The prehistory of the Latin Acts of Peter (BHL 6663) and the Latin Acts of Paul (BHL 6575). Some observations about the development of the Virtutes apostolorum

TY - CHAP

T1 - The prehistory of the Latin Acts of Peter (BHL 6663) and the Latin Acts of Paul (BHL 6575). Some observations about the development of the Virtutes apostolorum

AU - Steinova, E.

PY - 2014

Y1 - 2014

N2 - The extensive chains of excerpts from the Scriptures and other sources in two of the narratives prominent in the Virtutes apostolorum, the Acts of Peter (BHL 6663) and the Acts of Paul (BHL 6575) are studied in order to come to a clearer understanding of the origin of these Latin texts. The Virtutes apostolorum is an amalgam of textual material with a complex history, but a thorough examination of both text-internal elements and relations of intertextuality allows us to draw some conclusions about its development. BHL 6663 and 6575 stand out, both with respect to other narratives about Peter and Paul and within the series of the apostles covered by the Virtutes apostolorum, on account of the chains of excerpts with which these narratives open. Analysis of the sources of these excerpts seems to indicate that they were added to an older layer of material, itself a compilation, sometime after the fifth century, and most likely in Italy. Moreover, the parallelism between BHL 6663 and BHL 6575 seems to indicate that the two Acts were conjoined before they were inserted into the Virtutes apostolorum. At least two other narratives in the collection, BHL 4089 and BHL 4318, have a similar structure and might therefore be related to the Acts of Peter and of Paul.

AB - The extensive chains of excerpts from the Scriptures and other sources in two of the narratives prominent in the Virtutes apostolorum, the Acts of Peter (BHL 6663) and the Acts of Paul (BHL 6575) are studied in order to come to a clearer understanding of the origin of these Latin texts. The Virtutes apostolorum is an amalgam of textual material with a complex history, but a thorough examination of both text-internal elements and relations of intertextuality allows us to draw some conclusions about its development. BHL 6663 and 6575 stand out, both with respect to other narratives about Peter and Paul and within the series of the apostles covered by the Virtutes apostolorum, on account of the chains of excerpts with which these narratives open. Analysis of the sources of these excerpts seems to indicate that they were added to an older layer of material, itself a compilation, sometime after the fifth century, and most likely in Italy. Moreover, the parallelism between BHL 6663 and BHL 6575 seems to indicate that the two Acts were conjoined before they were inserted into the Virtutes apostolorum. At least two other narratives in the collection, BHL 4089 and BHL 4318, have a similar structure and might therefore be related to the Acts of Peter and of Paul.

KW - late antiquity

KW - Christian apocrypha

KW - Acts of Apostles

KW - medieval Latin

KW - medieval literature

KW - Christian literature

KW - Christianity

UR - https://doi.org/10.1484/M.ISCAL-EO.5.102714

M3 - Chapter

VL - 1

SP - 69

EP - 83

BT - The apocryphal Acts of the Apostles in latin christianity

A2 - Rose, Els

PB - Brepols Publishers

CY - Turnhout

ER -