Old English Prose Translations of King Alfred's Reign Book

The earliest extensive body of English prose-writing dates from the reign of King Alfred, who personally translated Latin texts with the assistance of his court scholars, and commissioned others to contribute translations for his program of educational reform. This volume provides an introduction to and annotated bibliography of scholarly literature on Alfred's translations of Gregory's Pastoral Care, Boethius's Consolation of Philosophy, Augustine's Soliloquies, and Psalms of the Paris Psalter; Wærferth's translation of Gregory's Dialogues; and the anonymous translations of Orosius' History and Bede's History. The bibliography covers editions, literary criticism, linguistic analyses and other relevant writing from the sixteenth century up to 1996; it also lists the many biographies of Alfred (including Asser's contemporary Life of Alfred and scholarly studies of it), major histories, and other publications that have drawn upon the translations for evidence, or that shed light on the circumstances of production. The book aims to provide a guide not only to scholarly writing focused on the texts themselves, but also to the contexts and attitudes that have shaped response to Alfred and the literature of his reign. Dr GREG WAITE teaches in the Department of English at the University of Otago, New Zealand.