¹ Concerning Alcuin as a theologian, É. Gilson writes: “On ne se tromperait pas moins en attribuant à maître Alcuin un génie dont ses œuvres ne portent pas la trace. Exégète et théologien de deuxième ordre, poète médiocre, il ne nous a laissé que de bien modestes contributions à l’étude…,” Philosophie au Moyen Âge. Des origines patristiques à la fin du XIV ^e siècle (Paris, 1944), 191. In spite of these faint words of praise, Gilson dedicates the French edition on medieval philosophy to the Anglo-Saxon master. To call Alcuin a theologian is to do him an injustice, since his formation was other than theological. He was trained most especially in elementary education. In delving into theological matters, he was simply responding to the ecclesial needs of his time, thus bequeathing some fundamental manuals to the Frankish clergy. Elsewhere, Gilson states: “La vraie grandeur d'Alcuin tient à sa personne et à son œuvre civilisatrice plutôt qu’à ses livres. Elle se révèle partout dans ses lettres et dans les quelques passages de ses traités où s'expriment son admiration profonde pour la culture antique et sa volonté de la maintenir” (Ibid., 191–92).Google Scholar

² Dümmler, E., ed., Alcuini sive Albini epistolae, MGH Ep. 4, n. 258 (p. 416). Concerning the dating of Alcuin's letters, cf. Sickel, Th., Alkuinstudien, Sb. Akad. Vienna (Vienna, 1875), 461–550, who proposed a chronology that E. Dümmler accepted in his edition of Alcuin's letters. In the above-mentioned letter (n. 258) Alcuin writes that his small treatise Ad pueros accompanied another treatise on the Catholic faith, identified as De fide sanctae et individuae trinitatis (PL 101.13–65). This latter document was composed to fight the doctrinal errors of the adoptionists.Google Scholar

³ MGH Ep. 4, n. 259 (p. 417).Google Scholar

⁴ PL 100.569–96. Cf. MGH Ep. 4, n. 243 (pp. 388–92). This letter, also addressed to Arn, serves as a preface to the manuscript it accompanies. Cf. Jones, L., “Cologne Ms. 106: A Book of Hildebald,” Speculum 4 (1929): 27–61. The author has studied MS 106 of the Archdiocesan Library of Cologne, initially thinking that he had found the very MS detailed in letter 243. Although Cologne MS 106 contains much of what is detailed in letter 243, there are some significant additions, which would indicate that this manuscript is not the autograph of Alcuin. He concludes that Cologne MS 106 is a copy made by Hildebald around 805, during the lifetime of Arn, and possibly during Alcuin's. It is unfortunate that Alcuin's autograph is lost, but we have a complete family of surviving MSS modeled after this description found in the letter to Arn.Google Scholar

⁵ PL 100.597–620.Google Scholar

⁶ Ibid., 620–38.Google Scholar

⁷ Bede, , Opera homiletica et rhythmica , ed. Fraipont, J., CCL 122, 452–70; cf. Wilmart, A., Precum libelli quattuor aevi Karolini (Rome, 1940), 143.Google Scholar

⁸ Bede, , Opera homiletica, 407–11.Google Scholar

⁹ MGH Ep. 4, n. 131 (pp. 193–98).Google Scholar

¹⁰ Mone, F. J., ed., Lateinische Hymnen des Mittelalters, 1 (Freiburg, 1853–55), 393.Google Scholar

¹¹ One surmises that these diverse prayers are like those found in the libelli precum. Google Scholar

¹² MGH, , Poet. Carol. 1, 187, vv. 780–84. Bede speaks about this eulogistic hymn in his history of the English people, Historiae ecclesiasticae gentis anglorum, v. 4. Ad pueros sancti Martini Google Scholar

¹³ Alcuin's thought seems to have influenced the regional councils of 813. One notes the strong similarity of his language to that of the capitularies, especially the expression, “not to blush before a priest in confessing your sins.” At the minimum, one could say that his influence was indirect, transmitted by his former pupils, who at the time of these councils, were in positions of leadership.Google Scholar

