Category Archives: Czechs

Christianus

Published Post author

The following comes from the Anonymous Christian Monk‘s Vita et passio sancti Wenceslai et sanctae Ludmilae avae eius that is “The Life and Passion of Saint Wenceslaus and His Grandmother Saint Ludmilla” aka Legenda Christiani aka Kristiánova legenda. The monk claimed to be the uncle of St. Vojtech (Adalbert) which would make this work significantly older than Cosmas’ “Chronicle of the Czechs”. There isn’t much new here but since Meyer threw this in into his compilation of Suav religious sources, we give it here as well.

Chapter 2

“At vero Sclavi Boemi, ipso sub Arcturo positi, cultibus ydolatrie dediti, velut equus infrenis sine lege, sine ullo principe vel rectore vel urbe, uti bruta animalia sparsim vagantes, terram solam incolebant. Tandem pestilencie cladibus attriti, quandam phitonissam, ut fama fertur, adeunt, postulantes spiritum consilii responsumque divinacionis. Quo accepto civitatem statuunt, nomenque inponunt Pragam. Post hinc invento quodam sagacissimo atque prudentissimo viro, cui tantum agriculture officium erat, responsione phitonisse principem seu gubernatorem sibi statuunt, vocitatum cognomine Premizl, iuncta ei in matrimonio supramemorata phitonissa virgine.”

“But indeed the Bohemian Slavs, placed under Arcturus himself, devoted to idolatrous worship, like hellish horses without law, without any duke or governor or city, like brute animals roaming about scattered, inhabited the Earth alone. Finally, worn down by pestilence, they went to a certain soothsayer witch [this is a reference to Libuše, daughter of Krok], as the story goes, demanding the counsel of spirits and the answers of divination. After receiving this, they set up a city, and gave it the name Prague. Having found there a certain most shrewd and prudent man called by the name of Premizl, whose only vocation was agriculture; they set him up as a prince or governor over them and had him unite in marriage with the aforesaid soothsayer maiden.”

“Sicque a clade et multiplici peste tandem eruti, dehinc a supra memorato principe ex sobole eius rectores seu duces preposuere sibi, servientes demoniorum simulacris et prophanis sacrificiorum ritibus bachantes, donec ad extremum dominatus eiusdem regni pervenit ad unum ex eisdem principibus ortum, vocitatum Borivoi.”

“And thus finally rescued from the disaster and the manifold pestilence, thenceforth the above-mentioned prince appointed from among his sons governors or leaders, serving demon idols and profane sacrificial rites, until at last dominion of the same kingdom came to one of the same princes, called Borivoi.”

“Hic cum excellentissime forme et egregie iuventutis flore nitesceret, quodam tempore negocii sui populique sibi commissi causa ducem suum vel regem Zuentepulc Moravie adiit, a quo benigne suscipitur et ad convivium pariter cum reliquis adsciscitur. Verum sessionis ei locus inter Christicolas minime conceditur, sed ritu paganorum ante mensam pavimento iubetur insidere. Cuius presul Metudius iniurie condolens, fertur dixisse ad eum: Ve, inquit, quod tu talis tantusque haut erubescis a principalibus repelli sedibus, cum et ipse in fascibus ducatum obtineas, sed magis cupias ob nefandam ydolorum culturam cum subulcis humotenus incubare. At ille: Quid, inquit, ob huiuscemodi rem pericli pacior vel quid boni michi conferet Christianitatis ritus? Si, inquit presul Metudius, abrenunciaveris ydolis et inhabitantibus in eis demonibus, dominus dominorum tuorum efficieris, cunctique hostes tui subicientur dicioni tue et progenies tua cottidie augmentabitur velut fluvius maximus, in quo diversorum confluunt fluenta rivulorum. Et si, inquit Borivoi, res se ita habet, que mora est baptizandi? Nulla, inquit pontifex, tantum paratus esto ex integro corde credere in Deum patrem omnipotentem eiusque unigenitum, dominum nostrum Iesum Christum et in Spiritum paraclitum, illuminatorem omnium fidelium, non tantum mundialis causa substancie, verum eciam capessende salutis tue anime pro aquirenda perhennitatis gloriosa palma atque percipienda societate sanctorum ineffabili leticia.”

“[Bořivoj I of Bohemia], in the most excellent shape and in the splendid bloom of his youth, at a certain time went to his ruler Svatopluk I King of Moravia, on account of the business committed to him and his people by whom he was kindly received and he went to a banquet together with the others. But he was not allowed a place among the Christians but ordered to sit on the floor by the table according to pagan custom [similar story in the Conversion of the Carantanians]. The Bishop Methodius, sympathizing with him, is reported to have said: ‘Alas, that you sit with scum and being a man of importance you are embarassed at not being given a place at the table, [simply] because you prefer the unholy rites of idolatry.’ And he [Bořivoj] said: ‘Why would I brave the danger [of renouncing pagan rites], or what good will the rite of Christianity confer on me?’ Bishop Methodius answered: ‘If you destroy the idols and the demons that dwell in them, you will become the master of your masters, and all your enemies will be subject to your rule, and your descendants will multiply daily like a great river in which the streams of different streams converge.’ To which Bořivoj answered ‘If, this be so, what [then] prevents me from being baptized?’ ‘Nothing at all’ said the bishop. ‘Be ready only to believe with all your heart in God the Almighty Father and His only begotten, our Lord Jesus Christ and [too] in the Holy Spirit, the enlightener of all the faithful, and not as exchange for [earthly] things but rather to achieve the salvation of your soul, to acquire the glorious palm of eternity and to perceive the company of the saints in an ineffable joy.'”

“Populum cunctum Boemorum in furorem principis accendit, eo quod paternos mores relinqueret et novam atque inauditam sanctitatis legem Christianorum arriperet. Surgunt adversus eum uno animo eademque sentencia suisque eum a finibus perturbare conantur, seu eciam vitam auferre moliuntur. Quo agnito princeps sese ab eis removit rursusque regem zuentepulc seu pontificem Metudium Moravie repetivit.”

“The Czechs believed that he [Bořivoj I of Bohemia] abandoned the old customs of [their] fathers and accepted the unknown customs of Christainity so they rioted against him, […] and hounded him abroad and even intended to kill him; and thus, [when] the prince learned [about it], he left them and returned to the king Świętopełk, or Bishop Methodius in Moravia.”

From chapter 5

Chapter 6

“Quia vero radicitus necdum avulsi fuerant paganorum supersticiosi ritus, dum plurimi ad immolandum demoniis nefanda properarent sacrificia, cibisque ex ipsis potibusque simul inquinarentur, verum in cunctis se subtraxit, occasione facta qualibet. Carceres destruxit, patibula suppliciaque, que usque adhuc inerant ad excruciandos homines, funditus sua pietate evulsit fanaque profanorum terre coequavit.”

“But because the superstitious rites of the pagans had not yet been rooted out, while many hurried to perform evil sacrifices to demons, and their food and drink were polluted at the same time, he [Saint Wenceslaus] himself was never defiled by following these, but he withdrew himself from all, on every occasion. He destroyed the prisons, the gallows, [ended?] the executions, which up to this time had been used to torture men, completely uprooted by his piety, and razed the profane to the ground.”

Copyright ©2023 jassa.org All Rights Reserved.

August 9, 2023

Czech Gods Part III

Published Post author

Here is a list of the remaining sources that appear in Meyer’s compilation and that we have not yet covered. The translations come (mostly) from Juan Antonio Álvarez- Pedrosa, Julia Mendoza Tuñón, and Sandra Romano Martín (“Sources of Slavic Pre-Christian Religion.”)


Legenda Bohemica “Oportet Nos Fratres”

[section 1]

“For the inhabitants of this region lived without law until the time of the Roman-Germanic Caesar Henry [the Fowler],* knew not the king of heaven, as if they were deprvied of reason, and, forgetting that creation is the work of such a great Creator, served deaf and mute idols, straying far from the truth… After… the illustrious male Spytihnev became leader of the principality and took firm hold of the throne of this kingdom for himself and at the same time, by the will of God, began to love in earnest the cult of the Christian religion, to observe with devotion the law of God, to feel hatred for the followers of the idols and to love all those who believe in the one true God as if they were the children of his own loins. And without more delay, regenerated with the mystery of the holy baptism, wisely edified in the faith of the most Holy Trinity, he destroyed the majority of the temples of the idols and with the greatest veneration built many temples and chapels in honor of the Holy King of Kings.”

* note: Henry was a king, not an emperor.

