Proverbs and sentences in medieval Spanish literature

Abstract

The present study is an important contribution in the approach to proverbs and sentences through the most significant medieval literary texts written in Spain (the Libro de Alexan-dre and the Libro de Apolonio in the XIII century; the Libro de Buen Amor by Arcipreste de Hita, the Proverbios morales by Don Sem Tob de Carrión, the Tractado de la Doctrina, the Libro del Caballero Zifar and El Conde Lucanor in the XIV century; the Cancionero de Baena and El Corbacho in the XV century). All these works, like many others of these centuries, are enriched throughout with proverbs, frequently introduced by some formula, manipulated for metric reasons, followed by others proverbs and not always cited in its complete form, accompanied by numerous biblical references of the Old and New Testa-ment and of ancient authors. Many of these brief and sententious statements have lasted until our time sometimes in the same form, in other cases with some variations. Many are transmitted above all by women, repository of oral folklore, as it appears in the title of the Santillana’s compilation of the 15th century, by “viejas tras el fuego”.