Mirum oppido: Authorship, Vocabulary, Style

Abstract

Although it has been proposed that the early-eleventh-century letter Mirum oppido was written by an English author residing on the continent, the name that appears in the opening salutation is actually a cryptograph for clericus and cannot be further localized. The vocabulary of the letter is also reminiscent of some tenth- and eleventh-century Anglo-Latin texts; however, the same vocabulary can also be found in continental Latin sources, especially those derived from commentaries of Martianus Capella. Lastly, the convoluted style of the letter is examined. The article is followed by the Latin text and an English translation.