Ilius enim regionis incole usque ad tempora Romani Cesaris Heinrici sine lege uiuebant, celi regem, quasi ratione carentes, nesciebant, seque facturam tanti factoris esse negligentes, surdis et mutis ydolis seruiebant, a ueritate longe deuiantes (…). Postquam (…) preclarus uir Zpitigneus peruenit ad ducatus principatum et eiusdem regni solium sibi subiecit bene subiugatum, statim Deo predestinante christiane religionis cultum studiose cepit amare, legem Dei deuotus obseruare, sectatores autem ydolorum odio habere et omnes in unum uerum Deum credentes quasi filios uterinos diligere. Nec mora, sacri baptismatis mysterio regeneratus, in fide sancte Trinitatis sapienter edificatus, plurima idolorum templa destruxit, regi regum eiusque sanctis perplures domos et oratoria cum summa ueneratione construxit.

[section 3]

“As proof of his goodwill, the exalted emperor of the Romans, Otto I… granted this happy son Wenceslaus the enjoyment of the duchy and advised him with great emphasis to be, like his father Vratislaus*, a dedicated soldier of the imperial army, to act with loyalty like a good leader all the days of his life and to always stay far away from the cult of the perverse idols.”

* note: Vratislaus I of Bohemia (circa 888-921), duke of Bohemia from 915.

Summus autem Romanorum imperator,scilicet primus Otto(…) beatum puerum Wenzezlaum bona uoluntate constituit ad ducatus dominationem et monuit eum summis ammonitionibus patri suo Wratizlao similem esse regali militie strennuum militem et bonum ducem omnibus diebus uite sue fideliter interesse et a peruersis ydolorum culturis semper abesse.

[section 13]

“All that which he (Wenceslaus) dared not do openly before his semi-pagan subjects to serve God, he performed in full over the course of the night at desired intervals. Because there existed a pledge among the pagan subjects, and confirmed by criminal analogy, whereby, should they find a clergyman or a Christian anywhere with the Servant of God, they would immediately cut off his head or subject him to another cruel death with no possibility of defense. For this reason, the pious Wenceslaus built hidden passages.”

Quicquid propter semipaganos ciues palam facere non ausus est in Dei seruitium, hoc pernox totum impleuit per desiderabile cuiusque noctis intersticium. Erat enim a paganis ciuibus constitutum et federatum celestaque conratione confirmatum, ut si quis clericorum aut ceterorum christianorum cum Dei seruo alicubi inueniretur, statim aut capite truncaretur aut alia seuissima morte sine contradictione puniretur. At beatusWenzezlaus fecit occultas posterulas.

[section 15]

“To them, the man of the Lord (Wenceslaus), moved for a brief time, answered them saying: ‘Oh incredulous fools, enemies of the Christian name… You are worshippers of loathsome idols and pagans who persecute nearly all Christians. What is more, that which at some moment was my wish for the service of God, was without doubt that which you wished for not… You established your ceremonies and festivals dedicated to the demons and not to God, you offered victims and burnt offerings to alien/strange gods, and reduced to nothing all those things connected with the true God. And on top of this, with threats and flattery you prohibited me from celebrating the divine mysteries.”

Quibus uir domini paulisper commotus respondit et dixit: “O increduli et insani, o inimici nominis christiani (…) Vos estis cultores inmundorum idolorum et profani persecutores omnium pene christianorum. Preterea quicquid umquam in Dei seruitium meum erat uelle, procul dubio uestrum erat nolle (…) Demonibus et non Deo solemnitates et ferias uestras constituistis, uictimas et holocausta diis alienis obtulistis, et omnia, que ueri Dei sunt, ad nichilum redegistis. Insuper minis et blandimentis me ipsum prohibuistis diuina mysteria celebrare.

Concilia Pragensia


sub anno 1366

“On the image of death (regarding those who bring death to the outskirts of town in the middle of Lent). It is known that in some cities, towns and villages the pernicious habit has taken root, on the part of clergy and laymen, of bringing images in the form of death around town to the river in the middle of Lent, accompanied by chants and superstitious representations and that there they sink said images vehemently arguing to their own shame that in this way death will not do them more harm because it has been destroyed and wiped out from the town’s boundaries. Therefore, it is ordered that each and every one of the heads of the diocesan churches, upon discovering that there are such people in their parishes, immediately remove them from divine functions, until said transgressors and superstitious fraudsters receive from the Archbishop a penitence that corresponds to their excesses and will free them from sin. Absolution for these excesses is especially reserved for the Reverend Father.”

De mortis ymagine (de his, qui in media quadragesimae portant mortem extra villam). Item quia in nonnullis civitatibus oppidis et villis prava clericorum et laicorum inolevit abusio , qui in medio quadragesimae ymagines in figura mortis per civitatem cum rithmis et ludis superstitionis ad flumen deferunt ibi quoque ipsas ymagines cum impetu submergunt, in eorum ignominiam asserentes quod mors eis ultra nocere non debeat tanquam ab ipsorum terminis sit ultra nocere non debeat tanquam ab ipsorum terminis sit consumata et totaliter exterminata. Quare omnibus et singulis ecclesiarum parochialum rectoribus precipitur quod cum tales in suis plebibus resciverint, mox a divinis officiis tam diu abstineant, donec dicti prevaricatores lusoresque superstitiosi a domino Archiepiscopo peniterntiam recipiant pro excessibus condignam et salutarem quorum absolutionem sibi reverendus pater specialiter reservat.

sub anno 1384

“It is also ordered that the parishioners or the leaders who represent them in the diocese of Prague should not allow superstitious representations in their parishes, and especially should not allow images representing death, which are made so as to be displayed, midway through Lent, on city outskirts, accompanied by music, on account of the bad custom that is established in some places.”

Item mandatur ne plebani seu eorum vices gerentes per diocesin Pragensem ludos superstitiosos in plebibus suis admittant specialiter ne in medio quadragesimae extra portas urbis vel ville ymaginem ad hoc factam in modum ortis cum rithmis sicut consuetudo prava in quibusdam locis inolevit, offerri permittant.

(another) sub anno 1384

“It is also ordered that all parishioners and the leaders who represent them shall not allow, on the anniversaries of their dead, for the parishioners in their own houses to make sacrifices with torches, on their behalf or the behalf of others, nor for them to sign the responses that are often used n such occasions. For this custom should be considered a bad habit.”

Item mandator omnibus plebanis et eorum uices gerentibus ut in anniuersariis mortuorum in domibus plebizanorum ipsorum non permittant ut faiant fieri aliqua offertoria cum luminibus per se uel alios nec eciam cantent responsoria in talibus consueta fieri. Nam hec consuetudo uel potius abusio dicenda est.

sub anno 1407

“Against money-lenders and fortune-tellers. In addition, oh! It has been reported before the tribunal of our Lord that many money-lenders, fortune-tellers, sorcerers and sorceresses are appearing in different parishes and this is publicly tolerated by the parishioners, who, free from all censure, openly practice different spells, disregarding and setting aside the one holy Christian faith. Thus, it is ordered that each and every parishoiner should no longer tolerate such sorcerers and sorceresses any longer in their parishes but rather they should condemn them and expel them and send them before the tribunal of the authority so that they may complete the punishment imposed upon them for their salvation. Moreover, any parishioner who does not heed this must be reported by the prior of that place to the higher prelates, and must be punished by them with aseverity as a prticipant in a crime that has been condemned and is condemned.”

Contra usurarios (et) sortilegos. Item heu ad nostri domini audienciam est deductum quod multi usurarii sortileges incantatores et incantatrices in diversis parochiis commorantur et publice tolerantur per plebanos absque omni correccione libere diversa sortilegia exercentes in sancte et (et) unite christiane contemptum fidei et scissuram. Igitur mandatur plebanis universis et singulis quatenus tales sortilegos et sortilegas non tolerent ulterius in parochiis eorum, sed corrigant et expellant tales pro poenitencia peragenda ad superiorum audienciam remittant eis salubirr imponendo alias quicunque plebanus circa hoc negligens fure debet per loci decanum denunciari prelats superioribusi.

Copyright ©2021 jassa.org All Rights Reserved.

August 9, 2021

On Homiliarium quod dicitur de Opatoviz (Part II)

Published Post author

We return to the Homiliarium quod dicitur de Opatoviz with the benefit of the Juan Antonio Álvarez-Pedrosa, Julia Mendoza Tuñón and Sandra Romano Martín translation (again, mostly kept as is except where something would read better or where they chose not to translate a few lines otherwise found in Meyer).

For the first part see here.


