Sulla ricchezza nel Heliand

Abstract

In Heliand the semantic field of the concept of wealth shows significant variety. Interestingly, the attractions of Christian or heavenly wealth and the invitation to renounce pagan or worldly wealth are generally expressed through the same terms, stripped of the materiality of their original etymologies and reinvested with a new spiritual meaning. Through an analysis of passages in which the lexicon of wealth and related concepts receives a different treatment in Heliand than in its sources, this paper aims to elucidate one of the many aspects of the complex cultural revolution accomplished by Saxon society in its encounter with Christianity.