De Mensium Nominibus

Abstract

In the huge mediaeval storehouse of miscellaneous fragments, compiled not later than the eighth century and now known by the title Liber Glossarum, there are not a few items dealing with the names of the months in various parts of the ancient world. Some of them (such as Helul in Macchabaeorum libro Augustus, qui apud nos mensis sextus, vocatur) come from the second book of the Instructiones of Eucherius (p. 153, ed. Wotke); some (such as Februarius nuncupatur a Februo, id est Plutone, cui eo mense sacrificabatur) are excerpts from Isidore's Etymologiae (v. 33); while a few (such as Aprilem vero, nullo deorum suorum nomine, sed de re propria, quasi Aperilem nominaverunt eo quod tunc plurimum germinis aperiatur in florem) can be traced to Isidore's De Natura Rerum (cap. 4). Among the remainder, however, which cannot be found in any of the definitely recognisable sources of the Liber Glossarum, there are 116 forming by themselves a distinct group. In these items a curt formula gives us the names by which the months were known in eleven different parts of the world, e. g.:—