The Caedmon Fiction in the Heliand Preface
Theodore Andersson
The Heliand “Preface” comprises a “Praefatio” in prose and thirty-four hexameter “Versus.” According to the Saxon poet was commissioned by Louis Pious execute metrical paraphrase of Bible. To this account “Versus” add fiction, borrowed from Bede's Caedmon story, that inspired dream carry out undertaking. “Praefatio et Versus” appear for first time printed book 1562 were once thought be humanist counterfeit, but they are now generally considered medieval origin. seems justify our confidence, fifteen lines make composition suspect; belong tradition country idyll, genre unknown ninth century, well documented sixteenth. sentiments wording particularly close Angelo Poliziano's popular poem “Rusticus” (1483). It therefore likely added an antiquarian familiar with Bede sometime middle sixteenth century.
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