Page:King Alfred's Old English version of St. Augustine's Soliloquies - Hargrove - 1902.djvu/43

 V. Discussion of Alfred's Version of the Soliloquies. 1. Sources. - The following sources were used by Alfred:

1. Augustine's Soliloquies and Epistle 147, otherwise called De Videndo Deo.

2. Gregory the Great's Dialogues and Morals.

3. Jerome's Vulgate and Commentary on Luke.

The sources from Augustine and Gregory are pointed out by Wülker. I have found as strong evidence for including Jerome as did Wülker for any source except the Soliloquies. It might be even safer to say that the Soliloquies is the chief source, and that no specific source can with certainty be named for the remainder, since its subject- matter is merely similar to that found in various places, not only in the writings of the three Fathers named above, but in others as well.

2. General View. - In general we may say that the Soliloquies, both in the Augustinian original and the Alfredian version, have a twofold subject, the inquiry into the nature of God and into that of the human soul. Book I is occupied mainly with the passionate search for God, and might properly have for a motto the burning words of Job: 'Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!' Book II deals with the

1 For other sources see Notes. ^

1 Cf. especially the prayer beginning on p. .s*

3 Job 23. 3.