Ordering Chaos ─ The Self and the Cosmos in Twelfth-Century Latin Prosimetrum

Building upon the work of Wetherbee and Dronke, Balint (classical studies, University of Indiana, Bloomington) examines the prosimetrical form of composition during the twelfth century. Concentrating on five authors: Hildebert of Lavardin, Adelard of Bath, Bernardus Silvestris, Lawrence of Durham and Alan of Lille, Balint explores the variety of topics for which prosimetria was adopted. She begins with the exemplars for the form, above all Boethius. Then she discusses the elements of prosimetria, such as dialogue with a personification, internal conflict and metaphorical story lines. The intellectual milieu that made the prosimetrum popular at this time is also considered. Two of the works, by Hildebert and Lawrence, are presented in excellent translations in appendices. For anyone interested in the twelfth century renaissance, this will add a new dimension to the study. Annotation c2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Bridget K. Balint,/b>, Ph.D. (2002) in Medieval Latin, Harvard University, is Assistant Professor of Classical Studies at Indiana University - Bloomington. She studies the literature and poetics of the High Middle Ages (1000-1300).