I, 84 Deum solum colendum (fol. 136r–137r)

Of One God That Should be Worshipped

Each man will on judgment day have to account for his deeds and will be judged for his actions for which he deserved a reward. Therefore, the lies that the devil teaches people – to their own damnation – 

“Given that each person will have to answer for their own deeds on judgment day and shall be repaid for their deeds and receive an appropriate reward, that is, everlasting torment for the wicked, bliss and everlasting glory for the righteous, it is essential to reject the falsehood taught by the devil with his veneration of idols for the purpose of misleading men, and believe in the one true God and confess His holy name forever. Any other thing which men worship instead of God, with the aid of the seduction of the devil, they do so for their own perdition, for they do not realize nor reconsider that those same gods which they worship are incapable of providing them with anything good or of use and can neither give nor take away even a piece of straw.”

Quoniam de suis actibus puisque in die iudicii redditurus est racionem et accepturus est pro operibus suis, quale hic premium promeretur, sive pro mails supplicium infinitum, sive pro bonis beatitudinem et gloriam sempiternam, ideoque falsitatem, quam diabolus ad perdendos semet ipsos homines in idolorum cultibus docet, respuere omnino necesse est et unum verum deum credere et confiteri nomen eius sanctum in secula. […] Alia vero quecunque pro deo homines colunt fallaente et seducente diabolo, ad suam quique perniciem faciunt, quia non perpendunt nec recogitant, quod ipsi dii, quos colunt, nihil eis boni nihilque utilitatis adhibere valent, nec unam parvissimam stipulam cuiiquam dare vel adimere possunt.


I, 85 Item unde supra deum colendum (fol. 138r–138v)

Some More on the One God To Be Worshipped

“Therefore, let not our faith be in this, let us not worship nor believe in any other creature in place of God. Let not our faith be in any phantasmagoria; for any truth is better than all of the things that can derive from human opinion. Not even the human soul, which is the soul of truth, should we worship when it conjures false things. Neither should we worship angels nor men nor any creature as if it were God. Let not the product of human works form part of our religion, for though the makers of such things excel, we should not worship them in place of God. Neither should we on any account perform sacrifices to any animal, nor to the trees, nor to the springs, for such things provoke the wrath of God. Thus, let us take care that the worship of the dead does not enter our religion; for if they led just lives, they do not seek such honors but rather wish us to worship Him whom they themselves worshipped and by whose grace they did all the good things they did and wish us to participate in their virtue. Therefore, let them be honored by imitation and not worshipped as a religious duty. The cult of demons does not form part of our religion, for all superstition is the damnation of men and a dangerous straying from the path, for their [the demons’] purpose is to lead them to everlasting torment. We venerate the true God, in which sole God we believe, whom we serve and from whom we will learn the eternal reward.”

Ideoque non sit fides nostra in eo, ut aliquam creaturam pro deo colamus aut credamus; non sit fides nostra in aliquo fantasmate, melius est enim qualecunque verum, quam omne quicquid pro arbitrio surgi potest. Et tamen ipsam animam hominis, que vere anima est, cum falsa imaginatur, colere non debemus. Et ideo non angelos, non homines, nullam utique creaturam colere vel pro deo credere debemus. Et ideo non sit nobis religio humanorum operum cultus; meliores enim sunt artifices, qui talia faciant, quamvis nec eos pro deo colere debemus, ac nequaquam bestiam aliquam, non ad arbores, non ad fontes sacrificia ullo modo facere, quia talibus causis ad iracundiam deus provocetur. Quamobrem caveamus, ut non sit nobis religio cultus hominum mortuorum; quia si pie vixerunt, non tamen tales querant honores, sed illum a nobis coli volunt, quem ipsi colebant et cuius gracia operati sunt, quecunque bona fecerunt, nosque eorum meritis desiderant esse consortes, honorandi ergo sunt propter imitacionem, non adorandi propter religionem. Non sit nobis religio cultus demonum, quia omnis supersticio, cum sit magna poena hominum et periculosissima turpitudo, tamen finis illorum ad eternum tendit supplicium. Nos vero deum verum colamus, cumque deum solum credamus, eique serviamus, qui ab eo eterna premia percipiemus.


I, 104 Ammonicio sive predicacio sancti Bonifacii episcopi de abrenunciacione baptismatis (fol. 171r–171v)

Admonition or the Sermon of Bishop Saint Boniface About the Acceptance of Baptism

“Listen brothers and think through carefully what it is that you accept through [your] baptism. You renounce the devil and all his works and all his depravities. What then are the works of the devil? The following: pride, idolatry, envy, hatred, defamation, lies, perjury, fornication, adultery, any kind of promiscuity, murder, robbery, false testimony, rapine, avarice, gluttony, drunkenness, blasphemy, disputes, anger, poisoning, enchantments, the consulting of oracles, belief in witches and werewolves, the performing of abortions, being disobedient to your lords, the use of amulets.”

Audite, fratres, et adtencius cogitetis, quid in baptismo renunciastis. Abrenunciastis diabolum et omnibus operibus eius et omnibus pompis eius. Quid sunt ergo opera diaboli? Hec sunt superbia, idolatria, invidia, odium, detraccio, mendacium, periurium, fornicacio, adulterium, omnis pollucio, homicidium, furta, falsum testimonium, rapina, avaricia, gula, ebrietas, turpiloquium, contenciones, ira, veneficia, incantaciones et sortilegos exquirere, strigas et fictos lupos credere, abortum facere, dominis inobedientes esse, filacteria habere.


I, 122 Sermo de christianitate vel de operibus bonis (fol. 208v–209r)

A Sermon on Christianity and Good Deeds

“Let nobody worship idols nor drink or eat that which is sacrificed to idols. persuaded to do so by their gluttony. Whosoever commits this sin and receives not a just penance, shall be forever damned. He who has been baptized must avoid profane things; nor resort to nor hurry to consult any wizard, (herbalist) or seer or sorcerer on any matter, borne by a sacrilegious pleasure. Let nobody hang an amulet or magic binding, for should any person commit this sin and not receive his penance, he shall lose the grace of the sacrament of baptism.”

Nullus idola adoret, vel que idolis immolantur, gula suadente bibat aut manducet. Qui hoc malum fecerit, nisi digna penitencia subvenerit, peribit in eternum. Qui baptizatus est, debet profana vitare, nullos carios, (herbarios vel imprecarios) aut divinos aut precantatores sacrilega voluptate de qualibet infirmitate adhibeat aut interrogare presumat. Nullus filacteria aut ligaturas sibi aliquas adpendat, quia quicumque fecerit hoc malum, si non penitencia subvenerit, perdet baptismi sacramentum.

[…]

“Therefore, whosoever by means of wizards and seers or sorcerers and devilish amulets kills his soul, through the prayer of the priests or the alms in the churches can heal his soul and his flesh: because the illness of the body is related to that of the heart, for God punishes in this world those whom he loves.”

Quare ergo per carios (per erbarios) et divinos (et per imprecarios), per cantores (per incantatores) et filacteria diabolica occidit animam suam, qui per oracionem sacerdotum vel elemosinam aecclesiarum potest sanare animam et carnem suam.


I, 131 Sermo ad populum (fol. 225r–225v)

A Sermon For the People

The priests warn the people in every way possible that in the event of animals dying of plague, of an illness or of any other misfortune, not to seek the aid of wicked men or women or of seers, witches, sorcerers, false scriptures, trees, springs or of any other thing but of God, of his saints and of the Holy Mother Church and, in the event of illness, that of Christian doctors, without using spells; whosoever does otherwise, let him perform a pure penance and confession and not do the same thing again; be vigilant in order to eradicate this mistaken custom of laypeople when they go to a feast, and say to the priests or the clergy: allow me to eat meat today and sing a mass for me or many psalms and they wish not to perform the penance ordered. Let the priests for this reason not sing masses for them but teach them to live in a sober and pious manner and to constantly think how to reduce their sins.” 

Presbiteri per omnia populumh ammoneant non pro mortalitate animalium, non pro pestilencia, non pro infirmitate aliqua neque pro variis aliis evenientibus ad malos viros aut feminas aut ad auguratrices aut ad maleficas aut incantatores aut falsas scripturas aut ad arbores vel ad fontes aut alicubi nisi ad deum et sanctos eius et ad sanctam matrem ecclesiam dei auxilia querere, nisi ad medicos fideles adiutoria pro infirmitatibus variis sine incantacione; et quisquis hoc fecisset, puram inde agat penitenciam et confessionem. Et de cetero, ne amplius faciet, caveat, ut prava consuetudo auferatur, quod laici faciunt, cum ad convivium veniunt, clamant ad presbiteros seu ad clericos: Iube me hodie carnem manducare et canta mihi unam missam vel psalmos tantos et nolunt datam penitenciam observare. Presbiteri illis eo modo mossas non cantent, sed doceant eos sobrie, pie vivere et pro peccatis suis minuendis iugiter cogitare.


