MONKS’ FAMOUS BOOKS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 810, 2 November 1929, Page 30

MONKS’ FAMOUS BOOKS

WONDERFUL BENEDICTINE LIBRARY SAVED FOR THE WORLD Delegates to the recent world congress of librarians at Rome, including many of the leading librarians of the T*nited States, saw some the most wonderful books on earth when they visited at Montecassino the monastery founded by St. Benedict 1.400 years ago. During the dark Middle Ages when barbarians were sacking libraries and internal feuds were intent on burning them, the Benedictine monks of Montecassino patiently copied immortal works and thus preserved for today priceless books that would otherwise have been lost forever. Among them are “The Golden Ass” and the “Metamorphoses” of Apuleius: the History and Annals of Tacitus; Cicero’s oration. “Pro Cluentia” and his essays. "Republics.” and “About the Laws.” “The Nature of the Gods,” and Ovid’s “Fasti.” The oldest grammar in history was also preserved intact by the Benedictines. This was Varrone’s “Latin Languge.” Montecassino kept unharmed the only original copy. Upon this all grammars, down to the English grammar taught in American schools have in part been based. The Work of the Benedictine monks in preserving priceless books of the church has been even more remarkable. Original works of St. Jerome, St. Augustine, St. Cyprian, and St. Ambrose; the most ancient Papal decree, that of John VIII.; -the oldest text of a decree by Cratian, famous codifier of laws, have all been saved from the depredations of time by the Benedictine brethren.