Walter of Chatillon
Encyclopedia
Walter of Châtillon was a 12th-century French
writer and theologian
who wrote in the Latin language
. He studied under Stephen of Beauvais and at the University of Paris
. It was probably during his student years that he wrote a number of Latin poems in the Goliard
ic manner that found their way into the Carmina Burana
collection. During his lifetime, however, he was more esteemed for a long Latin epic
on the life of Alexander the Great, the Alexandreis
, sive Gesta Alexandri Magni, a hexameter
epic, full of anachronism
s; he depicts the Crucifixion
of Jesus
as having already taken place during the days of Alexander the Great. The Alexandreis was popular and influential in Walter's own times. Matthew of Vendôme
and Alan of Lille borrowed from it and Henry of Settimello
imitated it, but it is now seldom read. One line, referring to Virgil
's Aeneis, is sometimes quoted:
Many poems in his style, or borrowing his themes, have been attributed to Walter on insufficient evidence. For example, he was not the author of the satirical Apocalypse of Golias
once attributed to him. In addition to his poems, Walter wrote a dialogue attacking Judaism
and a treatise on the Trinity
, and he was possibly the author of Moralium dogma philosophorum
. He died of bubonic plague
early in the 13th century.
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...
writer and theologian
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
who wrote in the Latin language
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
. He studied under Stephen of Beauvais and at the University of Paris
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
. It was probably during his student years that he wrote a number of Latin poems in the Goliard
Goliard
The Goliards were a group of clergy who wrote bibulous, satirical Latin poetry in the 12th and 13th centuries. They were mainly clerical students at the universities of France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and England who protested the growing contradictions within the Church, such as the failure of the...
ic manner that found their way into the Carmina Burana
Carmina Burana
Carmina Burana , Latin for "Songs from Beuern" , is the name given to a manuscript of 254 poems and dramatic texts mostly from the 11th or 12th century, although some are from the 13th century. The pieces were written principally in Medieval Latin; a few in Middle High German, and some with traces...
collection. During his lifetime, however, he was more esteemed for a long Latin epic
Epic poetry
An epic is a lengthy narrative poem, ordinarily concerning a serious subject containing details of heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation. Oral poetry may qualify as an epic, and Albert Lord and Milman Parry have argued that classical epics were fundamentally an oral poetic form...
on the life of Alexander the Great, the Alexandreis
Alexandreis
Alexandreis is a medieval Latin epic poem by Walter of Châtillon, a 12th-century French writer and theologian. A version of the Alexander romance, it gives an account of the life of Alexander the Great, based on Quintus Curtius Rufus' Historia Alexandri Magni...
, sive Gesta Alexandri Magni, a hexameter
Hexameter
Hexameter is a metrical line of verse consisting of six feet. It was the standard epic metre in classical Greek and Latin literature, such as in the Iliad and Aeneid. Its use in other genres of composition include Horace's satires, and Ovid's Metamorphoses. According to Greek mythology, hexameter...
epic, full of anachronism
Anachronism
An anachronism—from the Greek ανά and χρόνος — is an inconsistency in some chronological arrangement, especially a chronological misplacing of persons, events, objects, or customs in regard to each other...
s; he depicts the Crucifixion
Crucifixion
Crucifixion is an ancient method of painful execution in which the condemned person is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross and left to hang until dead...
of Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
as having already taken place during the days of Alexander the Great. The Alexandreis was popular and influential in Walter's own times. Matthew of Vendôme
Matthew of Vendôme
Matthew of Vendôme was a French poet of the twelfth century, writing in Latin. He was a pupil of Bernard Silvestris, at Tours, as he himself writes. He is known for his Ars Versificatoria, a theoretical work on versification.According to E. R. Curtius,.....
and Alan of Lille borrowed from it and Henry of Settimello
Henry of Settimello
Henry of Settimello was a late 12th century Italian poet. He was the author of De diversitate fortunae et philosophiae consolatione , a Latin poem in elegiac couplets...
imitated it, but it is now seldom read. One line, referring to Virgil
Virgil
Publius Vergilius Maro, usually called Virgil or Vergil in English , was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He is known for three major works of Latin literature, the Eclogues , the Georgics, and the epic Aeneid...
's Aeneis, is sometimes quoted:
- Incidit in Scyllam qui vult vitare Charybdim ("Wanting to avoid CharybdisCharybdisCharybdis or Kharybdis was a sea monster, later rationalised as a whirlpool and considered a shipping hazard in the Strait of Messina.-The mythological background:...
, he runs into ScyllaScyllaIn Greek mythology, Scylla was a monster that lived on one side of a narrow channel of water, opposite its counterpart Charybdis. The two sides of the strait were within an arrow's range of each other—so close that sailors attempting to avoid Charybdis would pass too close to Scylla and vice...
").
Many poems in his style, or borrowing his themes, have been attributed to Walter on insufficient evidence. For example, he was not the author of the satirical Apocalypse of Golias
Apocalypse of Golias
The Apocalypse of Golias is a satirical Latin poem of the 12th century, probably written in England or France. Like the Biblical Apocalypse, the poem is addressed to the "Seven Churches", but manuscripts differ as to whether they are the "Seven Churches in England" or "Seven Churches in...
once attributed to him. In addition to his poems, Walter wrote a dialogue attacking Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
and a treatise on the Trinity
Trinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity defines God as three divine persons : the Father, the Son , and the Holy Spirit. The three persons are distinct yet coexist in unity, and are co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial . Put another way, the three persons of the Trinity are of one being...
, and he was possibly the author of Moralium dogma philosophorum
Moralium dogma philosophorum
Moralium dogma philosophorum is a Latin work of the 12th century. Its authorship is uncertain: it has been attributed to William of Conches, to Walter of Châtillon and to Alan of Lille...
. He died of bubonic plague
Bubonic plague
Plague is a deadly infectious disease that is caused by the enterobacteria Yersinia pestis, named after the French-Swiss bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin. Primarily carried by rodents and spread to humans via fleas, the disease is notorious throughout history, due to the unrivaled scale of death...
early in the 13th century.
External links
- Catholic Encyclopedia: Walter of Chatillon
- Gautier de Châtillon at Association de généalogie des familles Gauthier
- Newer edition of The Alexandreis, edited and translated by David Townsend. Peterborough: Broadview Press, 2006.
- Online works in Latin
- Alexandreis (Bibliotheca Augustana)
- Satirical poems of Walter of Châtillon with translation by Robert Levine
- Contra Judaeos, De Trinitate (Patrologia LatinaPatrologia LatinaThe Patrologia Latina is an enormous collection of the writings of the Church Fathers and other ecclesiastical writers published by Jacques-Paul Migne between 1844 and 1855, with indices published between 1862 and 1865....
via Google Books)