Time Words and Time Concepts in Anglo-Saxon Prose: The "Theodulfi Capitula"

Abstract

The "Theodulfi Capitula" are a handbook for parish priests written in Latin around 800 A.D. by Theodulph, bishop of Orleans, and consist of 45 chapters divided into two parts: the first provides the clergy with guidelines about their personal conduct and duties, while the second tells the priests what to teach their parishioners. Two hundred years later, the "Capitula" were translated into Old English and two of those translations have survived. Even though Theodulf deals only with selected aspects of time and of the ecclesiastical year, he nevertheless offers a broad and interesting range of words for time, for church-festivals and for meals. The corresponding OE terminology is also quite extensive. In this paper, the author tries to illustrate some of the OE time concepts and time words from the "Capitula", by looking at and comparing the original Latin terms and words used for the OE translation. Particular emphasis is given to the word-field ‘time’, the concept of ‘time’ and ‘eternity’ (Earth, Heaven and Hell), general words for ‘time’, the year and the church-year, the week and the Sunday, the day and its subdivisions, Lent and Easter. The essay provides as well three brief etymological notes on Easter, on the days of the week and on Halge Nyht, and a final list of time words and related words used in the "Capitula" with their OE translations.