Site logo

The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity


from its origins to circa AD 700, across the entire Christian world


Aldhelm's verse On Virginity lists a range of saints as exemplary virgins, with some variations to the list found in the earlier prose version of the same treatise. Written in Latin in southern Britain, for the nuns at the monastery at Barking (south-east Britain), c. 675/710. Overview entry

Evidence ID

E06659

Type of Evidence

Literary - Poems

Major author/Major anonymous work

Aldhelm

Aldhelm's verse On Virginity lists the following saints as exemplary virgins:

*Elijah (Old Testament prophet, S00217) - lines 248-82.
*Elisha (Old Testament prophet, S00239) - lines 283-97.
*Jeremiah (Old Testament prophet, S01421) - lines 298-322.
*Daniel (Old Testament prophet, S00727) - lines 323-66.
*Three Hebrew youths of the Old Testament Book of Daniel (S01198) - lines 367-90.
*John the Baptist (S00020) - lines 395-459.
*John (the Apostle and Evangelist, S00042) - lines 460-78.
*Paul (the Apostle, S00008) - lines 479-502.
*Luke (the Evangelist, S00442) - lines 503-23.
*Clement (bishop of Rome, martyr of the Crimea, S00111) - lines 524-38.
*Silvester (bishop of Rome, ob. 336, S00397) - lines 539-650.
*Ambrose (bishop of Milan, ob. 397, S00490) - lines 651-676.
*Martin (ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050) - lines 677-709.
*Gregory (bishop of Nazianzos, ob. 390, S00837) - lines 710-29.
*Basil (bishop of Caesarea, ob. 379, S00837) - lines 730-750.
*Anthony ('the Great', monk of Egypt, ob. 356, S00098) - lines 751-773.
*Paul (the first anchorite, S00089) - lines 774-96.
*Hilarion (anchorite in Palestine and Cyprus, ob. 371, S00099) - lines 797-826.
*John/Iohannes (of Lycopolis, monk of Egypt, ob. 395, S00102) - lines 827-41.
*Benedict (of Nursia, monastic founder, ob. 547, S01727) - lines 842-80.
*Gervasius and Protasius (brothers and martyrs of Milan, S00313) - lines 881-94.
*Narkissos (bishop of Jerusalem, S00148) - lines 895-970.
*Athanasius (bishop of Alexandria, ob. 373, S00294) - lines 971-1033.
*Babylas (bishop and martyr of Antioch, S00061) - lines 1034-70.
*Cosmas/Kosmas and Damianos (physician martyrs of Syria, S00385) - lines 1071-1122.
*Chrysanthus (martyr of Rome with his chaste wife Daria, S00306) - lines 1123-1250.
*Iulianus/Ioulianos (martyr of Antinoopolis with his wife Basilissa, S01341) - lines 1251-1449.
*Amos/Amun (ascetic and monk of Nitria, S00419) - lines 1450-1503.
*Apollonius (ascetic and monastic leader in Egypt, 4th c., S02466) - lines 1504-1618.
*Jerome (Church Father, ob. 420, S00267) - lines 1619-52.

*Mary (Mother of Christ, S00033) - lines 1673-1709.
*Caecilia (virgin and martyr of Rome, S00146) - lines 1710-35.
*Agatha (virgin and martyr of Catania, S00794) - lines 1736-78.
*Lucia (virgin and martyr of Syracuse, S00846) - lines 1789-41.
*Iustina/Justina (virgin and martyr of Antioch, S01704) - lines 1842-82.
*Eugenia (virgin and martyr of Rome, S00401) - lines 1843-1924.
*Agnes (virgin and martyr of Rome, S00097) - lines 1924-74.
*Thekla (follower of the Apostle Paul, S00092) - lines 1975-2008.
*Eulalia (virgin and martyr of Mérida, S00407; or perhaps of Barcelona, S02047) - lines 2009-2023.
*Scholastica (nun of central Italy, ob. c. 543, S01728) - lines 2024-50.
*Constantina (virgin daughter of Emperor Constantine, ob. 354, S02468) - lines 2051-2120.
*Eustochium (virgin daughter of Paula, follower of Jerome, ob. c. 420, S02487) - lines 2021-2161.
*Demetrias (virgin and aristocrat of Rome, 5th c., S02488) - lines 2162-93.
*Chione, Eirene and Agape (martyrs of Thessalonike, S00206) - lines 2194-2278.
*Rufina and Secunda (virgins and martyrs of Silva Candida, near Rome, S00814) - lines 2279-2349.
*Victoria and Anatolia (virgins and martyrs of Picenum (central Italy), S01406) - lines 2350-2445.


