bright light appears in the dungeon. The Holy Spirit, who prophesied open gates of heaven to Margaret, sits in the form of a dove on the cross that also appears in the dungeon.

Margareta is interrogated again and again tortured with various methods, which she endures in prayer. After she is about to be drowned in a barrel, she asks God to cleanse her with this water, as is done in baptism, and calls on the Holy Spirit. With a tremendous earthquake, the Holy Spirit appears in the form of a dove, crowns Margaret with a golden crown and loosens her fetters. She praises God and thanks him. A voice from heaven announces the invitation to heaven. At the same time, 5,000 men, women and children are converted, but they are beheaded by Olibrius. Margareta is also to be beheaded. Her executioner asks her for her prayer as he sees Christ and angels around her.

In a final prayer, Margaret promises anyone who reads or hears about her martyrdom or lights a candle in her honor that she will be absolved of all sins. Wrongly convicted people should be relieved from the torments of hell if they think of them. People who consecrate a church to her or who spread her martyrdom should also be freed from their sins. She promises childbearing healthy children and all protection from evil spirits. There is a loud thunder and a voice announcing that Margareta's prayer will be heard and that she will be received by Christ and his angels in heaven. Margareta asks her executioner to execute her quickly, at his request she prays to God for him. After her execution, angels gather around her lifeless body to guard it. Sick people who immediately recover by touching their body, as well as possessed people who are freed from their demons, also approach. On July 12th, the angels bring Margareta's soul to heaven, praising God, and all who hear or read about this martyrdom should trust Margareta's help, as from now on she will be an intercessor of men with God.

Characteristics and meaning of the text

It is the "earliest German-language prose resolution of the Margaret legend" as well as a "deliberate subsequent expansion and modification" or an "independent reworking on the basis of various sources".

Linguistically, the simple style and the simple, prosaic language stand out. The many speech passages (dialogues, including prayers or angels / heavenly voices), which have made memorizing the text much easier, take up about two thirds of the entire text and reinforce the scenic impression.

The essential details and contents of Margareta's life and suffering are implemented in the text, but additional changes (e.g. the introduction of knights) can be found that make the legend text very topical at the time of its creation.

The motif of the entanglement by the dragon is only seen as apocryphal (= doubtful) in the legenda aurea , and the scene with the dragon is much wider than in the legenda aurea .

There is little doubt in the research that behind this new poetry there is a "female text request", which is why an author is also conceivable, but who possibly found support from a Seckau canon in obtaining sources and recording. According to recent research, a female scriptorium is not likely at the time the text was written in Seckau, and it is also assumed that the texts and manuscripts were the property of women who decided to live in the monastery, which is why the texts were probably not written in the Seckau monastery .

The Seckau Margaret legend contributed significantly to the dissemination and thus also to the veneration of St. Margaret due to the special features in its representation.

Margaret window in Ardagger

A visual implementation of this vernacular legend can be found in the collegiate church Ardagger in Lower Austria, which is known for its "Margaret window". This was created in the 13th century and, apart from a few changes (order of the individual images, new conclusion), is still almost completely preserved today.

