The Letters of Hugh Metel: (Boydell Medieval Texts)

Hugh Metel's letters, addressed to some of the most famous individuals of his age are the work of a stylish writer exploring the common concerns of this group. This volume offers a critical edition and translation of the fifty-five letters of Hugh Metel (c. 1080-c. 1150), an Augustinian canon, which cover a wide range of issues, relating to scripture, theology and canon law. He was also a prolific writer of verse, and he was keen to show how he could combine his interest in the liberal arts with his knowledge of scripture and the Church Fathers. His circle of correspondents included some of the most famous individuals of his age, including Bernard of Clairvaux, Peter Abelard, Heloise and many bishops in his region. The few scholars who mention Hugh Metel have often described his rhetorical style, permeated by literary allusions, especially to Horace, scripture and the Fathers, as 'bombastic'. Nonetheless, Hugh does have a powerful command of Latin and took pleasure in crafting letters to his circle of friends and to those with whom he wanted to share common concerns.

Table of Contents:
Preface and Acknowledgements Abbreviations INTRODUCTION Existing studies of Hugh Metel Hugh Metel and the city of Toul Hugh Metel's education and network of correspondents Themes in the letter collection of Hugh Metel Hugh Metel and his literary sources The Berlin manuscript (B) and the poetic interests of Hugh Metel THE LETTERS OF HUGH METEL 1 To Bernard of Clairvaux 2 To scholars 3 To master Tiecelin 4 To Pope Innocent II 5 To Peter Abelard 6 To Albero, archbishop of Trier 7 To brother Adam 8 To Guilencus, bishop of Langres 9 To Stephen, bishop of Metz 10 To Bernard of Clairvaux 11 To a young monk 12 To master Tiecelin 13 To Fulco, abbot of Epernay 14 To Rainald, a priest 15 To Henry, bishop of Toul 16 To Heloise, abbess of the Paraclete 17 To Heloise, abbess of the Paraclete 18 To William, abbot (of Saint-Thierry?) 19 To Rainald, a priest 20 To Thierry, a Benedictine monk 21 To Embrico, bishop of Würzburg 22 To Stephen, an abbot 23 To Hugh, a chaplain of Saint-Evre 24 To Seibert 25 To Peter, Augustinian abbot of All Saints, Chalons 26 To Gerard, a monk 27 To Udelric (chancellor of Toul?) 28 To Udelric (chancellor of Toul?) 29 To Fulco (a young man?) 30 To Albero, archbishop of Trier 31 To Sofrid, a young man 32 To Gumbert 33 To Gerland of Besançon 34 To Master Hugh of Chartres 35 To Hunbert, an Augustinian canon 36 To Garbod 37 To Euchius, an abbot 38 To Rofrid 39 To Fulco 40 To Humbert, once a philosopher, now a theologian 41 To unidentified cardinals 42 To Thierry, a Benedictine monk 43 To Fulco, a young man 44 To Humbert, an Augustinian canon 45 To Odo, an abbot 46 To Hugh, a young man 47 To master Tiecelin 48 To Gerard, a monk 49 To Paulinus 50 To William, a scholastic 51 To Constantine 52 To Constantine 53 To Constantine 54 To Simon, abbot of Saint-Clement, Metz 55 To Simon, abbot of Saint-Clement, Metz Index of Primary Sources Index of Secondary Sources Biblical Citations and References General Index

About the Author :
Emeritus Professor CONSTANT J. MEWS taught at Monash University, where he was Director of the Centre for Religious Studies within its School of Philosophical, Historical and International Studies. He is interested in medieval religious thought and intellectual history of the Latin West, particularly the development of theology in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. SEPPO HEIKKINEN is a Latinist whose main field of expertise is Late Latin and Early Medieval grammar and poetics. He has discussed The Venerable Bede and his metrical theory in several publications.