Among these saints, the following appear only in this verse version of On Virginity:
*Gervasius and Protasius (martyrs of Milan, S00313)
*Jerome (Church Father, ob. 420, S00267)


The following saints from the prose On Virginity are not included in this verse version:
*Thomas (the Apostle, S00199)
*Felix (bishop and martyr of Thibiuca, S02084)
*Malchus (monk of Maronia (Syria), ob. c. 380, S00463)
*Christina (martyr of Tyre and Bolsena (central Italy), S00907)
*Dorothea (virgin and martyr of Caesarea, S01898)
*Joseph (patriarch, S00277)
*David (king of Israel, S00269)
*Samson (judge of the Israelites, S02496)
*Abel (second son of Adam, S02497)
*Melchizedek (king and priest of Salem, S01783)
*Judith (S02498)


Text: Ehwald, 1919, 226-323 (prose), 350-471 (verse).

Non Liturgical Activity

Composing and translating saint-related texts
Transmission, copying and reading saint-related texts
Transmission, copying and reading saint-related texts

Protagonists in Cult and Narratives

Ecclesiastics - monks/nuns/hermits
Women
Pagans
Monarchs and their family
Aristocrats
Torturers/Executioners

Source

Aldhelm's verse On Virginity (De Virginitate) survives through twenty manuscripts, and forms the second part of his 'twinned work' (opus geminatum), following an earlier prose version (see E06516 onwards). For a full discussion of the work and its author, see the individual entries for the prose On Virginity.

The 2904 line poem offers more than a straightforward verse rendering of its prose counterpart. It differs substantially in the content of its opening and closing exhortations (not considered here), and presents 'strikingly different... figural' rather than 'literal' descriptions of the exemplary virginal saints who make up its core section (lines 248-2445): the two parts thus form a 'dipytch' rather than a 'simple versification' (Lapidge and Herren, 1979, 13-14). Nevertheless, the saints chosen, and the order in which they are presented, are largely unchanged from the prose.

Lapidge (2007, 67-9) has declared the verse On Virginity to be effectively undatable, beyond the fact that it must have followed its prose counterpart (Aldhelm stated his intention to put the work to verse at the end of the prose text, but we have no clear idea of how long it then took him). Its terminus ante quem is Aldhelm's death in 709/10; the earliest manuscript is 8th century.


Discussion

Aldhelm's treatment here of Jerome and the martyrs Gervasius and Protasius has no equivalent in the prose On Virginity. His source for the latter appears to have been the pseudo-Ambrosian Martyrdom and Invention of Gervasius and Protasius (E02498) (Lapidge and Rosier, 1985, 258).


Bibliography

Edition:

Ehwald, R., Aldhelmi opera (Monumenta Germaniae Historica, Auctores Antiquissimi 15; Berlin, 1919).

Translation:

Lapidge, M., and Rosier, J.L., Aldhelm, The Poetic Works (Cambridge, 1985).

Further reading:

Lapidge, M., and Herren, M. Aldhelm, The Prose Works (Cambridge, 1979).

Lapidge, M., "The Career of Aldhelm," Anglo-Saxon England 36 (2007), 15-69.


