« L’occultation du paganisme dans la Chronique mineure de Bède le Vénérable »
Abstract
The Chronica minora, that is the chapters XVII-XXII of Bede’s De Temporibus, is almost a cento of Isidore’s Chronicle, more precisely of the Chronicle itself and of the epitome of this Chronicle included in Etymologiae V, 39. As the source is unique, it is possible to see the passages conserved, eliminated or modified by the excerptor; the choice by Bede of a version rather than another (Etym. V, 39 or the Chronicle itself) is also significant. The principal modification brought by Bede is the occultation of paganism: Isidore’s passages where gods are mentioned are systematically omitted, some notices are abbreviated (sometimes not without subtlety) to cancel out any allusion to antic paganism. Two conclusions: 1° The Chronica minora evidences Bede’s tendency to reject any reference to paganism; 2° it shows also Bede’s originality with his source.