¹⁴ Cf. É. Delaruelle, , “Charlemagne et l’Église,” Revue d'histoire de l'Église de France 133 (1953): 165–99. The author notes that the Carolingian period was important in the reform of all the sacraments. Cf. Ganschof, , “Charlemagne et le Serment,” Mélanges Halphen (Paris 1951), 261–67.Google Scholar

¹⁵ Schmale, T. F.-J., “Briefe, Briefliteratur, Briefsammlungen. Lateinisches Mittelalter,” Lexikon des Mittelalters, 2 (Munich and Zurich, 1981), col. 649.Google Scholar

¹⁶ The idea of friendship was important to Alcuin, judging simply by the multiple references to it in his letters and poetry (cf. Epp. 18, 28, 76, 141, and Carm. 62, verses 59 and 120, among other examples). Cf. Leclercq, J., “L'Amitié dans les lettres au Moyen Âge,” Revue du Moyen Âge latin 1 (1945): 391–410.Google Scholar

¹⁷ Idem, The Love of Learning and the Desire for God (New York, 1985), 179–80. The author lists the following genres of letters composed in the Middle Ages: letters of vocation; letters of exhortation, of consolation, of “spiritual direction”; doctrinal consultations, exchanges of responses; business letters; letters of recommendation; letters of exhortation to die well; funeral announcements; and letters of friendship. This last genre abounded among monastic communities. These letters were meant to please the recipient and often coincide with other letter genres listed above. Often, however, they had no other intention than a simple friendly exchange.Google Scholar

¹⁸ On the subject of epistolary genre in general, cf. Constable, G., Letters and Letter-Collections, Typologie des Sources du Moyen Âge Occidental 17 (Turnhout, 1976). For Alcuin's letters specifically, cf. E. Dümmler in MGH Ep. 4 and Sickel, Th., Alkuinstudien. Google Scholar

¹⁹ Leclercq, J., “Le genre epistolaire au moyen âge,” Revue du Moyen Âge latin 2 (1946): 63–70: “Quand un auteur déclare avoir été sollicité de livrer un livre au public, ce n'est pas une excuse factice pour son besoin de célébrité; on sait qui l'a prié, et l'on peut souvent lire en tête du traité la lettre de demande. Un ouvrage est presque toujours la solution d'une problème réelement posé par la vie, et ceci donne à cette littérature un caractère concret et animé. Un prologue n'est pas simplement une introduction, c'est une adresse.” Google Scholar

²⁰ This manuscript, covered in plain brown leather over wood, bears an olive medallion with the arms and letters of Henry II. There are 139 uneven and crudely thick parchment folios. The codex is entirely composed in caroline minuscule letters, with the exception of the rubrics, which are written in uncials, and some titles, which are in a rustic lettering. The codex, divided into two parts, seems to be from two different hands: folios 1 through 131 are from the first hand, and folios 132 to 139 from the second copyist. They should therefore be considered two independent elements. The first element dates from the tenth century, the second from the eleventh century. On folio 139, a call number indicates that it was from the royal library of Fontainebleau.Google Scholar

²¹ Catalogue générale des mss. des bibliothèques publiques des départements (Paris, 1849), 1, 443. The inclusion of the writing of the deacon Ephrem on the compunction of the heart is noteworthy. An examination of the Opera Omnia of St. Ephrem, ed. Assemani, J. and E., 6 vols. (Rome, 1737–46), would indicate that Ephrem wrote at least four different tracts on compunction, as well as some prayers for the gift of tears and for compunction. We know that the writings of Ephrem were translated from Syriac into Greek, and later into Latin by the Carolingian period, and it was not an accident that this particular penitential writing found its way into this collection of Alcuin's writings. The content and form of Alcuin's writings on compunction and penance would suggest an acquaintance with Ephrem.Google Scholar