Record Created By

Benjamin Savill

Date of Entry

13/10/2018

Related Saint Records
IDNameName in SourceIdentity
S00008Paul, the ApostleSaulus, PaulusCertain
S00020John the BaptistIohannesCertain
S00033Mary, Mother of ChristMariaCertain
S00042John, the Apostle and EvangelistIohannesCertain
S00050Martin, ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397MartinusCertain
S00061Babylas, bishop and martyr of Antioch, and companionsBabilasCertain
S00089Paul, the First AnchoritePaulusCertain
S00092Thekla, follower of the Apostle PaulTeclaCertain
S00097Agnes, virgin and martyr of RomeAgnaCertain
S00098Antony, 'the Great', monk of Egypt, ob. 356AntoninusCertain
S00099Hilarion, anchorite in Palestine and Cyprus, ob. 371HilarionCertain
S00102Ioannes/John of Lycopolis, ascetic of Egypt, ob. c. 395IohannesCertain
S00111Clemens/Clement, bishop of Rome, martyr of the CrimeaClemensCertain
S00146Caecilia, virgin and martyr of RomeCaeciliaCertain
S00148Narkissos, bishop of Jerusalem NarcissusCertain
S00206Agape, Chione and Eirene, martyrs of Thessaloniketres sororesCertain
S00217Elijah/Elias, Old Testament prophetHeliasCertain
S00239Elisha, Old Testament prophetHeliseusCertain
S00267Jerome, Church Father, ob. c. 420sacerdosCertain
S00294Athanasios, bishop of Alexandria, ob. 373AthanasiusCertain
S00306Chrysanthus and Daria, chaste couple and martyrs of Rome, and companion martyrsChristantusCertain
S00313Gervasius and Protasius, brothers and martyrs of MilanGervasius nec non ProtasiusCertain
S00385Kosmas and Damianos, brothers, physician martyrs of SyriaCosmas, DamianusCertain
S00397Silvester, bishop of Rome, ob. 336SilvesterCertain
S00401Eugenia, virgin and martyr of Rome, buried on the via Latina, and companionsEugeniaCertain
S00407Eulalia, virgin and martyr of MéridaEulaliaUncertain
S00419Amun, ascetic and monk of NitriaAmosCertain
S00442Luke, the EvangelistLucasCertain
S00490Ambrose, bishop of Milan, ob. 397AmbrosiusCertain
S00727Daniel, Old Testament prophetDanihelCertain
S00780Basil, bishop of Caesarea, ob. 379BasiliusCertain
S00794Agatha, virgin and martyr of CataniaAgathaCertain
S00814Rufina and Secunda, virgins and martyrs of Silva Candida, near RomeRufina, SecundaCertain
S00837Gregory 'the Theologian', bishop of Nazianzos, ob. 390GregoriusCertain
S00846Lucia, virgin and martyr of SyracuseLuciaCertain
S01198Three Hebrew Youths of the Old Testament Book of Danieltres pueriCertain
S01341Ioulianos and Basilissa, martyrs of AntinoopolisIulianusCertain
S01406Victoria, Anatolia and Audax, martyrs of Picenum in central ItalyVictoria, AnatoliaCertain
S01421Jeremiah, Old Testament prophetHieremiasCertain
S01704Kyprianos and Ioustina/Iustina, martyrs of AntiochIustinaCertain
S01727Benedict of Nursia, monastic founder, ob. 547BenedictusCertain
S01728Scholastica, nun of central Italy, ob. c. 543ScolasticaCertain
S02047Eulalia, virgin and martyr of BarcelonaEulaliaUncertain
S02466Apollonius, ascetic and monastic leader in Egypt, 4th c.ApolloniusCertain
S02468Constantia/Constantina, virgin daughter of Emperor Constantine, ob. 354ConstantinaCertain
S02487Eustochium, virgin daughter of Paula, follower of Jerome, ob. c. 420EustochiusCertain
S02488Demetrias, virgin and aristocrat of Rome, 5th c.DemetriasCertain


Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Benjamin Savill, Cult of Saints, E06659 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E06659