Immagini classiche nel Seafarer e nelle culture del Nord

  • Carla Cucina "Università di Macerata"
Parole chiave: Anglo-Saxon poetry, Old Icelandic literature, Classical poetry, Christian allegories, homiletic literature, Viking-Age rune-stones

Abstract

This paper is the text of a lecture held on February 6th, 2009, at the Istituto Svedese di Sudi Classici in Rome, during the annual meeting of the Società Culturale Classiconorroena.

A rich selection of images and topics with symbolical or allegorical implications has long been investigated within the Anglo-Saxon poetical corpus. A recent thorough study – and new edition – of the text of The Seafarer by the Author has proved that themes like sea journeying, ship and winter cold were widely spread and accepted by scopas in a metaphorical sense, mainly as Christian symbols for man’s life, Church (or Christian faith, or soul) and sin, respectively. Germanic ethos or ideals may stand in the background, of course, and sometimes they have proved indeed decisive in giving poetry that realistic power and liveliness so peculiar to the Old English tradition. But a great part of the Anglo-Saxon poetical production – written down in steady Christian times and in a monastic milieu – shows undisputable evidence of being drawn from Christian sources, ultimately from Latin patristic literature. The works of the Fathers, in their turn, filter not only the Scripture, but also classical imagery and rethorical models; so that, in the end, all these tracks are left clean and clear-cut on the Anglo-Saxon ground as well.

The aim of this paper is to investigate to what extent images like the winter cold and the sea sailing ship may act as symbols also in the medieval Scandinavian tradition, i.e. in Old Icelandic literature and on Viking Age rune stones.

The Author’s first concern is about ice and cold imagery, as it results in Old English and Old Icelandic poetry, down to the Swedish Renaissance tradition of Olaus Magnus’ Historia de gentibus septentrionalibus and drawing for comparison back to the poetical stock of Latin literature possibly known to litterate men in medieval England and Iceland (see § 2). Recurrent ideas and phrases result common to both Latin and Germanic authors, for instance regarding winter cold binding or closing the ground, or ice building ‘bridges’ (that is, allowing to walk where usually river or sea waters run or flow). Great similarities occur in the treatment and phrasing of these stock images, so that bonds of cold and bridges of ice, but also some other hints of severe cold, such as hairs and beard frozen into icicles, are frequently met in natural descriptions of Scythia (by Latin poets) and Northern Europe (by Scandinavian and Anglo-Saxon authors), being at the same time a signal of deep psycological discomfort and misery.

Old Scandinavian reception of the rich symbolical Christian tradition concerning the ship and sea journeying is the second point of the present article (§ 3). First of all (§ 3.1), the ship appears on some Viking Age rune stones, which prove to be especially significant in Christian allegorical terms, since they show the shape of a ship surmounted by a great ornamental cross. These Swedish monuments form a typologically homogeneous group, in which the design and pattern model – with no realistic hint of mast and sail behind the richly decorated cross – certainly points to a symbolical meaning. The Author maintains that this metaphorical ‘crusade’ ship is taken as a figure of the Church: on board, the faithful is granted a safe passage to everlasting bliss, being this boat the only secure place in the dangerous sea of life in this world. In a more specific sense, this ship may be considered Christ himself as our Saviour on the cross; the easy visual proximity of the mast crossed by the yard and the Cross itself helps Christian authors and artists to elaborate upon this image as one of the most powerful allegories in the Christian doctrine. At last (§ 3.2), two very interesting examples of Old Icelandic ship allegories, which have hardly been considered by scholars, are briefly discussed. They occurr in the second booklet of the so-called ‘Physiologus manuscript’ (AM 673 a II, 4°, fols. 8r-9r), which is one of the oldest Icelandic manuscripts. Both ship allegories start as nautical catalogues, where parts of the ship are compared with Christian doctrinal elements or general topics, and with liturgical and monastic canon.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Biografia dell'Autore

Carla Cucina, "Università di Macerata"
DIPRI - Dipartimanto di ricerche linguistiche, letterarie e filologiche -Professore Ordinario di Filologia germanica

Riferimenti bibliografici

BIBLIOGRAFIA

Althochdeutsches Lesebuch, zusammengestellt und mit Wörterbuch versehen von WILHELM BRAUNE, fortgeführt von KARL HELM, 16. Auflage bearbeitet von ERNST A. EBBINGHAUS, Tübingen, Max Niemeyer Verlag, 1979.