I, 135, 3 De muliere, que cum duobus fratribus fornicata est (fol. 232r–233v)

About a Woman Who Committed Adultery With Two Brothers

“Should a nun fornicate with another nun by means of witchcraft, she shall do penance for six years. Should a woman fornicate with another woman, she shall do penance for three years. Let her do the same penance if she mixes a man’s semen with her food in order to receive his love.”

Si sanctimonialis cum alia sanctimoniali per aliquod machinamentum fornicate fuerint sex annos peniteant. Mulier si cum muliere fornicata fuerit annos tres peniteant.


I, 135, 4 De eadem re (fol. 233v)

On the Same Matter

“Should anyone, whether to fulfill a lewd desire or out of hatred of the fact that he shall have offspring, give a man or a woman a filter to dirnk so that he or she may not beget or conceive, let that person be adjudged a murderer.”

Si aliquis causa explende libidinis vel odii meditatione, ut ex eo soboles nascantur hominum vel ad potandum dederit, ut non posses generare aut concipere, ut homicida teneatur.


I, 135, 5 De viciis gule et ebrietatis (fol. 237v)

The Vices of Gluttony and Drunkenness

“The woman who takes the blood of her husband as remedy, let her do penance for forty days. If she takes her husband’s semen, let her do three years of penance.”

Uxor, que sanguinem viri pro remedio gustaverit, quadraginta dies peniteat. Sic et illa, que semen viri sui accipiat, tres annos peniteat.


I, 135, 7 De operibus die dominico (fol. 242v)

Regarding the Works on God’s Day

“And nothing should be read or sung in church except that is dedicated to the authority of God or of the church fathers, and let not there be worship of false angels but only those taught in the writings of the prophets and the Gospels, that is Michael, Gabriel, Raphael…” 

Ut aliud in ecclesia non legatur aut cantetur nisi ea, que auctoritatis divine sunt et patrum orthodoxorum sanxit auctoritas, nec falsa angelorum nomina colant, sed ea tantum, que prophetica et evangelica docet scriptura, id est Michael, Gabriel, Raphael […].


Copyright ©2021 jassa.org, All Rights Reserved.

March 24, 2021

Poloni

Published Post author

It has become fashionable for certain elitist circles to try to denigrate Polish nationalism by pointing out that the idea of the “Polish nation” was for years restricted to the upper classes. The transparent intent is to take the air out of the nationalist balloon that had pumped up the rather overly pleased egos of some nationalists hailing from the plebeian classes – whether “worker” of “farmer” (though the former, if you look back a couple of generations, almost always leads to the latter). (An analogous mechanism is at work where similar elites throw various Jesus quotes at self-professed Christians with the putative aim of exposing hypocrisy and teaching Christians how to be better Christians but, where one suspects, the more immediately satisfying goal is that of deflating – by means of a “burn” – some bloated evangelical egos).

There is no doubt that Poland, for many years, was quite an inequitable place. On the one hand, the gentry was much larger than the Western European aristocracy and benefitted from privileges not accorded its western counterpart. On the other hand, the serf class existed in what became increasingly a slave-like system of land management.

Yet, is the above-cited claim correct? Were these serfs really not Poles in the full sense of the word? This writer would beg to differ.

One could point to the fact that, whatever the definition of the “nation” was in the 16-18th centuries, if we look back further in time we see that matters were initially different. Thus, for example, we could note that the peasant enjoyed more freedoms under the Piasts than under the Jagiellons and elective kings and more still under the earlier Piasts.

But aside from substance, there are other, symbolic, indications that the serfs were in fact seen as part of the nation no less than the non-landed Americans were seen as American by the U.S.’ Founding Fathers. The mistake here is to regard the right to vote as determinative of whether someone belongs to the Nation. That kind of an approach would redefine Nation to mean no more than the upper class (or caste).

For one thing, we have the foundation stories of the Poles (and the Czechs) which take great care to speak of the founders of the first dynasty such as Piast (and Premysl) as tillers, farmers. Even in the PVL’s take on the history of Kievan Rus, the indigenous Kievan Polans’ leaders – Kyi, Shchek, Khoryv and their sister Lybid – appear to have had no great claim of an aristocratic heritage.

But there is another reason to think that Poles – in the sense of a Nation – were, well, just Poles. When the sermon speaks of Nos, enim Poloni, tres deos habemus, scilicet Lada, Nya, Iassa – we note that these “Poloni” that the writer is referring to were not the writer’s own social niveau. They could not have been because the royal, priestly, warrior, bureaucrat and, likely also townsperson, classes, must have been, by the 15th century, mostly Christianized.

The people that the writer is referring to as the “Poloni” were the peasants with whose serious Christianization the Church was becoming concerned first in the 14th/15th century. And, indeed, the reports of the Polish Gods – Yassa, Lado and others (incidentally, Deos – not Deas – whether that interpretation was right is another matter) – come from the countryside. What is surprising about this is that – even in the 19th century – Polish ethnographers were recording the Names – Jasień and Łado – in peasant songs. In other words, even half a millennium later, the Church, in substance, failed to persuade the masses of the attractiveness of the “original sin” / “repentance” theology.

Copyright ©2021 jassa.org All Rights Reserved

January 10, 2021

On the Suavic Accents of “The Miracles of Udalrich, the Bishop of Augsburg”

Published Post author

Much of the information concerning Ulrich/Udalrich is derived from the Life of St Ulrich written by Gerhard of Augsburg sometime between 982 and 993. Ulrich was born in 890 at Kyburg, Zurich in present-day Switzerland. He was the son of Hupald, Count of Dillingen (d. 909) and Dietpirch of Swabia (also known as Theoberga). His maternal grandfather was Burchard I, Duke of Swabia. Burchard was reportedly the second husband of Liutgard, who was the widow of Louis the Younger. The siblings of Dietpirch included Burchard II, Duke of Swabia. His family was connected with the dukes of Alamannia and the Ottonian dynasty. An unnamed sister served as a nun in Buchau. Ulrich had been bishop of Augsburg from 923 till 973.

Here are the Suavic mentions in Gerhard of Augsburg’s “The Life of Udalrich, the Bishop of Augsburg.” The manuscript photos are courtesy of the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek.

Book I
Chapter 28

[year 977 A.D.] “…One time Emperor Otto [II] wanted to attack the Suavic people with his army; Otto [of Swabia], who – after Henry [II of Bavaria] had been deposed – the duke of the Alemmani and the Bavarians, prepared himself to come to Bavaria with his Alemanni and Bavarians to help [the Emperor]. Bishop Henry [I of Augsburg] who had promised to go with him, waited [instead] with his knights until the army had moved on and occupied, as had previously been arranged, many towns and himself too over Neuburg. But Henry [II of Bavaria], the prior duke, took over Passau with the goal, to take over the province with the help of his nephew the bishop [of Augsburg], after the departure of Otto [of Swabia] and his army.”

“As Duke Otto [of Swabia] became aware of this plan, he returned with the armies of both provinces [Alemannia and Bavaria] and besieged Henry [II of Bavaria] in the previously[-named] town of Passau. The Emperor Otto, who by the clemency of God, had been free of the Suavs, followed him to the siege of the same town…”  

 

Quodam tempore cum imperator otto gentem sclavorum cum execitu invadere voluisset, et otto, qui tunc dux erat alamannorum et bauuuariorum, heinrico deposito, in adiutorium eius venire cum alamannis et noricis ad bauuuariam paratus esset, heinricusque episcopus ire se cum illo promitteret, expectavit cum suis militibus donec recederet exercitus, et, sicut antea consiliati sunt, occupavit cum militibus suis civitates quas potuit,  et ipse in nuuvinburc intravit. Heinricus autem, qui antea dux fuit, pazouuam civitatem intravit, ea ratione ut Ottone cum exercitu recedente, provinciam sibi cum adiutorio nepotis sui episcopi subiugaret.

Hoc itaque consilium cum ottoni duci notum factum fuisset, reversus est cum exercitu ambarum provinciarum, et obsedit eum in praefata civitate, pazouua. Imperator autem otto, cum dei clementia liberatus a sclavis, venit post eum ad eandam civitatem in obsidionem eius… 

Book II
Chapter 21

“In the land of the Suavs the son of the Duke Bolesuav* fell into such a sickness that his father, mother and other present friends began to doubt whether his life in this world could be preserved. As the father suffered this distress, he was told by the mother of the boy and by others to whom this was known, how many [people] had been freed in many ways from different sufferings on account of the achievements of Saint Ulrich. He immediately made a vow that he would have his envoys visit the grave of Saint Ulrich with gifts, if his son would return to life. Even on the same day the life ghost retuned to the duke’s son which greatly comforted the father. He saw God’s compassion in his son’s [recovery] and he took care immediately to send his envoys to fulfill his vow. They came to the gave bringing five pounds of silver, many gold pieces and as much wax as a strong packhorse could carry. The mother of the boy sent, from her side, a large amount of gold denarii for the sake of her son. The envoys also paid a visit to the altar of Holy Mary [in the cathedral] with gold and other pious gifts, just as they had been commanded; similarly too, the altar of Saint Afra**, telling why they had been sent and describing how before their departure from their lands they had left the son of their ruler alive and healthy.”

