Jerome, Alcuin and Vergil's ‘Old entellus’
Mary Alberi
In 798, Alcuin quarreled with Charlemagne's court scholars over the calculation of lunar saltus. Epistola 145, an important source for this argument, called his rivals ‘Egyptian boys’, because they wanted to follow Alexandrian custom, which began Easter cycle on 1 September instead Roman January. expressed anger ‘boys’ their violation custom by quoting aptly from Jerome's letters. warning Augustine in 102.2, remember Vergil's Dares and Entellus, suggested that scholarly debate should become a boxing match. Accordingly, became ‘old Entellus’, whom young had hit unfairly criticism. jabbed at weak logic ‘Egyptians’ satirized ignorance. Besides revealing Alcuin's literary techniques, 145 is illuminating tensions relationship Charlemagne.
Journal of Medieval History