Description
Composed by Odo, the second abbot of Cluny, the Vita of St Gerald of Aurillac († c. 909/920) is an exceptionally important source for the history of the ninth and tenth centuries. Political and administrative structures, economic organization, social relations, private devotion…: many aspects of the everyday life of a noble layman in his own country and on a pilgrimage to Rome come to life in the author’s fascinating story. Besides many picturesque scenes Odo paints an original and very human portrait of a saint out of the normal. Although the Vita has long attracted the attention of historians, it has never been the subject of a critical edition. The text is accompanied by a new French translation and a detailed commentary.
