Medieval

Sights and Sounds

Note: The sound files are in either MP3 or WAV format. Both can be played with Winamp, which you can downloaded for free by clicking here.

Augustine of Hippo

• The oldest surviving portrait of Augustine, from the Lateran basillica in Rome (6th Century).
• The ruins of Augustine's cathedral.
• A late-medieval illuminated manuscript of The City of God (Paris, early 15th Century).

Benedict of Nursia

• A 12th century manuscript of the Rule of Benedict.
• Examples of Gregorian chant (the staple of Benedictine prayer).

Music for Mass

Kyrie Eleison VI ("Lord have mercy"): score (medieval-style notation) and music

Sanctus XVIII ("Holy, Holy"): score and music

Agnus Dei XVIII ("Lamb of God"): score and music

Music for the Daily Office (2nd Vespers for the Feast of the Assumption of Mary [August 15])

Opening Verses

Hymn: Ave Maris Stella: score and music

Psalm 109

Psalm 112

Psalm 121

Psalm 126

Lectio Brevis (short Biblical reading)

Responsory

Magnificat

Concluding prayers

Final blessing

Beowulf

• A fragment from the Beowulf manuscript
• The opening lines of Beowulf, read in Old English
• Anglo Saxon helmet (7th century, from the burial site at Sutton Hoo)
• Reconstruction of an Anglo Saxon ship (based on the ship found at Sutton Hoo)

Einhard & Charlemagne

• Einhard writing the life of Charlemagne; from the Grandes Chroniques de France (Paris, 14th Century)
• The Coronation of Charlemagne; from the Grandes Chroniques de France (Paris, 14th Century)
• Charlemagne leads his army against the Saracens (Muslims -- who appear here as devils); from the Grandes Chroniques de France (Paris, 14th Century)

The First Crusade

• Crusaders and Muslims fighting

Tristan and Isolde

• Sir Tristan in Battle

Moses Maimonides

• A manuscript of Maimonides commentary on the Mishna (in Maimonides' own handwriting)

Thomas Aquinas

• Thomas Praying Before the Cross; Stefano di Giovanni Sassetta (Siena, 1394-1450)
• An Example of Aquinas' Handwriting (described as "litterae unintelligibiles")
• A close-up of Aquinas' Handwriting
• Adoro Devote (a Eucharistic hymn ascribed to Aquinas): text (in Latin and English) and music

Dante

• A 14th Century Manuscript of the Divine Comedy, Inferno, Canto I (Venice, 1340s)
• A map of the Inferno.

Catherine of Siena

• St. Catherine of Siena; Giovanni di Paolo (Italian, 1403-82)
• Catherine's Mystical Marriage to Christ; Barna da Siena (Italian, 1340)
• Catherine of Siena Dictating The Dialogue; Giovanni di Paolo (Italian, 1403-82)

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

• The opening of the poem in Middle English: text and narration.
• Sir Gawain beheads the Green Knight.

Chaucer

• The "pilgrim steps" leading to Thomas Becket's tomb at Caterbury Cathedral
• Stained glass image of St. Thomas Becket (Canterbury Cathedral, 13th century)
• Portrait of Chaucer; from the Ellesmere manuscript (perhaps the earliest manuscript of the Canterbury Tales)
• The opening lines of the General Prologue, read in Middle English
• The Wife of Bath's Prologue; from the Ellesmere manuscript
• Adieu ma tres belle maitresse; Perhaps Chaucer's prioress listened to something like this (Gilles Binchois, c.1430)

The Black Death

• The Triumph of Death; from the Heures de Rohan (c. 1418-25).

Medieval Drama

• An image of the Dutch play Elckerlijk, upon which Everyman is based.
• Death and the Miser; Hieronymus Bosch, 1490.

Thomas Malory

Pico della Mirandola

• The opening of the first printed edition of Pico's Oration (1496).
• Pico's copy of the book of Job, with notes in his handwriting.