Ruodlieb
Encyclopedia
Ruodlieb is a fragmentary romance
in Latin verse written by an unknown southern German
poet
who flourished about 1030. He was almost certainly a monk of the Bavaria
n abbey of Tegernsee
.
The poem is one of the earliest German romances of knightly adventure, and its vivid picture of feudal manners gives it a certain value as a historical document. The poet was probably an eyewitness of the episode (II.4231-5221) which represents the meeting of the Emperor Henry II (d. 1024) with Robert II of France
(d. 1031) on the banks of the Meuse River
in 1023. Ruodlieb was left unfinished, and furthermore the manuscript was cut up and used for binding books, so that the fragments were only gradually discovered (from 1807 onwards) and pieced together.
instead of current coin. He also receives a loaf, which contains coins but is accompanied by instructions not to cut it until the knight has returned home. The proverb
s, usually three in number, were increased in Ruodlieb to twelve, each of which was the starting-point of an episode by which the hero was made to appreciate its value.
When the knight has returned home and reunites with his mother, his next challenge in life is to seek a wife. However, he fails to find one until he encounters a dwarf, whom he traps. In return for his freedom, the dwarf reveals the whereabouts of a large treasure and utters the prophecy that the knight will marry Heriburg after he has slain her father and brother.
and others in the French romance of the Saint Graal, in the Gesta Romanorum
(the three proverbs bought by Domitian
) and the old French Dit des trois pommes.
Romance (genre)
As a literary genre of high culture, romance or chivalric romance is a style of heroic prose and verse narrative that was popular in the aristocratic circles of High Medieval and Early Modern Europe. They were fantastic stories about marvel-filled adventures, often of a knight errant portrayed as...
in Latin verse written by an unknown southern German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
who flourished about 1030. He was almost certainly a monk of the Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
n abbey of Tegernsee
Tegernsee
Tegernsee is a town in the Miesbach district of Bavaria, Germany. It is located on the shore of Tegernsee lake, at an elevation of 747 m above sea level....
.
The poem is one of the earliest German romances of knightly adventure, and its vivid picture of feudal manners gives it a certain value as a historical document. The poet was probably an eyewitness of the episode (II.4231-5221) which represents the meeting of the Emperor Henry II (d. 1024) with Robert II of France
Robert II of France
Robert II , called the Pious or the Wise , was King of France from 996 until his death. The second reigning member of the House of Capet, he was born in Orléans to Hugh Capet and Adelaide of Aquitaine....
(d. 1031) on the banks of the Meuse River
Meuse River
The Maas or Meuse is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea...
in 1023. Ruodlieb was left unfinished, and furthermore the manuscript was cut up and used for binding books, so that the fragments were only gradually discovered (from 1807 onwards) and pieced together.
Contents
The framework of the story is borrowed from a popular Märchen. The young knight lives in exile away from home and takes service at the court of a just king. He is paid in wise sawsSaw (saying)
A saw is an old saying or commonly repeated phrase or idea; a conventional wisdom. While "old saw" is a common cliché, some consider it a tautology....
instead of current coin. He also receives a loaf, which contains coins but is accompanied by instructions not to cut it until the knight has returned home. The proverb
Proverb
A proverb is a simple and concrete saying popularly known and repeated, which expresses a truth, based on common sense or the practical experience of humanity. They are often metaphorical. A proverb that describes a basic rule of conduct may also be known as a maxim...
s, usually three in number, were increased in Ruodlieb to twelve, each of which was the starting-point of an episode by which the hero was made to appreciate its value.
When the knight has returned home and reunites with his mother, his next challenge in life is to seek a wife. However, he fails to find one until he encounters a dwarf, whom he traps. In return for his freedom, the dwarf reveals the whereabouts of a large treasure and utters the prophecy that the knight will marry Heriburg after he has slain her father and brother.
See also
For examples of the three-proverb tale, see:- William Bottrell, Traditions and Hearthside Stories (Penzance, 2nd series, 1873)
- Cuthbert Bede, The White Wife... (London, 1868)
- K. V. Killinger, Erin (Stuttgart and Tübingen, 1849),
and others in the French romance of the Saint Graal, in the Gesta Romanorum
Gesta Romanorum
Gesta Romanorum, a Latin collection of anecdotes and tales, was probably compiled about the end of the 13th century or the beginning of the 14th...
(the three proverbs bought by Domitian
Domitian
Domitian was Roman Emperor from 81 to 96. Domitian was the third and last emperor of the Flavian dynasty.Domitian's youth and early career were largely spent in the shadow of his brother Titus, who gained military renown during the First Jewish-Roman War...
) and the old French Dit des trois pommes.
Editions and translations
- Seiler, Friedrich (ed.). Ruodlieb, der älteste Roman des Mittelalters nebst Epigrammen. Halle, 1882. Standard edition.
- Vollmann, B.K. (ed.). Faksimile-Ausgabe des Codex Latinus Monacensis 19486 der Bayerischen Staatsbibliothek München und der Fragmente von St. Florian. II. Wiesbaden, 1985. FacsimileFacsimileA facsimile is a copy or reproduction of an old book, manuscript, map, art print, or other item of historical value that is as true to the original source as possible. It differs from other forms of reproduction by attempting to replicate the source as accurately as possible in terms of scale,...
edition. - Grocock, C.W. (ed. and tr.). The Ruodlieb. Chicago: Warminster, 1985.
- Zeydel, Edwin H. (ed. and tr.). Ruodlieb. The Earliest Courtly Novel (after 1050). New York: AMS Press, 1969. [ = Haug/Vollmann, IX 2 ]
- Ford, Gordon B., Jr. (ed.). The "Ruodlieb." Linguistic Introduction, Latin Text, and Glossary. Leiden: Brill, 1966.
- Langosch, Karl (ed. and tr.). Waltharius, Ruodlieb, Märchenepen. Lateinische Epik des Mittelalters mit deutschen Versen. Darmstadt, 1960. pp. 86–215.
- Knapp, Fritz Peter (ed. and tr.). Ruodlieb. Mittellateinisch und Deutsch. Übertragung, Kommentar und Nachwort. Stuttgart: Reclam, 1977.
- Ford, Gordon B., Jr. (tr.). The Ruodlieb: The First Medieval Epic of Chivalry from Eleventh-Century Germany. Leiden: Brill, 1965.
- Kratz, Dennis M. (tr.). Waltharius and Ruodlieb. New York: Garland, 1984.
- Heyne, MoritzMoritz HeyneMoritz Heyne was a German Germanic linguist .He taught as a professor at the University of Halle , University of Basel , University of Göttingen ....
(tr.). Ruodlieb. Leipzig, 1897.
Further reading
- Koegel, Rudolf, Geschichte der deutschen Literatur bis zum Ausgang des Mittelalters. Strassburg, 1894-97. Vol. 2. pp. 342–412.
- Godman, Peter. The "Ruodlieb" and Verse Romance in the Latin Middle Ages." In Der antike Roman und seine mittelalterliche Rezeption, ed. by M. Picone and B. Zimmermann. Basel et al., 1997. 245-271.
External links
- Ruodlieb, full Latin text based on Vollmann's edition at Bibliotheca Augustana.