| Other author/creator | Taguchi, Mayumi, editor. |
| Other author/creator | Scahill, John, editor. |
| Other author/creator | Tokunaga, Satoko, 1974- editor. |
| Other author/creator | Early English Text Society, commissioning body. |
| Other author/creator | Oxford University Press, publisher. |
| Uniform title | Legenda aurea. English (Middle English) |
| Series |
Early English Text Society O.S. ; 355, 357
Early English Text Society (Series). Original series ; no. 355. ^A466690
|
| Contents |
Volume I. Temporale : Introduction ; Caxton's Golden legend -- Volume II. The Old Testament legends. |
| Summary |
This is volume I of the first scholarly edition of the "Golden Legend", the largest and most elaborate production of the first printer in English, William Caxton. It is an English translation of Jacobus de Voragine's "Legenda aurea" (ca. 1267), a collection of legends for the feasts of saints (the "Sanctorale"?) and other major days of the liturgical year (the "Temporale"). The "Legenda aurea" was one of the most popular and influential books in the later medieval Western world; it circulated widely, and was repeatedly translated into many vernacular languages. This volume reproduces Caxton's original text of the "Temporale" with modern punctuation and capitalization, notes on content, syntax and lexis, a detailed glossary, and an index of proper names. Caxton's complex combination of sources is given particular attention: the principal one was a little-known reworking of the French translation made by Jean de Vignay, but he also used the Latin original and a previous English translation, the "Gilte Legende", and made some personal additions. The Introduction considers the structure of the entire book that Caxton created, but focuses on the Temporale and the set of Old Testament legends that will follow in volume 2. It discusses their sources and language, highlighting the differences between the first two volumes and the notable number of new words and senses. It also gives a detailed bibliographic account of this printing in its historical context and descriptions of all surviving copies. |
| Summary |
This is volume II of the first scholarly edition of the Golden Legend, the largest and most elaborate production of the first printer in English, William Caxton. It is an English translation of Jacobus de Voragine's Legenda aurea (ca. 1267), a collection of legends for the feasts of saints (the Sanctorale) and other major days of the liturgical year (the Temporale). The Legenda aurea was one of the most popular and influential books in the later medieval Western world; it circulated widely, and was repeatedly translated into many vernacular languages. This second volume contains Caxton's most notable addition: a series of Old Testament legends, from Adam to Judith; it contains its own explanatory notes, glossary, and Index of Proper Names. It reproduces Caxton's original text with modern punctuation and capitalization, notes on content, syntax and lexis, a detailed glossary and an index of proper names. The notes provide detailed support for the view that Caxton's text is largely based on the work of an earlier unknown writer in English. They also demonstrate that writer's strikingly independent handling of a variety of sources, including the Latin Vulgate Bible, the Historia scholastica, the French Bible historiale, and the English Cursor mundi and the Wycliffite translation of the Bible. |
| Local note | FOR JOYNER LIBRARY HOLDINGS OF THE SERIES, EARLY ENGLISH TEXT SOCIETY (SERIES). ORIGINAL SERIES, SEARCH BY CALL NUMBER PR119 .A2. |
| Local note | FOR JOYNER LIBRARY HOLDINGS OF THE SERIES, EARLY ENGLISH TEXT SOCIETY (SERIES). ORIGINAL SERIES, SEARCH BY CALL NUMBER PR119 .A2. |
| General note | Translation of: Legenda aurea. |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references and indexes. |
| Language | Text in Middle English; introduction, commentary and bibliographical matter in modern English |
| Genre/form | History. |
| Contains title |
Container of (work): Temporale. |
| Contains title |
Container of (work): Old Testament legends. |
| LCCN | 2021425143 |
| ISBN | 9780198867968 (volume 1 ; cloth) |
| ISBN | 0198867964 (volume 1 ; cloth) |
| ISBN | 9780192847676 (volume 2 ; cloth) |
| ISBN | 0192847678 (volume 2 ; cloth) |
