Overview

The 'De venenis' attributed to 'Malachias Hibernicus' is a portable discussion of vices and virtues. Probably composed about 1280, originally as an aid for Franciscan preachers, it adopts the innovative metaphor that sin is a poison removed by various 'treacles'. Its argumentative mode is to adduce scientific data about venomous beasts, the sins, and the antidotes to their poisons, the 'remedial' virtues. From these 'facts' of natural history, Malachy constructs homiletic similitudines (analogical figures). These, typically of a sort designed for use in sermones ad status, he applies to vicious and virtuous activities, and perhaps particularly ones peculiar to Ireland. Although Malachy the Irishman and his On Poison have received only a handful of scholarly notices in the last century, in the later Middle Ages, his was a widely known book. A lengthy introduction presents evidence for the wide circulation of Malachy's text and the little that is known of the author. It further addresses literary issues: the work's genre, hovering between a treatise on vices and virtues, a compendium of scientific information, and a handbook for preachers; Malachy's efforts at compilation of authoritative materials; and a preliminary account of some early users, including William Langland and Robert Holcot. The introduction concludes by examining the insuperable difficulties involved in editing the text. The centre of the volume presents an annotated preliminary text and translation, together with some account of early interpolations the text received. The volume concludes with three indexes, one with all biblical citations, one of all Malachy's other citations, and a third of Malachy's similitudines, his moralised scientific information.

Full Product Details

9781802078930

Table of Contents

Reviews

‘Perhaps the greatest gift a longtime editor and skilled Latinist can leave for less experienced successors is a reliable edition and accurate translation of an influential text that they may not have encountered and cannot read as fluently. Hanna has given his colleagues exactly that.’ Edwin D. Craun, The Medieval Review ‘Hanna’s book is the first edition of De veneno since 1518, and his excellent translation on facing pages makes the text easily accessible beyond a scholarly audience… This book belongs on the shelf of every medievalist and may also be of interest to many a lay person.’ Rüdiger Spahl, Archiv für das Studium der neueren Sprachen und Literaturen

‘Perhaps the greatest gift a longtime editor and skilled Latinist can leave for less experienced successors is a reliable edition and accurate translation of an influential text that they may not have encountered and cannot read as fluently. Hanna has given his colleagues exactly that.’ Edwin D. Craun, The Medieval Review ‘Hanna’s book is the first edition of De veneno since 1518, and his excellent translation on facing pages makes the text easily accessible beyond a scholarly audience… This book belongs on the shelf of every medievalist and may also be of interest to many a lay person.’ Rüdiger Spahl, Archiv für das Studium der neueren Sprachen und Literaturen 'This very scholarly edition will be of great use to pastoral historians.' Translated from French: 'Cette édition fort savante sera d’une grande utilité aux historiens de la pastorale.' Franck Collard, Cahiers de civilisation médiévale

Author Information

Ralph Hanna is Professor of Palaeography (Emeritus) and Emeritus Fellow at Keble College, Oxford. He is a former Guggenheim Fellow, former Fellow of the Radcliffe Institute (Harvard University), and winner of the British Academy Sir Israel Gollancz Prize for English Language 2015. His many books with Liverpool University Press include Robert Holcot, exegete (2021), Malachy the Irishman, On Poison (2020), Richard Rolle: Unprinted Latin Writings (2019) and Editing Medieval Texts (2015).

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available