Andreas and The Fates of the Apostles, ed. by K. R. BROOKS, Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1961.

Anglo-Saxon Minor Poems (The), ed. by ELLIOTT V. K. DOBBIE, New York, Columbia University Press, 1942 («The Anglo-Saxon Poetic Records», VI).

Anicii Manlii Torquati Severini Boetii De institutione arithmetica libri duo, De institutione musica libri quinque, accedit geometria quae fertur Boetii, e libris manu scriptis edidit GODOFREDUS FRIEDLEIN, Lipsiae, in aedibus B.G. Teubneri, 1867 («Bibliotheca scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana»).

Bibliotheca scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana, Leipzig, B.G. Teubner, 1849-; München, K.G. Saur, 1999-; Berlin-New York, Walter de Gruyter, 2007-.

BOETIUS. Vedi Anicii Manlii Torquati Severini Boetii De institutione arithmetica.

CLEMOES, P., Aelfric’s Catholic Homilies. The First Series, Oxford - New York - Toronto, Oxford University Press, 1997 [«Early English Text Society», S.S. 17].

CUCINA, CARLA, Il tema del viaggio nelle iscrizioni runiche, Pavia, Gianni Iuculano Editore, 1989 («Studi e ricerche di linguistica e filologia», 2).

CUCINA, CARLA, Il pellegrinaggio nelle saghe dell’Islanda medievale, «Rendiconti della Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei. Classe di scienze morali, storiche e filologiche», ser. 9, vol. 9:1 (1998), pp. 83-155.

CUCINA, CARLA, Vestr ok austr. Iscrizioni e saghe sui viaggi dei vichinghi, I. Testi, II. Figure, tavole e glossario, Roma, Editrice ‘il Calamo’, 2001.

CUCINA, CARLA, En kjǫlrinn jarteinir trú rétta. Incidenza di tropi classici e cristiani sulle tradizioni anglosassone e scandinava, “Rivista Italiana di Linguistica e Dialettologia” 12 (2010), pp. 9-78.

CUCINA, CARLA, Il Seafarer. La navigatio cristiana di un poeta anglosassone, Roma, Edizioni Kappa, 2008 («Biblioteca medievale. Saggi ricerche edizioni», 2).

CUCINA, CARLA, Pietre runiche e letteratura: convergenza, interferenza, contestualità figurativa, in Le rune. Epigrafia e letteratura, IX Seminario avanzato di Filologia germanica, a cura di VITTORIA DOLCETTI CORAZZA e RENATO GENDRE, Alessandria, Edizioni dell’Orso, 2009 («Bibliotheca Germanica. Studi e testi», 26), pp. 151-250.

CUCINA, CARLA, The Rainbow Allegory in the Old Icelandic Physiologus Manuscript, “Gripla” 22 (2011), pp. 63-118.

DAHLERUP, V., Physiologus i to islandske bearbeidelser. Udgiven med indledning og oplysninger, “Aarbøger for nordisk Oldkyndighed og Historie”, 2: 4, 1889, pp. 199-290.

Edda. Die Lieder des Codex Regius nebst verwandten Denkmalern, hrsg. von GUSTAV NECKEL, I. Text, 5. umgearbeitete Auflage von HANS KUHN, Heidelberg 1983.

Egils saga Skalla-Grímssonar, útg. SIGURÐUR NORDAL, Reykjavík, Hið íslenzka fornritafélag, 1933 («Íslenzk fornrit», 2).

Exeter Book (The), ed. by GEORGE PH. KRAPP and ELLIOTT. V. K. DOBBIE, New York, Columbia University Press, 1936 («The Anglo-Saxon Poetic Records», III).

Exeter Anthology of Old English Poetry (The). An Edition of Exeter Dean and Chapter MS 3501, ed. by BERNARD J. MUIR, vol. I. Texts, vol. II. Commentary, Exeter 1994 (Second revised edition, Exeter 2000).

