Sequence of Saint Eulalia
Encyclopedia
The Sequence of Saint Eulalia (also known as the Canticle of Saint Eulalia or the Séquence or Cantilène de sainte Eulalie) is the earliest surviving piece of French
hagiography
and one of the earliest extant vernacular writings, dating from around 880. A Latin version also exists from the same time.
Saint Eulalia of Mérida
was an early Christian martyr from Mérida
, Spain
, who was killed during Diocletian
's repressions around 304. Her legend is preserved in the 29 lines of the Sequence, in which she resists pagan threats, bribery and torture from the pagan emperor Maximian
. Finally she is burned at the stake, but miraculously survives, but is then decapitated (in the French version). She then ascends to heaven in the form of a dove
.
It was composed in verse around 880 in honor of the supposed rediscovery of her bones in Barcelona
in 878. These are the bones of Saint Eulalia of Barcelona, purportedly a different saint from Eulalia of Mérida.
Provided here is the original text and a word-by-word transposition into a highly artificial form of late Vernacular Latin, preserving the exact syntax, phonology, and word choice of the original (its purpose here is chiefly philological, and it does not constitute legitimate Latin).
: it is in Picard or in Walloon region that the French Literature began with the Sequence of Saint Eulalia
The second existing text in Old French (with Picard and Walloon features) is a rendering of a short sequence by Prudentius on the life of St. Eulalia, precisely dated (ad 880–882)
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
hagiography
Hagiography
Hagiography is the study of saints.From the Greek and , it refers literally to writings on the subject of such holy people, and specifically to the biographies of saints and ecclesiastical leaders. The term hagiology, the study of hagiography, is also current in English, though less common...
and one of the earliest extant vernacular writings, dating from around 880. A Latin version also exists from the same time.
Saint Eulalia of Mérida
Eulalia of Mérida, according to her hagiography, was a Roman Christian teen martyred in Emerita, the capital of Lusitania during the persecution of Christians in the reign of emperor Diocletian and his co-emperor Maximian. Others place her death at the time of Trajan Decius...
was an early Christian martyr from Mérida
Mérida, Spain
Mérida is the capital of the autonomous community of Extremadura, western central Spain. It has a population of 57,127 . The Archaeological Ensemble of Mérida is a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1993.- Climate :...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, who was killed during Diocletian
Diocletian
Diocletian |latinized]] upon his accession to Diocletian . c. 22 December 244 – 3 December 311), was a Roman Emperor from 284 to 305....
's repressions around 304. Her legend is preserved in the 29 lines of the Sequence, in which she resists pagan threats, bribery and torture from the pagan emperor Maximian
Maximian
Maximian was Roman Emperor from 286 to 305. He was Caesar from 285 to 286, then Augustus from 286 to 305. He shared the latter title with his co-emperor and superior, Diocletian, whose political brain complemented Maximian's military brawn. Maximian established his residence at Trier but spent...
. Finally she is burned at the stake, but miraculously survives, but is then decapitated (in the French version). She then ascends to heaven in the form of a dove
Dove
Pigeons and doves constitute the bird family Columbidae within the order Columbiformes, which include some 300 species of near passerines. In general terms "dove" and "pigeon" are used somewhat interchangeably...
.
It was composed in verse around 880 in honor of the supposed rediscovery of her bones in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
in 878. These are the bones of Saint Eulalia of Barcelona, purportedly a different saint from Eulalia of Mérida.
