The Anglo-Saxon Version, From the Historian Orosius
by Orosius
Paulus Orosius (born c. 375, died after 418) was a priest, historian, theologian, and a student of Augustine of Hippo.
Alfred the Great, son of King Aethelwulf of Wessex, was born in 849.[1] He reigned from 871 to 899, and died with charters referring to him as king of the Anglo-Saxons.[2] Much of what is known about Alfred comes from a biography by Bishop Asser, a man who was close to the king.[3] Alfred valued learning.[4] Four books are attributed to him and he had other works, “books necessary for all men to know," translated.[5]
An anonymous translator, most likely inspired by Alfred, the Great's enthusiasm for Latin learning,[6] produced an Old English version of Orosius's Historiae Adversum Paganos. In 1773, Daniel Barrington translated the Old English and produced The Anglo-Saxon Version, From the Historian Orosius. Unfortunately, the Barrington's text received "much criticism for its unreliability."[7]
Bibliographic Information
Author: Orosius; Anglo-Saxon translation attributed to Alfred, King of England; English translation by Daniel Barrington.
Title: The Anglo-Saxon Version, From the Historian Orosius.
Published: London: Printed by W. Bowyer and J. Nichols, 1773.
Edition: First edition; 2 volumes.
Evidence for Inclusion in Wythe's Library
Listed in the Jefferson Inventory of Wythe's Library as Barrington’s Orosius. Saxon & English. 8vo. and given by Thomas Jefferson to his grandson Thomas Jefferson Randolph. The only edition of Orosius translated by Daines Barrington was published in London in 1773. Both George Wythe's Library[8] on LibraryThing and the Brown Bibliography[9] list this work.
Description of the Wolf Law Library's copy
Includes book plate of the Right Honourable George John Earl De la Warr.
View this book in William & Mary's online catalog.
External Links
References
- ↑ Patrick Wormald, "Alfred (848/9–899)," in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford University Press, 2004- ), accessed Sept. 25, 2013. (Subscription required for access.)
- ↑ Ibid.
- ↑ Ibid.
- ↑ Ibid.
- ↑ Ibid.
- ↑ Michael Lapidge, "Scholars at King Alfred's court (act. 880–899)" in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford University Press, 2004- ), accessed 27 Sept 2013.
- ↑ David Philip Miller, "Barrington, Daines (1727/8–1800)" in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography(Oxford University Press, 2004- ), accessed Sept. 27, 2013.
- ↑ LibraryThing, s. v. "Member: George Wythe," accessed on November 13, 2013, http://www.librarything.com/profile/GeorgeWythe
- ↑ Bennie Brown, "The Library of George Wythe of Williamsburg and Richmond," (unpublished manuscript, May, 2012) Microsoft Word file. Earlier edition available at: https://digitalarchive.wm.edu/handle/10288/13433
