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One of the most popular mirrors for princes, Christine de Pizan's Epistre Othea (Letter of Othea) circulated widely in England. Speaking through Othea, the goddess of wisdom and prudence, in the guise of instructing Hector of Troy, Christine advises rulers, defends women against misogyny, and articulates complex philosophical and theological ideals. This volume brings together for the first time the two late medieval English translations, Stephen Scrope's precise translation The Epistle of Othea and the anonymous Litel Bibell of Knyghthod, once criticized as a flawed translation. With substantial introductions and comprehensive explanatory notes that attend to literary and manuscript traditions, this volume contributes to the reassessment of how each English translator grappled with adapting a French woman's text to English social, political, and literary contexts. These new editions encourage a fresh look at how Christine's ideas fit into and influenced the English literary tradition.
Misty Schieberle is Associate Professor of English at the University of Kansas and the author of Feminized Counsel and the Literature of Advice in England, 1380-1500 (Brepols, 2014).
General Introduction
Introduction
Scrope's Epistle of Othea
Introduction
The Litel Bibell of Knyghthod
Explanatory Notes
Textual Notes
Appendix: Selections of French Epistre Othea chapters for comparison (with modern translation)