De falsis diis facts for kids

De falsis diis (which means 'on false gods' in Latin) is an Old English sermon. It was written by a monk named Ælfric of Eynsham around the late 900s or early 1000s. This sermon is special because it tried to explain old beliefs about Anglo-Saxon and Norse gods using a Christian idea called Euhemerisation. This means suggesting that these gods were actually just powerful humans who were later seen as gods.

Later, another important church leader, Wulfstan II, Archbishop of York, changed Ælfric's sermon to fit his own style. It was also translated into Old Norse with the title Um þat hvaðan ótrú hófsk, which means 'how false belief began'. The spelling De falsis diis is usually for Ælfric's text, while De falsis deis is for Wulfstan's version.

Ælfric's Original Sermon

Ælfric's sermon was mostly based on an older sermon from the 500s called De correctione rusticorum by Martin of Braga. Parts of Ælfric's sermon can be found in at least seven old Anglo-Saxon books. The most complete copy is in a book at Cambridge, Corpus Christi College 178.

Wulfstan's Version: De falsis deis

Wulfstan II, Archbishop of York, took Ælfric's sermon and rewrote it in his own unique way. Wulfstan's version is also known as De falsis deis or Homily XII. What made Wulfstan's version special was his clever use of poetic language and powerful speaking style. Only one copy of Wulfstan's version still exists. It is kept in the Bodleian Library in Oxford, in a collection of sermons called MS Hatton 113.

How Wulfstan's Work Spread

Wulfstan's sermons, including De falsis deis, were copied in many important places. These included Winchester, Canterbury, Exeter, and other areas in England. This shows that during Wulfstan's time, and soon after, his writings were very important. People spent a lot of effort copying them by hand.

Many major churches and libraries copied his works. This means Wulfstan's ideas were popular across England, not just in one place. Even two centuries later, other sermon writers continued to use parts of Wulfstan's sermons in their own works. This suggests that his writing was highly respected and powerful. The wide spread and continued use of Wulfstan's works show how important his message was.

Main Ideas in Wulfstan's Sermon

The church always tried to stop old non-Christian practices. But people did not easily give up traditions that had been around for generations. This is why Wulfstan's De falsis deis was based on Ælfric's sermon, and why a later Icelandic sermon also covered similar ideas. All these sermons can be traced back to Bishop Martin of Braga's De correctione rusticorum.

This shows that the belief in "animism" was common and lasted a long time. Animism is the idea that natural things like the sun, moon, stars, fire, water, and earth have spirits or are gods. In De falsis deis, Wulfstan talks about how people believed these natural elements were gods. He then says these beliefs came from the devil.

Wulfstan also said that other non-Christian gods were linked to the devil's teachings. For example, he explained that some people worshipped "world-men" who became powerful. This is part of euhemerization, where ordinary people are later seen as gods. Wulfstan used this idea to convince non-Christians that their gods were just humans who tricked people. He wanted to show that non-Christian beliefs were confusing and without real purpose. When Wulfstan talked about pagan gods, he often said they were demons or just humans.

It's not surprising that church leaders like Wulfstan tried to make non-Christian gods seem bad or just human. The Anglo-Saxons had only become Christians a few hundred years before. Also, many pagan Scandinavians had moved to England and settled there. Evidence of England's pagan past was everywhere. It was in their stories, place names, and customs. For example, many place names in England still have parts of old pagan gods' names, like Odin, Thor, and Tiw.

Ælfric's "De falsis diis" also talks about how the days of the week got their names from pagan gods. For instance, "Friday" comes from the Danish goddess Fricg. Ælfric also said that singing non-Christian songs at funerals was not allowed. This shows that Scandinavian pagan traditions were still common even after Christianity arrived. Both Ælfric and Wulfstan mentioned Roman gods but also connected them to their Scandinavian equivalents. They used an English form of Óðinn (Óðan and Oðon) instead of the Scandinavian form. This might mean they didn't want to link their ancestors too closely with the Danes, or they didn't want to remind people that their own royalty claimed to be descended from Óðan/Oðon.

Wulfstan's Writing Style

Wulfstan's sermons were meant to be spoken aloud, not just read. So, he used many tricks to make them clear. He often rephrased things that might be hard to understand, using phrases like þæt is (which means 'that is'). For example, he explained the Holy Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) in a simple way.

Wulfstan also used many strong words to emphasize his points. Words like æfre (ever), swyðe (very), and georne (eagerly) appear often. The word swyðe is used many times in De falsis deis. He also used rhyme, like and saca and wraca (strife and vengeance).

Alliteration, which is when words close together start with the same sound, was also common in Wulfstan's work. For example, "woruldmen þe mihtige wurdan on woruldafelum" (world-men who became mighty in worldly affairs). Alliteration and rhyme were popular in writing at that time. Wulfstan was so good at it that when he rewrote someone else's work, he often changed one word into two alliterating or rhyming words.

Other parts of Wulfstan's style include repeating words or sentences. For instance, the phrase þurh deofles lare (through the devil's teaching) appears many times. Repeating phrases helped listeners remember important points. An example of repeating words is mid muðe and mid modes (with mouth and with mind). Wulfstan planned his writing very carefully; he didn't just write on the spot.

Wulfstan was clearly a very talented writer. People admired his speaking skills even when he lived in London. One writer even apologized for not being as skilled as Wulfstan when asked to translate something. Some early scholars believed Wulfstan wrote poetry, not just prose. This shows his writing was not only clear but also poetic and had a strong rhythm. Looking at his actual handwritten books, his writing was very neat and organized. Even his notes in the margins were tidy, and his handwriting was fancy but easy to read.

Many people admire Wulfstan's style. It is easy to recognize and very special. He used strings of short phrases linked by alliteration and other sound patterns. His style was so unique that he would even rewrite small parts of works that Ælfric had prepared for him. Because of this special style, 26 sermons are known to be Wulfstan's, with 22 in Old English and others in Latin. It is also thought that he wrote many anonymous works. His handwriting has been found in many old books, where he added or corrected material. He wrote more than just sermons, including law codes and other prose.

Old Norse Version: Um þat hvaðan ótrú hófsk

This Old Norse text is mostly based on the parts of De falsis diis that talk about the world before Jesus arrived. Today, it only exists in a Norwegian-Icelandic book called Hauksbók. The section was written between 1302 and 1310, but the original text might be much older.