Exeter Book of Old English Poetry (The), with introductory chapters by R. W. CHAMBERS, M. FÖRSTER and E. FLOWER, London 1933.

Exeter Anthology of Old English Poetry (The), Editor BERNARD J. MUIR, Software & Design NICK KENNEDY, Exeter, Exeter University Press, 2006.

Eyfirðinga sôgur, útg. JÓNAS KRISTJÁNSSON, Reykjavík, Hið íslenzka fornritafélag, 1956 («Íslenzk fornrit», 9).

FAULKES, A. Vedi SNORRI STURLUSON.

GAMESON, R., The origin of the Exeter Book of Old English poetry, “Anglo-Saxon England”, 25 (1996), pp. 135-85.

Gli scaldi. Poesia cortese d’epoca vichinga, a cura di LUDOVICA KOCH, Torino, Giulio Einaudi editore, 1984.

GRANLUND, J. Vedi MAGNUS, OLAUS.

Gregorii episcopi Turonensis Opera, Libri historiarum X, editionem alteram curaverunt BRUNO KRUSCH et WILHELMUS LEVISON, in «Monumenta Germaniae Historica, Scriptores rerum Merovingicarum», I, i, Hannoverae 1951.

Icelandic Physiologus (The), ed. by HÁLLDOR HERMANNSSON, Ithaca, N.Y., Cornell University Press, 1938 («Islandica», 27; rist. New York, Kraus Reprint Corporation, 1966).

Il Physiologus in Islanda, a cura di CARLA DEL ZOTTO TOZZOLI, Pisa, Giardini Editori, 1992 («Biblioteca scandinava di studi, ricerche e testi», 7).

Junius Manuscript (The), ed. by GEORGE PH. KRAPP, New York, Columbia University Press, 1931 («The Anglo-Saxon Poetic Records», I).

LAMM, J.P. Vedi NYLÉN, E.

LAPIDGE, M., The Anglo-Saxon Library, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2006.

LINDQVIST, S., Gotlands Bildsteine, I-II, Stockholm, Kungl. Vitterhets Historie och Antikvitets Akademien, 1941-42.

LUCANUS. Vedi M. Annaei Lucani De bello civili libri X.

MAGNUS, OLAUS, Historia de gentibus septentrionalibus, Romae 1555 (facsimile edition), Introduction by JOHN GRANLUND, Copenhagen, Rosenkilde and Bagger, 1972.

M. Annaei Lucani De bello civili libri X, edidit DAVID R. SHACKLETON BAILEY, editio altera (Stutgardiae 1988), Stutgardiae et Lipsiae, in aedibus B.G. Teubneri, 1997 («Bibliotheca scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana», 1502).

MARTIN, B. K., Aspects of Winter in Latin and Old English Poetry, “Journal of English and Germanic Philology” 68 (1969), pp. 375-390.

MITCHELL, B., ROBINSON, F.C., eds., Beowulf. An Edition with Relevant Shorter Texts, including ‘Archaeology and Beowulf’ by LESLIE WEBSTER, Oxford-Malden, Mass., Blackwell Publishers, 1998.

NYLÉN, E., Bildstenar, J.P. LAMM, Katalog över samtliga på Gotland kända bildstenar samt bibliografi över bildstenslitteratur, Värnamo, Gidlunds, 1987.

OGILVY, J. D. A., Books known to Anglo-Latin Writers from Aldhelm to Alcuin (670-804), Cambridge. Mass., Mediaeval Academy of America, 1936 (“Studies and Documents”, 2).

OLAUS MAGNUS. Vedi MAGNUS, OLAUS.

Old English Soul and Body (The), ed. and trans. by DOUGLAS MOFFAT, Wolfeboro-Woodbridge, D.S. Brewer, 1990.

OVIDIUS. Vedi P. OVIDIUS NASO.

Patrologiae cursus completus, Series Latina, accurante J.-P. MIGNE, Parisiis, 1844-.

