Prosafassung / Prose Version

1. Home
2. Secondary Version
3. Prosafassung / Prose Version

The enormously popular prose versions of the Sieben Weise Meister, the German version of the Historia Septem Sapientum, proliferated throughout the fifteenth century. The prose version, or Prosafassung, emerged as translations of multiple different Latin originals, and was embedded within the Gesta Romanorum, though the popularity of the Sieben Weise Meister outlived that of the Gesta (Gerdes 1992).

Udo Gerdes broke down the Prosafassung / Prose Version of the Sieben Weise into seven separate redactions, lettered A-G, each representing distinct textual versions of the narrative (1992). Of these, Redaction G (the 'vulgate') is the most elaborate and detailed, and is also the only redaction to survive into the sixteenth century as a Volksbuch. Redaction B is closely associated with the German Gesta Romanorum, and contains an additional corpus of moralisations in keeping with the Latin Gesta's original form (Gerdes 1992).

General Information

Parent Versions

German Version H, Dutch Version H

Child Versions

Redaction A, Redaction B, Redaction C, Redaction D, Redaction E, Redaction F, Redaction G

Title

Sieben weise Meister

Branch of the tradition

Seven Sages of Rome

Language & Composition

Language of version

German (High and Low German)

Date of Composition

1401 - 1425

Source for date of composition

Gerdes (1992)

Literature & Editions

Modern research literature

Gerdes (1992), Gerdes (2004), Kunkel (2023), Roth (2008), Roth (2003), Schmitz (1904), Runte, Wikeley, Farrell (1984), Runte, Society of the Seven Sages Portal (2014), Hommers (1968)

Recorded Branch of This Secondary Version

• H (Historia Septem Sapientum)
  • Czech Version H: Kronika sedmi mudrců
  • Danish Version H
  • Dutch Version H
    • Dutch Prints (H)
    • Dutch Prose Version H
  • English Version H
    • English Prints (H)
      • Conyers Version
      • Pynson Version
  • French Version H
  • German Version H
    • Aventewr von Diocleciano
    • German Prints (H)
    • Hystorij von Diocleciano
    • Prosafassung / Prose Version
      • Redaction A
      • Redaction B
      • Redaction C
      • Redaction D
      • Redaction E
      • Redaction F
      • Redaction G
    • Versfassung / Verse Version
      • Anonymous Verse Version
      • Bühnenfassung / Stage adaptation: Sebastian Wild, Tragedj
      • Hans von Bühel, Dyocletianus Leben
  • Hungarian Version H: Pontianus tsaszar historiaia
    • Hungarian Prints
  • Icelandic Version H
    • Icelandic Prose: Sjö meistara saga
      • Group A: Sjö meistara saga
      • Group B: Alexander og Lúðvík
    • Icelandic Verse: Sjö meistara saga
      • Group C: Rímur
      • Group D: Vinaspegill
  • Latin Version H
    • Excerpts in Gesta Romanorum
      • Continental Group w
      • Continental Group x
      • Insular Group u
    • Group I
    • Group II
    • Group III
    • Group IV
    • Lost Latin Version H Manuscripts
  • Polish Version H
  • Scots Version H: Rolland, Seuin Seages
    • Scots Prints (H)
  • Spanish Version H: Los Siete Sabios de Roma
    • Spanish Prints (H)
  • Swedish Version H: Sju vise mästare
    • Old Swedish Redaction C
    • Swedish Prints (H)
  • Yiddish Version H
    • Yiddish Version H Manuscripts
    • Yiddish Version H Prints

{{#if:

Adaptations

Adapted from (version)

German Version H

Adapted into (version)

Redaction A, Redaction B, Redaction C, Redaction E, Redaction D, Redaction F, Redaction G

Source for composition and adaptation information

Gerdes (1992)

Pattern of Embedded Stories in This Version

Has Short Title	Has Sequence Number	Has Narrator	Has Name Variation
Arbor – The Tree	1	Empress
Canis – The Faithful Dog	2	Bancillas	Bacillas, Vontillus, Bantzillas
Aper – The Boar and the Fruit	3	Empress
Puteus – The Well	4	Lentulus
Gaza – The Treasure	5	Empress
Avis – The Bird	6	Cato	Katho, Catho, Chatho
Sapientes – The Wise Men	7	Empress
Tentamina – The Test	8	Malquidras	Malderach, Malquidrach, Malqwidrat
Virgilius – Virgil's Marvels	9	Empress
Medicus – The Doctor	10	Josephas
Senescalcus and Roma – The Steward, and Rome Beseiged	11	Empress
Amatores – The Three Lovers	12	Cleophas	Cleopfas
Inclusa – The Imprisoned Wife	13	Empress
Vidua – The Widow	14	Joachim

Copy Embedded Stories

Copy Embedded Stories

×

Select Target Page:

Close Process

Connected Manuscripts

	Has Language	Has Location	Has Date Range Of Production
Berlin Staatsbibliothek Ms. germ. fol. 1001	Dutch	Berlin, Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin - Preußischer Kulturbesitz	1475 - 1500
Berlin Staatsbibliothek mgf 59	German (High and Low German)	Berlin, Staatsbibliothek	1432 - 1437
Berlin Staatsbibliothek mgq 763	German (High and Low German)	Berlin, Staatsbibliothek	1470
Brno Moravská knihovna RKP-0048.042 (Rkp 84)	German (High and Low German)	Brno, Moravská knihovna	1434 - 1455
Colmar Bibliothèque Municipale Ms. 55	German (High and Low German)	Colmar, Bibliothèque Municipale	1468 - 1469
Einsiedeln Stiftsbibliothek Cod. 259 (692)	German (High and Low German)	Einsiedeln, Stiftsbibliothek	1468
Frankfurt a. M. Universitätsbibliothek Ms. Praed. 91	German (High and Low German)	Frankfurt a. M., Universitätsbibliothek Johann Christian Senckenberg	1477/1498
Fulda Landesbibliothek Cod. B. 11	German (High and Low German)	Fulda, Landesbibliothek	1466/1470
Gießen Universitätsbibliothek Hs. 104	German (High and Low German)	Gießen, Universitätsbibliothek	1420/1473
Heidelberg Universitätsbibliothek Cod. Pal. germ. 106	German (High and Low German)	Heidelberg Universitätsbibliothek	Mid 15th century
Heidelberg Universitätsbibliothek Cod. Pal. germ. 149	German (High and Low German)	Heidelberg Universitätsbibliothek	1450

Prosafassung / Prose Version