Vida de Jesucrist

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Beginning of the manuscript of the Vida de Jesucrist by Francesc Eiximenis from the library of the University of Valencia (Ms. 209. F. 1r).

The Vida de Jesus Crist (life of Christ) is a literary work that by Francesc Eiximenis on Catalan in Valencia was written. The book may have been written between 1399 and 1406, although important researcher Albert Hauf dates the book to June 23, 1403. The book is dedicated to Pere d'Artés , a Chancellor of the Treasury of the Crown of Aragon , to whom Eiximenis had already dedicated the Llibre dels àngels (Book of Angels).

Pere d'Artés himself had asked Eiximenis, against Eiximenis' first opinion, to write the book in Catalan and not in Latin , as Eiximenis explains in the sixth chapter of the book's introduction.

Structure and content

The book contains 691 sections and consists of ten essays. In addition, the last essay consists of seven other small essays.

This book belongs to the medieval genre of Vitae Christi (Life of Jesus Christ ), the best example of which is the Vita Christi by Ludolf von Sachsen . These kinds of books are not only considered a normal biography , but also a story, a commentary from the church parents , a series of moral and dogmatic considerations, instructions, meditations and prayers. Everything is related to the life of Jesus Christ from his birth to the ascension of Christ . Eiximenis' complete scholastic training can also be found in this book . Only in this work by Eiximenis can one even find influence from, so to speak, heterodox sources (including the apocryphal Gospels).

Unwritten volumes by Lo Crestià

As in the Llibre de les dones (Book of Women) and in other books by him, there are many parts and themes in this book that might correspond to other non-written books by Lo Crestià . The whole book could correspond to the Novè (ninth volume) of his encyclopedic project Lo Crestià , which was to deal with the Incarnation of God . Nonetheless, the content of this book is broader, and therefore the third volume is concerned with it. The first volume deals with predestination and the fourth (fourth volume) of Lo Crestià should deal with this subject. This book by Lo Crestià also intended to explain the seven Beatitudes and the seventh volume of that book has to do with them. This book also explains in detail two sacraments. First, this book explains baptism because of the baptism of Christ by St. John the Baptist . Second, this book explains the Eucharist because of the Lord's Supper . The Desè (tenth volume) by Lo Crestià should be related to sacraments . Lastly, the tenth volume of this book comes on apocalyptic and eschatological subjects, and the Tretzè (thirteenth volume) by Lo Crestià should be related to these subjects.

Style and Influences

This book shows very well the tendency against contemplation of the last works of Eiximenis. As the introduction says, the purpose of this work is to heat the believers with the love and devotion of Christ. On the other hand, in this book one can clearly see the devotion to the Virgin that is so typical of the Franciscan school. Many passages are devoted to the Virgin (the Gloriosa , as Eiximenis calls her). It is not exaggerating to say that the virgin is as important in this book as Christ himself. This work could be included within the tradition of Meditationes Vitae Christi (reflections on the life of Jesus Christ) by the pseudo-Bonaventure . This book was also influenced by the Italian Franciscan Ubertinus de Casale .

Translations

There have been translations of this book into Spanish and French .

Incidentally, the translation into Spanish does not contain the last two parts. This translation was made on the basis of the hieronymite Hernando de Talavera , OSH, who was the first Archbishop of Granada after the reconquest by the Catholic Kings in 1492 . He was appointed confessor of Isabella I of Castile , and he was a great admirer of Francesc Eiximenis and his works. This was the first printed book in this city.

Conditions and descriptions

This translation into Spanish without the last two parts was published as an incunable on April 30, 1496 by the German printers Meinard Ungut and Johannes Pegnitzer (also known as Johannes von Nürnberg ). Nowadays we only have this requirement. Nevertheless, Albert Hauf overwritten the first five parts, and he added that as an addition to his doctoral thesis. This description has not yet been published.

That is why we do not have a modern edition of this important work.

Later influence

This book later had an impact in other areas. Thus, Josep Romeu i Figueras confirmed that the mystery play about Assumption of Mary of Valencia Cathedral was directly influenced by this book. This mystery play can be dated around 1425 .

Digital editions

Manuscripts

  • [1] Publication in the Biblioteca Virtual Joan Lluís Vives ( Joan Lluís Vives Virtual Library) of manuscripts 459 and 460 of the State Library of Catalonia .
  • [2] Edition on the digitized complete works of Francesc Eiximenis of manuscript 209 of the library of the University of Valencia .

Incunabula

  • [3] Edition in the Biblioteca Digital Hispánica (Hispanic digital library) of the incunabula edition of the translation into Spanish, published by Meinard Ungut and Johannes Pegnitzer ( Granada , April 30, 1496).

The Vida de Jesucrist on the digitized entire works

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Hauf, Albert. D'Eiximenis a sor Isabel de Villena . Barcelona / Valencia. IIFV / PAM. 1990, p. 62 N. 6. (in Catalan)
  2. ↑ Vida de Jesucrist . Valencia. BUV. Ms. 209, f. 3v-4r. (in Catalan)
  3. ^ Brines, Lluís . Biografia documentada de Francesc Eiximenis . Valencia. T-Ink Factoría de Color. 2018. p. 172 pp. (in Catalan)
  4. ↑ Hauf, Albert. «La huella de Ubertino de Casale en el preerasmismo hispánico: el caso de fray Francesc Eiximenis», files of the X International Congress of the Hispanic Society of Medieval Literature [Hispanic Society of Medieval Literature / IIFV, University of Alicante , 16/20. September 2003]. Alicante . IIFV. 2005. 93-135. (in Spanish)
  5. ↑ Hauf, Albert. Francesc Eiximenis, OFM, “De la predestinaçion de Jesucristo”, y el consejo del Arcipreste de Talavera a los que deólogos mucho fundados non son . AFH , 76, 1983, p. 245. (in Spanish)
  6. ↑ Hauf, Albert. La “Vita Christi” de Fr. Francesc Eiximenis, OFM (1340? -1409?) Y la tradición de las Vitae Christi medievales . Doctoral thesis reviewed by Professor Martí de Riquer ( University of Barcelona 1976 ). (in Spanish)
  7. ^ Romeu i Figueras, Josep. "El teatre assumpcionista de tècnica medieval als Països Catalans". EUC , XXVI. 1984, pp. 246, 258-262. (in Catalan)