Aelfric's De Temporibus Anni

Description

De temporibus anni, a concise handbook of calendar and computus, astronomy and natural science, dates from the late tenth century. It seems to have circulated anonymously, but analysis of its language and content shows it to be by Ælfric, one of the most prolific and widely-studied authors of Anglo-Saxon England. Unlike the earlier works of Bede and Isidore, it is written in the vernacular (despite its Latin title), possibly the earliest such work in a vernacular language in western Europe. This new edition incorporates the fruits of modern research into the scientific and religious background to the work, as well as the findings of recent studies on palaeography and textual criticism. It is also the most comprehensive edition yet produced, including notes, glossary and bibliography, and the first modern English translation (presented en face) for some 140 years. By means of these, and the inclusion of a detailed introduction and commentary, it renders the work more accessible both to those interested in the history of science and to students of Anglo-Saxon language and literature. CONTENTS LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PREFACE ABBREVIATIONS EDITOR'S NOTE Introduction 1. Contents, Authorship and Title 2. Ælfric’s Life and Career 3. Previous Editions 4. The Manuscripts Descriptions Discussion Arrangement of the Text Conclusions Manuscript Stemma 5. The Place of De temporibus anni in the Ælfrician Canon 6. Origins and Purpose 7. Sources 8. Medieval Cosmology 9. Calendar and Computus 10. Ælfric and the Bible 11. Ælfric’s Legacy 12. Arrangement of the Present Edition DE TEMPORIBUS ANNI: Text and Translation Apparatus Criticus Commentary APPENDICES Appendix 1. Ælfric’s Biblical Quotations and the Vulgate compared Appendix 2. List of Biblical References in the Text of DTA Appendix 3. Parallels between DTA and Other Ælfrician Works Appendix 4. List of Orthographic Variants, etc. Astronomical and Calendrical Terms Used in this Edition GLOSSARY BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX