On the date, provenance and relationship of the ‘Solomon and Saturn’ dialogues
Patrick O’Neill
Although recently the object of renewed scholarly interest, ‘Solomon and Saturn’ dialogues remain among most enigmatic Old English works. To some extent problem resides in their strange subject-matter hyperbolic style, exemplified by grotesque personifications letters Pater noster , endless enumerations its extraordinary attributes, esoteric, Middle-Eastern background attributed to speakers Solomon Saturn. But hardly less daunting are textual difficulties posed primary surviving manuscript, manner which modern editors have handled them. Cambridge, Corpus Christi College 422 is composite, first two quires (pp. 1–26), dating from mid-tenth century, contain English. Within these sequence texts as follows: a poetic dialogue 169 lines on 1–6); followed without break prose same subject, ending abruptly at end p. 12 (coinciding with loss leaf); another 335 various aspects time, nature, good evil, also abruptly, 26. Yet editions Menner Dobbie arrangement altogether different: section removed labelled separate work; verse divided into discrete poems. The effect, almost inevitably, has been create perception three independent, even unrelated,
Anglo-Saxon England