The history of the medieval illuminated book in western europe began with the. It is a compendium of saints lives and of liturgical and doctrinal instruction, culled in the 1260s from a wide range of patristic and medieval sources. Golden legend table of contents christian iconography home page. Page 84 placidas approaching nigh thought in his mind how he might take him, and as he beheld and considered the hart diligently, he saw between his horns the form of the holy cross shining more clear than the sun, and the image of christ, which by the mouth of. In the beginning god made and created heaven and earth. Apr 18, 2017 attentive hands will recreate this golden legend, making it something even greater than it was with the additional stories contained in its careful stitches. If one or more works are by a distinct, homonymous authors, go ahead and split the author. Or, lives of the saints, volume 1 the golden legend. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. In his new translation, the first in modern english of the complete text from the graesse edition, william granger ryan captures the immediacy of this rich, imagefilled work, and offers an important guide for readers interested in. In 1244 he entered the dominican order and at the age of 22 became a professor. Jacques le goff, one of the worlds most renowned medievalists.
By 1500, there were more copies of it in circulation than it is impossible to understand the late middle ages without grasping the importance of the golden legend, the most popular medieval collection of saints lives. His name was jacopo gacobus in latin, james in english. By the 15th century, editions of voragine s golden legend were available in. Translator william granger ryan is to be thanked for rendering this monument almost 800 pages of medieval piety into accessible english. With one of the largest book inventories in the world, find the book you are looking for. Jacques le goff, one of the worlds most renowned medievalists, provides a. The online books page the golden legend or lives of the saints. The golden legend tells a magnificent story of terror and. The golden legend is one of the central texts of the middle ages, a superb summary of saints lives and religious festivals which decisively influenced the imagery of poetry, painting and stained glass. Mary is as much to say as bitter, or a lighter, or lighted.
Dust jacket has some signs of shelf wear and there is a pencil price written on the corner of one of the inside pages. Heres where all the stories of the saints come from. Georges slaying of the dragon may be a christian version of the. It is impossible to understand the late middle ages without grasping the importance of the golden legend, the most popular medieval collection of saints lives. Dec 04, 2014 the golden legend voragine from wikisource. Depicting the lives of the saints in an array of both factual and fictional stories, the golden legend was perhaps the most widely read book, after the bible, during the late middle ages. If an article link referred you here, please consider editing it to point directly to the intended page. It was likely compiled around the year 1260, although the text was added to over the centuries. The golden legend wikisource, the free online library. In search of sacred time princeton university press. In search of sacred time is the first comprehensive history and interpretation of this crucial book. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers.
After gaining a reputation throughout northern italy as a preacher and theologian. It was likely compiled around the years 12591266, although the text was added to over the centuries. He was a storyteller and that may well be the reason his hagiography has endured. He was the author, or more accurately the compiler, of legenda sanctorum, also known as the golden legend, a collection of the legendary lives of the greater saints of the medieval church that was one of the most popular religious works of the middle ages.
Or, lives of the saints, volume 2 the golden legend. There is also a crease on one of the first few interior pages. Among the books which afford us an insight into he popular religious thought of the middle ages, none holds a more important place than the legenda aurea or golden legend. Dec 04, 2014 search for titles containing or beginning with. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the golden legend. There can be no doubt that the present volumes are the version of the golden legend that will be in the hands of englishspeaking scholars and others interested in the details of central medieval religious beliefs for the forseeable future. The author was a native of the town of varazze on the genoese riviera. If you happened to have survived parochial school, the content as well is priceless. Helmut ripperger translators and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. That is to say, part of penance, part of contemplation within forth, and part of heavenly glory. Skip to main content this banner text can have markup. It was one of the first books william caxton printed in the english language.
Englished by william caxton, first edition 1483, edited by f. After gaining a reputation throughout northern italy as a. Jacques le goff, one of the worlds most renowned medievalists, provides a lucid, compelling, and unparalleled account of why and how the golden legend exerted such a profound influence on medieval life. Anne often place the virgin mary and the christ child on her lap. For like as gold passeth in value all other metals, so this legend exceedeth all other books, wherein be contained all the high and great feasts of our lord, the feasts of our blessed lady, the lives, passions, and miracles of. More than a thousand manuscripts of the text have survived. It is only fitting that one of final books of the prolific french medievalist jacques le goff, who died on 1 april 2014, is a study of one of the most famous and widely read. The life of adam, from the golden legend compiled by jacobus. Apr 22, 2012 depicting the lives of the saints in an array of factual and fictional stories, the golden legend was perhaps the most widely read book, after the bible, during the late middle ages. See the golden legend main pageindex for other volumes or chapter length files. Golden legend repeats the story of his rescuing a libyan kings daughter from a dragon and then slaying the monster in return for a promise by the kings subjects to be baptized.
If, on the other hand, we view the golden legend as an artistically composed book of devotion, we must admit that it is a complete success. The golden legend is one of the central texts of the middle ages. By this be understood three things that be three, the best parts that she chose. A study of caxtons golden legend with special reference to its relations to the earlier english prose translation. The golden legend, an extensive collection of saints biographies, became one of the bestselling books of the late medieval period. In his new translation, the first in modern english of the complete text from the graesse edition, william granger ryan captures the immediacy of this rich, imagefilled work, and offers an important guide for readers interested in medieval art and literature and in popular religious culture more generally. One of the central texts of the middle ages, the golden legend deeply influenced the imagery of poetry, painting and stained glass with its fascinating descriptions of saints lives and religious festivals. The golden legend is a fascinating book containing a wealth of valuable historical and traditional information about the men and women of the first thousand. Depicting the lives of the saints in an array of factual and fictional stories, the golden legend was perhaps the most widely read book, after the bible, during the late middle ages.
Yet, it was the bestseller of the middle ages, a period during which hagiographies. See the description page for this image and the page explaining the iconography of images of this saint. For lovers of tangible books, possessing heft, taking up space, and suffering entropy with everything else, the golden legend makes a spectacular addition to your bookcase. He was the author, or more accurately the compiler, of legenda aurea, the golden legend, a collection of the legendary lives of the greater saints of the medieval church that was one of the most popular religious works of the middle ages. There is an index to each volume, rather than one to the whole. One of the central texts of the middle ages, the golden legend deeply influenced. Depicting the lives of the saints in an array of both factual and fictional storiessome preposterous, some profound, and some shockingthe golden legend was perhaps the most widely read book, after the bible, during the late middle ages.
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