Poetae Latini aevi Carolini, I, recensuit ERNESTUS DUEMMLER, in «Monumenta Germaniae Historica, Antiquitates: Poetae Latini medii aevi», Berolini, Apud Weidmannos, 1881.

P. OVIDIUS NASO, Metamorphoses, edidit WILLIAM S. ANDERSON, editio stereotypa editionis altera (1982), Berolini et Novi Eboraci, Walter de Gruyter, 2008 («Bibliotheca scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana», 1565).

P. OVIDIUS NASO, Ex Ponto libri quattuor, recensuit JOHN A. RICHMOND, Lipsiae, in aedibus B.G. Teubneri, 1990 («Bibliotheca scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana», 1566).

P. OVIDIUS NASO, Tristia, edidit JOHN B. HALL, Stutgardiae et Lipsiae, in aedibus B.G. Teubneri, 1995 («Bibliotheca scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana», 1567).

P. Virgilii Maronis Opera omnia, ex recensione IOANN. CHRISTIANI IAHN, editio quarta, Lipsiae, sumptibus et typis B.G. Teubneri, 1852 («Bibliotheca scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana»).

RAHNER, H., Antenna Crucis III: Das Schiff aus Holz, “Zeitschrift fur Katholische Theologie” 66 (1942), pp. 196-227.

RAHNER, H., Simboli della Chiesa. L’ecclesiologia dei Padri, Milano, Edizioni San Paolo, 19952 (traduz. di Symbole der Kirche. Die Ekklesiologie der Väter, Salzburg, Otto Müller Verlag, 1964).

ROBINSON, F.C. Vedi MITCHELL, B., ROBINSON, F.C.

Runic and Heroic Poems of the Old Teutonic Peoples, ed. by B. DICKINS, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1915.

SALMON, VIVIAN, Some Connotations of ‘Cold’ in Old and Middle English, “Modern Language Notes” 74 (1959), pp. 314-322.

SNORRI STURLUSON, Edda: Prologue and Gylfagynning, ed. ANTHONY FAULKES, Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1982 (rist. London, Viking Society for Northern Research, 1988).

Södermanlands runinskrifter, granskade och tolkade av ERIK BRATE och ELIAS WESSÉN, Stockholm, Kungl. Vitterhets Historie och Antikvitetsakademien, 1924-36 («Sveriges runinskrifter», III).

Upplands runinskrifter, granskade och tolkade av ELIAS WESSÉN och SVEN B.F. JANSSON, I-IV, Stockholm, Kungl. Vitterhets Historie och Antikvitetsakademien, 1940-58 («Sveriges runinskrifter», VI-IX).

Venanti Honori Clementiani Fortunati presbyteri Italici Opera poetica, recensuit et emendavit FRIDERICUS LEO, in «Monumenta Germaniae Historica, Auctores antiquissimi», IV, i, Berolini, Apud Weidmannos, 1881.

Vercelli Book (The), ed. by GEORGE PH. KRAPP, New York, Columbia University Press, 1932 («The Anglo-Saxon Poetic Records», II).

Vercelli Homilies and Related Texts (The), ed. by DONALD G. SCRAGG, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1992 («Early English Text Society», O.S., 300).

VIRGILIUS. Vedi P. Virgilii Maronis Opera omnia.

Västergötlands runinskrifter, granskade och tolkade av HUGO JUNGNER och ELISABETH SVÄRDSTRÖM, Stockholm, Kungl. Vitterhets Historie och Antikvitetsakademien, 1940-70 («Sveriges runinskrifter», V).

WILMANNS, W., Disputatio regalis et nobilissimi juvenis Pippini cum Albino scholastico, “Zeitschrift für deutsches Altertum” 14 (1869), pp. 530-55.

Ynglinga saga, útg. BJARNI ÁÐALBJARNARSON, Reykjavík, Hið ízlendska fornritafélag, 1941 («Íslenzk fornrit», 26).

Pubblicato
2014-02-23
Come citare
CucinaC. (2014). Immagini classiche nel Seafarer e nelle culture del Nord. Classiconorroena, 30, 25-77. https://doi.org/10.6093/1123-4717/719
Fascicolo
Sezione
Articles