literature

  • Thomas Csanády: Myth of the women's script in Seckau. On the import manuscripts of the Romanesque women's choir library in Seckau . In: Libri Seccovienses. Studies on the library of the Augustinian Canons of Seckau . Edited by Thomas Csanády and Erich Renhart, Unipress, Graz 2018, pp. 9–26
  • Joseph Diemer: Small contributions to the older German language and literature. Volume 1. KK Hof- und Staatsdruckerei, Vienna 1851.
  • Ernst Hellgardt: Seckauer manuscripts as carriers of early Middle High German texts . In: The medieval literature in Styria. Files from the International Symposium on Seggau Castle near Leibnitz in 1984 . Edited by Alfred Ebenbauer, Fritz Peter Knapp and Anton Schwob. Peter Lang Verlag, Bern 1988. (= Yearbook for International German Studies. Series A. Congress reports, Volume 23) pp. 103–130.
  • Wernfried Hofmeister, Astrid Böhm, Helmut W. Klug: The German-language marginal texts of the Grazer Manuscript UB, Ms. 781 as an interdisciplinary touchstone of exploratory revision research and editing technology . In: editio. International yearbook for edition science. Volume 30. Edited by Rüdiger Nutt-Kofoth and Bodo Plachta. Berlin, Boston, Walter de Gruyter, 2016, pp. 14–33.
  • Wernfried Hofmeister: German-language texts in the former canon and women's choir monastery in Seckau. A literary historical crop harvest . In: Libri Seccovienses. Studies on the library of the Augustinian Canons of Seckau . Edited by Thomas Csanády and Erich Renhart, Unipress, Graz 2018, pp. 83–96.
  • Wernfried Hofmeister: Literary knowledge storage: Trust in the power of the word. Martyrdom as eloquent proof of God . In: Medieval knowledge stores. Interdisciplinary studies on the dissemination of selected 'orientation knowledge' in the area of ​​tension between erudition and illiteracy . Edited by Wernfried Hofmeister, Peter Lang, Frankfurt am Main 2009, (= Medieval Studies between Research, Teaching and the Public, Volume 3) pp. 32–47.
  • Ylva Schwinghammer, Gerlinde Schneider: swer so (e) read daz bad. The German-language marginal transmission of the Seckauer Margaret legend from the Grazer Manschrift UB, Ms. 781 as the basis of a revision-sensitive, learner-oriented digital edition . In: Text revisions. Contributions from the International Conference of the Working Group for German Edition, Graz, February 17-20, 2016 . Edited by Wernfried Hofmeister and Andrea Hofmeister-Winter. Walter de Gruyter, Berlin, Boston 2017. (= supplements to editio. Volume 41.) pp. 19–32.
  • Erich Wimmer: Margareta v. Antioch . In: Lexicon of the Middle Ages . Edited by Norbert Angermann. Volume 6. Luke pictures to Plantagenêt. Artemis & Winkler, Munich, Zurich 1993, Sp. 231-232.