²² Vaticana, Bibliotheca Apostolica, Codices regienses latini, ed. Wilmart, André, vol. 1 (Vatican City, 1937), 152–55.Google Scholar

¹ que om. M ²adulesc. MF; adoliscentulis CEG ³aeccl. H ⁴sancti Mammetis gloriosissimi martiris Christi domino Iesu Christo M. pro summi — Iesu ⁵domino XT + ⁶servire HT + ⁷adque PF ⁸ om. MP ⁹domu X ¹⁰ om. HT*MT+ ¹¹Alcuinus X; Alcuinus M; Albinus GI ¹²bene — vestrae om. M ¹³ om. HT*T + ¹⁴prosperitatem T* ¹⁵domino P ¹⁶o filli M; filio mi T + ¹⁷kar. T*EM, carismi F ¹⁸salutem M ¹⁹aliquia F ²⁰ om. E ²¹dulce HCIP; dulcis M ²²sermonis M ²³dirige P ²⁴studii P ²⁵prosperitate P ²⁶misereante F ²⁷beatitudinis M ²⁸eternam add. M ²⁹fragilis M ³⁰aet. vest. X ³¹servicio T + ³² om. M ³³ post adducere sequitur in M haec rubrica: excerpta sanctorum Gregorii Augustini Hilarii et ceterorum ab Alcuino facta; adcurrere F ³⁴queque P ³⁵et add. M ³⁶rectores M; doctores Ρ; eductores F ³⁷inventus F ³⁸depraecor I ³⁹admoneatis T*M ⁴⁰eos — est om. M ⁴¹ve. disc. M ⁴²studiose I ⁴³placeat G; placent M ⁴⁴pertinent CGIM ⁴⁵quatinus M ⁴⁶aliorum corr. in ex illor. H ⁴⁷profectum F ⁴⁸prosperitatem F ⁴⁹aput F ⁵⁰abeatis F ⁵¹exort. HI ⁵²sobriae castae pudicae EI ⁵³religiosa HT*XM; religioso I ⁵⁴adoliscentulos CEG; adulescentulos T*MF; adalescentulos P ⁵⁵adoliscentiae CEG; adalescentiae P; adulescentiae F ⁵⁶nichil T*M ⁵⁷donante deo H ⁵⁸mal. diab. X ⁵⁹malitiosa H; malicia T+ ⁶⁰fructos PF ⁶¹de P ⁶²superadicient CGXI, corr. in -ant T*; superadiecient H; superadiiciunt F ⁶³quippe M ⁶⁴penit. T*M; pen. part ded. d. iust. M ⁶⁵perficeret F ⁶⁶iusticiae F ⁶⁷pen. T* ⁶⁸deo add. M ⁶⁹Iohannes Crisostomus ait: milies peccasti, milies confitere. bonum est confiteri Domino add. M ⁷⁰per — tuae om. M ⁷¹tuam F ⁷²oculto P; occulte T+ ⁷³dixeris M ⁷⁴celare T*, celera F ⁷⁵parietettus F ⁷⁶tuos M ⁷⁷ om. M.; estimes CGIP; et om. T*XMIT + F ⁷⁸pate T+ ⁷⁹occulos X ⁸⁰effugire F ⁸¹vales M ⁸²adsp. H ⁸³potuit F ⁸⁴occulte HT* ⁸⁵Si M ⁸⁶mundaveris add. M ⁸⁷sentenciam add. M ⁸⁸michi T*M ⁸⁹tota HT + ⁹⁰est T* ⁹¹erubescis MP ⁹²curaberis corr. in curaveris E; curaberis G; curare (pro purg.) curaberis HT +; paenit. curare non