Crist Explained

Crist (Old English for Christ) is the title of any of three Old English religious poems in the Exeter Book. They were initially believed to be a three-part work by a single late 9th and early 10th century author, but more recent scholarship has argued that the works are more likely of differing origins.^[1]

Crist I (also Crist A or Advent Lyrics), a poem in twelve sections on Christ's Advent written by an unknown author (or authors).

Crist II (also Crist B or The Ascension), a poem on Christ's Ascension written by the Anglo-Saxon poet Cynewulf.

Crist III (also Crist C), a poem on the Last Judgment written by an unknown author.

Editions

• Foys, Martin et al. (ed.).Old English Poetry in Facsimile Project. Center for the History of Print and Digital Culture, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2019-); all three poems edited in transcription and digital facsimile editions, with Modern English translations

External links

• The Old English poems, Christ I-III
• A Modern English translation (PDF), by Charles W. Kennedy. From "In Parentheses".

Notes and References

1. Liuzza . Roy M. . The Old English Christ and Guthlac Texts, Manuscripts, and Critics . The Review of English Studies . 1990 . 41 . 161 . 1–11 . 10.1093/res/XLI.161.1 . 516602 . 0034-6551.