Web links

Commons : Seckauer Margaretenlegende  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Erich Wimmer: Margareta v. Antioch . In: Norbert Angermann (Hrsg.): Lexicon of the Middle Ages . tape 6 . Artemis & Winkler, Munich / Zurich 1993, ISBN 3-7608-8906-9 , p. Col. 231 .
  2. ^ Hans Zotter: 781. In: Sondersammlungen Uni Graz. Special collections Uni Graz, December 10, 2019, accessed on December 8, 2019 (German).
  3. ^ Wernfried Hofmeister: Medieval knowledge stores. Interdisciplinary studies on the dissemination of selected 'orientation knowledge' in the area of ​​tension between erudition and illiteracy. In: Wernfried Hofmeister (ed.): Literary knowledge storage: Trust in the power of the word. Martyrdom as eloquent proof of God. Peter Lang, Frankfurt am Main 2009, ISBN 978-3-631-57464-5 , p. 33 .
  4. ^ Ernst Hellgardt: Seckauer manuscripts as a carrier of early Middle High German texts. In: The medieval literature in Styria. Files from the International Symposium Schloß [sic!] Seggau near Leibnitz 1984 . In: Alfred Ebenbauer, Fritz Peter Knapp and Anton Schwob (eds.): Yearbook for International German Studies. Row A. Congress Reports . tape 23 . Peter Lang, Bern 1988, ISBN 3-261-03865-9 , pp. 116 .
  5. ^ Hans Zotter: 781. In: Sondersammlungen Uni Graz. Special collections Uni Graz, December 10, 2019, accessed on December 8, 2019 (German).
  6. ↑ Wernfried Hofmeister: Literary knowledge store: Trust in the power of the word. Martyrdom as eloquent proof of God. In: Wernfried Hofmeister (Ed.): Medieval knowledge stores. Interdisciplinary studies on the dissemination of selected 'orientation knowledge' in the area of ​​tension between erudition and illiteracy. Peter Lang, Frankfurt am Main 2009, ISBN 978-3-631-57464-5 , p. 35 .
  7. ↑ Wernfried Hofmeister: Literary knowledge store: Trust in the power of the word. Martyrdom as eloquent proof of God . In: Wernfried Hofmeister (Ed.): Medieval knowledge stores. Interdisciplinary studies on the dissemination of selected 'orientation knowledge' in the area of ​​tension between erudition and illiteracy . Peter Lang, Frankfurt am Main 2009, ISBN 978-3-631-57464-5 , p. 35 .
  8. ↑ Wernfried Hofmeister: Literary knowledge store: Trust in the power of the word. Martyrdom as eloquent proof of God . In: Wernfried Hofmeister (Ed.): Medieval knowledge stores. Interdisciplinary studies on the dissemination of selected 'orientation knowledge' in the area of ​​tension between erudition and illiteracy . Peter Lang, Frankfurt am Main 2009, ISBN 978-3-631-57464-5 , p. 36 .
  9. ↑ Ylva Schwinghammer and Gerlinde Schneider: swer so (e) read daz bad. The German-language marginal transmission of the Seckauer Margaret legend from the Grazer Manschrift UB, Ms. 781 as the basis of a revision-sensitive, learner-oriented digital edition . In: Wernfried Hofmeister and Andrea Hofmeister-Winter (eds.): Text revisions. Contributions from the International Conference of the Working Group for German Edition, Graz, February 17-20, 2016 . Walter de Gruyter, Berlin / Boston 2017, ISBN 978-3-11-049571-3 , pp. 25 .
  10. ^ Joseph Diemer: Small contributions to the older German language and literature . tape 1 . KK Hof- und Staatsdruckerei, Vienna 1851, p. 121 .
  11. ↑ Wernfried Hofmeister: German-language texts in the former canon and choir women monastery Seckau. A literary historical crop harvest . In: Thomas Csanády and Erich Renhart (eds.): Libri Seccovienses. Studies on the library of the Augustinian Canons of Seckau . Unipress, Graz 2018, ISBN 978-3-902666-57-4 , p. 92 .
  12. ↑ Ylva Schwinghammer and Gerlinde Schneider: swer so (e) read daz bad. The German-language marginal transmission of the Seckauer Margaret legend from the Grazer Manschrift UB, Ms. 781 as the basis of a revision-sensitive, learner-oriented digital edition . In: Wernfried Hofmeister and Andrea Hofmeister-Winter (eds.): Text revisions. Contributions from the International Conference of the Working Group for German Edition, Graz, February 17-20, 2016 . Walter de Gruyter, Berlin / Boston 2017, ISBN 978-3-11-049571-3 , pp. 25 .
  13. ^ Wernfried Hofmeister, Astrid Boehm, Helmut W. Klug: The German-language marginal texts of the Grazer Manuscript UB, Ms. 781 as an interdisciplinary touchstone of exploratory revision research and editing technology . In: Rüdiger Nutt-Kofoth and Bodo Plachta (eds.): Editio. International yearbook for edition science . tape 30 . Walter de Gruyter, Berlin, Boston 2016, p. 19th f .