cessaverit T*; purgaveris peccata (pro purg. cur.) M ⁹³dicenti F ⁹⁴psalmographo M ⁹⁵pronunciabo add. M ⁹⁶iusticias HP; iniusticam M ⁹⁷meam M ⁹⁸expectat IMPF ⁹⁹a nob. dom. M ¹⁰⁰quod T+ ¹⁰¹fieret pro fieri et H ¹⁰² om. HT*MT+; Hec add. M ¹⁰³ om. M ¹⁰⁴alios F ¹⁰⁵loco scriptura MP ¹⁰⁶magnificum — thesaurum corr. in magnificus — thesaurus E; magni et securi div. piet. tesauri M ¹⁰⁷peccantes pro a pecc. M ¹⁰⁸ulciscere HCXP; dulciscere I; ulcisere T+ ¹⁰⁹ante F ¹¹⁰bonivolentiae I ¹¹¹mavult HT*X, corr. in magis vult C ¹¹²cognoscere IPF ¹¹³ma T+ ¹¹⁴ om. M ¹¹⁵poenae T+ ¹¹⁶quod donetur pro cond. MP ¹¹⁷ipse M ¹¹⁸dixit MP ¹¹⁹convestatur T + ¹²⁰vir H ¹²¹ corr. in conversi E ¹²²ipse H ¹²³ver. ait M ¹²⁴uno peccatore — agente T*GM ¹²⁵ penitenciam F ¹²⁶prophetam P ¹²⁷dictum CF; dictum dic T* ¹²⁸iniusticias PF ¹²⁹dic add. C ¹³⁰ecce — tuas ut iustificeris om. M ¹³¹ipso corr. in ipsi X ¹³²honerati M; honorati HIPF ¹³³iniusticias F ¹³⁴condempneris MPT+ ¹³⁵vindictam F ¹³⁶om. HT*ET +; conf. nos M ¹³⁷ortatur F ¹³⁸que M ¹³⁹presciebant M ¹⁴⁰universa M ¹⁴¹ hic secuntur in M: ecce benignus — consolabuntur (cf. supra), ubi ita pergit: ecce deus iudicii dominus: beati omnes qui expectant eum. et in alio loco: venite — reficiam. tunc etc. ¹⁴²profectum T* ¹⁴³ modicum M ¹⁴⁴caeles I ¹⁴⁵ om. M ¹⁴⁶refugium M ¹⁴⁷egenus M ¹⁴⁸sepe P ¹⁴⁹incerte CI; incerta P; incertam F ¹⁵⁰laborare GIP ¹⁵¹groto F ¹⁵²vere I ¹⁵³om. M ¹⁵⁴melius o homo M ¹⁵⁵quam T* ¹⁵⁶expectat T*IP ¹⁵⁷et mora M ¹⁵⁸Ezaech. IP ¹⁵⁹curandi M ¹⁶⁰Christi E ¹⁶¹cognoscatur M ¹⁶²et in I; in — saeculo om. CGXIMPF ¹⁶³dum add. T* ¹⁶⁴penitenciam F ¹⁶⁵obtat M ¹⁶⁶Esaiam HGXPT + F; Aesaiam T*; Ysayam M ¹⁶⁷nostram F ¹⁶⁸benignus et misericors est prestabilis super malicia dominus deus vester. et beatus pro misericors — beatus M, ait om. ¹⁶⁹paciens I ¹⁷⁰non abscondi. unde si peccatum, quod fec. homo negat pro cognitum —negatur M ¹⁷¹inuisticias F ¹⁷²penas M ¹⁷³accumulat M ¹⁷⁴qui F ¹⁷⁵ om. GMP ¹⁷⁶forsitan IMF ¹⁷⁷tirrett P ¹⁷⁸conscientia M ¹⁷⁹quare pro quin immo M; qui in F ¹⁸⁰ibi F ¹⁸¹ om. M ¹⁸²medicinam T* ¹⁸³medio HT + ¹⁸⁴erubescis ci in ras. T*; erubescis MT + ¹⁸⁵multiplicas M ¹⁸⁶doloris CF ¹⁸⁷habund. HXMT +; abundanciam F ¹⁸⁸pariet CEPF ¹⁸⁹dies inv. M ¹⁹⁰ corr. in iudicaveris X; iudicaveris post corr. -caberis T* ¹⁹¹ om. T* ¹⁹²dominus I; dies CGP; dies F ¹⁹³obtas F ¹⁹⁴habeas HT*XIPT + F ¹⁹⁵estote F ¹⁹⁶negociatur F ¹⁹⁷eme — dei om. M ¹⁹⁸penit. X; poenit. T*P; penitencie M ¹⁹⁹domini dicentis M ²⁰⁰ pro et adpr.: ecce appro. T*; adprop. enim M ²⁰¹regnum — celorum pro vobis — dei M ²⁰²redemeret CI ²⁰³ om. HGIMPF ²⁰⁴mostem corr: in mortem T + ²⁰⁵in vita salvaret pro salv. — vitam M ²⁰⁶et coram te add. M ²⁰⁷aduc P ²⁰⁸paen. tuae X ²⁰⁹certum T* ²¹⁰ om. M ²¹¹ om. T*M ²¹²et sordidatus n. v. proc. M ²¹³timis P ²¹⁴sordidus T*; cum sorde M ²¹⁵peccatis te om. I; peccatorum proc. M ²¹⁶oculus HCGIPT + F; -los corr. -lus X; oc. ill. M ²¹⁷majestatis F ²¹⁸obtat. GF; desiderat M ²¹⁹postm. tardit om. M ²²⁰cogitaberis CEGIPT + F ²²¹quod XIPT + ²²²proficit T* ²²³exurge HT*IM ²²⁴placarem H; placa M; placere P ²²⁵penitencie M ²²⁶solicitus X ²²⁷tu F ²²⁸ips. om. T*; tui ips. M ²²⁹timet F ²³⁰probaveris HGXIPT + F, corr. in probaris E; probaris infidelis (esse om.) M ²³¹infidelis es P ²³²magnam P ²³³non cur. te T* ²³⁴teque T*; et M ²³⁵ corr. in moriente G ²³⁶ corr. in resuscitari G ²³⁷recissisti G; recesisti I ²³⁸pro scel. magn. a deo HT*XIT + F; pro scel. magnitudinem a deo M; pro magn. scel. a deo P ²³⁹ om. T* ²⁴⁰tardaberis HCGIPT + F; paratus es pro non tard. M ²⁴¹ revertere CEGXIPT + F ²⁴²carnis M ²⁴³est cond. M; condicio IF ²⁴⁴per H ²⁴⁵modice PF ²⁴⁶luxuria T*GIM; luxurie F ²⁴⁷penis F ²⁴⁸retradi M ²⁴⁹voluisent F ²⁵⁰spacium T*I ²⁵¹paenitendi corr. convertendi X ²⁵²uius F ²⁵³ comparationem CIPF ²⁵⁴infernorum temporalium E ²⁵⁵multum M ²⁵⁶iucunda P ²⁵⁷servi isti H ²⁵⁸luxuria T*GIMF ²⁵⁹servi EM ²⁶⁰attende T* ²⁶¹quidem M ²⁶²luxuria T*GIMF ²⁶³ducet M; deducet F ²⁶⁴abberasti HI ²⁶⁵in iei. M ²⁶⁶afficitur CGXIPF; adficitur HT +; adf. corr. in aff. T* ²⁶⁷pulcrit. M; pulchritudo X ²⁶⁸reparatur HT*IM, corr. in reparitur GT + ²⁶⁹fit M ²⁷⁰cultis corr. in cultus P ²⁷¹est praec. M ²⁷²est — ornatus om. M ²⁷³ora. M ²⁷⁴angel. aestimatio T*; ang. estimacio H; imitacio F ²⁷⁵parvus MPF ²⁷⁶abes P ²⁷⁷porrige CGT*XIPT + F; tribue M ²⁷⁸manum possis om. M; possis om. T*CGXIPT + F, add. al. man. in E ²⁷⁹pauperum M ²⁸⁰gazofilacium HXM; gazophilatium T*; gazofilatium PT + F ²⁸¹mis. op. M ²⁸²ora. M ²⁸³iustae I ²⁸⁴excusari M ²⁸⁵ om I ²⁸⁶merentes T+ ²⁸⁷ consolare EP ²⁸⁸famae T + ²⁸⁹evangeliam T + ²⁹⁰ om. HT* ²⁹¹exec. M; excusatione T + F ²⁹²praestet F ²⁹³ingressum H; ingressus M ²⁹⁴nolo te M ²⁹⁵ om. M ²⁹⁶tamen X; tanta et tam M ²⁹⁷m. mor. dign. IPT + F; magnanimorum T*; magniorum superscr. na X; magnanimarum H; morum maxima dign. M ²⁹⁸deus T* ²⁹⁹peccatoris P ³⁰⁰subditas T + ³⁰¹abere F ³⁰²dominum CGHT*MPT+F ³⁰³morituro sanare M pro m. rev ³⁰⁴de M ³⁰⁵et add. M ³⁰⁶coetos P ³⁰⁷dicentem M ³⁰⁸ om. M ³⁰⁹in paen. om. M ³¹⁰obtat G ³¹¹dampnare HT* ³¹²punire T*X; huniri H; quam perdere M ³¹³ om. MF ³¹⁴fuerimus M ³¹⁵audivimus M ³¹⁶exort. MF ³¹⁷dicit enim om. M ³¹⁸sancta H ³¹⁹quoniam X ³²⁰peccata PF ³²¹dominus HT*T+ ³²²dimittet PF ³²³paenitentiam m eraso I; poenitentiam H; penitentiam P ³²⁴indigead F ³²⁵ om. M; penitencia add. M; corr. in F ³²⁶precepta b. Iac. M ³²⁷redemtor F ³²⁸puplicanum G; publicanus F ³²⁹ om. M; si PF ³³⁰laudantem HCEGXIPT + F ³³¹iusticia PF ³³²pretullerit F ³³³nostrae nat. X ³³⁴condonavit M ³³⁵kar. HT*CEGT + F ³³⁶ om. F ³³⁷-ta corr. in -tum X; medicamentum M ³³⁸valeat M ³³⁹nobis P; corr. in vobis X ³⁴⁰transeant X ³⁴¹quia HT*; quando M ³⁴²vertatur M ³⁴³fecit M ³⁴⁴cop. carne hic gesserit M ³⁴⁵cop. carne IPF ³⁴⁶emendare T*M ³⁴⁷accusator P ³⁴⁸quandum P; in corde M; corr. in quondam T +; condam F ³⁴⁹subgesserit M; sugessit P ³⁵⁰tunc non erit nobis tempus add. M ³⁵¹etenim M ³⁵²habebit M; abet F ³⁵³obiecere HCXI ³⁵⁴iuditio PF ³⁵⁵vit. no. M ³⁵⁶adoliscentes CEXI; adulescentes GPF; adolescentuli M ³⁵⁷piaetatem I ³⁵⁸celestia P ³⁵⁹et M ³⁶⁰nostro P ³⁶¹fideliter T*M ³⁶²gratiam et add. M ³⁶³piae P ³⁶⁴sobriae IP ³⁶⁵domino M ³⁶⁶ oboedientiam P; obedientiam F ³⁶⁷pura … confessione H ³⁶⁸confessione T+ ³⁶⁹luxuriae GT*IM ³⁷⁰repeteret H ³⁷¹scitote M; scientis F ³⁷²metipsos om. T* ³⁷³et animarum M ³⁷⁴quatinus M ³⁷⁵ in e corr. T* ³⁷⁶pro eis M; prosperitates H ³⁷⁷ amen add. XT*MP Google Scholar