Provided here is the original text and a word-by-word transposition into a highly artificial form of late Vernacular Latin, preserving the exact syntax, phonology, and word choice of the original (its purpose here is chiefly philological, and it does not constitute legitimate Latin).
| Old Walloon (c. AD 880) | Verbatim "Latin" |
|---|---|
"Buona pulcella fut Eulalia: bel avret corps, bellezour anima. Voldrent la veintre li Deo inimi, voldrent la faire diaule servir. Elle no'nt eskoltet les mals conseillers qu'elle Deo raneiet chi maent sus en ciel. Ne por or ne argent ne paramenz, por manatce regiel ne preiement, niule cose non la pouret omque pleier la polle sempre non amast lo Deo menestier. E por o fut presentede Maximiien, chi rex eret a cels dis soure paiens. Il li enortet -dont lei nonque chielt- qued elle fuiet lo nom christiien, ell' ent aduret lo suon element. Melz sostendreiet les empedementz qu'elle perdesse sa virginitet. Por o's furet morte a grand honestet. Enz enl fou la getterent com arde tost: elle colpes non auret, por o no's coist. A czo no's voldret concreidre li rex pagiens: ad une spede li roueret tolir lo chief. La domnizelle celle kose non contredist; volt lo seule lazsier si ruouet Krist. In figure de colomb volat a ciel. Tuit oram que por nos degnet preier qued auuisset de nos Christus mercit post la mort et a lui nos laist venir par souue clementia." |
Bona puellicella fuit Eulalia: bellum abuerat corpus, bellatiorem animam. Voluerunt illam vincire illi Dei inimici, voluerunt illam facere diabolo servire. Illa no'nde auscultat illos malos consiliarios quod illa Deum reneget qui manet sursum in caelo. Nec pro auro nec argento nec paramentis, [nec] pro minacibus regalibus nec precamento, nulla causa non illam potuerat umquam plicare illa puella [ut] semper non amasset illud Dei ministerium. Et pro oc fuit presentata Maximiano, qui rex erat ad ecc'illos dies super pagenses. Ille illi inortat -d'unde illi nunquam calet- quod illa fugeret illud nomen christianum, ill'inde adoret illud suum elementum. Melius sustent[a]ret illa impedimenta qu'illa perdisset suam virginitatem. Pro hoc fuerat mortua ad grandem honestatem. Intus in illum focum jactarunt quomodo ardeat totcito: illa culpas non abuerat, pro oc non coxit. Ad ecc'oc no'se voluerat concredere ille rex pagensis: ab una spatha ille rogaverat tolli illud caput. Illa domnicella ecc'ille cause non contradixit; vult illud seclum laxare sic rogaverat Christum. In figura de columba volat ad caelum. Toti oremus quod pro nobis dignet precari quod abuisset de nobis Christus mercedem post illam mortem et ad illum nos laxet venire per suam clementiam." |
Location
According Maurice Delbouille this is the first literary text, possibly written in a Walloon region, or at least in a French region adjacent to the present-day Wallonia. For Maurice Delbouille there are some traits of Walloon, Champennois, and Picard in the Sequence, i.e. three linguistic regions of present-day Wallonia who had in this period a common scripta And that is the reason why this text may be located in Wallonia. It is also the opinion of D'Arco Silvio Avalle or of Leopold GenicotLeopold Genicot
- A Renowned Historian :Léopold Genicot was born in Forville in 1914. After earning his BA in political economics, he worked as an archivist for 9 years in the Namur branch of the Royal Archives from 1935 to 1944. During that time he obtained a PhD in history in 1937...
: it is in Picard or in Walloon region that the French Literature began with the Sequence of Saint Eulalia
The second existing text in Old French (with Picard and Walloon features) is a rendering of a short sequence by Prudentius on the life of St. Eulalia, precisely dated (ad 880–882)
Further reading
- F.J. Barnett, "Some Notes to the Sequence of St. Eulalia", in Studies in Medieval French, 1961.
- Jeanette M. A. Beer (1989). "Eulalie, La Séquence de Ste.". Dictionary of the Middle AgesDictionary of the Middle AgesThe Dictionary of the Middle Ages is a 13-volume encyclopedia of the Middle Ages published by the American Council of Learned Societies between 1982 and 1989. It was first conceived and started in 1975 with American medieval historian Joseph Strayer of Princeton University as editor-in-chief...
. Vol-4. ISBN 0-684-17024-8
External links
- Image of the Sequence (Réf. Bibliothèque municipale de Valenciennes 150 (olim 143) fol.141v)
