Law, Rulership, and Rhetoric: Selected Essays of Robert L. Benson ed. by Loren J. Weber
Josh Timmermann
Reviewed by: Law, Rulership, and Rhetoric: Selected Essays of Robert L. Benson ed. by Loren J. Weber Josh Timmermann Benson, in collaboration with Giles Constable Richard H. Rouse ( Notre Dame: University Dame Press 2014) 382 pp. In an interview published this journal, Patrick Geary summed up the career late as follows: “[He] was a brilliant scholar but almost nothing. He had difficulty getting things out—a perfectionist who worked reworked didn’t finish publish—but every presentation he gave jewel, polished, brilliant, beautifully delivered, insightful; very little it ever entered print world” (Courtney M. Booker, “Interview Geary,” Comitatus 29 [1998] 3–4). Arriving nearly two decades after Benson’s passing 1996, Rhetoric both confirms Geary’s high estimation (unpublished) papers serves welcome corrective to heretofore limited accessibility these “jewels.” The editors volume, Weber, Constable, Rouse, acknowledge from outset that included essays vary quite significantly terms their apparent completedness, they note some cases difficult piece together drafts relatively skeletal notes—not least because rough translations computer files DOS Macintosh resulted “disastrous consequences for content formatting” real possibility “some or even many [Benson’s] works were lost completely process translation” (xi–xii). combined efforts resulting collection discernibly labors love all involved, tribute multi-faceted historian whose work too infrequently made print. As its title suggests, compiled cover topics most interested best-known his classic 1968 monograph Bishop-Elect: A Study Medieval Ecclesiastical Office. dedicated book teacher, German medievalist Ernst Kantorowicz (who died five years prior publication), influence specifically, meticulous scholars Monumenta Germaniae Historica (where young American Munich on Fulbright scholarship, mid-1950s) generally, are across new volume. Horst Fuhrmann notes preface “special connection historical scholarship” (vii), while described “one person America really connected tradition canon law imperial history within (4). This sense “connection” is explicit paper titled “Norman Cantor ‘Nazi Twins’: Inventing Middle Ages.” is, at once, polemic directed against Cantor’s controversial characterization mentor (“a massive libel…one does such no all,” fumes 332) affectionate portrait knew well admired greatly. recounts memories inspired, yet (contrary over-heated, queasily homophobic description) “matter-of-fact businesslike,” seminars held Berkeley home, firmly refutes indictment ideologically sympathetic Nazism. essay frank insistently fair-minded; limits remarks mainly Kantorowicz, noting other purported “Nazi twin,” Percy [End Page 258] Schramm, “he seemed perfect example Großordinarius, famous professor old stamp, lordly presence inclination waste time talking mere students” (333), figure contrasts teacher Kantorowicz. another paper, “The ‘Mythic’ Studies Frederick II Hohenstaufen,” reflects historiography much-studied emperor, concluding “the twentieth century now has only seven run, short unlikely anyone will successfully challenge position won [Kantorowicz’s] [Kaiser Friedrich der Zweite] (347).” More Kantorowicz’s idées fixes...
Comitatus-a Journal of Medieval and Renaissance Studies