Medieval Song: An Anthology of Hymns and Lyrics

Originally published in 1972, Medieval Song assembles the whole tradition of early European poetry, from the writings of the late Roman Empire to the time of the Hundred Years War. It covers a vast range of languages and cultures, beginning with the Latin of pagan song and Christian hymn and ending with the Middle English ballads of the time of Chaucer. The selection stresses the interdependence of the sacred and the profane. The sequence of the translations shows how the dawn songs or albas of France, Germany and Italy are clearly related to the sacred songs in Latin. Professor Wilhelm’s translations reflect a variety of voices, from the earthy lyrics of Duke William IX of Aquitaine - the first known ’modern’ poet - to the graceful, sophisticated poems of Charles d’Orléans. The book shows that the literature of the Middle Ages had its origins in the tradition of Latin composition, and developed in radically different ways in the various European communities. The book collects 230 poems.

James J. Wilhelm (1932-2012) was Professor of Comparative Literature at Rutgers University.