* Bolesuav II the Pious of Bohemia
** Along with Ulrich also a patron of Augsburg

In regione Sclavorum filius Volizlauui* ducis valitudinem incidit, et in tantam infirmitatem deductus est, ut pater eius et mater caeterique praesentes amici praesentem vitam eum ulterius habere posse desperarent. Cumque pater in his angustiis versaretur, ammonitus est de matre pueri et de aliis quibus notum fuit, quam multipliciter multi per merita sancti Oudalrici de  diversis angustiis liberati essent. Continuo votum vovit, si filius eius ad vitam rediret, ut missis legatis sepulchrum sancti Oudalrici cum oblatio nibus visitaret. Eodem vero die filius ducis conversus ad vitam, consolationem patri non minimam obtulit. Qui cognoscens misericordiam Dei in filio, nuntios statim mittere et votum eius implere studuit. Qui venientes ad sepulchrum, obtulerunt 5 libras argenti et aureos quam plurimos et de cerae quantum unus fortis soumarius portare potuit; mater etiam pueri seorsum denariorum aureorum bonam partem pro filio misit. Legati etiam altare sanctae Mariae cum auro et aliis oblatio nibus, sicut eis praeceptum est, devote visita verunt, similiter et altare sanctae Afrae; et narraverunt pro qua re missi sunt, dicentes, ante quam ipsi exirent de sua provincia, ut filium domini sui ambulantem et sanum dimitterent.

* Volizlauuai also wolizlaii

Book II
Chapter 22

“Another time, a certain duke of the Vandals [Wends] by the name of Misico was wounded in the arm by a poisoned arrow. As he felt that he had been struck by a harmful poison and worried that within the hour doom and death stood before him, he made a vow full of faith and steadfastness that he will send as soon as possible a silver arm with a hand for the Saint [Udalrich]. As soon as he made the vow, he was freed from the danger. He went home and commanded to make an arm that would fulfill the vow. As soon as the smiths began to make the arm, the duke rose up immediately, was freed from the threatening danger, praised the God, who had freed him from the danger of death on account of the achievements of his holy bishop, fulfilled his vow and sent the harm with the hand to the grave of the holy man.”

Alio quoque tempore quidam dux Wandalorum, Misico nomine, cum sagitta toxicata in brachium vulneratus est. Qui cum sentiret, sese veneno nocivo esse percussum, et sibi inminere mortis interitum eadem hora putaret, cum magna fide et constantia votum vovit, ut brachium argenteum cum manu quam cicius potuisset ad sanctum Oudalricum mittere non differret. Qui statim post votum relevatus a periculo, ad domum suam rediit, et brachium secundum suum votum componere praecepit. Cumque fabri brachium fabricare coepissent, et manum in eo fingerent, dux continuo de inminenti periculo liberatus surrexit, Deum laudans, qui eum per merita sui sancti episcopi de mortis periculo liberavit.

Copyright ©2020 jassa.org All Rights Reserved

July 26, 2020

Capitulare de causis diversis (of the year 807)

Published Post author

Here is a capitulary, or rather a portion thereof, issued by Charlemagne in 807 under the name de causis diversis (“on various things”):

Chapter 2

“If it shall be necessary to furnish aid against the Saracens of Spain or the Avars, then five of the Saxons shall equip a sixth; and if it shall be necessary to bear aid against the Bohemians two shall equip a third; if, indeed, there is need of defending the native country against the Sorbs, then all shall come together.”

Latin

“Si partibus Hispaniae sive Avariae solatium ferre fuerit necesse praebendi, tunc de Saxonibus quinque sextum praeparare faciant; et si partibus Beheim fuerit necesse solatium ferre, duo tercium praeparent; si vero circa Surabis [or Sorabis] patria defendenda necessitas fuerit, tunc omnes generaliter veniant.”

Copyright ©2020 jassa.org All Rights Reserved

July 16, 2020

Spruner-Menke Atlas – Bavaria, Austria, Carinthia

Published Post author

In the Alps we have the following names. Some of these are likely not Suavic and there may be others that are Suavic and which are which I do not show as such. As you can see, most of the indisputably Suavic names are concentrated in the East and, especially, in the Southeast. Nevertheless, curious names appear all over the map.  Here are some of them. Note that the orthography of the time made some Suavic -ic endings to be written as -itz but also as -iz. I’ve broken up the map to allow you to view it so the effect is that only the eastern portions are included (southern and northern). As a result some of these names may not be visible but you can find the whole map online.

  • Wizinburc?
  • Turtin
  • Wiltina
  • Pririna
  • Lusina
  • Luenzina/Luencina
  • Vellis
  • Bozsarinza
  • Trebina
  • Ribniza
  • Gurca
  • Gurca river
  • Curnoz
  • another Curnoz
  • Modrich
  • Selezna
  • Mochlich
  • Grivina
  • Ruissindorf
  • Zuric!?
  • Otmanica
  • Ostarviza
  • Kurciza river
  • Gravindorf?
  • Radentein (Radentin?)
  • Gradz
  • Pesniz
  • Iaering?
  • Zelnitz
  • Ruoste
  • Radewan
  • Razwai
  • Legindorf
  • Gamniz
  • Susil
  • Lipniza
  • Losnica river
  • Odelisniz
  • Otarniza
  • Gestnic
  • Lunkwiz
  • Grazlippa?
  • Strazinollum
  • Gestnic
  • Zlatina
  • Prucca
  • Chrawata
  • Lieznicha?
  • Woliza
  • Surowe
  • Chatsa, Chatissa
  • Liubina, Leubna
  • Muoriza
  • Chufarin?
  • Cremisa
  • Luipna
  • Sewarin?
  • Drousinindorf
  • Strithovin?
  • Medeliche?
  • Medilicha?
  • Nardina?
  • Turinbuoh
  • Weles
  • Wiwari
  • Wangin
  • Graban
  • Puoche
  • Nalubie
  • Bulka river

Of course, there are also the regional names:

  • Pustrisssa
  • Muoriza, Murztal
  • Liubenetal
  • Gurcatal
  • Crowati

I marked the Suavic sounding ones in red but also include some in blue that have -owa,-owo endings. Some of these may derive from “-oven” (compare with the Dutch Eindhoven and so forth). The suffix -awa is supposedly derived from the unattested Germanic name for “water”. As I wrote before, I don’t think that’s convincing and rather reflects an adjective ending reflecting the female “river” (that is “rzeka” or “reka” – compare with regatta). As to the -owa, -owo endings, it may be that they are derived from the word for “haven” meaning safe place (compare this with the Suavic chowac – that is to hide). However, what all these names seem to suggest is almost a population that uses Germanic vocabulary and Suavic grammar.

Copyright ©2020 jassa.org All Rights Reserved

July 6, 2020

The Suavs of Poeta Saxo’s The Life of Charles the Great

Published Post author

Sometime between 888 and 891 an anonymous Saxon poet (aka Poeta Saxo) penned a poem about the Life of Charlemaigne (this Poeta Saxo is different from the later Annalista Saxo or the Danish chronicler Saxo Grammaticus, each of whom also writes about Suavs). Mind you this was years after the death of his subject (in 814) and, in fact, we know that the poem was written during the days of Arnulf of Carinthia – Charlemagne’s great-great-grandson. The poet used both the Frankish Annals and the Life of Charlemagne by Einhard but he also seems to have had access to some other sources. It seems the poet was a Saxon so that the whole exercise praising the King of the Franks is a good example of medieval Stockholm syndrome. On the other hand, as of the end of the 9th century, the Suavs mentioned in the text were still pagan and mostly, de facto, independent from the Franks.

The poem written as annals or “Annals of the Deeds of Emperor Charlemagne in Five Books” (Annales de gestis Caroli magni imperatoris libri quince) mention Suavic tribes in several instances. Here we list of those times following the 1956 translation by Mary McKinney (which is based on the Jaffe edition). The manuscript is in the Wolfenbüttel Herzog August Library (Cod. Guelf. 553). Curiously, the Annales is followed in the manuscript by John Canaparius’ “Life of St. Adalbert of Prague” (aka Saint Wojciech/Voytech) (Vita sancti Adalberti episcopi Pragensis) written in 999 with its mentions of the Prussians and Gdansk.


