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The Golden Legend

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Jacobo di Voragine - Author

Christopher Stace - Translator

Richard Hamer - Introduction by

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ISBN 9780140446487 | 432 pages | 01 May 1999 | Penguin Classics | 5.07 x 7.79in | 18 - AND UP
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The Golden Legend is one of the central texts of the Middle Ages, a superb summary of saints’ lives and religious festivals which decisively influenced the imagery of poetry, painting and stained glass.

By creating a single-volume sourcebook of all the core Christian stories, Jacobus de Voragine (c.1229-98) attracted a huge audience right across Europe. Chaucer adapted the section on St Cecilia in his Canterbury Tales and Caxton published an expanded English version in 1483. This selection of over 70 biographies ranges from the first Apostles and Roman martyrs to near-contemporaries like St Dominic, Francis of Assisi and Princess Elizabeth of Hungary. Witnesses to the true faith withstand terrible tortures and reduce their persecutors to mockery. Reformed prostitutes win divine forgiveness, while other women live disguised as monks or nobly resist lustful tyrants. Jacobus’ book is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand medieval imagery, art and thought; this fine new translation captures both its vigour and variety.

Introduction
Bibliography
Translator's Note
1. St. Andrew, Apostle: 30 November
2. St. Nicholas, 6 December
3. St. Ambrose, 7 December
4. St. Lucy, Virgin, 13 December
5. St. Thomas, Apostle, 21 December
6. St. Anastasia, 25 December
7. St. John, Apostle and Evangelist, 27 December
8. St. Thomas of Canterbury, 29 December
9. St. Hilary, 13 January
10. St. Anthony, Abbot, 17 January
11. St. Sebastian, 20 January
12. St. Agnes, Virgin, 21 January
13. St. Vincent, 22 January
14. St. John the Almsgiver, 23 January
15. St. Ignatius, 1 February
16. St. Blaise, 3 February
17. St. Agatha, Virgin, 3 February
18. St. Amand, 6 February
19. St. Juliana, 16 February
20. St. Matthias, Apostle, 24 February
21. St. Gregory, 12 March
22. St. Longinus, 15 March
23. St. Bendict, 21 March
24. St. Mary of Egypt, 2 April
25. St. George, 23 April
26. St. Mark, Evangelist, 25 April
27. St. Marcellinus, Pope, 26 April
28. St. James the Less, Apostle, 1 May
29. St. Petronilla, 31 May
30. St. Barnabas, Apostle, 11 June
31. St. Basil, Bishop, 14 June
32. Sts. Quiricus and His Mother Julitta, 16 June
33. Sts. Gervase and Protase, 19 June
34. St. Peter, Apostle, 29 June
35. St. Paul, Apostle, 30 June
36. St. Alexis, 17 July
37. St. Margaret, 20 July
38. St. Mary Magdalene, 22 July
39. St. Christopher, 25 July
40. The Seven Sleepers, 27 July
41. St. Martha, 29 July
42. St. Germain, Bishop, 31 July
43. St. Dominic, 4 August
44. St. Laurence, Martyr, 10 August
45. St. Bernard, 20 August
46. St. Bartholomew, 24 August
47. St. Giles, 1 September
48. St. Theodora, 11 September
49. St. Euphemia, 16 September
50. St. Eustace, 20 September
51. St. Justina, 26 September
52. Sts. Cosmas and Damian, 27 September
53. St. Jerome, 30 September
54. St. Remy, 1 October
55. St. Francis, 4 October
56. St. Pelagia, 8 October
57. St. Thais, Courtesan, 8 October
58. Sts. Dionysius, Rusticus and Eleutherius, 9 October
59. The Eleven THousand Virgins, 21 October
60. Sts. Chrysanthus and Daria, 25< Octoberbr> 61. Sts. Simon and Jude, Apostles, 28 October
62. St. Quentin, 31 October
63. The Four Crowned Martyrs, 8 November
64. St. Martin, Bishop, 11 November
65. St. Brice, 13 November
66. St. Elizabeth, 19 November
67. St. Cecilia, 22 November
68. St. Clement, 23 November
69. St. Catherine, 25 November
70. St. James the Mutilated, 27 November
71. Sts. Barlaam and Josaphat, 27 November
Explanatory Notes
Textual Variants

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