Aurora – a verse Bible by Petrus Riga (ca. 1145–1209): State and perspectives of research

Abstract

The article presents the state of research on Aurora, the verse paraphrase of the Bible composed prior to the end of the 12th century by Peter Riga (died 1209), a canon of the Reims cathedral and a regular canon of the Augustinian monastery located in the same city. As early as during the lifetime of Riga, it was reworked by Aegidius of Paris (ca. 1160–1224).

During the Middle Ages, Aurora was exceedingly popular. This popularity is attested by nearly 500 extant manuscript copies, numerous citations in works by other authors, and by translations into the vernacular. In spite of its importance to the Middle Ages, this remarkable text received its editio princeps only in 1965, and even if this edition provides ample material for research on various themes relative to medieval intellectual culture, many issues connected with this text remain to be solved.

P. Pludra-Żuk recounts the major fi ndings concerning Peter Riga and Aegidius of Paris, the composition of Aurora, and the specifi city of its reception, emphasising the diffi culties, which arise from the existence of several authorial versions of the text, and nearly contemporary redactions. Pludra-Żuk’s article aims at introducing into Polish historiography issues related to Aurora, which hitherto have practically been absent, while the research fi eld seems quite promising.

In particular, one can hope for interesting results from inquiries into the textual transmission and the reception of the contents of Aurora, as well as the scrutiny of its place in the wider intellectual context of medieval Poland.