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The Attitude of the Western Church towards the Study of the Latin Classics in the Early Middle Ages
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 September 2009
Extract
In this paper I propose to discuss only the period before 1100 A.D., only the Latin classics, and only the western part of Christian Europe. The later centuries would need a special discussion, as early in the twelfth century new factors were at work which modified materially the study and influence of the classics. I mention the Latin classics, although what is said will in general hold true of the Greek classics as far as they found any students. But in the case of the latter, there was during these centuries an additional reason for neglecting them. In the tenth and eleventh centuries a knowledge of the Greek classics might have given rise to the suspicion of schism, as the knowledge of Hebrew caused a suspicion of Judaistic principles. The limitation to the west of Europe calls for no comment, and is made only to avoid any possible misconceptions.
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- Copyright © American Society for Church History 1896
References
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