그리스도교가 서양 문화의 주류로 등장함과 더불어 고대의 신화적 전통은 역사의 이면으로 사라지게 되었다는 주장은 학계에서 오랜 동안 제기 되었다. 본고에서는 1190년대에 작성된 긴느 백작 가문사 를 통해서 이러한 기존의 상념들을 검토해 보고자 한다. 랑베르라는 한 성직자에 의해서 작성된 이 문헌을 검토한 결과, 신화적 인물에 대한 알레고리적 해석이 곳곳에서 발견 되었다. 비록 신화의 인물들이 성서에 근거해서 재해석되었음에도 불구하고 랑 베르의 세계는 고전신화와 단절된 시기가 아니었다. 그는 중세의 독자들에게 친 숙하였던 고전 필사본을 통해서 고전지식에 접근할 수 있었고, 이는 당대 지식 인들에게 잘 알려진 연구방법 중의 하나였다. 이렇게 해서 중세인들은 역사의 신화화(Euhemerism)라는 신화인식을 통해서 신화의 내용을 역사영역으로 끌어 들였고, 그리스도교 세계에 이교적 신들이 커다란 거부감 없이 소개될 수 있게 되었다. 따라서 르네상스 시대에 와서야 그리스 신화의 부활이 이루어졌다는 주 장은 더 이상 유효하지 못하다. 물론 신화의 원형이 훼손되고 변질되었음을 부 인할 수는 없지만, 신화의 이야기들은 카롤링거 르네상스 시대부터 16세기까지 지속적인 생명력을 보였다. 더욱이 12세기 이후 속인문화의 등장과 함께 고전 신화의 소재들이 새롭게 발견되면서 그리스 신화의 소생은 더욱 가속화되었다. 물론 문화의 연속성(translatio studii)만을 강조한다면, 이 역시 과장된 내용이다. 그렇다고 해서 그리스 신화를 포함한 고전학문에 대한 중세인들의 관심과 이를 그리스도교 세계의 가치체계 속으로 받아들이려했던 이들의 노력 또한 간과되 어서는 안 될 것이다.

How much of ancient mythology did educated men actually know in the Middle Ages? My study begins with The History of the Counts of Guines and Lords of Ardres, written by Lambert sometime during the 1190s. Some conclusions from the book are as follows: Medieval literature is full of allusions to events and personages of greek mythology. Though priest Lambert oversimplified mythology and made good use of it only for biblical interpretation, many medieval scholars seemed to have a strong sense of continuity with the past. Especially they gladly adopted classical theory that contended that the pagan gods had originally been human beings(’Euhemerism’). The medieval authors are wont to say that they had simply remained men -actually dead men- and that worship had been falsely bestowed upon them. Certain scholars would not be willing to give credit to the sincere study of pagan gods in the works of medieval scholars. Yet, others would find more evidence of the transmission of classical civilization, which led medieval humanists to a better understanding of the present through the study of the past. Medieval commentaries and historical notes in the margins of many manuscripts of classical writers show that educated men at that time also shared in Lamber’s intelligent consideration of past events. This conclusion does not correspond with the thesis that the Renaissance humanists rediscovered the Olympian gods. But, as we have seen above, pagan gods have always been a part of Europe’s cultural past, even in the Christian Middle Ages.

How much of ancient mythology did educated men actually know in the Middle Ages? My study begins with The History of the Counts of Guines and Lords of Ardres, written by Lambert sometime during the 1190s. Some conclusions from the book are as follows: Medieval literature is full of allusions to events and personages of greek mythology. Though priest Lambert oversimplified mythology and made good use of it only for biblical interpretation, many medieval scholars seemed to have a strong sense of continuity with the past. Especially they gladly adopted classical theory that contended that the pagan gods had originally been human beings(’Euhemerism’). The medieval authors are wont to say that they had simply remained men -actually dead men- and that worship had been falsely bestowed upon them. Certain scholars would not be willing to give credit to the sincere study of pagan gods in the works of medieval scholars. Yet, others would find more evidence of the transmission of classical civilization, which led medieval humanists to a better understanding of the present through the study of the past. Medieval commentaries and historical notes in the margins of many manuscripts of classical writers show that educated men at that time also shared in Lamber’s intelligent consideration of past events. This conclusion does not correspond with the thesis that the Renaissance humanists rediscovered the Olympian gods. But, as we have seen above, pagan gods have always been a part of Europe’s cultural past, even in the Christian Middle Ages.

Greek Mythology, Medieval Culture, translatio studii, Euhemerism, Historia comitum Ghisnensium