minstrel: Aesop

[Ted Hewitt]

At 02:55 PM 8/16/98 -0700, you wrote:
>I understand that Aesop could be appropriate for many people,
>hailing from 6th century BC (according to my dictionary), but I
>was wondering ifanyone had seen any concrete citation for 
>Aesop or his fables in Ireland prior to 1200? 
>HL Conchobar Mac Muirchertaig

Ah, Aesop - a fine witty fellow.  According to his biography by Herodotus,
Aesop was a black slave.  It was thought that the fable, like blarney, was 
a way to speak a truth, but avoid punishment.  Aesop is presumed to have
been illiterate, but his work was written down by Demetrius of Phalerum,
in the 4th century BC.  The oldest existant copy of his works was written
down by Phaedrus about the time of Christ.  

The christian middle ages looked at the world as the prelude to eternity,
and felt that the creation was there as lessons to men.  As such, fables
never lost their popularity.  One popular copyist was Avianus, or Avionnet
in French, who wrote in the fourth century.   Bestiaries were likewise 
popular and were full of moral lessons.  

The 10th century had a revival of interest in fables and bestiaries.  The 
bestiaries evolved from ancient natural histories, but they were transformed
into lessons and allegories for the edification of men.  By the 12th century,
there were many bestiaries and fable books especially at centers of 
natural learning such as Chartres and Canterbury.  Many of these were
latin translations from Greek, Arabic and Hebrew.  

Marie de France, the first poetess to write in an European vernacular,
claimed to have translated Aesop from an English version by King
Alfred the Great (circa 871 - 901).  She is also famous for her
Breton "Lays" - stories of love from Celtic tradition.  She also translated
"St. Patrick's Purgatory" a pilgrimage story.  Although she was french,
she was involved in the Court of Henry II and Richard the Lionhearted 
during the latter half of the 12th century.  Her works were popular and
widespread.

This doesn't firmly document Aesop's fables as being in Ireland in the
12th century, but it certainly shows that it is feasible or even likely.  
Anglo-Irish scholars were often called upon to translate Greek and Hebrew
and it is very possible that they translated Aesop.  It is even more 
likely that since Aesop and other Fable books were available in translation
in the scholastic community that it was available in Ireland.  Certainly
if it was popular with the English court, it could have been carried to 
the Irish Pale.  

I'd be very interested if you do find a connection!

Edwin, 
We are the hands of God in this: the eighth day of Creation.
<brogoose at pe.net>

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