The Bern Riddles, also known as Aenigmata Bernensia, Aenigmata Hexasticha or Riddles of Tullius, are a collection of 64 rhythmic Latin riddles, named after the location of their earliest surviving manuscript, which today is held in Bern (though probably produced in Bourges): the early eighth-century Codex Bernensis 611. [1] [2]
Although it has been suggested that they were composed in late antiquity, [3] most scholars consider that the Bern Riddles were inspired by the c. fourth-century collection of riddles attributed to Symphosius, [4] and date to around 700 AD.
The author of the Bern Riddles is not known but the book might have been written by "a Lombard familiar with Mediterranean flora and food". [5] According to Archer Taylor, "The Berne Riddles are especially interesting for the author's familiarity with the North Italian landscape and its plants. Whoever he was, we may safely call him the first medieval riddle-master in Italy". [6] Some scholars have proposed that the Bern Riddles originated in early England, where several early medieval collections of verse riddles were created, including the Enigmata of Aldhelm. However, it is more probable that the Bern Riddles were written under the influence of Aldhelm's collection and therefore post-date it.
The subjects of the Bern Riddles are as follows: [7] [8]
LI. De alio. | 51. Garlic. |
LII. De rosa. | 52. Rose. |
The riddles are written in Latin rhythmic hexameter.
The Bern Riddles come down to us in the twelve medieval manuscripts, including: [9]
| Siglum | Name | Folios | Date | Number of Riddles | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| H | Cod. Bern 611 | 73-80v | 8th c. (1st half) | 33 | See manuscript here. Parts of this manuscripts are missing. |
| I | Cod. Berlin Philipps 167 | 37v-45 | ca. 800 | 61 | |
| R | Cod. Leipzig Rep. I 74 | 15v-24 | 9th (middle) | 63 | See manuscript here. |
| W1 | Cod. Vienna 67 | 168v-170 | 12th c. | 62 | |
| W2 | Cod. Vienna 2285 | 206-12 | 14th c. | 62 | |
| Q | Cod. Paris Lat. 5596 | 165- | 9th (early) | 9 | See manuscript here. |
| Q1 | Cod. Paris Lat. 8071 | no foliation | 9th c. | 2 | See manuscript here. Sometimes referred to as Codex Thuaneus. |
| U4 | Cod. Vatican Reg. Lat. 1553 | 8v-21 (passim) | 9th c. (early) | 52 | See manuscript here. Mixed with riddles of Symphosius and Aldhelm. [10] |
| A | Chicago, Newberry MS f.11 | 12th c. (first half) | 62 | ||
Key modern editions of the Bern Riddles include:
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