I Sermones di Goffredo di San Vittore. Edizione, studio e commento

This doctoral thesis proposes a critical edition of the thirty-two Sermones of Godfrey of Saint Victor (almost entirely unpublished until today) with an apparatus of biblical and liturgical, classical, patristic and medieval sources, and a broad philosophical and theological commentary. A preliminary reconstruction of the author’s biography is followed by a detailed analysis of the entire corpus of his works, examined both from a codicological and a speculative point of view, in order to provide an overall and systematic view of his thinking. General assumptions and characteristics of the victorine preaching are also examined, from the question of Sermones’ audience to the role of armarius held by Godfrey, from the reasons for the extensive use of Augustinian and Gregorian sources (essential in the method and content of the victorine preaching’s consideration) to the ecclesiastical or pastoral themes, always debated in Godfrey’s writings, from his reception of a central theme in Saint Victor as is the platonic Agostinian regio dissimilitudinis to his consideration of liberal arts and, more generally, of philosophy and theology. The critical edition is also preceded by a section presenting manuscript codices, reasons for our reconstitution of the text and ecdotic principles adopted. Sermons are proposed in the chronological order provided by the scan of the victorine liturgical year, with some introductory pages that highlight the peculiar features of Godfrey’s preaching, ranging from allegorical and tropological exegesis to a skilful use of sources, and aim to show an eclectic portrait of the Godfrey preacher. The analysis of this texts shows the figure of a multifaceted intellectual of the 12th century, active in the musical, liturgical, poetic, philosophical and pastoral spheres, who uses and fuses all his skills with edificatory and parenetic purposes. Godfrey proves to be worthy to continue his teaching and preaching in the wake of those great magistri that were Hugh, Richard, Andrew and Achard, exponents of a first and a second generation of authors who helped to give luster and fame to the school of Saint Victor. The thesis is completed by some summary tables of the complex reconstruction of Godfrey’s life and thought, together with his two illuminated self-portraits. [edited by Author]