Book I


772

… King Charles summoned the nobles of the Franks to a general assembly at Worms. With the approval of those present, he decided to wage aggressive war upon the Saxons. The country of the Saxons is adjacent to the Franks on the north and the territories of these two nations are contiguous with no fixed frontier. However code these nations were in their geographical situation, discord made them just that far removed from each other in their mutual feeling. Continuous murders, arson, plundering, were wont to be carried on by both parties in their neighbor’s land. The Saxons were fierce by nature and hard of heart. They had not yet learned to bear the pleasant yoke of Christ, but were greatly swayed by the snare of demons, whereas the Franks now for a long time had been Christians and had kept the Catholic faith, and were at present ruling over many nations of the earth. Relying upon these peoples, but more particularly upon God, whom they duly worshipped, they were certainly able to conquer this nation whose people were not combined together under the rule of one king for equal defense in the practice of war, but were so variously divide that they had almost as many leaders as they had districts; they were like unto a body the members of which have been torn away here and there separately. But there are three general divisions of the Saxon people under which Saxony once flourished. Their names still remain, but their ancient valor has vanished: those living in the west with their boundary line not far from the Rhone river are called Westphalians; those dwelling in the eastern portion are called Osterliudi or Ostphalians; and their territory where it borders on that of the Slavs is subject to invasions by that perfidious nation; the third people of the Saxons, called Angarians, dwell in the middle ground between the other two mentioned above. Their country joins the Franks on the south and is bordered by the ocean on the north.

Charles decided to subdue this nation. He did not delay, but with the whole strength of the Franks he advanced against it, and wrought devastation far and wide with fire and sword. He took by force a castle strongly fortified by nature and by the hand of man which the barbarians called Eresburg.* This nation worshipped a sacred image, known to them as Irminsul. It was fashioned in the form of a huge column and contained a corresponding wealth of adornment. The king pitched camp near this object of worship and spent three days in destroying it. At that time there had been long-continued heat and no rain; the fields were parched, and there was not even any water in the springs; the rivers were dry and dusty; thirst augmented by the heat soon began to fatigue the royal camp. But the power of the Omnipotent Oe who was pleased with the destruction of the profane shire, brought the following to pass: suddenly about noon, in the bed of a dry torrent which was near the camp, there burst forth water sufficient for the army.

After the destruction of Irminsul [actually: these deeds being done], the king went to the river Weser, where he received twelve hostages from this nation and then he returned successfully to this own country.

* note: The poet mentions that Eresburg is taken again by the Franks in 775.


775

…Meanwhile a portion of the king’s army had been detached and stationed near the Weser at a place called Lubbecke*…

note: though this sounds like Lubeck which may of Suavic provenance, the name actually mentioned here (and in the RFA?) is hlidbek. Maybe it has something to do with the river Lippe.


780

When suitable weather came he moved camp from Worms and again hastened into the territory of the Saxons. First he went to Eresburg, and then he is said to have remained in camp several days near the source of the river Lippe for the purpose of arranging many matters. Taking his way westward he came to the river Ocker. Here a great company of this tribe met him, obeying his command, and feigning to believe in Christ, received baptism. Moving on quickly Charles pitched camp at the confluence of the large Elbe and the Ohre rivers.

He wished to arrange the affairs of the Saxons and of the Slavs; these two nations are separated by the Elbe river; the Saxons live on the hither side, and the pagan race of the Slavs dwells on the further side. All matters having been arranged for the time being, he was eager to return to his own home…


Book II


782

…Meanwhile Witikind, who formerly as a fugitive from his own country had sought aid of the Northmen, now returned and aroused the Saxons in the vain hope of attempting to break the existing treaty with the Franks. He summoned many men to his standards and he caused the outbreak of a fresh war.

At this time, also, a tribe of Slavs, the Sorbs, took up arms and sudden invaded that portion of the Saxon territory which adjoins their own, devastating both these lands and the fruitful fields of the Thuringians. The Sorbs dwell in the lands and plains situated between two rivers: the Saale flows on this side and the wider Elbe on the further side. As soon as Charles learned of the movements of the Slavs he decided their bold daring should be checked and they should be kept from his kingdom. He called to his presence three officers of the palace one of whom was Adalgis the king’s chamberlain; another one was Geilo, the constable; he commanded them to lead the armies. He instructed troops collected from the Oriental Franks to go against the Slavs, and likewise commissioned the Saxons who were his subjects to form auxiliary forces for these commanders.

But when the legates began to lead the army through the territory of the Saxons – for they were to invade the Slavs by this direct route – they became aware of a revolt of the Saxons. The legates changed their march hoping by reason of their large force first to defeat the Saxons. The legates undertook this war rather incautiously and haughty , and it was finished with great slaughter of the Franks. When the legates learned that Witikind accompanied by a great multitude had prepared battle and encamped near Mount Suntal*, they hastened thither with hostile standards…

* note: perhaps connected with Irminsul.


784

…He [Charlemaigne] went to the Weser, to a place called Uculbi*; thence he marched through the land of the Thuringians…

…Meanwhile the king’s son, who was equal to his father in the native quality of his mind and who had his father’s name, being now in command of his father’s army in a district of the Westphalians, inhabited by the Dreini*, made an offensive drive against a great horde of this tribe that were prepared for war, and very quickly the young prince defeated them in a cavalry battle…

* note: These names bear an uncanny resemblance to the Suavic Huculi and Dreviani. See below in blue for Derve (Dreini? having to do with Dervan of the Sorbs?) and Drevani further East. Other interesting Suavic sounding names are underlined below as well.


789

There is a nation of Slavs, called Wiltzi, which possesses the territory along the farthest shores of the sea which forms a boundary for Germany. This people had been an enemy to the Franks for a long time, and pursued with hatred the neighboring Slavic tribes that were subjects of allies of the Franks, and often oppressed them in war. The great ruler was not able to endure this any longer; taking a strong legion composed of various nations, he marched against this insolent tribe. When he was marching through Saxony he had to cross the very wide Elbe river. He pitched camp on the shore of the river and began a huge undertaking, which was speedily accomplished. He built a double bridge across the very wide river, and fortified with a rampart either extremity where it touched shore, and placed a garrison there, in order that no one might break the frail structure of the timbers and thus prevent him upon his return from recrossing the river by this bridge.

Then he passed over the bridge and invaded the lands of the Wiltzi, which he devastated with fire and sword, and with sudden terror he subdued the barbarian commotion. For when the Wiltzi, although they were very brave and strong in numbers, saw the Frankish camp filled with many people, they wholly avoided the contest of arms, and surrendered to the king; especially King Dragowit whom noble birth and maturer age made more illustrious than the others When King Charles was approaching Dragowit‘s city Dragowit and all his people came out to meet Charles and gave themselves up to him in complete surrender. In like manner that whole nation with their leaders and chieftains promised upon sacred oath to serve faithfully the rulers of the Franks. The king received the hostages that he demanded, and having subdued the people in this manner, he returned with a safe march back to the river, by his former route. He led all his legions across the bridge and then he went to Worms where he passed the winter.


Book III


795

Since this much suspected nation of Saxons had so often become rebellious, frequently broken treaties, and been unwilling to rein quiet under the king’s sway, that brave ruler thought no time should be given them for recovery and for rebelling anew. He again ravaged their land in hostile invasion and placed his camp almost at their extreme frontier in a beautiful district called Bardenwich whither he ordered his allied leaders of the Slavs to assemble. While he was waiting their arrival he learned that one of them had been killed, namely, Wiltzan, king of the Abotrites. While Wiltzan was making his way to the king, as he had been ordered he fell into the ambushes which the Saxons had prepared for him because they knew that hew as loyal to the king. Charles, deeply stirred by theses bitter causes for anger, ordered the fields and towns of this whole region to be pillaged with ruthless sword and fire.


798

…But the Nordalbingians, perceiving they had seized ambassadors with impunity – for the king’s camp had not crossed the river – planned to add new deeds of great daring. They began with all their force to make war upon the Abotrites, who were then subject to the Franks and bound to them by a treaty. But Thrasicon, the duke of the Abotrites, learned of this invasion and bore arms against them The forces joined battle at a place which the natives call Suentana. Thrasicon‘s army killed 4,000 of the enemy’s amy, and caused the rest to return home utterly defeated with great slaughter…


799

…THe king, nevertheless, continued his march, as he had previously decided, going into the land of the Saxons. There with a large army he encamped at Paderborn, and awaited for some time the arrival of the Pope. Charles, the king’s son, was sent by his father into the territory of the Saxons and advanced to the place where the broad Elbe flows. He remained there until certain negotiations should be arranged with the Wiltzi and the Abotrites and until some Saxons from this section who chose to commit themselves to the protection of the king, were received.


