Lives of the brethren
Encyclopedia
The Lives of the Brethren is an early account of the first members of the Order of Preachers, also known as the Dominicans. is potentially confusing as there are several works which are often abbreviated to that name. The book that records the early history of the Dominican order is the Vitae Fratrum Ordinis Praedicatorum. This is to be distinguished from other works such as the Vitae fratrum eremitarum Ordinis Sancti Pauli Primi Eremitae, which is a fifteenth century account of the Pauline Hermits in Hungary.
The book was written as a result of a request from the General Chapter in 1256 which was anxious to collect eye witness accounts of the doings and sayings of the early friars before the first generation of the order died. The text of the Vitae Fratrum is based largely on the submissions made by friars as well as separate writings from Bartholomew of Trent
and Jordan of Saxony, covering in all the period from about 1206 to 1260.
The Latin text was edited and published as Vitae fratrum ordinis praedicatorum, ed. B. M. Reichert, MOPH., Louvain 1896. Placid Conway, O.P. translated a version from later manuscripts than were used for the critical edition, which was published as Lives of the Brethren of the Order of Preachers 1206-1259, translated by Placid Conway OP and edited with notes and introduction by Bede Jarrett, Blackfriars publications, London, 1955. Recently, Joseph Kenny, O.P. has translated the work directly from the critical edition.
History of the text
The Lives of the Brethren was written between about 1255 to 1260 by Gerard de Frachet. Gerard (also known as Gerald) was born in Chalons (Haute Vienne) in Aquitaine, joined the Order of Preachers (Dominicans) in around 1225, and died at Limoges sometime between 1271 and 1281The book was written as a result of a request from the General Chapter in 1256 which was anxious to collect eye witness accounts of the doings and sayings of the early friars before the first generation of the order died. The text of the Vitae Fratrum is based largely on the submissions made by friars as well as separate writings from Bartholomew of Trent
Bartholomew of Trent
Bartholomew of Trent was a Dominican hagiographer and papal diplomat. His Epilogum in gesta sanctorum which set a new style in hagiography designed for practical use by preachers, specifically to inspire a lay audience with marvels and moral admonitions, was one of two main sources for Jacobus de...
and Jordan of Saxony, covering in all the period from about 1206 to 1260.
The Latin text was edited and published as Vitae fratrum ordinis praedicatorum, ed. B. M. Reichert, MOPH., Louvain 1896. Placid Conway, O.P. translated a version from later manuscripts than were used for the critical edition, which was published as Lives of the Brethren of the Order of Preachers 1206-1259, translated by Placid Conway OP and edited with notes and introduction by Bede Jarrett, Blackfriars publications, London, 1955. Recently, Joseph Kenny, O.P. has translated the work directly from the critical edition.