The Manuscript Evidence for the &lt;i&gt;De octo quaestionibus&lt;/i&gt; Ascribed to Bede
Eric Knibbs
THE MANUSCRIPT EVIDENCE FOR DE OCTO QUAESTIONIBUS ASCRIRED TO REDE By ERIC KNIBBS For nearly a century, scholars have ascribed short treatise known as the De octo quaestionibus to Venerable Bede. In this work they found unusual and important information about Bede Anglo-Saxon England. It may preserve an exegetical teaching of Theodore Canterbury, seventh -century archbishop who figures so largely in Bede's Historia Ecclesiastica . includes description illustration early manuscript Paul's epistles. Yet another passage has interested historians liturgy. All is addition that considered provide thought methods. As discovered digested material, become growing importance for study Bede.1 The series eight "quaestiones ," which together amount 3500 words. Each these short, self-contained discussion some scriptural passage. Four address epistles, while rest concern passages from Matthew, Psalms, 2 Kings. 1563, Johann Herwagen printed texts with seven "questions" everyone agrees did not write.2 1 full survey scholarship surrounding quaestionibus, see Michael Gorman , "Bede's VIlI Quaestiones Carolingian Biblical Scholarship," Revue Bénédictine 109 (1999): 32-74 (in particular 54-59). On reference Lapidge Bernhard Bischoff, eds., Commentaries Canterbury School Hadrian (Cambridge, 1994), 41-42 160 n. 116. illumination, Dorothy Whitelock, After Bede, .!arrow Lecture (Newcastle Jarrow, 1960), 5-6; George Henderson, Visual Arts, Jarrow (Jarrow, 1980), 7. liturgical Hieronymus Frank, "Die Bezeugung eines Karsamstagsresponsoriums durch Beda Venerabilis." Archiv für Liturgiewissenschaft 16 (1974): 150-53. method, C. W. Jones, "Some Introductory Remarks on Commentary Genesis," Sacris Erudiri 19 (1969-70): 147-51. am indebted Robert G. Babeock, Walter A. Goffart, Anders Winroth, anonymous reviewer, all whom responded drafts paper generous advice criticism. I also grateful stipend Landesstiftung Baden-Württemberg, supported me at Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg during latter phases project. Herwagen, Opera Bedae Venerabilis (Basel, 1563). Aliquot quaestionum liber reprinted PL 93:455-78. last questions their source(s), below. 130TRADITIO He called liber, he attributed it authenticity collection was attacked by Casimir Oudin his eighteenth-century Commentarius de scriploribus,3 Giles excluded 1843-44 edition omnia.4 attracted no further attention until 1919, when Paul Lehmann argued Herwagen's were authentic.3 showed several ninth-century authors, such Hrabanus Maurus Claudius Turin, used few works, least them Bede's. there formal thematic similarities between genuine Bedan highlighted suggest insular author. 1933 Bischoff source inauthentic questions.6 Heinrich Weisweiler identified sources published fuller had found.7 1943, M. L. Laistner H. King list nine manuscripts or contain quaestionibus* Subsequently mention studies writing, authorship now widely accepted. 1999, extensive...
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