Book IV


805

A nation of the Slavs, very cruel in the practice of war, whom they call Bohemians, had by their untimely fickleness irritated the Franks and roused the anger of Charles. The king’s son, the one that was named for his father, was sent against this nation with many soldiers. He committed battle with prudent courage, and quickly brought it to a victorious close.


808

There is a tribe of Slavs called Linones, whom the young Charles set out to invade at his father’s orders. The broad Elbe did not stop his progress, but he led his Frankish legions across it, and with favorable omen advanced against the enemy, and brought back the standards of victory to his delighted father.


Book V


Charles first increased his kingdom by conquering the Aquitanians and subduing the Gascons. He crossed the Pyrenees and subjected to this control all the land as far as the Ebro river. Next he subdued all the Italian regions, and who can say how many they were? Italy, so they say, extends a thousand miles and more, in length. Then Charles added to his realm the Saxons to whom a large part of Germany had been surrendered; they held a part of Germany that was almost equal to the territory of the Franks in length, and was twice as wide.

Charles also victoriously subjected the two Pannonias, the land and innumerable cities of neighboring Liburnia, and also those regions which are named from the Danube river, Dalmatia and Dacia. He forced more tribes of the Slavs than anyone can enumerate to pay tax to him. The four previous books of annals have narrated with specific designation by what wars Charles accomplished those things.

Now I shall tell about the interests, character, domestic life and personal appearance of Charles…

Copyright ©2020 jassa.org All Rights Reserved

July 4, 2020

Chmielowski’s Nowe Ateny

Published Post author

We have, thus far, only been through the oldest sources on Polish religion. The latter works are generally more prone to repetition and suspected of elaboration leading to fancy. Nevertheless, caution given, a relatively late work may be worth mentioning here.

This is a work by a priest Benedykt Joachim Chmielowski (Nowe Ateny albo Akademia wszelkiej scjencji pełna) from 1745-1746 (dedicated “to the wise as a mnemonic, to the idiots so as to educate them and to the politicians for entertainment”!). This work was so popular that, in a kind of technological regression, extra copies had to be handwritten (!) when the print runs ran out (or at least when the printed editions were halted). Here is what he has to say about Polish but also Czech, Baltic and East Suav paganism:

“Thus, the Poles worshipped with great aplomb, pomp and celebration, singing, dancing, burning of offerings, the idols, Jasen, Lada or Niwa Manzena, Zyzylia, Ziewana or Ziewie, the Goddess of breath and yawning. Nia the idol, supposedly had its temple in Gniezno as Długosz attests. They venerated too Pogoda, Pochwist, that is the air weather. Lelum polelum, supposedly, the stars of Castor and Pollux and in life inseparable friends and for that reason did the Poles call upon them when in happy company [n their role] as the preservers [conservatores] of friendship. These too idols did the Czechs also call upon and in addition to these also others, as I had read in Republica Bohemica, that is Chwot Zielon, Pohoda, Moskasla, Pochwist or Nehoda, Nerod, Radmasz (supposedly Rhadamanthus); Niwa, Wieles, Tasawi, Sudice, Wili, Tzybek, Lel, Pelel, Ssetek or Skrzytek, Diblik. Among these Czechs the first name was Prun or Peron, the second Swantowit (was this not Saint Vitus, the patron of the Czechs?).”

“It is these Deities’ names that the historians in Poland and in Czechia generally understand all the powers of superstition, that is Jove, Mars, Pluto, Cerera, Diana, Sol, Venera, Mercury, Rhadamanthus, the Furies, the Parcae (the Moirai), Castor, Pollux, etc.”

“The Prussians, remaining in paganism, venerated as God: the moon, fire, water, snakes, groves, especially honoring oaks. The priest of their superstitions went by the name Krywody. As Kromer says when discussing Bolesuav the First Polish monarch: And this Bolesuav desiring not to leave the smallest vestige of pagan superstition ordered the cutting down of an oak, six elbows wide, strangely grown from the earth to the boughs and taken as a God by the inhabitants of the Prussian town of Romowe. There was there another oak in a town Oppen [?] which was supposedly also used for divinations [and] long preserved, such that it came to reach  such width that in [the inside emptiness of] its rot Albert the Prussian Duke could safely turn his horse around which was easily achieved when its width reached 27 elbows as Henneberger [Kaspar] testifies in his Prussian Chronicle. This [oak] succumbed thereafter to cuts of different names [inscribed in it] of those who were there making offerings in accordance with the ancient rite to this idol [Deaster – supposedly a pseudo-Latin invention of Sebastian Castellio’s]. Also the Livonians or Inflantians venerated true idols [as in statues as opposed to trees] as Peter of Duisburg attests.”

“It is a great wonder that in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania many were [living] in the errors of idolatry. They bowed to the golden Baba, that is to a statue that was raised by the roadsides; and those that carried or transported something would toss small bits as offerings, hair or flakes in place of other things they would toss from their clothes [?]. Those who did not do this were immediately punished with sickness or poverty, according to Olao [?]. She was supposedly taken for one of the ancient Goddesses, either as Ceres or as Tellus or as that Roman Abeona, or Abeona the Goddess of Travelers. This golden Baba was venerated in Muscovy in the Obdoria Province with the following statue: she held a child in her hand and another stood by her side. This idol was worshipped by nearby nations by the killing of elk and the smearing of their blood on its eyes and lips as also through offering of sable furs. There they also venerated thunder and fire as in all of Ruthenia and Muscovy, whose church in Vilnius Wladyslaw Jagiello the Polish King and Lithuanian Duke – having first extinguished with the water of Holy Baptism the sparkles of superstition in his own person – cast down and put out the perpetual fire [burning there previously]; for this reason, supposedly, in Lithuania and Polesia they call fire Bagacz from the altered name of God. They held in esteem the smith’s hammer, as I read in Aenae Sylvio [Enea Silvio Bartolomeo Piccolomini], the later Pius II, the Supreme Pontiff.* They supposedly wanted to use this hammer to forge gold forever.** They also venerated Lucos, that is groves and trees the cutting down of which was a monstrous crime and a sacrilege. Similarly, to kill at home or on the road, the Snake, a House God, was deadly for the entire family. Lakes, caves were divine places as well as rivers, which is even shown in the very name of the Podolian river Boh, which river, according to Sarnicki, the Podolians held to be a God, a superstition they were taught by Lithuania.”

[* note: perhaps he means the future Pope’s “Tale of Two Lovers”; incidentally, also relevant to Suavs, that Pope’s letters too contain a mention of the one of the best known descriptions of the enthronement ceremony of the Carinthian dukes.]

[** note: it is also “striking” that the Latin “cudo” means to strike, beat, originally perhaps also “forge”. Despite the fact that the “c” was pronounced as a “k” whereas the Suavic “c” is pronounced as a “ts”, it is tempting to note that “cud” in Suavic means “miracle.”]

“In Samogitia or Żmudź [Žemaitija], before the Holy Faith lit up that country, that is around the year 1413, the Samogitians venerated, in addition to trees, the following Gods: Auxtejas Wissagistis, who was powerful among them; Zemolaci, that is Gods of the Earth; Perun, whom the tillers would offer bacon during thunderstrikes and when he stopped, they themselves partook of this offering with oatmeal [kasza] or noodles; Audres, the God of the sea and water; Algis, supposedly an Angel; Ausea, the Goddess of the rays; Bezlea, the Goddess of the Evening; Bregsua, the Goddess of darkness; Ligez the God of alliance or of consensus; Datan, supposedly the giver God; Kirnis, the God of cherries and blueberries;* Lizyusz, the God of young men; Gondu, the God of maidens and girls; Modeyina, Ragaina, Kierkiez, Silimicz, forest idols; Kurwayczyn and Erayczyn, who preside over sheep and lambs; Prigerstitis, the God who listens to murmurs and whispers, for this reason they observed a great quiet and modesty when talking; Dereintos, the God of peace who caused agreements: Laupatim was honored by the tillers; Ratainicz was called upon by the horse owners; Kristosi they asked to maintain crosses and stones on graves; Tawols, the God of wealth and poverty; Ulanicza, the Goddess of all house gear and she who wakes those that are asleep; Krukis the God of Swine;  Alabathis, the God of linen and yarn; as also, the Goddess Wasganthos for the same purpose was venerated by maidens and girls; and to the God called Ziemiannik, having on November the 2nd filled the tables with [various] courses they celebrated sacrileges, offering hay, bread, beer, calf, pig, rooster and goose, thanking for all the earthly blessings and asking for new ones in the future. Smik, Smik, Perlewenu, the God of tillers to whom, when beginning to till [in the year] they always offered the first sliver of the field, throughout the year then wary, as if it were a great sin, to cross it. Aitweros, the God of fences. Latawiec was venerated in Samogitia. Kaukie they called the night terrors and ghosts; they worshipped snakes too, taking them as House Gods and calling them by the name Givoytos; Orthus or Ezeonim, the God of Fishing Lakes was there also venerated, so writes Jan Łaski.”

