In this continuation of his 2021 work, Dane Pestano expands on the apocalyptic background to the siege of the Badonic mount, providing the actual narrative sources of biblical, Gallic and Roman works from which Gildas built his story of the climatic British victory against the Saxons in the early sixth century. Not only this, but providing a manuscript image of the possible source from which Gildas could have obtained the place name of Badon itself. An effort is also made to place Gildas securely in the mid sixth century ...
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In this continuation of his 2021 work, Dane Pestano expands on the apocalyptic background to the siege of the Badonic mount, providing the actual narrative sources of biblical, Gallic and Roman works from which Gildas built his story of the climatic British victory against the Saxons in the early sixth century. Not only this, but providing a manuscript image of the possible source from which Gildas could have obtained the place name of Badon itself. An effort is also made to place Gildas securely in the mid sixth century by examining his knowledge of Vulgate Bible codices and Apostolic canons and suggesting he was influenced by the works of Cassiodorus and more closely Caesarius of Arles. Pestano also examines other religious practices mentioned in De Excidio Britanniae that were not evident until the sixth century. The narrative sources lead to the examination of Pelagianism in De Excidio. Building on previous scholarship, this is a major chapter showing that Gildas cleverly disguised Pelagian references beneath a cloak of allegory, but that he also openly quoted Pelagian related works. It also includes a look at the Augustinianism of St. Patrick and his awareness of the doctrinal disputes surrounding Pelagianism. Through this study we can securely assign Patrick a place in the latter half of the fifth century. It is completed with a brief look at a Penitential work of the sixth century linked to St. David, which also contains Pelagian aspects, and that Gildas references these in De Excidio. A bonus chapter discusses the origins of Gildas himself as presented in the Vita I Gildae, which also has Pelagian influences, and argues that his place of birth and early life was lived in Gwynedd, Wales, not the valley of the Clyde in Scotland. Finally, once the narrative sources used by Gildas are recognised, the momentous advent of the soldier Arthur at Badon in the Historia Brittonum becomes explainable, and the source of his emergence from an historical apocalyptic work is presented. This may indicate that the folkloric Arthur was a creation of the ninth century onwards.
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Seller's Description:
Fine. SALE Collectible Fine First Edition 2022 Hardcover. Clean 235 pp. Decorative hardcover. No jacket ever issued by publisher. NOT a library copy. See our Three Geese in Flight Book Scans cover and Table of Contents.