Abbonis, written in the early 11th century, depicts the life of Abbot Abbo of Fleury, who
died in 1004. Books 2 and 3 of the Miracula sancti Benedicti form the third major work
by Aimoin. Continuing the work of Adrevald de Fleury, Aimoin carries the account of
miracles associated with St. Benedict through the period of the abbacy of Abbo.
Grover A.Zinn
[See also: ABBO OF FLEURY; ANDRÉ DE FLEURY; GRANDES CHRONIQUES
DE FRANCE; HAGIOGRAPHY; HISTORIOGRAPHY]
Aimoin de Fleury. Opera. PL 139.617–870.
——. Les miracles de saint Benoît, ed. Eugène de Certain. Paris: Renouard, 1858.
Bautier, Robert-Henri. “L’historiographie en France aux Xe et XIe siècles (France Nord et de
l’Est).” In La storiografia altomedioevale, 10–16 aprile 1969. Spoleto: Presso la Sede del
Centro, 1970, pp. 793–850.
Vidier, Alexandre C.P. L’historiographie à Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire et les Miracles de saint Benoît.
Paris: Picard, 1965.
AIMON DE VARENNES
(fl. late 12th c.). The poet Aimon de Varennes informs the reader that his romance
Florimont was written for love of his lady in 1188. After apologizing for his nonnative
French, he tells how Florimont’s initial success is disrupted by betrayal of his secret love.
Once cured of lovesickness, “Povre Perdu” goes to Phelipople and ultimately triumphs,
marries the king’s daughter, and becomes the grandfather of Alexander the Great. Much
of Florimont recalls Partonopeu de Blois, while mixing in memories of voyages, local
legends, and oriental stories, along with other literary sources. Like 12th-cen tury
romancers in general, Aimon uses common forms and materials renewed by his own
(re)inventions.
Matilda T.Bruckner
[See also: GRECO-BYZANTINE ROMANCE]
Aimon de Varennes. Florimont: Ein altfranzösischer Abenteuerroman, ed. Alfons Hilka.
Göttingen: Niemeyer, 1932.
Bruckner, Matilda T. “Florimont: Extravagant Host, Extravagant Guest.” Studies in Medieval
Culture 11(1977):57–63.
Fourrier, Anthime. Le courant réaliste dans le roman courtois en France au moyen âge, I: Les
débuts (XIIe siècle). Paris: Nizet, 1960, pp. 447–85.
AIOL
. Composed in Picardy during the first third of the 13th century, this chanson de geste
(10,983 assonanced lines) is unusual in that the first part is mainly in decasyllables with
the rare caesura 6/4, while line 5,367 and thereafter are Alexandrines. Scholars assume
Medieval france: an encyclopedia 28