  14. ^ Ernst Hellgardt: Seckauer manuscripts as a carrier of early Middle High German texts . In: Alfred Ebenbauer, Fritz Peter Knapp and Anton Schwob (eds.): The medieval literature in Styria. Files from the International Symposium Schloß [sic!] Seggau near Leibnitz 1984 . Peter Lang, Bern 1988, ISBN 3-261-03865-9 , pp. 116 .
  15. ↑ Wernfried Hofmeister: German-language texts in the former canon and choir women monastery Seckau. A literary historical crop harvest . In: Thomas Csanády and Erich Renhart (eds.): Libri Seccovienses. Studies on the library of the Augustinian Canons of Seckau . Unipress, Graz 2018, ISBN 978-3-902666-57-4 , p. 92 .
  16. ^ Ernst Hellgardt: Seckauer manuscripts as a carrier of early Middle High German texts . In: Alfred Ebenbauer, Fritz Peter Knapp and Anton Schwob (eds.): The medieval literature in Styria. Files from the International Symposium Schloß [sic!] Seggau near Leibnitz 1984 . Peter Lang, Bern 1988, ISBN 3-261-03865-9 , pp. 117 .
  17. ↑ Wernfried Hofmeister: Literary knowledge store: Trust in the power of the word. Martyrdom as eloquent proof of God . In: Wernfried Hofmeister (Ed.): Medieval knowledge stores. Interdisciplinary studies on the dissemination of selected 'orientation knowledge' in the area of ​​tension between erudition and illiteracy . Peter Lang, Frankfurt am Main 2009, ISBN 978-3-631-57464-5 , p. 35 .
  18. ↑ Wernfried Hofmeister: Literary knowledge store: Trust in the power of the word. Martyrdom as eloquent proof of God . In: Wernfried Hofmeister (Ed.): Medieval knowledge stores. Interdisciplinary studies on the dissemination of selected 'orientation knowledge' in the area of ​​tension between erudition and illiteracy . Peter Lang, Frankfurt am Main 2009, ISBN 978-3-631-57464-5 , p. 34 .
  19. ↑ Wernfried Hofmeister: Literary knowledge store: Trust in the power of the word. Martyrdom as eloquent proof of God . In: Wernfried Hofmeister (Ed.): Medieval knowledge stores. Interdisciplinary studies on the dissemination of selected 'orientation knowledge' in the area of ​​tension between erudition and illiteracy . Peter Lang, Frankfurt am Main 2009, ISBN 978-3-631-57464-5 , p. 40 .
  20. ↑ Wernfried Hofmeister: Literary knowledge store: Trust in the power of the word. Martyrdom as eloquent proof of God . In: Wernfried Hofmeister (Ed.): Medieval knowledge stores. Interdisciplinary studies on the dissemination of selected 'orientation knowledge' in the area of ​​tension between erudition and illiteracy . Peter Lang, Frankfurt am Main 2009, ISBN 978-3-631-57464-5 , p. 40 .
  21. ↑ Wernfried Hofmeister: Literary knowledge store: Trust in the power of the word. Martyrdom as eloquent proof of God . In: Wernfried Hofmeister (Ed.): Medieval knowledge stores. Interdisciplinary studies on the dissemination of selected 'orientation knowledge' in the area of ​​tension between erudition and illiteracy . Peter Lang, Frankfurt am Main 2009, ISBN 978-3-631-57464-5 , p. 41 .
  22. ↑ Wernfried Hofmeister: German-language texts in the former canon and choir women monastery Seckau. A literary historical crop harvest . In: Thomas Csanády and Erich Renhart (eds.): Libri Seccovienses. Studies on the library of the Augustinian Canons of Seckau . Unipress, Graz 2018, ISBN 978-3-902666-57-4 , p. 92 .
  23. ↑ Wernfried Hofmeister: German-language texts in the former canon and choir women monastery Seckau. A literary historical crop harvest . In: Thomas Csanády and Erich Renhart (eds.): Libri Seccovienses. Studies on the library of the Augustinian Canons of Seckau . Unipress, Graz 2008, ISBN 978-3-902666-57-4 , p. 92 .
  24. ↑ Thomas Csanády: Myth women script Seckau. On the import manuscripts of the Romanesque women's choir library in Seckau . In: Thomas Csanády and Erich Renhart (eds.): Libri Seccovienses. Studies on the library of the Augustinian Canons of Seckau . Unipress, Graz 2018, ISBN 978-3-902666-57-4 , p. 26 .
  25. ↑ Wernfried Hofmeister: German-language texts in the former canon and choir women monastery Seckau. A literary historical crop harvest . In: Thomas Csanády and Erich Renhart (eds.): Libri Seccovienses. Studies on the library of the Augustinian Canons of Seckau . Unipress, Graz 2018, ISBN 978-3-902666-57-4 , p. 92 .