[* note: strangely, a cherry is Kirsche in German which may suggest a solution as to who the mysterious Curche was]

“In Ruthenia – before the Holy Faith illuminated it through Olga or Helena, a Russian Lady and through Anna, the sister of Basil and Constantine, Greek emperors around the year 971 – the Ruthenians venerated Perun, Strib, Hors and Mokosl, as Kromer testifies. To this idol Perun, a human form was erected with a silver head, a golden nose and in the hand a thunderbolt. They worshipped him in Great Novgorod, burning  fires to him from oakwood only. In this place there now stands a monatery called the Perunian.”

Copyright ©2020 jassa.org All Rights Reserved

January 2, 2020

On Homiliarium quod dicitur de Opatoviz (Part I)

Published Post author

The famous Homiliarium quod dicitur de Opatoviz serves as a fascinating listing of Czech, Moravian & Slovak pagan practices and superstitions and found its way into Karl Meyer’s list of Latin & Greek sources on Suavic paganism. The translation (in this case Czech) of this document was most recently published by Jiří Dynda. The Homiliarium is a long document so here is just the initial part.

I, 5 Alia [In natali] (fol. 6r–6v)

Other Matters [On the birth of the Lord]

“All the generations of man have been tarnished by him [that is the first man Adam] with countless sins and especially the worship of idols. For they had forgotten their Lord Creator. Some worshipped the Sun, the Moon and the stars, and others rivers and fire, yet others mountains and rivers, even as so many pagans do till this day. And many still in this land of ours  worship demons and they are only called Christians [in name] and are worse than pagans. But because God wished to end and destroy all these errors and delusions in this land, he established law, sent prophets to turn the people away from these sins, created wonders and signs in the heavens and on Earth and he punished them [the people] with countless scourges, hunger and pestilence.”

Omne statim genus humanum ab illo [primo hominum Adam] innumerabilibus iniquitatibus inquinatum est et maxime in idolorum cultura, quia obliviscentes domini sui creatoris, alii solem et lunam et sidera colebant, alii flumina et ignes alii montes et arbores, sicut et adhuc pagani multi faciunt et plurimi et iam in hac terra nostra adorant demonia et tantummodo christianum nomen habentes, peiores sunt quam pagani. Volens autem deus hoc peccatum et hos omnes errores terminare ac delere de terra, primo costituti hominibus legem, prophetas misit, qui eos averterent ab iniquitatibus suis, fecit signa et miracula de celo et terra et innumerabilibus flagellis eos castigavit, fame et pestilencia.


I, 30 Sancti Wencezlai (fol. 41v-42r)

On the Day of Saint Wenzeslaus

“We admonish all Christians… to keep their priests in reverence, to faithfully serve their princes and lords, and not to place trust in [drawing] lots and [drawing] characters, but to put all their hope in the Lord.”

Omnes simul christianos ammoneamus, ut […] sacerdotibus suis honorem impendant, suis principibus et suis dominis fideliter serviant, sortes et caracteres pro nichilo ducant, sed omnem spem suam in domino ponant.


I, 31 De sacerdotibus (fol. 45r)

On the Priests

“Forbid the signing and female dancing in the vicinity of the church. Do not permit the devil’s songs that the folk used to sing in the hours of the night over the dead and the laughter that such folk [utter] in challenge to the Almighty God.”

Cantus et mulierum choros in atrio ecclesie prohibete. Carmina diabolica, que super mortuos nocturnis horis vulgus facere solet, et cahinnos, quos exercet in contestacione dei omnipotentis, vetate.


I, 52 [Religio Christiana] (fol. 83v–84r)

[On the Christian Religion]

“And as each of you knows, everyone should celebrate the year’s holy days with due reverence for the glory of God and his Saints and should go to church more often. And when he goes there [to the church], he should humbly pray to God and [should] not make jokes and empty [gesture] chants. Let no one dare to cover up the incantations, witchcraft and all these strange things and those who you discover doing such things, you should report either to us or to your priest. Let these people be set right for the law says of them: ‘you will not leave the witches alive for they not only hurt themselves but also many others. If it becomes known to you that unclean marriages had taken place [where you live], do not let these be covered up but tell of them so that we can correct those [and so that] others do not fall into them. And those women who collect poisons or kill their unborn children or of whom it is said that they can cause hail, expose them by all means, bring them into the open and let them do penance. Whatever the people who had been lured and deceived by the devil worship as God, they do this towards their own destruction for they do not understand that what they do is neither good nor useful nor beneficial for them nor can it help them. Therefore, let them be punished by torments not only those whom the devil teaches with all their companions but all who are capable of of evil and little faith and who deceive through evil deeds.”

Dies quoque festos in anno propter reverenciam dei et sanctorum eius noverit se unus quisque cum honore debito celebrare debere et ad ecclesias frequencius venire et cum ibi veniet, oret deum suppliciter et ioca et cantaciones inanes ibi nullo modo quis faciat, incantaciones et maleficia omnes omni novitate et eos, quos talia nostis colere, nullus ex vobis celare audeat, sed aut nobis eos dicat, aut presbitero suo, ut ad emendacionem provocentur, quia lex dicit de eis: Maleficos non paciaris vivere, qui non solum sibi, sed et multis aliis nocent. Incestas nupcias, ubicunque scitis inter vos fieri, nolite illas celare, sed dicite eas, ut tales corrigantur, ne multis sint in ruinam delicti. Illas vero feminas, que venenum congerunt sive partus suos necant, vel que dicuntur grandinem excitare posse, modis omnibus manifestate, ut publice arguantur, et aliquando possint pervenire ad satisfactionem. Quemcunque vero pro deo homines colunt falente et seducente diabolo, ad suam quippe perniciem faciunt, quia non perpendunt, quod ipsi, quos colunt, nihil eis boni neque utilitatis prestare valent nec tollere. Ideo eos diabolus credere docet, ne solus cum suis sociis puniatur in supplicio, sed omnes, quos valet malis artibus, incredulitate et in malo opere studet decipere.


I, 79 Omelia de diversis tribulationibus (fol. 129v)

A Sermon About Various Tribulations

“It is especially through the lack of faith, the source of all evil, that the devil tries to tempt us towards [our] fall, so much so that many Christians, we are not happy to admit this, [he] persuades [to act] as soothsayers and enchanters and to deny the Christian faith. And because he knows that all Christians are born again through baptism into an eternal life, he convinces some bad women, but also men, to refuse baptism so that they should not receive the life and glory which he himself is denied so that they, like him are sent towards eternal death and eternal suffering.”

Nos maxime in infidelitate, unde omne malum in nos diabolus potissimum conatur iniere, in tantum, ut multos etiam christianos, auguria et incantationes, multa etiam, quod coacte [invite] dicimus, fidem christianam negare persuadet. Et unde omnis scit cristianos ad vitam renasci perpetuam per baptismum, quasdam feminas iniquas seu etiam viros denegate suadet, non ut vitam aut gloriam, unde ipse exors est, tribuet, sed ut ad eternam mortem ad eternaque supplicia in talibus sibi consentientes pertrahat.

[…]

(fol. 129r–130v)

“Indeed, it is necessary to maintain the true faith against faithlessness not only with words but also with demonstrate the faith through deeds. Threrefore, [people who engage in] witchcraft of all sorts, chants, sacrilege and refusal of the faith and baptism may – by the grace of the Almighty God and the prayers of the saintly and righteous people – earn forgiveness, mercy and proper remediation through unwavering repentance, through constant confession to God and priests and through good works.”

Nam contra infidelitatem tenere necesse est veram fidem, non solum verbis, sed etiam factis signa fidei demonstrare. Maleficie autem genera omnia et incantaciones et sacrilegia vel denegatio fidei atque baptismi cum misericordia dei omnipotentis et sanctorum atque iustorum hominum oracione cum poenitencia perseverante et confessione incessante deo et sacerdotibus et indulgenciam ac veniam cum instancia bonorum operum et emendacionem condignam possunt promereri.


For the continuation see here.

Copyright ©2019 jassa.org All Rights Reserved

December 29, 2019